Read and review. There's no use writing much here, cause I doubt anyone
would read it, so enjoy this chapter!
Tell Me Why
"Enough!" Darien's voice cut in.
Serena turned toward him.
"You!"
"I know it's me."
The boy whom Serena was arguing took one look at Darien, and began blubbering, "Beginning your pardon, your highness."
Serena tried to keep back a laugh, but it didn't work. Both boys turned to her and she tried unsuccessfully to compose herself.
"What do you think you are laughing at?" he snarled.
"You.. duh."
"Why you little.."
"Kelvin! Hold your tongue. I won't have you cursing the new page."
"I won't mind.. really. I, for one would like to know what Kelvin has to say," she looked innocently at the prince. "What do you say Kelvin? Let's hear it."
"You are dismissed Kelvin. Go back to your duties."
Shooting Serena an I'll-get-you-later-just-you-wait look, he silently trudged off.
She heaved a big sigh as she watched him leave. She had made an enemy before she even met anyone. Reluctantly, she turned to face the prince. It was not in her best interest to make enemies with the crown prince, yet, she was given no choice.
"I admire your guts. However, you shall do well to refrain yourself from fighting with everyone here."
She snorted, "What, you think I like to pick fights? You think I like to go stick my nose where it likes to get whacked? If people here are polite, I wouldn't be going through this mess."
"So, your name is Serena."
"Only friends get to call me that. You can just address me by my full name, which is Serenity."
Darien's hands clenched at the haughty tone, "Don't forget I'm a prince."
"As if. If you keep on reminding me of that little fact, there's no way I'm going to forget it."
"Good."
"But, it doesn't really matter if I know or not, does it? Either way, it makes no difference."
"I can have you executed."
Serena turned to face him, sticking her chin out stubbornly, "I don't fear death."
To her surprise, the prince gave an amused smile, "You would do well."
"What?"
"I was only testing you, to see if you have any chance to become a lady knight. It seems to me that you just might make it, even if that tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble some day."
"Do you really think I can do it?"
"You have the determination for it and as long as you can survive the training, you'll do fine."
"There I was, thinking you were just an asshole of a prince."
"You're way too honest for your own good."
"Whatever. Aren't you supposed to show me around?"
"Come on then."
"You'll have training all morning and a good part of the afternoon. Then, you will have lessons in arithmetic, magic, reading and writing, history, and a language of your choice. You'll get homework daily in each of your classes, and you are expected to keep up. Lights out is at 11:15. Breakfast is at 7:00 in the morning, lunch at noon and dinner at 7:00."
Serena walked next to Darien, as she tried to absorb everything, "We have to be up at 5 in the morning?"
"Yeah. The average amount of sleep you'll probably be getting in the next year is about 5 to 6 hours. You're get used to it. Oh, there's a spring ball next week. Normally, pages have to serve at parties and balls, but we are allowed to attend this one."
Serena paled visibly, "I hate parties. Is it formal?"
"Pretty much."
The next morning, Serena was up before the girls. Slipping into a pair of breeches and a tunic, she sprinted out the door, ready for her first day of training.
"Serena! Over here!" Darien waved her over to their table.
"That's Serenity to you!"
"Meet Jadeite, Malachite, Zoisite, and Nephrite. They are my guardians and they will be training alongside you."
"Guardians?"
"Yeah, we save Prince Darien here from any murdering thieves," Jadeite grinned at the girl.
She took to him immediately, liking his carefree smile, "It's a pleasure meeting you."
"So, you're that charming lady knight-in-training everyone's talking about. I must admit, I was expecting a big, fat, girl, who can wring me dry in one fist."
Serena bell-like laugh mingled with his, "Are you disappointed? I would say that you would value your life."
"It would be interesting training along you Serenity."
"Please, call me Serena."
That received an indignant look from the prince, which went unnoticed by Serena.
Finishing up her breakfast, Serena joined the boys to the training field. Duke Crestin stood there, and alongside him was the king.
"We'll be practicing hand to hand combat today. Pair up with a partner."
Glancing around, she noticed that no one even glanced her way. Sighing dejectedly, she cursed her luck.
A hand stretched into her line of vision, "Do you need a partner?" She looked up, and saw a dirty-blond haired guy. His smile was easy, and his eyes showed kindness.
"Thanks."
"No problem. My name's Andrew."
"Serena."
