Disclaimers: I do not own anything out of Resident Evil. All of the contents belongs to Capcom.

Chapter II: Lessons

'Stay away from the Prince.' - Sheva Alomar

Living Quarters, Evening

It was dusk when the two knights finally reached Jake Wesker. They went to where Piers had dictated Jake will be and when he brought General Redfield to the lake, Jake was long gone as one of the witnesses told them. It took them at least an hour before they finally pinpoint the rebellious Prince's latest location. After asking a good number of maids and knights in the castle, they had finally found Jake hanging out in the living quarters, resting comfortably under the stairs with his arms behind his head where no one can see him.

The Prince had already acknowledged the two's presence and he ignored them, continued doing what he did. But the general was patient, "Prince, his Majesty had asked me to provide you training this evening." Jake finally look at the bulky man, "That was an hour ago, wasn't it? Sorry, man, you guys are overdue. Although I still need to congratulate you for finding me." A sarcastic chuckled left his mouth.

Piers' eyes widen to Jake when he realized that the Prince purposely hid from him and Chris. He was playing with them, purposely letting them to search for him. It was a humiliation for these two knights to be playing hide-and-seek with this... child. Child was what Piers like to refer Jake as although they were on the same age. And if Albert Wesker is the general's personal rival, then Jake Wesker is his very own personal rival. Jake Wesker had been a nuisance for him since day one he joined the knight under Chris Redfield's name.

Chris must have sensed Piers anger that he took a quick glance at his apprentice with narrowed eyes, telling him to stand down. But it seemed that Piers have a plan, "We should probably leave his Highness alone, General. The Prince knew better his own limits. Remember that time when I had sword training with his Highness?"

The provocation worked when Jake sat up and glared daggers to his peer, "The hell did you say?"

"Oh, my apologies for my language, your Highness." Piers bowed insincerely with a taunting smirk, the last time they had sword training, Jake and Piers was of equal match that Chris had to break them up (since neither refused to submit).

The action made Jake's anger brewed as he finally got up his feet, "Are you saying that I can't take you on?"

"No. No. What I mean is-"

"You. Me. To the grounds. Now."

And Jake stomped away from the two, heading to the direction of their regular training ground which they had only used only four times (since Jake played truant). Chris looked at Piers with an impressed smirk and the latter merely shrugged.

They followed after the rebel quickly with Chris mouthed to the younger man, "Now that's a good trick. But be careful though, the Prince might kill you."

Piers rubbed the old wounds sustained from the previous training, "Thank you, General. I just used the Prince's hot-blood to my advantage that's all. He might be as old as me but his mind is still a child. Who needs babysitting."

"He is the man who will soon rule our country, Piers. Always remember that." Chris corrected him.

Courtyard, Evening

Having born in a poor family has its own perk. In just a matter of hours, Sherry had already learned most of her duties as a maid of the Palace and what she needed to do for greeting people of higher authority. Deborah taught Sherry to place her hands near between her belly and her waist and bend her knees slightly. The simple gesture was quickly mastered by Sherry and they proceeded to show Sherry the structure of the palace, places she was allowed to go, places to avoid and restricted area.

Deborah and Sheva, who became Sherry's instant best friend due to the similar lively trait they all possessed, draw three blocks of squares on the sand using a long twig, "The Palace are divided into three parts: The front castle, the courtyard and the rear castle. The front castle is where you should avoid going the most unless you have business there, it is where the keep is located and where the knights populated. We can go to the front castle if we want but the keep is restricted only to the knights so don't you dare to enter the keep." Sheva drew a large cross over the first block, "Just so you know, the execution ground is there too."

"Then the courtyard, where our servant's quarter is and the chapel. This is our ground because this is where the well is, over there by the lake," Sheva pointed with her finger to the far side of the wide lake and there was indeed a well, "We need to draw the water for cleaning and washing; and if our master wanted to take a bath. By the way, knights are not considered as our master. We are sworn to serve the royal family, always remember that-"

"We learnt that after my sister. She used to obey everyone wearing steel on their body until Lady Redfield pointed it out for us. The Queen too." Deborah interrupted in between. Sherry giggled and she nodded, "I will remember that."

Then the two ladies continued, Sheva poked her twig over at the last block, "Finally, we have the rear castle. This part is where we have the great hall where his Majesty have his meeting with his senators. The King will always be there discussing welfare so we best avoid that place unless his Majesty needs cleaning. The living quarters is also located at the rear castle where the royal bed-chamber is. See that two tower? The larger tower is where the infirmary, the library and the mess hall is." Sherry knew that, she had been in the infirmary before.

