The Royal Guardian

Chapter 10

~Lilith's POV~

Sir Harren leads me through the corridor.

"Once you've declared you want the challenge, you will have 30 minutes to grab your resources." Sir Harren says while quickly walking further down the hall. "This door holds the weapons for the challenge." He opens the door.

I look around the room and see blunt weapons, so the participants won't die from the damage the weapons cause.

Sir Harren starts walking around the room and grabbing some weapons. He all piles them up in a corner.

"Place some marked weapons you want to take with you here. Once the 30 minutes start you can easily grab them." Sir Harren explains. I nod and start searching for suitable weapons.

I don't want to take too much with me, since the extra weight will slow me down. In the end I grab a bow and a hand full arrows, some daggers, and one small sword. Sir Harren explained me that de red marked weapons are for me, and they will tell the guards that they have been hit by me. Once I am satisfied, I turn and look at Sir Harren.

"Great choices, place them here." He points at a dark corner in the room. "Now that you are prepared, will meet the King to declare your decision."

We leave the room and start making our ways upstairs.

After a while we reach a big wooden door.

"The office of the King." Sir Harren tells me. He walks over to the two guards posted at the door. He tells them something and they step aside. Sir Harren then waves at me to follow him. We enter the room.

"Your Majesty." Sir Harren bows and I follow his movements.

"Sir Harren, what is the meaning of this visit and who did you bring?" The King asks.

"This is Damon Merripen, he wants to challenge four of the current Royal Guards for a spot."

"Is that right?" He eyes me. "Do you know the consequence?"

"Sir Harren has explained everything well with the consequences." I reply.

"Did he tell you as well, that is won't guarantee a spot on the team?" He asks.

"He did." I answer.

"And still you want it? You have some balls, son." The King laughs. "It has been a while since someone had the courage to go through with the challenge. This is going to be entertaining."

He grabs a paper from a drawer and places it on his desk.

"You need to sign this contract; it states that you know the terms and you approve of the conditions. Also, your health is at your own risk." He hands me a pen.

"Kid, you're sure?" Sir Harren ask with a conserved look on his face.

"Yes, I am." I reply and start reading the contract. Everything Sir Harren had discussed with me is written down. I sign the contract.

"Splendid, I want the best four Royal Guards to finish him in the challenge." The King says with a sinister smile to a man in the corner.

"That will be arranged, Your Majesty." The man bows and walks out of the room.

"Let's go to the dining hall, shall we?" The King says to me. And I nod following his out the room.

We arrive in the dining hall, and there are a lot of people sitting.

"You are quite a spectacle, aren't you?" The King whispers while looking at me. He then turns his attention to the crowd. The man from earlier hands him a paper.

"Damon Merripen challenges four of the Royal Guards to a spot on the team." The King start explaining everything to the crowd. I look around and see four Royal Guards dressed in blue cloaks instead of the usual red ones. Next to them stands a server also dressed in blue.

I think they are the ones who will participate in the challenge

My thoughts are confirmed when the King turns his attention to them. "These fine young lads will defend the server from Damon." The king turns to me. "You have 30 minutes before we will start, good luck." I know he doesn't mean it a single bit, but since my preparation time started, I start exiting the hall with confidence.

When I am out of there sight is start running to the room that holds the weapons. Fortunately, my pile of weapons is still in the corner. Taking them with me I quickly make my way to my room where I pack my back with the necessary stuff again.

Finished packing, I run outside of the palace and I run towards the huge forest near the palace. Finding a high tree, I start climbing. Once I am up high camouflaged by the leaves, I sit on the branch. I grab my rope from by bag pack, I tie it around my waist and use it as a safety rope. Moving some branches with leaves I have a perfect vision on the palace. I feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

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Two hours go by and nothing has happened. Suddenly I see two men dressed in blue cloaks exiting the palace.

These are probably the ones who are hunting me, like Sir Harren told me.

I grab my arrow and draw my bow. It is a big distance, but luckily for me it is windless. I estimate the distance and aim. My marked arrow flies through the sky and hits one of the guards in the chest, he cries out in pain. Even though it is a blunt arrow it still hurt. For a second the guards look confused at the arrow. Then I dawn on them and the guard who is hits curses and takes of his cloak. He is now 'dead' and heads back inside the palace. The other guard takes shelter and franticly looks around trying to figure out where the arrow came from. I, on the other hand, rest my back relaxed against the trunk of the tree. I decide to take a nap.

For my next attack I will wait till midnight