The Iron Princess | The Iron Fey sequel |

Chapter 13: Practice and Training

|Are you guys kidding me?????!!!!!! 800 reads????!!!! I love you all so much, it's great hearing you like my story, and to think it all started with a draft to see if the story might hit on i know you guys have waited a long time for this and I'm soooooooooo sorry you can blame the school and it's stupid midtems, but here it finally is, hope you enjoy it and remember, stay weird ;) |

Two weeks? I only got two weeks to get this whole princess thing in my head? Because I was partially raised by Puck I never got to learn how to dance, learn etiquettes or even some more manners, the only thing he taught me was how to fight, not really princess like. I was in my new room lying on the lounger, looking at the butterflies flying in my room, I looked at the grandfather-clock and saw it  was 12 PM. I wondered how there could be a working clock in here because time doesn't really pass in a certain flow, but I knew I should go to bed and be prepared for what Glitch had in store for me. I woke up to a little beam of light that got into my eyes, I slowly opened them and looked around the room, there was still the butterfly chandelier, lounger, huge window and big wooden door. For a moment there I thought it was all a dream, an image of what I wanted, but when it was all still there I knew it was real, I got out of bed and walked around the room, I looked at the grandfather-clock and read 7:45. I looked through my closet and looked for something casual, I went with a simple black T-shirt and light jeans, some black boots and tied my hair together, I got out of my room and finally started to get a little idea of where I was in this big palace. I ended up in the dining room where there was a big table set with all sorts of delicious smelling food, Keirran was already eating with Meghan and Ash. 'Serena, good morning sweetheart, how did you sleep', she ask standing up and giving me a kiss on the cheek, I liked being back with my family but it was still so foreign, I was still getting used to having Keirran as an older brother, now I had to get used to seeing my real mom and dad every day? 'Uh good morning Meghan, Ash, Keirran, I had a nice sleep, how about you guys?', I said sitting down, I saw her smile fade a little but I just couldn't call her my mom like that just yet. I admired the amount of food on the table, it was like that morning with Leananside, I took a cup of coffee, some orange-juice, muesli and yogurt, 'So Serena, get some good breakfast inside your system because your training with Glitch is starting in an hour', Ash said with a little smile on his face. 'Uhm after that thing with Puck last night, what do you think I can expect from Glitch?', Keirran looked at Ash and they both looked down on their food, 'Okay going on that I guess I can expect a lot, so Keirran you have to prepare for the banquet too?'. 'Yeah I'm afraid so, I think we're going to have to dance together too', 'Wait a second, dance?', 'Yes honey, that's part of the training we're talking about, dancing, etiquettes, greetings, history and all of that', Meghan answered. I took a little breathe, 'Okay then, guess I'll have to prepare for the training', I said continuing eating, I ate all of my breakfast and just when I was about to ask where I could find Glitch, an iron knight came in. 'Good morning my queen, consult, prince, princess I hope you're enjoying your breakfast', 'Thank you Siegrein, it's delicious, please thank the cook for this', Meghan said, it was the same iron knight that had helped me to my room yesterday, Siegrein. 'Princess', I looked at him and he gave me a little smile, 'Lieutenant Glitch is expecting you in 10 minutes in the courtyard for your training', 'Okay Siegrein, thank you, I'll be right there'. I talked a little bit more, gave my parents another awkward kiss and went off to the courtyard, Siegrein gave me directions on how to find the courtyard and there he was. Instead of his armor he was wearing yesterday, he was in a simple black shirt and light jeans, it was a strange sight, seeing him in casual clothes. The tight, long sleeved shirt he was wearing made his broad arms show and it was odd looking at him like this, it wasn't like I was seeing the strict first lieutenant of Meghan, but a guy Keirran's age that was going to train me. 'Uhm good morning Lieutenan', he looked up at me and got a little smile, 'Good morning princess, you can call me Glitch if you prefer'. I nodded but kept my distance, I wasn't exactly scared of him but I was a little careful with him, I guess he noticed because he scratched his neck awkwardly, 'I just hope I didn't scare you off after what you saw last night, it was just a little way of letting off steam'. I nodded and I could see by the look on his face that he was genuine about this, 'Okay so where do we begin the training?', I asked with a smile, he gave me a little smile. 'Well we begin with dance, as a tradition the daughters and sons of the different courts have to share a dance, in this case it's going to be a dance with your father, Keirran or myself, but seeing as I'll have to keep an eye on things it'll mostly be Keirran and Ash'. 'Okay so where do we begin? 'I was raised by Puck so dancing wasn't really in the program for me', 'We'll start with the basics, put your left hand on my shoulder and your right hand in mine'. He held up his hand and it was then that I noticed that he was wearing gloves, I put my hands where he ordered me and he put his right hand on my waist, 'Just a little question, why are you wearing gloves?', 'It's necessary, if I wouldn't wear these I would be giving you shocks every time you'd touch me, it's a part of who I am'.  'Wait shock me? 'Like the sparks in your hair, they sometimes give another color or spark brighter?', 'Something like that, it's part of my magic, it's how I express my emotions, but there's a downside to it, I can never truly hide my feelings because they're reflected in the sparks in my hair'. 