Chapter 3

I know what Randa is fretting about before he even opens his mouth. He knows I know, but he thoroughly informs me anyways.

"I won't have any guard left by the time you're finished with them! We had an agreement! No breaking, maiming, severely wounding, nothing that could put them out of service!"

"Yes but-"

"And in the last two days, I have had not one, not two but three men come up to me saying that they won't be able to train. Those men will be out of service for at least a week or two, that's a pretty big expense. And all because my mind reader wants to grow up to be like Katsa, the great Katsa. Well I'll tell you what's going to happen. You won't practice. Not with my men anyway. And I catch you disobeying my orders you will be exiled on the spot, and you don't have a home to run to." His voice gets really low at the end, and that's what scares me the most.

He turns on his heel and stomps away. I've seen Randa make a sense just to make a scene, but today was different. He was mad, really mad. So I think I will lay off on the practicing for a while.

When I tell Nori, she seems very sympathetic, but I can tell otherwise.

"You should come work in the queen's chambers!" she squeals.

"No Nori, this is not a permanent-"

"I would be so great! You and I could do needle work together!" that would be the last thing I would want to do, but I don't say anything.

"Nori, I still have my duty to the king, I can not spend it with the queen."

"But in your free time?" she pleads.

"In my free time, I will be training. And I don't care what Randa said, he said I couldn't practice with his men, so I won't, I'll practice alone."

"Rhaka! Please!" Nori is practically like a small puppy, her large blue eyes staring pleadingly up at me.

"No!" I say firmly.

"Fine!" she pouts and flounces out of my room.

I don't bother going to dinner. I sneak some bread from the kitchen and take off, heading for the castle walls. I have a special place I go to. It looks out over the country side and I can see forever in the distance.

I snuggle into a crook in the wall and wrap my shawl tighter around my shoulders. The setting sun casts an orange glow over everything and a light breeze tugs the hair from the knot on my head. I sigh as the last rays of sun warm my body, content for those few fleeting moments.

The summons comes the next morning.

"Rhaka! Dear! Come a little closer." Randa smiles, baring his teeth in a snarl. It's his 'I've got you now look' he often uses it on the accused.

"Your majesty." I dip an awkward curtsy.

"yes, you see, dear Rhaka, my guests don't' like it when you don't attend dinner."

Lie.

"They get rather unruly."

Lie.

"so last night, I asked them and they all said they would like you back at dinner."

Even bigger lie.

"So therefore, starting tomorrow, you will attend every supper in the grand hall."

"Yes, your majesty." I mutter and turn to the door.

"Oh, Rhaka!" he calls to my retreating back, "don't forget about our little agreement."

I nod to show that I have heard and storm to my room.