" I see your hand is healed." Ray stated and poked his head over Alex's shoulder.

Alex simply nodded. It had been at least a week since the little incadent. Amber was still very much bothered by her dream, though to her it made no sence. The summer games were in a couple days and everybody was rushing and working twice as hard. Which, much to the servants delight, meant they recived breakfest!

Tyson bite down on a piece of toast and swallowed. " Does it still hurt?"

Alex shock her head. " Naw. But when I get the chance, I'm going to strangle Enrique." Under her breath she muttered. " Stupid archer."

Amber blinked at her and sighed, taking a swig of water. " Everything you do turns to violence, can't you try using words for once?"

Alex glared at Amber deeply. Then, out of nowhere, Alex sighed heavily. " I'll try it, but only once, if it works I'll try it again, if not, then never again. You understand me?"

Amber smiled brightly. " Thank you!" She spoke and hugged Alex tightly.

Ray and Tyson chuckled at Alex's facial expression from the other side of the table.

Alex rolled her eyes and pried off Amber's arms. " Eat up, you'll need the energy."

Amber giggled and nibbled at the rest of her food.

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

" Let's go! My grandmother, bless her soul, could run faster then what I'm seeing at right now!" Lord Bryan barked at the troups as they ran laps around the arena.

Kai walked in with Salima at his side. Kai smiled at Lord Bryan. (A/N: A SMILE?! Kai smiled? I guess he did, I just wrote it! )

" I could hear your shouting from the castle grounds." Kai laughed, slinging an arm around Salima's shoulders.

Lord Bryan nodded. " That might not have been mine."

Kai looked confused. Bryan cleared his throat and thrusted his thumb behind him. Kai peeked over his shoulder and smirked.

" See? It healed! In your face Enrique! Just as a fair warning, if I ever get you alone, your going to be hanging from your scrawney neck!" Alex snapped.

Enrique glared at her, his blue eyes burning with annoyance. " I'd like to see you try!"

Alex smirked. " Is that a challenge?"

Tala stepped in front of Enrique and glared at Alex. " A challenge you will not accept. If I find you've laid a single filthy finger on this man, YOU will be the one hung."

Alex turned around and sighed. " I'd like to see you try." She knew full well she was mocking him, and she was injoying the moment very much.

Tala growled in the back of his throat. " DON'T YOU EVER GIVE UP??!!!"

Alex smirked, but didn't turn around. " Nope." She replied flatly and walked away.

Tala growled again and was about to lunge at her, but was grabbed around the waist by Enrique.

" My lord, I'm the one who's supposed to be protecting you, not the other way around." Enrique stared intensly at the red-head.

Tala ripped out of the blond's strong grip and stalked beside Bryan. " Somebody give me permission to beat her to a bloody pulp."

Bryan chuckled and stared at the still running men. " You let her get to you. It's your own fault."

Tala stared at Bryan like he'd just grown a second head. Bryan smirked and yelled at the men to stop.

" So, Salima, are your son's entering in the summer games?" Tala asked, trying his best to calm down.

Salima smiled and nodded. " Thank you for asking Tala."

Tala bowed and continued his questions. " Both? Or just one? Which events?"

Salima put a finger to her chin while Kai went and talked to Bryan. " Well, Kevin(from the White Tigers)is in a couple running events. Ozuma(from the Saint Shields)is in the obsticle course."

" Your boys are very talented." Tala grinned.

(A/N: I figured it would be best to have there sons be some one you guys know what they look like! And besides, there both small enough for the role anyways, right?!)

Salima smiled. " Thank you."

Tala nodded and suddenly there was a grunt and a bang. Everyone turned to see Enrique glaring at Alex, who had been thrown into one of the stone walls of the arena.

Enrique raised his loaded bow to Alex's neck as she stood. " Lay a finger on me again and I'll slice your throat wide open."

Alex squirmed ahead of the arrow. She gulped and Amber's words slipped back into her head. Alex clenched her teeth and sighed.

" Fine, just put down your arrow." Alex could not belvie she just said that!

Enrique stood there in total shock. " What did you say?"

Alex growled. " I said fine! Now put your arrow down because I'm not being a threat right now!"

Enrique, really slowly and cautiously put down his arrow. Was Alex feeling ok?

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

" I don't get it! Were not late, yet we still get stuck doing dishes!" Tyson whined.