Sheva pointed at the smaller tower with a stern look, "That place is restricted to everyone. The servants, the knights, even to the Queen and the place solely belongs to the King."

And Sherry gazed at the plain looking tower with curiosity, "What's in there?"

"I don't know, not even her Highness will know."

So, Sherry decided that her curiosity to die there. If The King's wife and son were not even allowed in there, how would Sheva and Deborah know?

"Aye, ladies! What are you talking about?" From a far distance, the trio saw a petty knight hollered at them with a playful wave. Sherry didn't missed the feigned frustrated look by her two best friends. Coming up close, this knight was pretty good looking, although his attire clearly portrayed him as a low ranking knight. He tossed his happy grin to the three and his gaze stop to look at Sherry for an extended time, "I haven't seen you before. But I got a feeling that we might have met. Haven't we, beautiful miss?" His flirty smile made Sherry blushed.

Deborah rolled her eyes and so did Sheva, "Goodness, Ryman. That's the worst pick up line EVER. And stop teasing our new friend already."

"Ah," Kevin smiled as he extended his hand to Sherry, "Kevin Ryman, miss. At your service."

Sherry accepted his hand but it was a big mistake because Kevin pulled it over to his lips and kiss the back of her hand, "My name is Sherry, Sir Ryman." She replied, flustered.

Deborah scowled at the prefix, "You don't need to add the title 'Sir' to him, Sherry," Deborah quirked, "Kevin was still that low rank idiot since we started to know him last three years."

"Aww, you break my heart, miss Harper." Kevin clasped his hand over to the left side of his chest, pretending that his heart was breaking,

Sheva giggled at his playful nature, "You are so unlike David. So, why are you here at the courtyard? Punishment?"

"General Krauser asked me to fetch him something." Kevin countered, "He said something for the Prince about his upcoming archery practice."

Soon, they bid each other farewell and Kevin returned to his duties, leaving the three women alone again with their chatters.

Sheva and Deborah were about to bring Sherry to her first ever cleaning duty when she suddenly turned to Sherry with a serious face - eyes narrowed and lips pursed, "And Sherry? There's still one more thing you need to know..."

For a moment Sherry felt worried what Sheva might say, "What is it?"

"Stay away from the Prince."

The warning was simple and clear. But Sherry still don't understand, why avoid the Prince?

Sheva knew what Sherry was wondering about so she elaborated, "The Prince... You see, he's not exactly the man you will be expecting like His Majesty." A brief pause, "Just try your best and avoid him, okay?"

Sherry reluctantly nodded, as much as her unfulfilled curiosity had wanted her to ask for more information but Sherry decided that she will have to listen to Sheva for now. She had been in the castle much longer than she was and it's best to listen to her advice. And somewhat a sense of fear settles in the pits of Sherry when she tried to think about the Prince, what kind of man, or boy he is?

Maybe he's just a big bully who likes to boss around the palace with his status.

But why go as far as to stay away from him?

Training Grounds, Evening

Two blades clashed upon the other and sparks formed from the collision. Piers Nivans had definitely underestimated the so-called lazy child whom he was having a spar now. The knight might have his confidence built from his years of training day and night but it was easily shattered when he was having a difficult time against the Prince who had only mere weeks of training.

Years versus weeks and they are on par? Piers could hardly believe it.

Maybe because the Prince's father used to be a General himself too. It's genetic.

Chris watched the spar carefully, ready to stop the fierce duel between the two youths when it gets too hot. Which he must because they were to the point where they were resolved to kill each other.

"Stop!" He ordered, forcing the two reluctant men to to pull their swords away and stepped back, "That's all for today, your Highness. You did great." Both men were panting for air and Jake huffed as he walked away, but not before warning Piers, "Next time, we'll settle this, puppy."

'Puppy' was the nickname for Piers since Chris is 'lapdog'.

But Piers was so used to the Prince's foul mouth, "Of course, your Highness."

They both bowed as Jake exited the training ground, away from the eyes from the other knights who stared in awe. They had too underestimated their Prince whom they thought was worthless.

When they had finally had the time, Chris patted Piers's pauldron, "It looks like his Highness needed just a few more days and he's done with swords."

"Yes, I guess I was wrong about the Prince's physique. I wasn't there on his hand-to-hand training."

