The following week, I meet the troops I'll be training early in the morning. As I walk in, some idiot in the crowd decides to try a dumb pickup line.
"Who said that?" I ask, knowing exactly who did. Let's see if they pass the test.
No one comes forward. A long moment passes. I walk into the crowd and pull a random person out.
"You will be running an extra five laps today," I say.
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Another trainee steps up. "I'll run the laps for him."
Another moment passes and another trainee steps up. "So will I."
I watch as a chorus of "Me, too"s pop up out of the soldiers. I smile and start to clap my hands and they all stare at me.
"Congratulations to those of you who stood up for your peers," I announce. "You will be rewarded."
Then I walk up to the person who started the whole ordeal. "I noticed that you didn't come forward, instead letting your teammates take the blame, which was yours in the first place. You will be the one running five extra laps. And I'll see to it that you do NOT get first pick at breakfast, which has been specially prepared."
The trainee nods. "Yes, Ma'am."
"You have been selected as the best troop for the attack. Therefore, you will be trained differently. I'm training you twice as hard as the other soldiers because you need to be the most prepared. However, you will also be the most richly rewarded. Today's breakfast is special. It was prepared by the palace's chefs, and it will be a sample of the rewards you will receive. Those of you who stood up for your peers will be served first. I will not be harsh on you unless I have to. At ten o'clock, training will begin. Good luck," I tell the soldiers before signaling to the servers to bring out the breakfast. Then I turn and find my parents watching me.
"How'd I do?" I ask.
"Much better than expected," Mom replies.
"I needed to show them I wasn't just a sixteen-
year-old princess."
"And you did well," Dad tells me.
"Really?"
"Really. The past kings of Illéa would be as proud as I am if they could see you."
"Thank you."
"Any time."
Author's Note
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Yay, we see Maxon's father side again and Celeste proves that the Schreaves will not let anyone get away with messing with them.
-Nom Nom
