"Celeste!" Emilia shouts when she sees me in the hallway.
"Yes?" I ask.
"Well, um, I forgot to tell you before... But... Please don't tell anyone."
"Tell anyone what?"
"About... About me and Kaden."
"Okay... You don't have to tell me not to, anyways. I don't make a habit of telling people about my siblings' relationships."
Emilia sighs with relief. "Thank you!"
"Anyways, I have to get going. The soldiers won't train themselves for attacks," I say.
"But it's only nine-thirty."
"There's no way I'm running in this outfit." I motion to my clothes.
"Wait, what are you running for?"
"To train them."
"I don't see how it involves you running."
"Because I need to show them that if I can do it, so can they."
"You're sure you're prepared to do the same training you're putting them through?"
"Have I ever been prepared for the things that happen in my life?"
"Well, no."
"All I'm going to do is train them similarly to the way I trained myself when I was seven years old. I did it once, who says I can't do it again?"
"Okay, then, good luck!" Emilia says. She turns around and walks away.
Who'd have though Emilia would end up with Kaden? It'll be interesting, since Emilia is a second-born and Kaden is a fourth-born. That's never happened before in Illéa's history. Usually, Royal children are either given a Selection or married off to the heir of some other country. My siblings and I are all doing things no one has ever done in Illéa before, even Osten, who is the first fifth-born Illéan Royal ever. I make a mental tally of my family's records. Eadlyn will be the first female ruler. Ahren is the first Prince of Illéa and France. Kaden is the first Prince who isn't an heir to be in a relationship with another country's second-born. Osten is the first ever fifth-born Royal, and I am going to be the youngest and first female to lead the Illéan army on a counterattack against the rebels.
I'm snapped out of my thoughts when Kile runs smack into me.
"Sorry!" he exclaims, helping me up.
"Where are you going, anyways?" I ask.
"Nowhere..."
"You wouldn't be running at top speed for nothing. Spit it out."
"Nothing you'd want to know."
"I'm not a child."
"Fine. But don't tell anyone."
"Well, I'm keeping plenty of secrets already. What's another one?"
"To hide anything that has my middle name on it."
"From who?"
"Eady."
"Why... Oh. That's all? Seriously, Kile, I'm not a little kid. Eady's pestered me to tell her what your middle name is."
"Don't tell her!"
"I didn't."
"Okay, good."
"I need to go to my rooms to change before people start to wonder where I am."
"Bye."
I go to my rooms and check the time. It's 10:40. I quickly change, grab my stopwatch, and head to the fields.
When I get there, some people are already standing there. They appear to all know each other well.
"Do you all already know each other?" I ask the nearest trainee.
"Yes. We all went to boot camp together, and we got to know each other well," he replies.
"Well, it appears I'll need to catch up with you," I joke.
"My name is Johan. There, now you know one person," he says.
"Nice to meet you. Now I know a lot more people than I did two minutes ago."
"Nice to meet you, too, Your Highness."
"Just Celeste is fine."
"Okay, then, nice to meet you, Celeste."
"Thank you."
I walk around, learning about people. There are forty of them here. I manage to learn the names and personalities of a few. Johan is social and friendly, so is Stephen. Victor is quieter, and Jules is intelligent. Then someone I'd hoped to never see again walks in. Jack Ranger.
Author's Note
DUN DUN DUN.
-Nom Nom
