A/N: Wow, holy shit guys I'm so sorry! My girlfriend keeps telling me that I'm a bum, and now I believe her. I encourage each of you to review and call me a bum or some other mild insult, my ego can only take so much. It's been way too long since I last wrote. I don't have an excuse I have loads of time to do so, but whenever I have free time I end up doing nothing. Anyway this is the last chapter that I had outlined so if I don't outline the next chapter in the next few days it will probably be a while before I can update again. Anyway lets move onto some reviews then the chapter that you've all waited so patiently for...

Guest (1): Thank you so much. It means a lot that you like my story and want to keep reading it.

Guest (2): Well the waiting is over

Tinq: I'm sorry that I broke up your friendship and made you wait so long. There are some minor Golly moments coming up, but you have to remember it's Gail's job to protect Holly therefore there can't be any big romantic scenes between them... Or can there?

After their shift change Gail went home and got some sleep. She arrived back at the palace at 6am sharp, as instructed, to find Hayden in the chair in the same position she had been in at midnight. "What are you, a statue?" Gail asked. Hayden's attention snapped over to the blond. "Whoa, calm down, it's just me." Gail said when she saw Hayden's hand seek out the hilt of her sword. Hayden apologized and dropped her hand.

Hayden stood from her seat and stretched her arms above her head. "I'm glad you're back I think we should do a walkthrough of the palace and the surrounding area." She suggested. "How about we do two separate walkthroughs then compare notes. That way someone is here with the princess at all times just in case." Hayden agreed to go first so she could stretch her legs.

Hayden returned in just over an hour. She had found a couple of weak spots in security. Gail said she would check them out more thoroughly as she walked off.

Coming back she agrees with Hayden about the weak spots. They would either need to keep their eyes on them or post guards there. The decision would be made by the king. "I also found a disturbance in a hiding spot I scoped out in case of an outdoor event. There's a chance that it's just an animal, but I'll point it out to you just in case." Hayden nodded and was about to speak when the two heard Holly getting up.

They heard her walking across the room opening and closing drawers. They waited about five minutes before knocking.

Holly opened the door wearing similar clothes to what she had worn the day before. "We are not going for another run." Gail said firmly. "No I, I want you guys to teach me how to fight. I don't want to ever feel as helpless as I did that day in the garden." Gail and Hayden shared a look. "I will ask your father for permission when I meet with him for his daily progress report. If he agrees then we would be honored to help you." Hayden promised, and Holly smiled at them in thanks.

Hayden left the room not long after that to go meet with King Brian. Hayden and Gail had decided that they would switch who goes to the meeting each day so that one of them was with Holly at all times. Of course the king agreed, "anything to keep my daughter safe" were his exact words.

"Can we at least go for a walk in the gardens while we wait? I feel kind of trapped in here and just want some fresh air." Holly asked. Gail was a little reluctant with the security flaws and her being alone. If someone were to attack she may not be able to protect Holly on her own. But she agreed anyway unable to say no when Holly started pouting.

They walked side by side each of them stealing glances at the other out of the corner of their eyes. Gail also managed to keep a close eye on the bushes that surrounded the palace. Holly stopped to check on a few flowers. She bent over and pulled a small rose to her nose so that she could sniff it. That's when Gail got the confirmation of the king's approval to train Holly. Hayden told her to go ahead and that she would be there as soon as she got out of the meeting.

"Princess, your father has agreed to let us train you a little. I'll start and Hayden will be out to help as soon as she can." Holly nodded excitedly. Gail led her over to a large clear area. "So I want to start with some techniques that that will let you use the momentum of the other person to your advantage." Gail was a little nervous to demonstrate the techniques on Holly because she didn't want to hurt her, but she had no other choice. She would just have to be extra careful and extra gentle.

