Sunset Legend

• 19 •

"Again," Sol instructed. I swung my arm with my new strength as I struck the punching bag. I hit the bag twice before ducking as Sol waved an arm over my head before striking the bag once more. The hairs falling from my hair tie stuck to the sweat forming on my face as I swung.
It was the third day into the week of intense training. The day would begin with a four mile run. Then we would move on to protection, then attacking. Later in the evening I would practice my powers with the queen, but during the day I was alone with Sol, preparing.
I haven't seen Jaxon since the night I left him on the patio. My heart was strung at the thought of him being put into harms way just because of me. The thought of Frosts laying a hand on him had my heart racing.
"Omf!" I blinked, leaving my daze as I looked at Sol who stumbled back before catching himself against the wall. A smile spread across his lips. "Now that was a good ass hit."
"It was Frosts face," I said with a bite, throwing my gloves down to the ground and wiping my hands on my shorts.
"Good," Sol said, stepping out into the room from behind the bag. "Let's get some lunch." My stomach growled in agreement.
The kitchen was empty besides a maid sweeping the floors. With a smile, Sol dismissed her. I watched as her thin legs ran out of the room.
"How does a smoothie sound?" I turned to Sol, my tank top sticking to my back.
"Amazing," I said, swinging my legs up to sit on the high stool that sat in front of the island. I sat in silence as he took out the ingredients from the fridge and gracefully tossed them onto countertop. "Is Jaxon upset with me?" I couldn't help but ask.
Sol looked over his shoulder at me, the knife in his hand hovering over the fresh banana he was about to cut. "Why don't you ask him?"
"He's been avoiding me like the plague," I mumbled, picking at a rough patch of skin on my knuckles.
"Maybe he's just preparing too," Sol answered, returning his attention back to cutting the fruit.
"I wish he wouldn't go."
"Why?" I flinched at the voice that entered the room. Summer was standing in the doorway, arms crossed against her chest. Her hair was loosely tied above her head as if she just came back from a run. No one in the castle could sit still.
"I don't want him to get hurt," I said.
"Solstice, can I be honest with you?" She took the few steps to get to me, leaning on the island a foot away from me. "You know I adore you, but what you're doing to him isn't fair. You care about him so much and you'll tell everyone that except him. What if he dies for-"
"Stop," I said, sternly. Sol's shoulders froze as Summer raised an eyebrow. "Don't you dare say it. I want to go alone. He..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. I did want to go alone because I didn't want him to get hurt. He can't die, he has a land to run. I have nothing.
"He would, ya know, do that for you," she said quietly before pushing off the counter and leaving just as quickly as she came. The whirling noise of the blender filled the room as I stared down at the counter top. The room was silent as Sol slid me my smoothie filled with fresh fruits.
"Take a break. Aurora will get you soon," Sol said, clapping a hand against my shoulder before leaving the room.
With my smoothie in hand and sore legs, I walked back to the fitness room ready to train until I physically couldn't anymore. My breath caught in my throat and I almost dropped my drink as I stood in the doorway. Jaxon was in the room in nothing except black shorts, beating the living crap out of the punching bag. It was ripped from the ceiling, now laying on the floor as his fists pounded into it at a rapid speed. Sweat dripped along his jaw as his eyes burned yellow.
I took a step back, afraid to go in. My elbow knocked off the doorway, the thud not quiet enough to go unnoticed. His bright eyes met mine, hands on the punching bag to steady himself.
"Solstice," he whispered, looking dazed.
"I, uh. Should go?" I asked, holding my drink in my hand awkwardly at my side. Jaxon just stared at me like a deer caught in a headlight of a car. Summer's words ran through my head again as I pushed myself to take a step forward. Setting my smoothie down on some weights near the door, I slowly made my way in.
His knuckles were swollen, turning an ugly black around the fresh cuts that were red with blood. I didn't have to think twice as I hurried the few steps to get to him. I sank to the floor on my knees, picking his hands off the punching bag and holding them.
"They'll heal soon," he said, softly. I looked away from the mess on his hands into the eyes that cooled to a gray. His hair was long enough now to be sticking up in places where he ran his fingers through it.
"You can't come with me," I said with as much control in my voice as I could. I looked away from the hurt eyes and focused on the sun on his chest.
"Why?"
"I could take Sol," I answered instead. He ripped his hands away from mine.
"Do you love him?" I shook my head, almost too fast to be believable. "Look at me." I looked up at him, his voice hard.
"I love him, but not the way you think. He's my big brother I never had. I feel safe with him," I said honestly. It was true. Sol made me feel safe and he was someone I could always go to.
"Don't I make you feel safe?" He whispered, searching my face for something. I nodded, words caught in my throat. "Then let me come with you."
"No."
"Sol-"
"Jaxon. You can't go and risk your life for me. You have people here that love you. You have a wonderful land to rule one day. You can' risk it. I have nothing to lose so it's okay if I don't make it." His rough hands grabbed my shoulders so quickly I shrieked in a panic. His eyes burned into mine with such intensity my heart beat was uncontrollable.
"It is not okay. Don't you ever say that again. You have people here that love you. Damn it Solstice! Realize that everyone here fucking loves you. You will return back home. Here. Because I am going with you."
"No," I said, my voice wobbling.
Jaxon pushed off the bag even faster than he grabbed my shoulders, his chest heaving as his breathing was too hard.
"I'm going. That's final," he demanded, storming for the door.
His foot was just out sight as I screamed, "You can't go because I can't lose you!" He was in front of me before I could catch my breath.
"And you think I can lose you? I finally just got you here and you are going to get yourself killed! I have protected you for a whole goddamn year, Solstice. I'm not going to stop now!" His voice bounced off the walls as it rose with every word. His shoulders were shaking as his head was pointed down, staring at me.
"I have to do this! They don't deserve to live. They RUINED ME!" My voice shook, screeching as I threw my hands up into the air. Anger rushed through my veins like an untamed river. "You can't go. This is for me and it's not worth it for you to risk-"
"If you continue to fight me on this, Solstice, I swear to-"
"What?" I cut him off, leaning forward from the rush of adrenaline and staring back into the eyes with furious swirls. "What are you going to do?" I challenged in a whisper. I watched in awe as his gray eyes swirled with orange and yellow, the colors battling.
Jaxon opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but no words came out. His arms reached out quickly before wrapping around my waist and bringing my body to his. His lips were on mine before I could realize what he was doing. I melted into him, my hands on his neck as I tried to bring our bodies even closer. His lips were warm and softer than what I thought they would be.
He broke away first only to rest his forehead on mine with his eyes still closed. His breathing was loud and heavy, matching mine as we stood together.
"I'm not losing you. I worked this hard to save you. I went into the Winter lands out of curiosity, but the first time I saw you I stumbled over my own feet and knocked over a cook." The smile on my face was real, not one I used to put on show.

