Arabella
The next few days become the same. I go to work; I sneak stolen glances at the Princes that are too damn handsome for their own good and then I go to sleep.
I can feel myself getting antsy—needing to do more.
Not only because I miss being The Shadow, but because my heart does something odd every time I see the Princes with the other ladies.
Yes, I can feel their eyes on me occasionally, making eye contact ever so fleetingly.
Yet my betraying heart wonders what it would be like to be one of those ladies.
What would it feel like to get up for the day, get dressed in a beautiful gown, and then have breakfast with gorgeous princes?
Koi and Grayer have tried to come over to talk with me, though either a council person or the other two princes usually interrupt them.
“Morning, Arabelly! Kip with a report!” Kip scurries up. Standing on his hind legs, he gives me a cute little salute. He watched a wartime play once, and ever since then, every ‘spy mission report’ is followed by these formalities. Not that I am complaining, I love their little personalities.
“What did you find, little friend? Where is Bert?”
“Firstly, the castle is quite heavily guarded. And many cats! But… I think even if we could get past the castle enforcers and cats, we may have a bit of a harder time getting past those princes… Also, Bert is still watching the princes. They don’t seem to love the courting events.”
“What do you mean, getting past the princes?” I sit up a little straighter.
“They… They sort of have been taking turns in the evening, making sure you don’t leave the room. When you leave, to say, grab a snack—which, thank you again for that brie, gotta love a soft cheese. Am I right? Though it is paired best with crackers; perhaps next ti—”
“Kip, focus.”
“Right—Right! Sorry Arabelly. What was I saying.. cheese, prince—right, YES. They follow you everywhere in the evenings when you aren’t working.
The other day, when you went to grab a snack for us, Prince Koi was sneaking in the shadows.
They stand guard outside your door—I think they worry you will try to leave. ”
“Controlling bastards!” I whisper yell.
“Oh, none are outside of your door currently, Arabelly.”
“The audacity they have! Also, what business do princes have standing guard over their servant and prisoner?! Sheesh.” I cross my arms as I pace.
“Well… Bert seems to think that the Princes fancy you. We catch them looking at you all the time. And when they are not at the courting events, they are asking each other about you.”
“Pfft, probably making sure The Shadow isn’t on the loose, and they are just keeping tabs on me. That’s why they are talking about me.”
“Whatever you say, Arabelly!”
A knock on my door interrupts further questioning.
“Morning, Ella!” I hear Bridgette through the door. “May I come in, you decent?” I walk over to the door and open it to see my new friend. She has her dark curly hair down today and two coffees in her hand. She hands me one.
Each day we have become closer and closer.
Turns out her father is a councilman. Councilman Alec Thibaut, a powerful healer.
They are loaded financially, and Bridgette and her mother, Margie, don’t have to work at the castle.
Yet they choose to. They see the Princes as a part of their family, so to them, they aren’t serving the crown, but helping their family.
To be loved like that must be special. I bet those princes take advantage of or don’t appreciate that love.
“Who were you talking to?” She looks around my room.
“Oh, nothing, just like to think out loud sometimes.” I hate lying about my powers, especially to someone I now consider a friend. I will tell her, when the time is right.
“Gotchya! Well, today I have an important job for you to attend!”
“Oh?” I take a sip of my amazingly delicious coffee. She makes the best coffee, it is deadly how good it is.
“Today, the princes’ schedule includes battle training instead of any courting events. Want to attend it with me? They like to have the help on hand just in case they need a drink and whatnot.”
“Of course, the pampered princes need help at all times,” I snort. Bri elbows me as we leave.
“Hey now, they aren’t that bad. And anyhow, they never requested it. It was the council that voted and then ordered for them to be attended to at all times. It’s honestly the easiest job too; they never ask for anything,” she shrugs.
As we enter the castle arena, the first thing I notice is that each prince is shirtless, talking with an older bald man who is just as buff.
“That’s Master Bruce. He is from the Terra Isle and has known Sy since he was a babe. Master Bruce fought in the war of villains and was the leading commander of the enforcers. The old man can fight.” Bri informs me as we take a seat off to the side, in the bleachers.
The arena is a large sand-filled pit with stone seating all around.
This part of the castle must have been here since the early era of Eldor.
Villian battles are a thing of the past, but I don’t miss that lots of blood stained these grounds.
I spot the court ladies on the other side of the bleachers with binoculars and fans.
The Quadias are even here, and I know they are not fans of fighting.
I am sure they are loving this view, though.
Jealousy eats me from the inside. As if I have the right to be jealous.
“Of course, just because the princes finally get a break from them, the ladies won’t leave them alone,” Bri notices my awareness of the court ladies.
“This may seem like a silly question, but why would the princes need to train if they have their legion of castle enforcers?”
“Everyone should train! Especially if you are a regular target for power,” Bridgette takes out her own set of mini binoculars. For some reason, a flare of jealousy spikes at my friend getting a set of binoculars to see the princes better. My feelings must have been visible on my face as she laughs.
“Ha! I knew it! You are just as obsessed with them as they are with you. As the wing woman on both sides, I would just like to mention that those fuckers out there are like annoying older brothers to me. These binoculars are so I can watch what Master Bruce says. I take what he teaches them and practice on my own time.”
“You can’t join them for training? I am sure they would let you.”