Ray shrugged and placed some plates in the soapy water. " Well at least we know that our punishment is as normal as our job."

Tyson nodded and put a dry dish in a pile of plates. " And just to think, since it's the summer games, there's gonig to be twice as much since there's people from other kingdoms coming here."

Ray smirked. " Poor bastards."

The two chuckled and continued there job. Oliver came around the courner and grabbed the two by the ears and pinched them hard.

" Enough. Put down the towels boys, your helping with setting up the arena. I'll get somebody else to take your place. Report to Lord Bryan there, he's expecting you." Oliver let go and the two boys rushed out of there as fast as they could.

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

Amber wiped her forhead and dried the sweat apon it. She plundged a shovel into the dirt and threw the soil aside. She was digging with only one other person. And he wasn't even a servant, he was a gaurd, a soldier.

" What are we digging this hole for again?" Amber asked and stopped for a breath, leaning on the shovel.

The bluenette soldier stopped and leaned against his shovel as well. " Something for the obstical course, i think they have to jump over it." He replied with a handsome smile.

Amber nodded. " May I have your name sir? I'd like to know who I'm working with."

The soldier smiled and bowed. " I am Lord Kane, but please, no formel names for me, just Kane if you please."

Amber sent him a bright smile. " Well then I must thank you Kane, for your help."

Kane nodded and plundged the shovel into the hole again. " You looked rather weak and weery, so I though you needed it. Besides, it saves me from having to train under Lord Bryan's hawk eyes."

Amber giggled and started shoveling again. Kane continued. " And since I'm here, you can take a break from having that witch watch your ever move."

Amber stopped and blinked at Kane's chuckling. " You mean Roxin?"

Kane nodded. " She is a little witch. Nasty thing. She's not the best leaf of the branch."

Amber knew it was wrong, but she couldn't help but giggle. He was telling the truth.

" Can't you get in trouble for saying that my lord?" Amber asked.

" It's just Kane. And I can't if you won't tell." Kane smiled.

" I won't. But I still think she's not the worst comander here." Amber started shoveling once more.

Kane let out a single laugh. " Well Tala's not the best if that one of the one's you mean, and if you have the King watching you, it's ten times worse."

Amber laughed. Kane was a very funny man. Not to mention brave for dissing the king!

" Umm, Kane, may I ask you a question?" Amber suddenly asked.

Kane nodded and threw out a shovel full of dirt. " Shoot."

" I've noticed that Prince Max doesn't really...whats the word...look comfortable with most of his father's choices. Yet, when his father's around, he just agree's with them. Would you happen to know why that is?" Amber questioned.

Kane stopped and looked up at Amber, a smirk on his face. " You haven't been the only one who's noticed that, my dear. Prince Max is a very gentil young man. He's not as stone hearted as his father, not to mention he didn't inherate the king's additude either." Kane half replied.

Kane continued when Amber nodded and smiled. " But even with that, Prince Max will one day end up running this kingdom, so therefor he has to learn the ways of the throne, how to be firm and all. King Johnny is a fearful king, which makes it rather hard to belive he has a son like Max."

" He simply responds to his father's suggestions because he wants to show his father that he can be the son he wants him to be. Though he may not say it, Max hates ever desition he's forced to make." Kane finished the explenation.

There was a horn sound in the distants and Kane smiled, throwing the shovel aside. " Some of the particapents for the summer games have arrived, would you like to go meet them?"

Amber nodded and put her shovel down, toke Kane's offered hand and was lead to the castle entrance.

VWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

" You will greet them with respect, that means you two bow, and you might as well bow." Kai spoke firmly at the front entrance to the three servants in front of him.

" Who the hell are we greeting?" Ray asked.

Kai look at him. " None of that additude when they arrive here, Kon. We are greeting Prince Joesph and Princess Mariam."

Alex cracked a smirk. " Are hey bringing anybody else with them?"

" There particapents of the summer games. And wipe that smirk off your face!" Tala snapped.

" I happen to think it's my best feature. Wouldn't you say?" Alex asked, eyes closed.

Tala simply smirked, but didn't say a word. Alex noticed the silent reply she got and glanced at Tala. Apon seeing his smirk, she frowned.

" I'm going to let that slid." Alex snapped and watched as three carrages came into view.

" Alex! Ray! Tyson!" Somebody shotued.

The three turned to see Amber walking up to them, covered in dirt, but with a smile on her face. That's when they noticed one of the soldiers was holding her hand.

