Lightning And Light

Chapter Two

The next day, I got up before the sun was all the way over the endless horizon, and put on my training outfit. I put my hair back in a ponytail, and walked out, heading towards the smaller dining hall located near the training quarters. Caton caught up to be, jogging to my side.
"Maren, Lord Conon wants us to report to the training quarters immediately after breakfast. He has something to tell us?" She ended her sentence questioningly. I nodded and walked with my younger sister the rest of the way to breakfast. She had her brown hair pulled back into a tight side braid, showing off the dark blue streaks in the brown. Even though she was younger, she looked like the crown princess, her posture just right and her head held high. But I was the crown princess, and I have to choose my prince soon.
   When my sister and I arrived at the dining hall, our parents were already sitting down, waiting for the servers to set plates of food down. I smile and hug my mom and dad, sitting down in the chair across from my sister. We talked for a while, and then the food arrived. We ate in peace, my parents talking about some things about the war and what we should do. Caton and I glanced at each other now and then, can't waiting for what Lord Conon wanted to tell us. My mind was full with possible ideas. Maybe he is going to give us a special mission, or maybe to have us go out of the castle and do something. I just wanted to be out of the castle.
   When breakfast was over, Caton and I made our way to the training quaters, walking quickly down the halls. The sun was shining brightly when we walked outside into the big courtyard in the castle yard. Lord Conon was sitting on a bench on the edge of the big concrete circle in the middle of the courtyard. He smiled and stood up. Lord Conon was an older man, but always has life in his eyes. We walked over to him and smiled, nodding towards our training teacher.
   "Maren, Caton. I hope you two had a good rest last night." He smiled, waving us into the circle. He raised his arms, and pillars started to rise from the concrete, towering us. The courtyard looked more like an obstacle course now, every place in the yard had an obstacle. Conon is a stone controller, which makes him able to control anything stone and rock. Caton smiled and moved some hair out of her face, and looked around at the newly renovated courtyard.
   I smirked around at the pillars and vines, and even more obstacles. Training like this is my favorite, other than power training. Lord Conon smiles as we look around, taking in the scenes. "Give me two laps then we will start." Caton and I ran our two laps fast, and then stopped, breathing somewhat heavily.
   "Caton, I want you to go first. I want to see your own strategies and how you will get through these obstacles. Maren, you're allowed to use your powers to mess with her if you'd like, but beware because your sister can use hers." Conon explained to us, Caton excited, evening out her breathing. When Conon said "Go!" My sister started sprinting to the first obstacle-- a path with giant pillars and blunt spikes sticking out-- which she cleared easily, but I started to get my powers running through me, waiting for the perfect moment to get my sister. She had stopped, doing a foot work obstacle, which would take a few minutes so I decided to use that to my advantage.
   While Caton was too focused on placing her feet in the right place, I smirked, moving the light shining off the building from the sun right into her eyes, temporarily blinding her. She jumped and lost her footing, falling to the ground with a thud. I started laughing, but had to dodge when she shot lightning at me. "You need to be aware of your surroundings at all times, Miss Caton." Conon said, eyeing her. "I know, but the foot obstacles always get me." My sister replied, standing up.
  "Maren, it's your turn." The Lord said, as Caton walked over to us.
  "Okay, let's see if I can beat Caton," I say, looking at her playfully. I stood at the edge of the starting line, and darted my way through the spiky poles. Using my powers, I bent the light so I could see clearly, smirking over at Caton. The next obstacle was just as easy as the first, a vine we have to climb up and then jump down onto spiraling platforms. The sun was behind me, making the view better for me. I jumped from platform to platform, making sure I had good footing and balance, but also watching out for any stray lightning bolts coming from below.
   "Maren, make sure you don't fall!" My sister joked. I had much better balance than her, so this obstacle was easier for me to pass. When I got down, I came up to the foot work obstacle, and cleared it in a few minutes, making sure Caton wouldn't strike me. Just one more obstacle then I will pass the test. I started to pick up speed, and raced for the end obstacle. This one was the hardest of all, strings attached from one side to another, and then barrels to climb over. I swiftly crawled under the strings, but had some trouble climbing over the barrels. This was when Caton shot a bolt of her purple lightning, and I dodged, barely getting passed it.
    I sighed as I finished the course, breathing heavily. "That last one was tough, Lord Conon." The old man smiled, and nodded. "You are ready to be out on the battlefield, My lady." That sentence, I didn't like it. What if I don't want to be on the battlefield?