'I can understand that, well shall we begin then?', 'Very well, okay put a step back, one sideways and then bring your feet together', and that is how we trained for quite some time, I learned the basics of the waltz, etiquettes, manners and so on. By the end of the day I was completely exhausted, Glitch had left for a few minutes to arrange something, this finally gave me time to catch my breath, I sat down on one of the chairs in the room and I swear I could fall asleep right then and there. I was so exhausted I didn't even hear Glitch come back in the room, he sat a plate of cookies and a glass of milk in front of me, 'Here, eat up, they're fresh, it's to get some energy back, sorry if I've been a little intense with the training'. I took one of the cookies and they were delicious, 'Thank you Glitch and it's okay, I need this, I only have two weeks to learn all this so please teach me as much as you can', he got a little smile on his face. He taught me until it was time for dinner and I was scared I was going to fall asleep and land with my head in my plate, 'Glitch could I please go outside for a moment? 'I could use the fresh air', 'Sorry princess but I have specific orders not to let you or your brother out of my sight'. 'Oh please Glitch, I haven't even seen the garden yet, I'd so love to go and play with Beau for a little', 'I really am sorry princess but that's out of the question, now go get some sleep, there's a busy day tomorrow too'. I gave a little sigh and went back to my room, I couldn't go to sleep yet, even after all the training with Glitch I wasn't tiered enough to sleep, I went out to the balcony and enjoyed the soft, warm evening breeze. I heard a bark and when I looked down I saw Beau jumping up and down, inviting me to come and play with him, it just made me feel even worse that I couldn't go and outside. I looked and listened all around if there was anyone else but I didn't hear anything, I got a little idea in my head and I had to do it before my conscience would tell me not to do it. Besides what was the harm of me going outside and play for a little hour, as I put my leg over the balustrade I felt a hand on my shoulder, I didn't have to look behind me to know who it was. 'Princess, maybe you didn't hear me when I told you specifically to not go outside?', it may just be because of the tension was a bit loaded or the hand on my shoulder but I thought I felt a little shiver down my spine. I climbed off the balustrade and stood there with red cheeks, 'I'm sorry Glitch, I just wanted to go and play, I wanted to enjoy this evening'. He looked at me and sighed, 'I know princess, but you can do that after the banquette, right now you are going to go to sleep and be prepared for tomorrow'. I sighed and nodded, 'Wait a second, how did you get in here? 'I thought people could only get into my room after they get permission to get in', 'Well I made the queen make an exception for my queen and me, we are the only ones that can come in without the need of your permission'. I chuckled and shook my head, 'Okay then, well goodnight Glitch, I'll see you tomorrow', he nodded and got out of my room, I changed into my nightwear and crawled into bed, I was feeling tiered and a little sore so I passed out almost immediately. I woke up and it was still quite early so I thought about having a nice long bath before going to get breakfast, I saw all the bath products and was a little lost, I opened as many as I could and smelled them and combined some of the smells that seemed to fit together. The bath was soothing my sore muscles and I stayed in there for a nice long time, after I got out I picked a simple outfit, and went to the dinning-room, nobody was there yet but the table was filled with food. I took some fruits, waffles, coffee and juice, after breakfast I went to the courtyard just like yesterday but to my surprise Glitch wasn't there yet, I sat down and waited for a little but after 10 minutes I had enough of waiting. I searched but the palace was huge, I found a hackerelf and asked him, 'Uhm excuse me, but do you have any idea where I can find lieutenant Glitch?', 'He's working in his office, he has been since last night, it's on the second floor, south-wing, second door on the left', 'You have my thanks'. I was about to go to his office but I thought about what that hackerelf said, he hadn't slept or eaten since last night, I went back to the dinning-room and gathered some stuff to eat for him, I didn't know what exactly Glitch would eat or drink, so I took some of everything, including a big glass of fresh juice and a mug of coffee. I got at his office and knocked on the door with my feet because my hands were full, I heard him say come in and I opened the door, 'Good morning glitch, I heard you've been up since last night so I brought you some breakfast'. He looked at me and got a smile on her face, 'Thank you princess, but I have no time, I still need to arrange so much', he was tapping on his computer and writing things on paper like a mad man. I walked up next to him and put the tray with food down on the desk, just then a hackerelf came inside and started rattling about something that must be arranged, I noticed that when he came closer he started to, well glitch, probably another side effect from Glitch his powers. Standing next to him I almost felt the statics in the air, the hackerelf was done talking and Glitch gave a big sigh and buried his head in his hands, I felt bad for him, he was arranging it all, my banquette, helping the coming of age celebration be ready and with all of that he was still helping Meghan rule the kingdom. I didn't know a lot about consoling somebody, I'm kind of socially awkward, so the only thing I thought of doing was give a little squeeze on his shoulder, however I didn't count for his voltage.