Caelestis

Chapter 16 & 17

Chapter 16: Zashnyx

Zashnyx flew silently over the forest. A small boar was digging for roots to eat in the trees below him. Zashnyx was hungry and needed food if he were to fly any longer.

He swooped down and grabbed the boar in his talons. The boar was so startled and the kill was so fast that it didn't even squeal for help. A tall cloaked figure approached Zashnyx. A white rag was tied around his leg and a red mark was barely showing through it.

"Have you found the Princess yet?" he asked.

"No, she was at the waterfall last I saw her," replied Zashnyx. "My hunger got the better of me when I saw this boar all by itself."

"I was just there. One of the Gramores I was with tried to murder the Princess but I remembered Ragus' orders. He said that if I allowed the Princess to be killed, he would have my head."

"I know," said Zashnyx. He ripped off a chunk of meat and swallowed it whole. The tall man gulped but stepped closer to him.

"I saw that the Princess had Ainrian with her," he said to Zashnyx. "She probably carries it with her everywhere and if that bodyguard and her Pegasus are with her all the time, I'm not sure how simple this task is going to be."

"Just leave the Princess to me, your job is to keep the Queen busy," ordered Zashnyx. He shoved the last bit of meat into his mouth and leaped into the air leaving the tall man alone in the dark forest.

Chapter 17: Why is it Always Me?

I was in my room playing with my hair when I heard a faint knock at my door. I jumped up and ran over to my bed. I picked up the sword and shoved it under my sheets.

"Just a minute!" I called. I put my crown on and walked over to the door. I opened it up. My mother was on the other side of the door and I let her in.

"Hello, Adeline," she greeted me.

"Hi, Mother," I said and hugged her.

"It is time, I think, to begin your training as a Princess," she explained. "There has been so much going on with your snake bite and Ben and..."

I had been checking in on him for the past couple hours since returning home, and I knew he was going to be just fine.

"He's fine." I sighed, relived that he was all right. My mother cleared her throat.

"So, about this 'training' thing," I started. "When do we start?"

* § *

Over the next day and a half, my mother taught me all there was to know about eating properly and sitting up straight. On Earth, I had never really learned how to be proper. I got so bored that I didn't do too well during the lessons.

"No, no, no, no, no!" my mother reprimanded, pointing a finger at me. "You do it like this." She picked up a little tea cup and sipped from it, daintily. I picked up mine and tried to sip but I ended up drinking a "gulp", as my mother called it. After another hour of "tea sipping", my mother gave up and said, "I guess we can work on that later. Right now, I would like you to meet Skye. I searched long and hard for him and I hope he will be to your liking. He is to be your second bodyguard." My mother motioned to the guards by the door. One of them opened it up and let in a tall, young man.

I felt the blood rush to my face. This man was not normal. He was unnaturally handsome. His perfectly sculpted face sat atop wide, strong shoulders. Deep green eyes stared at me and his black hair curled almost like Ben's. His torso was thick and muscular along with his arms and long legs. He wore breeches and a loose, white shirt. A black, leather vest was strapped over the shirt and a belt was strung around his waist. On it were a sword and a dagger. Over his shoulder was a bow and arrow.