Beck doesn’t try to defend himself, his grin speaks more than any words could.
My stomach rumbles a little and my eyes go back to my plate, just as Arthur is finishing up the last scraps of food that once filled it.
My voice light, I remark, “Ah, I see the real reason Arthur was so eager to sit with me.”
Tiffany shakes her head as she spots the empty plate. “Arthur, well since you are done with breakfast, please go start your chores.”
He grumbles a little, but hops from my lap and heads outside.
Tiffany grabs up the plate and switches it for another full one.
“Tiffany, are you sure you’re not magic?" I joke. “Thank you, this breakfast is amazing; please let me know what chores you are needing help with. I will earn my keep.”
“You have training,” Declan points out, “after that you can seek out Tiffany for chores. If you are to be not only our queen but leader, we need to teach you the ways of the sword.”
“Yes, I agree. Thank you,” I reply.
Breakfast wraps up fast. I grab some of the empty plates off the table and take them to the cabinet where Tiffany has a pile of more waiting. I thank her again for the wonderful and filling meal, and she reminds me of my promise to play with the boys.
“Yes, thank you. You may have to drag me there, but I will not disappoint them. I am sure training for the knights will be more like torture until my body conditions and my muscles get used to the movements.”
Tiffany laughs. “You will sleep well tonight, at least.”
My steps carry me back to the room I’m sharing with Merina, and my hand is on the handle when I hear a giggle. Rolling my eyes, I knock.
Merina replies, “Yes.”
“It’s just me Alexa, can you please hand me my sword and I’ll be on my way.”
Beck appears behind the door shirtless, my sword held delicately in his palm.
“Beck, it is none of my business what you and my sister are up to, but remember I share that bed with her. If things progress, please, for me, take it elsewhere.”
I take my sword from him and turn on my heels toward the front door. As I reach it, Beck is pulling his shirt over his head.
“Alexa, please wait. I am sorry, your sister and I shared a kiss and it went just a little farther. We meant no disrespect to you,” Beck explains.
Turning, I look in his eyes. “You have nothing to apologize for, if my words were harsh, I am sorry. I am not my sister’s keeper; she is free to do as she pleases. After training, I will talk to Tiffany, and ask if a separate room is still available. This will stop any privacy issues.” I maintain eye contact as I address him with a smile on my lips. “But know if you break her heart, I will break both of your legs.
Beck gulps. “That sounds fair.”
He reaches the door handle, opening it for me, and escorts me to the training grounds. My ears pick up the clanging of swords before the men come into view.
Beck leads me past the stable, where we spot Arthur and Merlin. They seem to be enjoying the mud as much as the pigs.
Out behind the stable, there is a training course set up, with practice dummies and all. I stare in amazement as I watch Lance and Percy trade blows, their swords arc as the metal hits metal. They both have taken their shirts off, their muscular torsos and arms on full display.
Grey walks up behind me and whispers, “Alexa, I do think you have a little drool on your chin.”
Turning, I smack his bare chest. “In all honesty, it is not my fault. They are the ones parading around without their shirts on,” I reply truthfully. “And what about you Grey, have you lost yours as well? Is there a thief running amuck, stealing all the knights’ clothing? If so, I will just head back inside where it is safe.”
This gets a laugh from Grey and Beck.
“No, my queen. It is preference, that and Tiffany yells a lot if we have too many holes for her to patch,” Grey replies.
“Be that as it may, I will train with my shirt in its place; Merina and I are capable of fixing any holes that may occur.”
“That dashes my dreams of training with you,” Grey replies.
I smack him again and return to watching Percy and Lance spar.
Declan notices that I am near and he waves me over.
“If it pleases you, I will be your trainer today. I want to work on the basics of the sword. It is repetitive and boring, I warn you now, but it is the foundation of our training.”
“I am yours to mold, I have some knowledge though it is limited.”
“Follow me,” Declan commands as he heads to the dummies. “Let us start with a few practice hits so I can gauge your skill level. My wife also told me you made a promise to play with Arthur and Merlin, so I will not be too hard on you today. Tomorrow, that is a whole different thing.” He smiles.
