Forever At Your Side ch. 9


I found the training grounds for where all the soldiers train at and got down to business on one of the worn wooden dummies, testing out different strikes and maneuvers. I imagine the dummy becoming an actual moving enemy instead of a inanimate object and delivered a diagonal downward swing causing the dummy to be sliced in half and the rod holding it up to snap. Awww crap, I'm so in trouble for this. I hope that no one saw what I did. I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I hear someone chuckling from behind me and I instantly tense up as the sweat roll down the back of my neck. I'm in so much trouble.

"Pent up frustration much?"

I turn around to see that it's Marshall as he leans against a nearby wall with a smirk on his face, looking cool as a cucumber. Where the hell did he come from? How long has he been standing there? The Captain of the Guard pushes himself off of the wall and walks up to me as the smirk turns into a sympathetic smile as he picks up the dummy.

"I'll replace that" I said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it, you won't believe how many of these we go through and this was barely hanging on as it is" Marshall said patting me on the shoulder.

"Are you sure?" I asked apprehensively.

"Yeah, I'm so sure. So any reason why you're out here training?" Marshall asked curious.

"Yeah, my partner Kristoff signed me up for the tournament and I've heard that there's gonna be plenty of the strong swordsmen to fight against so I'm making sure that my skill are sharp"

"So you're in this for thrill of testing your skills as a swordsman? No other reason?" Marshall asked raising an eyebrow.

I turn to look the Captain of the Guard in the face to see that he has this far away and guarded look in his eyes like he is expecting me to have a different than what I gave him. What is he expecting from me? Why did he ask me that question? What does Marshall want me to say? Why does he care that I'm in the tournament or not?

"There's another part of why I'm joining the tournament but I prefer not to say" I said shrugging my shoulders.

"Looks like you're not the only one that will be joining the tournament" Marshall replies.

"What do you mean?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

Marshall looks at me out the corner of his eye with a smile on his face and instantly knew that he is joining the tournament as well, causing me to smirk. This is great because we didn't get to finish our fight the last time and now I'm looking forward to this tournament to show everyone in this kingdom that their Captain of the Guard being defeated by a woman.

"That's all good by me because I want to fight you" I said smirking.

"The feeling's mutual but I have my reasons for joining this tournament but you're the one that I want to fight the most so you have to promise me something" Marshall said turning serious.

"What?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"You can't let yourself get defeated by anyone but me" Marshall replies smirking "I never had someone with a set of skills that rivals my own and I wish to see who has the better resolve"

"That's fine by me and that goes double for you because I plan to take you down" I said confidently.

"Don't be so smug because I plan to train extra hard for this"

"I'm not gonna be slacking either so don't expect an easy win out of me" I said huffing out my chest.

"That's what I wanted to hear. May the best man win" Marshall said walking away.

"Don't worry, SHE will"

I set up another dummy on the post before resuming my training because I can slack now since I'm pressed for time as it is with the tournament being so close.


I am looking out of the window to see Anna training in the training ground with Olaf watching her intently as he talks to her animatedly about something that I could not hear. I do not know if all of this is a good thing because I will have to marry the winner of the tournament and I do not know the outcome of the festivities, making this whole thing even nerve-wrecking than it already is. It is not like I can call this off now that the letters have been sent off and I just received the response letters from the other kingdoms. They will be here in a week's time for the tournament with their best warriors to fight for my hand in marriage. Oh Jack, what am I going to do? What should I do? I am in such a bind and I want to do what is right for my kingdom and Olaf but I do not know what I am doing. I am pulled out of my thoughts when there is a knock on my door and I tell them to enter. I turn to see that it is councilmen Lee who has a joyous smile on his face and a letter in his hand as he walks over towards the window where am I standing before bowing to me.

"Councilmen Lee, what do I owe the honor of this visit?" I asked curious.

"I have received a letter for the Duke of Weaseltown and I thought that it would be better if I hand delivered it myself" Lee said handing me the letter.

"Thank you that is very kind of you" I said smiling.

"You're welcome so if you don't mind me saying but you look worry about something" Lee said tilting his head to the side.

"It's nothing" I said shaking my head.

"Are you sure? Cause you know that anything you say to me right now won't be repeated or leave this room. If you whisper it then I could pretend like I didn't hear anything" Lee said holding his hand to his ear.

"Not to worry Lee, I am fine but thank you for want to be my listening ear" I said giggling.

"Okay but you know where I'm at if you ever want to talk or whatever" Lee said looking through the window.

I turned to see Anna has gotten rid of her shirt and just wearing a thin black undershirt with her freckles dusting her shoulders as well as her arms before she pours some water on her head. She shakes her head to rid herself of the excess water from her hair as she rubs her left shoulder before looking up at the window. The mercenary and I lock eyes for a moment as a smirk appears on her lips then gives a small wave before returning to her workout. I tried to keep the growing blush off of my face then I made the mistake of looking at the councilmen next to me as he stares at me with knowing smirk on his lips.

"I saw that, ya know" Lee said smirking.

"S-Saw what? I do not know what you are referring to" I said looking away.

"MmHmm sure you don't but I don't judge if that's what you're into. I can admit that she's kinda of cute in the rugged kind of way and maybe she help you loosen up a little" Lee said winking.

"Lee! Are you insinuating that I sleep with Anna?" I asked blushing.

"As your friend, yes but as your councilmen then that's up for interpretation anyways I have to work that needs to be looked at so have fun with your mercenary friend" Lee said chuckling.

I do not know if Lee is joking around like he normally is or if he is being serious but I cannot sleep with Anna because I am the Queen and I do have an image to maintain. I cannot sleep around with just anyone especially with the mercenary because that will be a conflict of interest and I think that it will muddle whatever feelings that I have for her even further. Oh Odin, things are so confusing. Give me strength to get through this. I'm not sure how I feel about any of this and with each passing day, it's getting more and more confusing me but I do know for sure that something's rising to the surface that I had thought long been buried. A part of me wishes that it had stay that way so I would not have to deal with this.


~Nicole The Dragon Rider signing off

End of ch. 9