   That night at dinner, my parents told me that I should be studying the war plans and strategies, since Caton and I will join for a few weeks. Even though my mom said she didn't want anything to happen to me, she reluctantly followed my dad's wishes. He wanted his daughters to see what it's like to be in the war. Since he was there once as well. Caton and I looked at each other, sighing. We knew we couldn't do anything about it, so we just went along with it. General Caine, my uncle, sat with us during dinner that night. "Malleta, do you think the girls are old enough to be out there? I've seen it up close, and so has Reeve. I know he wants them to experience it, but it can be very dangerous." He said, taking a bite of his food. I looked over at my mom, and she sighed, her eyes not telling what she was thinking or feeling.
    "I'm stuck between the two ideas, Caine. It would be a good experience for the two," she casts a glance at us watching her talk, "but I also think that we should keep them safe in the palace."
    I looked over at Caton who was trying to ignore the conversation my mom and uncle was having. I sighed and looked at my dad, "May I be excused?" He nodded gently, letting me go have time to myself.
   "Thank you." I said as I stood up, leaving my plate of half touched food on the wooden table. The palace was an amazing place, with so much architecture and little designs along the walls. I smiled as I passed sentries I knew well, one being the one who was sent after me when I was trying to get away from this boring place.
    I had grown up in two palaces. This one, and then another one in a big city a good distance away. This palace is our summer palace, Apolline Palace. The name meaning sunlight palace. The walls were decorated with our kingdom's colors in all different ways, flags, banners, paint on the walls, just to name a few. Our second palace is our winter palace, Boreas Palace. Meaning winter palace. I knew the two palaces like the back of my hand, but my parents still wanted Lecia to guard me at times. I walked down the hall connecting to the dining hall, taking a left down a hall with paintings of the royal family. My father's picture, sharing the center with my mother's. Caton and I on either side of their paintings, I almost scoff at my stern look on my face. The long hall dips and opens up into a front room. The flooring having beautiful and regal designs.
   I make my way up the enormous staircase that leads to another long hall, which holds my room. I nod at sentries as I pass, and walk into my room, closing my door. I sigh, and smile. My room is the only place I don't have to look lady-like all the time. I take off my crown and set it on my vanity, looking over at my bookcase.
   After getting changed into more comfortable clothes, I grab a slightly dusty book, and blow the particles off, looking at the cover. War Plans and Tactics. My father's handwriting is printed on the front and the first page. I sigh as I open to the first page of tactics, and start to study.
   I'm not the type to indulge myself in the war, if I had the choice, I wouldn't bother talking about it. But the one thing that does strike me, is that not many of our people are in the said war. The lower classes are the ones sent to fight. Conscription age starts at eighteen, and ends at forty-five. Families are lucky if their kin are not conscripted. The war, having been going on for a few decades, is against a rivaling kingdom. The Kingdom of Cabral, our rival, used to be our ally. They used our alliance against us, and turned on us.
   Our kingdom has found more alliances, but since then, we haven't let any of them try to overpower us by using our ideas against us. They have a royal family alike ours. A powerful king, a beautiful queen, and two sons, as well as one daughter. Their people are paler than ours, but their kingdom is not as big as ours. The Kingdom of Divos reign over many cities, some bigger and more important than others, but all the same, they hold our people. Any lower class would dream of being in the royal family, no matter what position.
   My only wish, was to see what it is like to be a lower class. My family, being the royals, makes it hard for me to do anything by myself, especially outside of the castle and something uncustomed to us doing. I sigh, and flip through the book, jotting down quick notes here and there. My blonde hair is pulled back into a messy bun, letting smaller strands stray at my cheeks.
   Out of the window, the golden sun was setting, disappearing under the horizon, painting the sky with a beautiful pink, red, orange and blue picture. I smiled at the sight, and put the tactic book away on the shelf, next to my more used books. Standing in front of the mirror, I take my hair out of the bun and braid it into a loose braid, laying it on my right shoulder. The purple strands in my hair stand out against the blonde, indicating that I'm part of the royal family.
   As I was looking into the mirror, I saw a glimpse of a face, but did not really think of it much. I shake my head, making it disappear.