Fallen Ashes

Chapter 7

"Paullina." Madison said walking into the enmity room. "Yes?" I asked quietly as I played with dust on the window. "The King and Queen are here looking for a child. Why don't you go into the main room and walk around or something?" I slowly turned from the window and walked past her silently into the main room and when over to the chair in the real far corner and curled up scratching the arm of it. "Hello." I looked up seeing a woman wearing a royal purple dress and a crown on her head, her was a grayish brown and her eyes were filled with hope and care. I quickly stood up and bowed making her giggle. "You don't need to bow to me." I slowly lifted up her eyes meeting mine. "What's your name sweetheart?" I stared at her a moment trying to catch the tone of her voice. "Paullina." I said quietly. "What?" I sighed and talked a bit louder. "Paullina." She smiled and crouched down holding out a hand. "My name is Jasmine." I stared at her hand and slowly shook it. "Do you think you would like to live in a castle as big as the kingdom?" I slowly looked down. "I don't think a kid like me deserves to be in a castle like that." I said looking up and seeing the King standing next to her I quickly bowed again. "Why do you say that?" The sound of his voice was somehow soothing to the ear as I leaned back up. "Because I'm not ladylike and I like things that a princess could never do." The king walked over to me and held out a hand. "Let's just see about that." I looked up at him his blue eyes meeting mine. "No you don't want me as a daughter I...." I ran off seeing the caring look in his eyes. "Let's go."

I walked into the palace scared to death as I held his hand behind him. "Hey Daddy, Mommy." I felt myself shaking. "Victoria meet your new sister." He stepped aside and I stared at the girl she was wearing a yellow dress and had a smile of joy clearly she never had pain in her life. "This is Paullina I expect you to treat her like family." She gave me and odd look as she held out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Pau- sister." She surprised me as our eyes met as I slowly shook her hand. "Come with me." She pulled me with her to a side door and up a few stairs to a door. "Let's see how you look in a dress."

Few weeks later

I ran into a boy pushing him to the ground. "You should watch where you're going princess." He said standing up. "S-Sorry." He smiled brightly. "It's all right princess." I stared at him in curious. "Who are you?" I asked making him bow. "I am Gene the soon to be guard of this kingdom." I sighed. "So you're in training?" I asked making him eye me. "Why yes I am." I looked at him hopefully. "Do you think I could train with you?" He laughed. "Sorry your majesty, but I don't think a girl as small as you couldn't even hold a sword." I looked down. "Alright."
I waited till night then I snuck out of my room past the guards all the way to the training arena when I walked outside it was freezing then again I was about to be sweating I grabbed a sword and ran out to one of the dummies and began practicing hit by hit I started going faster.
I decided to do it again to train and work on my fighting a few weeks after doing so I was caught.

I fired an arrow hitting another bullseye. "Dang." I quickly froze dropping the bow and looked where the voice came from seeing Gene our eyes met and I quickly ran past him out of the arena.

I sat against the door my heart pounding as I heard a knock at the door. "Hey Paullina can I speak with you?" I jumped at the kings voice and quickly stood up opening the door seeing him with a smile. "Yes sir?" I asked making him laugh. "Come with me a moment." He held out a hand and I quickly grabbed it closing the door behind me as we walked down the stairs. "A boy this morning asked me something interesting." I looked down so he couldn't see my eyes. "He asked if girls were aloud to fight and he told me he saw you training." He smiled bright when I looked up at him. "A-Are you mad?" I asked confused. "No not at all, in fact I've decided to get you sized in armor." I stared at him shocked but excited. "Really? Why?" I asked making him laugh again as he opened up a door to a new room I haven't been to before. "Because I'm going to allow you to train with all the other young guards on training." I had to stop myself from jumping in joy. "Your majesty." A woman said walking up to us. "Paullina this is Marry she will size you for your armor and I will get a blacksmith to make it as soon as possible." I stared at him happily. "Thank you."