As much as I love these boys, sadly, they do not belong to me.
… … …
"Trainees!"
Haruhi woke with a start at the shout that rang through the hall. She sat up, looking at the still closed door, and then the window. Judging by the light, it was barely past five in the morning. "Why so early…?" She groaned, getting up. A pounding at her door caused her to jump and swear. "I'M UP!" She yelled, sliding out of her bed and grabbing one of the newly delivered uniforms from the top of her dresser. "This is ridiculous…" She muttered, retying the binding around her chest and dressing in the dark.
Five minutes later, she stumbled out of her room, her body adjusting to the early hour. Noticing how the other boys spilling out of their rooms seemed used to it, she shrugged, figuring she might as well try to become accustomed to it as well. Following the blue clad figures down the hall, she tried to pay attention to her surroundings, so she would remember them the next day.
She felt crowded all at once and looked up to find the twins, Hikaru and Kaoru, on either side of her. "Um… hi. Where exactly are we going?" She looked around.
Kaoru, who she was beginning to think of as the more cooperative twin, shrugged. "Pre-dawn exercises. They wake us up. Then we have breakfast, and then we have the rest of our training. But this early in the morning, it's just the basics. I don't think they want exhausted teenagers swinging swords at each other."
"It could end… badly?" Haruhi assumed.
"Oh, it would be entertaining. Just not exactly healthy." Hikaru smiled.
"I see."
The group of trainees walked through open double doors into the open air. On her left, Haruhi could see what she assumed to be the stables. And next to them, what appeared to be the jousting yard. Right before her lay a lawn for riding, and on her right, a building about as large as the stables, and behing everything, she could see the river.
"The training yards." Kaoru supplied, though Haruhi had already assumed as much.
An hour later, Haruhi was sorely regretting not preparing herself better for this back home. All they'd done was stretch, run, go through some hand-to-hand techniques, and do muscle strengthening exercises, but it had been more than Haruhi had ever done at one time before. Trudging back to the palace, she was surprised to see many of the boys start stripping off their shirts. "What…?" She understood as soon as she saw them start running toward the river.
Haruhi gulped as a half-naked Hikaru looped his arms around her shoulders. "Aren't you going to join us, Haruhi?"
"Um… I don't... I don't like swimming." She lied. As much as the cool water of the river looked enticing, she couldn't very well swim in her new uniform, and taking it off wouldn't help her at all.
…
She had run by her bedroom to clean up and splash water on her face, so when she finally got to breakfast, her stomach was growling and she was late. She was surprised to see that Hunny had saved a seat for her. After getting her food, she collapsed into the chair, digging into her food with vigor.
"Hard first day, Haru-chan? But it's only been an hour!" Hunny blinked at her, eyes huge.
Haruhi shrugged. "Just not used to it, I guess."
"You'll get used to it." Kyoya pushed his glasses up. "Either that or you'll flunk out."
"How encouraging." Haruhi muttered dryly.
Tamaki ruffled her hair. "Not to worry. We'll help you."