"Now that you've all found a partner, you'll be practicing punching and blocking. Decide right now who's on the offensive and who's on the defensive, and begin!" The duke moved through the rows, correcting stances.
Serena concentrated on the drills, blocking each punch expertly. Someone shoved her roughly to the side, making her bump into person next to her. Turning, she found herself facing Kelvin. Looking around, she saw that the duke had left them alone in their training.
"No one's here to save your hide now, so why don't you just be a good little girl and go home, that is, after I give you a good beating?"
The boys began to form a circle around them. Andrew moved to help out his new found friend, but Darien stopped him, "Let's see what she's going to do in a situation like this."
Serena moved herself into a fighting stance. She waited for the first move. Lowering his head like a bull, Kelvin charged. She stood her ground, and waited for the last possible moment. She did a little flip over him as he went by, and dropped harmlessly on her feet.
"Is that the best you can do? You call yourself a page? I'm surprised you even got as far. How much did your family have to pay to make sure they don't kick you out?"
"Shut up."
"You know what your problem is Kelvin?" Serena dodged another punch. "You think you are all that. Everything in this world has to revolve around you. It's Kelvin this, and Kelvin that. Didn't it ever occur to you that you're not the absolute ruler of the world, that there is always someone better than you?"
"You're all talk. Let's see you do something, then."
"Gladly," Serena spun on her heels, dodged a kick directed toward her ankle, and felt her heels connect with Kelvin's face. Not breaking the rhythm, she knocked the breath out of his body and flipped him over her shoulder. Before he even touched the ground, her leg lashed out, and threw five feet into the air.
She walked over to him, and knelt next to him, offering him her hand, "How about a truce?"
"Go rot in hell! Girls will never be lady knights. You'll never survive," he spat.
Serena recoiled, "I offered you a truce, and yet you still refuse to see me as an equal." She felt anger course through her veins, igniting something within her. Storm clouds began to gather. Lighting flashed, and the rain began to fall heavily. Her ponytail escaped her braid and her hair began to whip around in the wind.
The prince dashed forward, "Get a grip on yourself Serena!"
The storm disappeared, and Serena collapsed.
End of chapter 4
Tell me what you think. It really means a lot to me if I know what my readers think ^.^ The only thing I ask of you is to review. Is that too much to ask? I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible, but hey, I'm only human.
Tell Me Why
"Enough!" Darien's voice cut in.
Serena turned toward him.
"You!"
"I know it's me."
The boy whom Serena was arguing took one look at Darien, and began blubbering, "Beginning your pardon, your highness."
Serena tried to keep back a laugh, but it didn't work. Both boys turned to her and she tried unsuccessfully to compose herself.
"What do you think you are laughing at?" he snarled.
"You.. duh."
"Why you little.."
"Kelvin! Hold your tongue. I won't have you cursing the new page."
"I won't mind.. really. I, for one would like to know what Kelvin has to say," she looked innocently at the prince. "What do you say Kelvin? Let's hear it."
"You are dismissed Kelvin. Go back to your duties."
Shooting Serena an I'll-get-you-later-just-you-wait look, he silently trudged off.
She heaved a big sigh as she watched him leave. She had made an enemy before she even met anyone. Reluctantly, she turned to face the prince. It was not in her best interest to make enemies with the crown prince, yet, she was given no choice.
"I admire your guts. However, you shall do well to refrain yourself from fighting with everyone here."
She snorted, "What, you think I like to pick fights? You think I like to go stick my nose where it likes to get whacked? If people here are polite, I wouldn't be going through this mess."
"So, your name is Serena."
"Only friends get to call me that. You can just address me by my full name, which is Serenity."
Darien's hands clenched at the haughty tone, "Don't forget I'm a prince."
"As if. If you keep on reminding me of that little fact, there's no way I'm going to forget it."
"Good."
"But, it doesn't really matter if I know or not, does it? Either way, it makes no difference."
"I can have you executed."
Serena turned to face him, sticking her chin out stubbornly, "I don't fear death."
To her surprise, the prince gave an amused smile, "You would do well."
"What?"
"I was only testing you, to see if you have any chance to become a lady knight. It seems to me that you just might make it, even if that tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble some day."
"Do you really think I can do it?"
"You have the determination for it and as long as you can survive the training, you'll do fine."
"There I was, thinking you were just an asshole of a prince."
"You're way too honest for your own good."
"Whatever. Aren't you supposed to show me around?"
"Come on then."