"OK Princess, throw a punch at me." Holly made an awkward looking fist and drew her arm back "Hold on, that's my fault I assumed you knew how to punch, but now that I think about it you've never needed to learn." She held Holly's fist in her hands. She felt a spark run through her and she looked up locking her eyes on Holly's. They stared at each other in silence for a few minutes before Gail shook her head and cleared her throat. She dropped her gaze to Holly's hand. "If you punch with your hand like this you'll break your hand. You need to clench your four fingers tightly into your palm. Then bring your thumb across the front of them. Not inside your fist and not to the side of the fingers." She demonstrated and Holly copied her.

"Now throw a punch at me." Holly looked a lot smoother punching this time. She punched and Gail side stepped a little. "Grab the wrist," Gail demonstrated slowly as she spoke. "Pull forward a little, and then you have two options. One is a hand to the shoulder and stick your foot out." Gail did it slowly and gently lowered Holly to the ground. Holly got up and did the moves that she was just shown. "The second option is to grab the elbow and push the top of their arm to their shoulder. If you do it right they'll be off balance and fall on their back. If you do this hold on to the wrist." Gail was bent over Holly who was lying on her back and they were both painfully aware of it. "Either poke their eyes or punch the throat. Then using their arm roll them over and apply downward pressure to the wrist until it breaks. Then get up and run like Hell." Gail offered a hand to help Holly up. "Let's practice the first maneuver until Hayden gets here and I can better demonstrate the second way." They ran through the moves several times at what Gail would describe as a snail pace.

Hayden came jogging over to the two of them. "Good, Hayden punch me." Gail instructed as soon as the brunette stopped running. Hayden shrugged and took her offensive stance and threw a punch at Gail's face. Gail executed the moves and had Hayden on her face on the ground with her arm behind her back in a second. "Again" she instructed. Hayden stood up, retook her stance, and punched forward again. This one took a little longer, but in under ten seconds Hayden was tapping out of the wrist lock.

They turned back to Holly, "I'm going to do that one again a little slower so you can get a better idea of the moves. Then it'll be your turn."

When it was Holly's turn she was very slow which allowed Gail to maintain her balance. She refused to go to the ground unless Holly made her. Which is why she was so surprised when on the third attempt Holly actually managed to get her on the ground. When Holly got to the wrist lock she tried to use just her thumbs to push and was getting no leverage. "Move your hands up so that the meats of your thumbs are on either side of my hand. Then push my hand back and twist outwards towards my pinky." Holly did as she was told and Gail tapped out quickly.

They practiced these and a couple of other moves like basic blocks and a hip throw. Holly was able to throw Gail around like a sack of potatoes by lunch time, much to Hayden's amusement.

They took a break for lunch before going back outside. "OK enough of the physical stuff for now. You'll be sore enough in the morning as it is. Right now we're going to teach you to whisper into the wind. This is a way to contact us even if we're miles away." Holly nodded. Gail sat down on a bench on the other side of the garden. "OK Holly, are you ready?" At her nod Hayden began to give her instructions.

"Take a deep breath in and clear your mind. It might take a second the first few times so just keep taking those deep breaths." Holly had to breathe for about a minute before her shoulders loosened and her body relaxed. "Now focus on the air around you. When you breathe in feel it in your lungs. Now as you breathe out whisper whatever you want to say." Holly began to speak. "Now think about Gail and where she is and let the wind carry your words to her."

Hayden looked over at Gail who gave her a thumbs down. Holly saw that and her shoulders slumped. "Princess nobody expects you to get it on the first try. Just refocus and try again."

After a few more attempts Gail began to hear mumbles. They were indiscernible but definitely from Holly.

They practiced for over an hour, but Holly just could not get the words clearly to Gail.

"Let's take a break. Get some water we'll pick up in a little bit." Hayden suggested as she waved Gail over. Holly had barely sat down when the bushes next to them began to rustle. In seconds Gail stood in front of Holly with her swords drawn and Hayden was behind the princess with an arrow nocked and her bow string pulled back.

A/N: I'm just a horrible person aren't I? I make you wait two weeks for a cliffhanger! Leave me a comment on whether or not you liked the chapter. Let me know who you think is in the bushes. As always suggestions are welcome through either a review or a PM. I hope to have the next chapter to you soon.

Until next time,
Hold The Line and Don't Look Back