Chris smiled, "You should have seen how good he was with his fists. Even General Kennedy was impressed with his final test in hand-to-hand."

"Huh. At least the Prince can't beat me in archery." That's Piers' specialty, Nivans was best known for his perfect aim in archery. In one battle he had shot down a general on a horseback with only a single arrow. Even General Redfield had to admit defeat.

A sad smile formed across Chris face. He walked away from the front castle as he sighed. His trail was followed closely by his faithful apprentice.

"The Prince might be a good soldier. But he was not a good leader. He has no love for everything and it was the passion for his people that he need. A good leader is what the kingdom need in the future."

Courtyard, Night

The night was young when Jake found himself in the courtyard. Lying by the lake that everyone in the kingdom loved so much, Jake let his thoughts floated away up the sky, enjoying the cold breeze against his lightly armored body.

Everything was so easy for him that he quickly get bored by everything. His life was so empty and meaningless and yet Jake had no intention to find himself the meaning of his own existence.

Not anymore. After that day.

As the Prince closed his eyes and was ready to doze off, a soft voice shook him when he was about to fall asleep.

"You can't sleep here, sir. You will catch a cold."

It was so kind and sincere that Jake thought that it was his mother - even that line was his mother's. Groggily he peeled his eyes open and he regretted that he did so because she was not his mother but a plain woman - Golden hair and ugly clothes. But her blue eyes did remind him of his mother because Queen Gabrielle had a pair of beautiful blue eyes too. And she was quite unfamiliar, a face that he had never seen in the castle before.

Oh wait, there was not a face that Jake was familiar with. He didn't care about anyone in the castle.

He could tell that she was a little afraid to talk to a stranger like him. Jake grunted annoyingly, ignoring her words as he turned to his side and covered his eyes with his arms.

Then she tried again, "Are you okay, sir?"

Jake refused to answer. There was always women that tried to befriend him just so one day they could become Queen if Jake ascended the throne. Maybe this girl was one of that category too. Hopefully she would give up soon because Jake was starting to feel irritated.

But she didn't, "Do you need help, sir?"

Sitting up with an annoyed frown, Jake hissed, "Why won't you shut it already, woman? Damn, you are annoying."

Instead of a frown he had expected, the woman smiled kindly to him, "Because it was the right thing to do. You really could catch a cold if you sleep here. You should get back to your quarter, sir."

Quarter? Sir? Shouldn't it be chamber or your highness?

The corner of Jake's lips started to twitch in amusement, "Are you new here?"

The woman innocently nodded, "Yes, sir. Today is my first day here on the castle."

That explained why Jake felt like he had never met with this particular woman before. Because even though Jake was uncaring toward the people in the Palace, he will more or less remember the glimpse of their face. But this woman was all newness.

She wasn't lying too.

'Bah, maybe she was just some woman who wanted to get attention from men. This should be interesting.' Jake ordered her to get some water from the lake to drink. He planned that he will reveal himself after that to see how this mousy woman get all flustered and frantic. That she just trying to hit on a Prince. That would give her a heart attack.

"I... wasn't supposed to do that." Surprisingly she said so, "Lady Redfield said that we maids are supposed to serve the royal family only. Not the knights."

Jake went silent as he stared at the woman intensely, deep in thoughts. The intensity actually scared her that she quickly got up to her feet and was ready to leave.

"I am sorry to disturb you, sir. Good day." Turning her back to him, she moved her feet away from the man as quickly as possible until a shout halted her.

"Hey!" Jake called to her, making the woman froze right on her spot, "What's your name?"

For a moment, she wanted to burst into a run. But a name wouldn't hurt, would it? The castle has order and this man wouldn't do anything to her. So timidly she replied, "Sherry."

Then she heard a shuffling of noises that sounded like a person rising up from the ground. Sherry suddenly felt afraid and too panicked that her feet refused to budge. But the footsteps got fainter and fainter so Sherry turned slowly, only to find that this mysterious man walking away to the direction of the rear castle.

Her escalated heartbeat turned slower and Sherry took a deep relieved breath before walking away briskly from the lake.

For some reason, she could sense the danger in this mysterious man. Mysterious always spells danger.

And that scar on his handsome face. Sure he was handsome, but he was dangerous.

Sherry hoped that she would never see this man again.

But... he did look like someone.

A.N: Uh... that's a pretty awkward first meeting between our two main characters, isn't it? Sherry thought Jake was a rapist. O_O

But there's more!

RFF! :)