Thank you everyone who has reviewed! i have a few chapters ready to be published and i hope you enjoy them, but i wil warn you that they're a little scary/action-y but i rated this story a T so it should be okay! hope you like the story!

That next morning, I saw myself off, but I left a letter promising mrs. hamilton that I would be back soon to visit.

I walked as fast as I could in new trousers, brown work boots, a grey shirt, and my long brownish hair tied back in a braid. I waved at everyone I past, and everyone either waved back at me or glared at me. I didn't mind the glaring, I was so excited to be walking out of the quiet part of Drylliad to join the king's guard. I was given a uniform when I walked through the castle gates and was directed to one of the barracks. I changed into my uniform and smiled. It fit well. The sleeves and tunic were blue and embroidered with little gold leaves. On the front was the seal of Carthya. My new trousers were black, but I got to keep my boots.

The first thing I needed to do was go to training. I fell into line with some of the other new soldiers and followed them to the training area. We were all given training swords that were made of wood and told to spar with each other until our commanding officer, Captain Harlowe, came to give us instructions.

"Would you mind sparring with me?" Asked another girl. She was much smaller than me and looked like she'd never scrubbed a dish in her life. Her hair was tucked beneath an ugly brown cap and her eyebrows looked like they'd been smeared on. Though the strangest thing about this girl was her eyes. One was green and one was hazel.

"Uh, sure, I suppose," I said. I swung my wood sword around. "I'm Fiona, what's your name?"

The girl's hands shook as she held up her sword, "I'm Ari, I wanted to join to, er, serve the king."

"Don't we all?" I smirked, and I hit my sword against hers. Ari and I sparred for what felt like hours, and I complained many times about Roden was being rude by being so late. Somebody told me to shut up, so I told them to shut up back.

Finally, Roden came into the practice arena. He looked very concerned and a little frustrated. All of the other trainees and I stood at attention in a line when we saw him.

"Soldiers!" He shouted while clasping his hands behind his back holding several papers. "We have gotten word of an attack on the king's betrothed last night. As of now, we haven't found any survivors, only a trail of foot prints. Our first mission together will be to investigate the scene, but be warned, it's not a pretty sight. Those of you who survive will be accepted into the king's guard, thse of you who choose not to join will be sent back to whatever miserable hole you came from. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir!" We all shouted, except Ari, who looked like she was about to fall over in fear.

I nudged her, "Hey, it'll be okay. I'm your friend here, we'll get through this together."

"Thank you, Fiona," Ari mumbled and shuffled her feet.

Roden watched us all spar and put us into two groups. Those who were good with the sword would be given real swords and defend the group going to invesigate the scene of the king's fiance's attack. If you weren't good with a sword, you were given a knife and would held with taking care of the supply wagons. I was one of the last to go, and watched with as much of an encouraging smile as I could msuter as I watched Ari try to fight Roden and land flat on her rear end. She rubbed her bruises as she made her way to the supply carts and I tried to tell her she did a good job, but then Roden was in front of me.

"You," He growled, and he grabbed the front of my tunic, his face was less than an inch away from mine.

"I should probably tell you my real name is Fiona," I giggled nervously and I stood my ground even as Roden threatened to lift me up. "Want me to beat you again?"

"I know how you fight," Roden snapped and he pushed me away. He pointed to the group of sword fighters. "Await further instruction. And don't get sassy with me or I'll have you thrown out before we even begin."

I stuck my tongue out at him and joined the other sword fighters. They whispered wanting to know why Captain Harlowe was being so mean to me, but I only smirked and told them not to worry about it. This way I could make them think that I was some seasoned soldier instead of a former thief. I frowned when I thought of what I'd done as a thief. I missed my friends very much. I wondered what they'd think of me becoming a solider.

And looking for the king's betrothed, even though it was clearly obvious that I.. . Wasn't sure how I felt about her. I had known the king once… And I wasn't sure if I was proud of that or not. I folded my arms as Roden began instructing the people who would take care of the supplies. King Jaron said he'd come to find out my name today, but I guessed that things had changed since his betrothed had been stolen the night before.

If I was being honest, I hadn't even bothered to learn her name after I'd seen the king. I wasn't jealous or anything, I just didn't see it as a priority back then. The king and his betrothed had been waiting to get married for years, I always thought he'd tire of her and find somebody else, but I'd been wrong.

"Swordsmen," Roden barked even though he was a few feet away from us. "Some of you will be in charge of guarding the king when he reunites with us. I will see how you fare with your real swords and based off of that will place you again. Now, move out!"

The supply people all piled into their carriages and the rest of us fell into line behind Roden, who was riding a horse. I groaned internally, I hated walking… But if it meant I'd be able to see my friend the king again, I only complain quietly.