Daughter of Darkness

Chapter 6

Months passed with things going to same way. There was no more talk about the threat on Sal's life, and soon she forgot about it. The only thing that changed was the fact that no one dared messed with Sal again, and the only person who really talked to Sal was Jed who still insisted on being friends with her. 

When the winter solstice arrived Sal and Alex were allowed to go back to their old rooms for a week for break. Some of the pages went home, those who lived closest, while the others stayed in their rooms and had a free time. 

Jed, who should have gone home because his fief wasn't that far, decided to stay at the palace. He also insisted on following Sal around the palace. It irritated Sal to no end, but her family thought it was funny. In fact King Roark even invited him to eat with them for most meals. Queen Valeska even fed Copperwind when she thought no one was looking. 

When Sal wasn't with her family, Jed made sure to drag Sal to the city. Half of the time he brought her to The Hollow Dragon where she got to know the locals. Rachel made sure to introduce her as Page Sal, and not as Lady Salinda the King's niece. Everyone seemed to respect the fact that Sal, a girl, could made a great knight. 

In fact, some of them even were teaching Sal some things the knights weren't teaching them. Rachel's lover, Peter, The Bandit King, a handsome dirty blonde haired guy with dazzling emeralds eyes and a crooked nose from being broken, was trying to build up Sal's strength, while Rachel tried to teach her flexibility. 

"Knights need to be nimble." Rachel said as she pushed Sal's back down as she tried to put her palms flat on the floor. "It's not all about strength." 

"Although, strength helps." Peter said arm wrestling Jed. Rachel just rolled her eyes as she threw a bread roll at Peter's face making him flinch which made Jed win. 

"Ha, I finally win!" Jed cheered. 

Peter grabbed the roll and threw it at Jed. "I'm done with you. Now Sal, let's work on your arm strength." He grabbed a wooden rod. "Now you're going to do your staff routine, in slow motion." 

Sal rolled her eyes. "I already do that." Sal said. 

"You haven't tried this staff." He smirked. Sal sighed, and grabbed the staff, but it crashed to the ground. "It's filled with lead, this will build your arm strength, and when you hold your practice staff it will feel like nothing." 

Sal grumbled under her breath as she started her routine. Peter was there to correct her stance, and help motivate her when her arms started to shake. "Peter, did this for me too." Jed smirked from the table. 

"I never asked." Sal said swinging the staff down slowly. "How did you meet each other?" 

Peter smiled lovingly at Rachel. "Well, Rachel and I met about three years ago. She was the apprentice to the last Secretress, and I was a errand boy to the last King of Bandits. Rachel, was just as beautiful back then, but she was more innocent, and her empath magic wasn't nearly as powerful, so she couldn't see the upcoming danger." He said picking up a dagger and tossing it in the air and then catching it without looking. 

"What danger?" Sal asked wiping her brow. 

"Joreh, the last Bandit King wanted her." He said, but when he saw Sal's confused face, he elaborated. "He liked her and would do anything to get her." Sal nodded knowing about the rapists who roamed the city for easy targets. "Joreh told me what he was planning on doing, and I wasn't going to let him. So the night before he was going to do something, I slit his throat." 

"Should you be telling her this?" Jed asked. 

"She should know how I became the Bandit King." Peter said smugly. "And how when I told Rachel what happened she instantly fell in love with me."