“Unfortunately, a large portion of the council is still quite misogynistic. Father has been trying to fight for more rights for us females. Yet to them, it is still improper for a lady to be fighting. The princes had been teaching me quite a bit when we were younger, but now that they are older, more responsibility has been given to them. So that means less time to hang out with me and teach me.” Sadness sounds in her voice. She truly does love them.
The arena, including the whistling ladies, falls into silence as the princes begin to practice.
The ground starts to shake as large boulders seem to emerge from the ground.
Archer uses his wind, flying, to avoid the sharp edge of the protruding rock formation, aiming for him from Sylas.
On the opposite side of the arena, Grayer is shooting balls of fire at Koi, who counteracts each ball of flame with a water ball of his own.
Then, Grayer and Sylas team up against Koi and Archer.
All elements battle together as I even lose sight of the princes among all the water, fire, rocks and wind.
They truly are magnificent.
“Man, do they ever show off on their warm-ups,” Bri mutters.
“This is a warm-up!?”
That’s when the ghouls come into the arena.
Ghouls have mainly been eradicated to the Obsidian Isle, where the villain prison remains.
They are quite rare to find in Velora, especially with our large population of enforcers.
My anxiety and worry pick up as I see the Princes unsheathe their swords and prepare for the battle. Well, all except Koi.
“Why doesn’t Koi have a sword!?” I panic, grabbing Bri’s forearm.
“He doesn’t want to kill, ever. He worries he will become like his father, who is known to be a ruthless bastard.
His father tried to make Koi violent, even using Grayer to get him to kill.
But that’s a story for them to tell you.
” My stomach sours. I have heard many things about the water king being a brutal ruler.
My worries start to vanish as I truly see what the Princes are capable of.
Archer and Sylas are brutal in their fighting; they are swift in working together to take down a horde of oncoming ghouls.
They make their battle look like a dance.
Grayer and Koi take on their horde, but instead of just using swords and fighting like Sylas and Archer, they are battling with their powers.
Grayer uses his sword and firepower to kill each ghoul as Koi is at his back, sending a blast of water to take out the approaching ghouls about to get to Grayer before he is ready to kill them.
That’s when I see that Gray is looking at me.
My traitorous heart drops. “Fucking focus, you damn fool!” I yell, and Bri laughs.
“Girl, loosen your grip on my arm a bit! I need that arm.” I release her in a blush, forgetting I had held onto it.
Wearing a devilish smile, he winks as he continues his brutal take down of the remaining ghouls. When the last ghoul is defeated, he drops his sword and… blows a kiss my way. Koi notices and sends me a cute smile and wave.
Archer and Sylas also finish their set as the arena resets back to its original sand state. As if the ghouls and all their elements had never been there.
Grayer makes a gesture our way.
Bri snorts, “I knew it. They have never once called for towels and water after training, yet as soon as you are here, they must have it. Come on, Ella.” She intertwines our elbows as we leave our place on the bench.
When we get down to the arena, towels and waters in hand, Master Bruce is debriefing the princes.
“Now, Grayer, you were merciless as always. But maybe next time let’s not look at the pretty ladies. You must focus. What if Koi had been compromised by one of the ghouls and one came for you in your blind spot?”
Koi is laughing as Grayer shrugs, “Worth it.”
He lights up when he sees us approach.
“Bri! You are the best wing-woman!”
“I will remember that for the next time I need a favour,” she jests back, setting down the jugs of water as I set down the glasses and towels.
Up close, the princes are a sinful delight to the eyes.
All muscles, coated with sweat and dirt from their battle.
I can’t take my eyes away, and I think Koi notices as he smirks, puffing out his chest just a bit more.
I try to look somewhere else. But fail. I suppose I am weak when it comes to these dang princes.
Why couldn’t they be ugly or something? It’s one thing to have crushes on regular folk—but powerful princes! ? I need to get a grip.
“That was very well done, my Princes, perhaps you all would like a little tending to after working so hard. I know how much you enjoyed having me in your bed after all,” I snap out of my ogling as one of the court ladies, Adrianna, I believe, walks up from behind me.
From what I could gather, she is Councilman Clarsef’s daughter.
Also, the woman Grayer said he was visiting.
I can see why now; she is wearing a sheer dress that barely covers her breasts.
She is stunning and quite beautiful. My stomach sours as my jealousy rears its ugly head again.
“Ah, Adrianna, lovely to see you again,” Archer says seductively, looking her up and down.
“Go away, Adrianna,” Grayer says, waving her off as he tries to get closer to me. She puts a hand on his chest, stopping him. She notices him looking my way and turns her head to me, as if just noticing me.
“Little mouse, you brought your waters and towels. Now run along; you must remember that the help should not be seen. Especially a drab thing like you. It’s time for the Prince’s to be with a proper lady.” I turn away in shame and leave.
I can feel Bri start to leave with me, too. But not before I hear her say, “Adrianna, get your dad’s dick out of your ass.”
I love my new friend, and thankful she gives me the chance to hide my tears.
If they have had Adrianna in their bed before, how could I even compare? Like an idiot, I quickly glance behind as I see her head to Archer’s open arms.
“Fuck off, Adrianna. Seriously,” I hear Grayer say. I pick up my pace into a run as I faintly hear Koi also call out, “Arabella, wait!”