(A/N: so I was looking at the stats for this story, and I saw that I had gotten some alerts, which makes me incredibly happy, although it was only like two, it just proves that I'm not some nobody writing stuff no one ever reads. Thank you to those people out there. Anyway... ENJOY.)
He got up once we finished eating.
"Well then, Megra, it's time to train. If you would please follow me, I'll show you to the training rooms."
He led me down a hall and hesitated before a door, his gaze running over my purple dress and green shoes.
"Somehow, I get the feeling that those aren't the most appropriate clothes for training. Why don't we just tour the rooms instead? Then you'll have no need to try and train in those marvellously interesting shoes."
He opened the door and grabbed my hand, pulling me through the entryway.
"So in here we have the fitness room. We have the rock walls, weights, climbing ropes, and the hanging bars."
I spun in a circle, taking in the fifty foot rock wall, the wall filled with racks beyond racks of weights, the various ropes connected to the ceiling, and the rope ladder connected to bars far above my head. The king started walking again, and led me into a separate room.
"This here is the fighting room. We've got swords, cross bows, normal bows, long bows, short bows, guns, knives, slingshots, any weapon you can thing of. Of course, you would need to do to the designated areas to use those weapons such as the archery and shooting range. I think that you should be trained in the use of knives. They seem to suit you. Now, let's continue on to the last room shall we?"
He dragged me off before I had a chance to take a good look at the fighting room.
In the last room, I was met not with a room with weapons or special walls, but instead just a hallway with doors. I thought of the room I had landed in after I fell down the hole when I broke up with a Cesar.
"Now Megra, these are the simulation rooms. This is were you will be able to shift into your Jabberwocky and train, since these are all tailored to your specific animal. You will be assigned one specific chamber that will give you different challenges depending on how you've been training. Now, be a dear and look out for a door that calls to you okay?"
Indeed, after walking about twenty feet, a door changed. Upon its smooth surface, 'Open Me' appeared in flowing script, just like the door in that curious room from the day before.
"Well, go on then, walk into the room! Don't worry, I'm right behind you."
I turned the handle and stepped into the room. Automatic lights flicked on as I waked in. Instead of the grandeur I was expecting, the room was just tiny with plain white walls. I turned around and found Skylar standing in front of me. He was so close I could feel his warm breath.
My face involuntary flamed red, and I ducked my head so he couldn't see my blush. It didn't work. He grabbed my face and lifted it towards him with a small smirk.
"I make you blush?"
My face flushed ever redder.
"Um. N-no? You don't make me blush. This is just, um... Makeup. Yes, makeup. Delilah just added lots of rouge. No, you don't make me blush. That would be weird. Ha! No. No you don't..."
He ran a finger along my cheek before inspecting it.
"Nothing came off... that must be some really sticky makeup."
I tried to look away but his grip didn't falter.
"I'll need to keep that in mind sweetheart."
He winked at me and stepped out of the room, leaving me alone, wondering what had happened. I stayed there until my face returned to its normal shade.
"Ready princess?"
"You do realise that you're the king, and calling me a princess would suggest I'm your daughter, right? Also, you said you were nineteen, and I'm seventeen. I'm not sure how that would work out."
"Fine. Are you ready, my queen?"
I suppressed the blush creeping up my face as I thought about what that could possibly mean.
"I'm going to give you a tour of the palace. Please, follow me. You've already seen the training rooms and the dining room, so the last thing on this floor are my apartments. Feel free to come to me if you ever find the need."
He walked me out of the room and led me down the hall, stopping at ornate gold double doors.
"These are my rooms. Now, we can skip the fifth floor since those are just guest apartments where you are staying."
He started walking down the stairs when I stopped to ask a question.
"Your Majesty?"
"Please, call me Skylar."
"Oh, okay. Your- Skylar? Don't you ever get tired of having to walk up stairs to get to your rooms?"
He laughed at this.
"Not really. I tend to stay on my own floor, and even when I don't, I work out in my training rooms so the stairs don't tire me. If you get tired you can tell me, and we can resume this tour tomorrow okay?"
I nodded and we kept walking.
"Down here is the kitchen. You can always come down here if you are in need of a snack, or you can tell your maid to bring up some food."
He led me down more steps not bothering to stop at the kitchen.
"These are the training rooms. The soldiers and the refugees are welcome to use these at anytime. They are the same as the training rooms you saw upstairs, so there is no need to stop here either. Now let's continue on to the first floor shall we?"
We walked down the stairs again until we reached the mini city I had seen before.
"This is where all the refugees live. We always make sure to have extra housing for all those who seek it, so no one has to live out in the harsh weather."
I looked at it again. The multitude of shops, the park, with even more children than there were before. I spotted some quaint village to the side, and found myself walking towards it.
The houses were small, with thatched roofs and flower boxes hanging outside the windows. I could see some families working about, as if they had lived there their whole lives. With a start, I realised that maybe they had lived there their entire lives. I wondered where they all had come from when I felt a presence behind me.
"Tired yet?"
I shook my head. It was still early, and I had gotten a lot of sleep the night before.
"I am hungry though..."
Skylar smiled and took my hand.
"I know a place."
"I should hope so. You live here, remember?"
He started walking in the direction of a small building. Duchess Bakery was written big gold letters surrounded by red and blue flowers. The sign was faded, and the paint had started to chip. When they walked through the door, the sweet tinkling came from a bell hanging above their heads. The bakery was cozy, it had a black and white tiled floor, baby pink walls trimmed with cream, and a big glass display case. Inside the case were dozens of delicate pastries, ranging from large cakes to tiny blackberry cookies shaped like spades.
Just as I was about to turn to Skylar to ask what I should get, a round lady walked through a pair of lace curtains behind the case. I startled when I saw her, for she wasn't a very attractive woman. She was short, but had been cursed with an abnormally large face. A whale of a nose that turned upwards and brought out the tiny muddy brown eyes and thin lips. Her hair was red and greasy, and it looked like a mouse had decided to make its home there. I was almost certain that she could hear my thoughts due to her sizeable ears. Instead of looking at that beast of a woman, I busied myself by looking at the bakes goods. As I "busied" myself, the king struck up a conversation with her as if they were old friends. A small, jam tart caught my gaze, and I decided to order it. I managed to get the ugly woman's attention, and pointed to the tart. She put it in a paper bag.
"Pay up girl."
Her voice was raspy, yet at the same time, pretty. Confused, I looked at Skylar, who took my hand and smiled.
"Tell her a secret. That's how you pay around here, in Terrorland. It doesn't have to be big, just something you haven't told many people before."
I thought for a second, then told her.
"I failed my science class in my old grade school, so I started using art as a way to make myself feel better."
The duchess smiled, pleased with my secret. She gave me the bag, and I could feel the warmth radiating off my pastry. Skylar squeezed my hand and ordered a wide variety of baked goods.
"Give me your secret, King. You aren't getting out of this with flattery again."
Skylar didn't hesitate before thinking.
"Just between you and me, the Bandersnatch is a bit of a lame animal for a King."
He smirked at the woman.
"Give me my food Duchess, I've already told you a secret."
Duchess rolled her eyes before handing him his bags. I waved at her before going out the door.
So, what did you think? Scrap it? Keep it? I have a few more chapters to post if you guys want me to. Follow,review,fave love yall!
xoxo,
ana