The Hidden Princess: Finding Hope (Book One)

Chapter Twenty-Four: So What Exactly Is Our Job? (e)

It had been a month since the ball. Since the incident at the obstacle course, we had found a routine. One that allows for my brothers to feel like they are treating me right, without revealing who I am. Every few days I'd get called to the castle to escort the princess on a ride. Between those calls, training continued at the compound. I was getting to a point in my training where I didn't go to bed completely sore and bruised.

"Tomorrow you need to head to the castle early," Erik said, walking over and sitting down beside me at dinner. I raised an eyebrow. Normally my calls were in the afternoon after the Princess had her morning lessons. "Princess Isabella has requested an all-day ride. There will be a handful of knights going with her but the king wants a Dragon and the princess wants you," he said with a grin.

I glared at the guys around me as they all chuckled. "Friends... we have become friends," I mumbled.

The following morning, I grabbed a quick breakfast from the kitchen then headed for the castle. I was directed straight to the stables where the group of knights were already waiting. They stopped talking as I dismounted and walked over. "Good morning," I said with a nod of my head.

"So not only do we have to keep our eyes on the royal twins but they are also expecting us to babysit the little Dragon," one knight mumbled earning chuckles from the rest.

"Just stay behind and if anything happens; don't get in our way," another said.

"If I had a say in things it would be the lot of you staying behind. You may have the training, but I don't see any of you in a Dragon's uniform," Princess Isabella said, walking up with Prince Nikolai walking beside her.

"She has a point. Sam might be an apprentice, but he is a Dragon's apprentice. I've heard that he's beat even some knights," Nikolai said, nodding his hello to me.

"Now that we have that taken care of, let's go," Isabella said, walking over to me. "I want you riding upfront with Nik and I," she said before turning and mounting. I quickly followed and soon we were riding out. Isabella spent the first fifteen minutes filling me in on what Chloe was up to and a possible romance with a new castle hand. After a bit, she tilted her head and looked at me. "Sam, you seem quieter than normal. Is everything okay?" She asked.

I glanced over from where my eyes had been searching the edge of the road. "Yes, your highness... everything is fine," I said.

Isabella let out a huffy breath. "Things are most definitely not okay. I thought we had gotten past this whole royal title nonsense while on rides," she said. She then glanced at her brother and the knights and let out a knowing sigh. "Just ignore the guards. As for Nik, he's just a normal youth like yourself," she said, glancing to where her brother was riding on her other side.

"As normal as can be having Isabella as a sister. She's right though, Sam. The only difference between us is the clothes we wear," he said pulling his horse away so Isabella couldn't slap him. "Riding is one of the only times that Izzy and I get to just be. So for your own safety, I'd advise treating her however you have when it's just the two of you out here," he said grinning. I nodded in understanding then attempted to find the easy nature of our past rides. After a while, we stopped for lunch. "So Sam, I've heard that you are good with the sword, but I've yet to see it," Nikolai said as we sat finishing our lunch. I glanced to where his hand had dropped to his sword.

"Are you challenging me to a duel?" I asked as my hand found the hilt of my sword. Nikolai nodded as he stood to his feet. I followed suit watching his movement as he started to anticipate the fight. "What rules are we going by?" I asked.

"Wait! How are you going to duel when you don't have practice swords?" Isabella asked, glancing between our two swords knowing full well that they would both be in excellent condition.