There was a loud bang in the hallway outside the dining room where we sat. My father stood just as the cook appeared in the doorway, covered in our spaghetti dinner and glaring at a younger man in black.
"Who is this? He just walked straight into me!" The cook shouted, gesturing to all the sauce on his shirt as if we would miss it.
"The new bodyguard, Mas," my mother said, a small smile teasing her lips. I looked over at him, blushing once I noticed he was already looking at me. The cook stormed out of the room, mumbling unpleasant words. The bodyguard nodded shyly before turning on his heel and leaving us too.
"You know the rules," my mother said simply.
I rolled my eyes. "Yes. No relationships of any sort with the bodyguards."
Later that night I found myself wondering the halls of the castle with him in mind, but never found him.

"I came looking for you," I said as Jaxon leaned back to look at me, hands secure on my waist.
"Really?" I giggled at the excitement on his face.
"Yes. There was a rule I couldn't have any relationships with the bodyguards, whatever. So that night I was wondering the halls but never found you." Breathing became hard as I stared at him, a beautiful smile on his lips and looking at me like I was the only thing in the world.
"I should of just kidnapped you that night, swept you up in my arms and carried you into the sunset," he said. I giggled again, stupidly happy right now. All because of him and some sunsets.
"You should of," was all I said before he leaned down to kiss me again.