silence

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.

Chapter Four

After the races, they head back to her room for some rest before breakfast with the queen. Jason closes the door behind them, before lying down on her bed. She smiles, walking over to her side of the bed. She finds herself staring at him, admiring the strands of hair that had become stuck to his face due to his sweat. His breathing had since returned to normal, but mouth was still slightly open. He turns his head, looking at her, but doesn't say or do anything. She brushes the hair out of his eyes, his breathing becomes heavy once again. But she doesn't pull her hand away, instead moving down to his cheek. It's then that she notices the scar on his other cheek. It appeared to be older than any other scar she'd ever seen of his. Maybe he'd gotten it as a child? And by the looks of it, it hadn't healed properly. She was surprised that she'd never noticed it before.

He must realize what she was looking at, as his facial expression changes. He pulls away from her, turning his head so that she couldn't see the scar anymore. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stared."

"It's fine. I'd rather not think about it." He sits up, shaking his head.

"You don't have to tell me anything. Just know that I'm here if you do want to talk about it."

He looks at her again, smiling, before standing up. "I should shower before breakfast."

Breakfast seems to blow by, starting out like every other morning. That is until the queen announces there will be a meeting with the advisors later in the day. While her voice sounded as emotionless as ever in recent years, there was a tinge of anger in her voice. Which, if she knew her mother, was not a good sign. Especially considering the current situation. Then the queen stands up, dismissing them both, before walking away herself.

"What do you think that was about?" He whispers to her, as they stand up.

"I don't know. My mother would not usually inform me of these things. She's more one to spring them on me so that I can't refuse them."

'Like our marriage,' she thinks to herself, but decides not to voice. "Well, whatever it is, something tells me it's not good."

"I really hope you're wrong." She sighs, as they reach her room. "But let's not talk about that."

He opens the door, letting her walk past him into the room. "Fine. So what do you want to talk about instead?"

"I don't know." Truth is, she could think of a few things to talk about, but that she chose not to say. "Maybe we could talk about… guard training?"

He makes a face as if he was holding back a chuckle. "Don't laugh. I consider the guards my friends. You are much better company than any of my royal 'friends'."

He opens his mouth, but she stops him. "And you're already giving me lessons anyway."

"At your 'request'." He says, using air quotes on the word 'request'.

"Fine. Then what do you want to do?'

He sighs, sitting down on her couch next to her. "What do you want to know? Our training is pretty… extensive."

"I would hope so."

"I'm serious. I was in training for two years."

"But you've only been a guard for four years. That would mean you started training when you were seventeen."

"Sixteen technically. I was a few months shy of my seventeenth birthday when I started."

"But what about your family?"

He looks at his lap, "I have no family. I lost my mom when I was a kid. And my dad…"

He trails off, before clearing his throat. He looks back up, his smile having fallen. "Jason?"

"I'm fine. I just don't like to talk about it. I never saw my dad again after my mom died."

"I'm sorry. I know the feeling."

"Right. The king."

"Yes. My mother was never the same after that. It's like she became less like my mother and more like my boss, for lack of a better term. She was always setting me up for dates with stuffy princes, and the one guy she sets me up with that I actually like wasn't even for my own happiness."

"She did that to protect you. Because she wants you to live. And so do I. If I didn't we wouldn't be talking right now." She turns her head, and he was much closer than she remembered. Their noses touch, before he clears his throat.

"Right. Sorry." She apologizes, dusting

the non-existent dirt off her dress.

"It's okay. So what else do you want to know?"

He loses track of how long they were talking for her, only that by the time they finish it's time for the meeting with the royal advisors. Kimberly sighs, straightening any wrinkles in her dress as she stands up from the couch. "Are you ready, princess?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

He follows behind her to the throne room, where the queen was just walking in herself with her own guard. The queen takes a seat at her throne, the royal advisors filing into the room shortly after. Kimberly comes to stand just behind her mother's throne, and Jason stands next to her. "So what is it that you wish to discuss?"

One of the advisors, Billy, clears his throat before speaking. "Your highness, temperatures have been going down the last few days, and the heaters are… they're close to breaking down."

"What about our backups?"

"These are our backups. We have no more."

"Then get more."

"There's no way we could get them by tonight."

"Maybe we don't use them tonight?" Kimberly interjects before the queen could say anything else.

"Don't be ridiculous. We are royalty, we shouldn't have to suffer." The queen looks back at the advisors, standing up from her throne. "And I suggest you have this by tonight."

"Yes, your highness."

"Good. Dismissed."

The advisors file out of the room. The queen walks away, Kat following closely behind her.

"That went well." He says, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Princess, are you okay?"

She blinks, looking back up. "I'm fine, I just want to get some sleep before dinner."