"You'll have training all morning and a good part of the afternoon. Then, you will have lessons in arithmetic, magic, reading and writing, history, and a language of your choice. You'll get homework daily in each of your classes, and you are expected to keep up. Lights out is at 11:15. Breakfast is at 7:00 in the morning, lunch at noon and dinner at 7:00."
Serena walked next to Darien, as she tried to absorb everything, "We have to be up at 5 in the morning?"
"Yeah. The average amount of sleep you'll probably be getting in the next year is about 5 to 6 hours. You're get used to it. Oh, there's a spring ball next week. Normally, pages have to serve at parties and balls, but we are allowed to attend this one."
Serena paled visibly, "I hate parties. Is it formal?"
"Pretty much."
The next morning, Serena was up before the girls. Slipping into a pair of breeches and a tunic, she sprinted out the door, ready for her first day of training.
"Serena! Over here!" Darien waved her over to their table.
"That's Serenity to you!"
"Meet Jadeite, Malachite, Zoisite, and Nephrite. They are my guardians and they will be training alongside you."
"Guardians?"
"Yeah, we save Prince Darien here from any murdering thieves," Jadeite grinned at the girl.
She took to him immediately, liking his carefree smile, "It's a pleasure meeting you."
"So, you're that charming lady knight-in-training everyone's talking about. I must admit, I was expecting a big, fat, girl, who can wring me dry in one fist."
Serena bell-like laugh mingled with his, "Are you disappointed? I would say that you would value your life."
"It would be interesting training along you Serenity."
"Please, call me Serena."
That received an indignant look from the prince, which went unnoticed by Serena.
Finishing up her breakfast, Serena joined the boys to the training field. Duke Crestin stood there, and alongside him was the king.
"We'll be practicing hand to hand combat today. Pair up with a partner."
Glancing around, she noticed that no one even glanced her way. Sighing dejectedly, she cursed her luck.
A hand stretched into her line of vision, "Do you need a partner?" She looked up, and saw a dirty-blond haired guy. His smile was easy, and his eyes showed kindness.
"Thanks."
"No problem. My name's Andrew."
"Serena."
"Now that you've all found a partner, you'll be practicing punching and blocking. Decide right now who's on the offensive and who's on the defensive, and begin!" The duke moved through the rows, correcting stances.
Serena concentrated on the drills, blocking each punch expertly. Someone shoved her roughly to the side, making her bump into person next to her. Turning, she found herself facing Kelvin. Looking around, she saw that the duke had left them alone in their training.
"No one's here to save your hide now, so why don't you just be a good little girl and go home, that is, after I give you a good beating?"
The boys began to form a circle around them. Andrew moved to help out his new found friend, but Darien stopped him, "Let's see what she's going to do in a situation like this."
Serena moved herself into a fighting stance. She waited for the first move. Lowering his head like a bull, Kelvin charged. She stood her ground, and waited for the last possible moment. She did a little flip over him as he went by, and dropped harmlessly on her feet.
"Is that the best you can do? You call yourself a page? I'm surprised you even got as far. How much did your family have to pay to make sure they don't kick you out?"
"Shut up."
"You know what your problem is Kelvin?" Serena dodged another punch. "You think you are all that. Everything in this world has to revolve around you. It's Kelvin this, and Kelvin that. Didn't it ever occur to you that you're not the absolute ruler of the world, that there is always someone better than you?"
"You're all talk. Let's see you do something, then."
"Gladly," Serena spun on her heels, dodged a kick directed toward her ankle, and felt her heels connect with Kelvin's face. Not breaking the rhythm, she knocked the breath out of his body and flipped him over her shoulder. Before he even touched the ground, her leg lashed out, and threw five feet into the air.
She walked over to him, and knelt next to him, offering him her hand, "How about a truce?"
"Go rot in hell! Girls will never be lady knights. You'll never survive," he spat.
Serena recoiled, "I offered you a truce, and yet you still refuse to see me as an equal." She felt anger course through her veins, igniting something within her. Storm clouds began to gather. Lighting flashed, and the rain began to fall heavily. Her ponytail escaped her braid and her hair began to whip around in the wind.
The prince dashed forward, "Get a grip on yourself Serena!"
The storm disappeared, and Serena collapsed.
End of chapter 4
Tell me what you think. It really means a lot to me if I know what my readers think ^.^ The only thing I ask of you is to review. Is that too much to ask? I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible, but hey, I'm only human.