" Kane, what are you doing?" Tala snapped.

Kane simply smiled, but didn't let go of Amber's hand as they came to the entrance. " I'm escorting this young lady here to meet the players. Is that a problem, sir?"

Tala snorted but Kai cut in. " No, that's fine. Now that your here though, you can help escort the players."

The carrages had just come to a hault in front of them, the two horse per carriage kicked the ground with energy.

Kai, his wife and Tyson went to the first one, the more fancy one. Tala and Ray strolled over to the second and Kane to the third, with Amber still in his light grasp, Alex right behind them.

Tyson opened the door and out emerged Princess Mariam and Prince Joesph. Kai greeted Mariam by kneeling down on one knee and kissing her hand, before rising to his full height again. Salima curtied to Joesph and smiled.

" Welcome, Princess Mariam and Prince Joesph. Such a pleasure to have you make it." Salima stated.

" The pleasure is all ours. We love coming here." Prince Joesph grinned.

Mariam didn't look at the castle with the same joy. She kinda zoned out for a few seconds, shock her head and smiled.

" Yes. You also have such the nicest people here." She smiled towards Tyson, who closed the door behind them. " And your servants are so friendly."

Kai held out his arm. " My lady, would you like to go inside?"

Mariam smiled but shock her head. " I'd like to make sure everybody gets inside first."

Joesph held out his arm to Salima. " Then shall we?"

Salima bowed and linked arms with him, leading him inside. Kai and Mariam walked to the second carriage, Tyson right behind them.

" Welcome to our kingdom. If you would just make your way into the castle, there will be someone there to give you further instructions." Tala bowed out of respect.

The particapents walked off, and Ray bowed as well. Kai clapped his hand onm Tala's shoulder and he rose.

" Princess Mariam, may I present to you Lord Tala. One of our highest gaurds." Kai introduced the red-head.

Tala bowed and kissed Mariam's hand. " Nice to finally meet my lady."

" Can't be that high of a gaurd if the bastard needs one himself." Somebody shouted from the third carriage, where all the particapents had already made there way inside.

(A/N: Like you can't figure out who said that by now!)

Tala snapped his head up and growled. " Alex! Show a bit of respect!"

Alex came out from behind the carriage and waved at him. " Why? It's not like you deserve any."

Tala growled and clenched his fists. " I'm at a higher ground then you Moren, so I suggest-"

"-that I shut up and follow instructions? Why, it's not like you have any dignity to protect." Alex finished with a smirk.

Ray and Tyson chuckled at this. " She's got a point there." Ray stated with a grin.

Out of no where, the princess started laughing. " Your a very funny woman, has anybody ever told you that?" Mariam gigled.

Alex bowed and rose smiling. " Your the first, my lady."

Ray walked up to Alex and put his hand on her forhead. " Are you feeling ok?"

Alex stepped aside and glared at him. " What makes you think I'm perfectly fine?"

Tyson rolled his eyes as Kane and Amber came around. " Because you never show respect to anybody!"

Alex paused for a second. She slapped her forhead and groaned. " I think I must be getting some deadly illness or something."

Mariam continued to laugh. " You must come and join me on my litttle trip around the castle. Your a very comical lady."

Alex cocked a brow and was about to refuse when she saw Tala's face fall. Alex smirked and replied.

" Love to my lady." She sent her gaze and smirk at Tala before bowing.

Amber looked uneasy. She pulled out of Kane's grasp and stepped beside Alex. " I don't think that's the best idea my lady."

Mariam stopped and stared at Amber. " Why not?" Alex and the princess spoke at the same time.

" Because she has a very short temper, she snaps easy and doesn't follow instructions." Tala crossed his arms on his chest.

Alex glared at him. " That's because I don't like you, and I have a couple damn good reason's for it too."

Mariam clapped her hand toghter. " Well then. You my join me as well if you feel insercure about this. Would you care to join us Ms...?"

" Heart. Amber Heart my lady, and I'd love to join you." Amber curtied and smiled.

" Right then." Kai clapped and motioned everyone inside. " You boys have some setting up to do."

Tyson and Ray groaned, but followed Kane inside and back out into the arena on the castle grounds.

Kai and Tala stepped into the castle and they started showing her around. Alex and Amber behind them, Amber smiling and Alex smirking.

Alex mutttered to herself. " This should be interesting."