I set up my feet in the position my father taught me and prepare to strike. That is, until I realize the grounds have gone silent and all eyes are focused on me.
“Declan, can you please have them get back to training. I am nervous enough without all of their eyes on me,” I plead.
He nods to me. “Knights, I think it wise if you start your jog of the day right now.”
They grumble but comply, heading out on a trail that leads away from the grounds. I do notice that Lance takes the lead, and no one objects to this.
Once Beck is out of sight, my attention returns to the dummy in front of me.
“Take a deep breath and relax, Alexa. If it helps, pretend that I am not here. Focus on your target; picture someone that has wronged you. Take out your anger on the dummy before you; I will merely judge you to help strengthen your abilities. You were born a leader, but that doesn’t mean you were born a fighter. Now attack, the boys will return in a few moments time.”
I inhale a deep breath, as Declan instructed, and when I let it out I look at the dummy before me. Its plain face morphs into the guard that gave chase on the night my life was ruined. Seeing his face once again, it brings all the pain and anger of my parents’ murder back to the surface. Emotions that I kept locked away from everyone, myself included.
From my stance, I attack, letting my rage take charge. Straw flies from the dummy with each blow. My aim is on target but the more I think of the night I lost my family, the more my anger rises and my swings start to get wild. I do not stop, until I have a set of strong arms gripping my arms and pulling them to my sides. My sword clatters to the dirt and I look up at my captor. It is Lance, concern written all over his face.
“Alexa, it’s ok now. I am here,” he tries to reassure me.
I bury my head into his sweaty chest as I continue to cry.
“Declan, what the hell did you say to her?” Lance demands.
He clears his throat. “I told her to use her anger on the dummy.”
“Why? You had to know this would happen.”
“I had a suspicion, though it was not my intention for it to go this far. Alexa, I am sorry. Please, forgive me, but I had to have you get these emotions out so we can start fresh. Fighting with anger or emotion pent up is not good for any of us.”
I peek out from where my face was hidden. “No need to apologize. I understand and I am glad to rid some of this off my shoulders. The night my parents were murdered will always haunt me; my soul is lighter taking my anger out on that dummy of yours.”
Lance loosens his grip on me as I gaze up at him. “I am fine now.”
He cracks a smile. “Well, you may be, but I think you owe Declan a new dummy.”
A New Home
Alexa
The others return from their jog just as Lance releases me. Grey approaches me but stops short when I wave him off. His handsome face is full of concern.
“Nothing to see here, you guys go grab a sword and head to the sparring ring. I will pair you off when I arrive,” Declan tells them.
Percy, Grey, and Beck nod and walk away. Once they are out of ear shot Declan continues, “Lance, will you lead Alexa
on a jog? Show her the path, the fresh air will help her clear her mind. When you return, Alexa you are free from training for the day. I know two little boys that are driving their mother crazy until you can play with them.”
“It will be my pleasure,” Lance replies to Declan, then his gaze returns to me. “Follow me, Alexa.”
I nod to Declan.
“You better get going, Alexa, Lance is almost out of my sight,” he remarks.
I sprint after Lance, breathing heavily as I get caught up to him.
“Lance. . . can . . . we. . . slow. . . the. . . pace. . . a. . .little?” I ask, trying to catch my breath.
His decreases his speed to a fast walk, and I thank him and am able to keep up.
We round an overgrown corner when a little house comes into view. I stop in my tracks, and take in the area that surrounds it. It is nested in between two giant trees, and over time the branches have grown intertwined over the roof, protecting it from the elements. My legs carry me closer. I glance at Lance and find he is following me a few steps behind.
“Whose house is this?” The words are shaky as they leave my lips.
“Yours, if you want it. Your parents lived here for a little while, until the king got wind of it. They ran the night before the guards came for them, only taking a few items and their baby girl,” he replies.
“How do you know all this?”I ask, as I turn to face him.
“I was just a five year old when it happened. The details from that night are little more than a blur, but I do remember coming to wish your family well as you fled for your lives.” His voice rings true with honesty.
“Why wasn’t I told about this? What other secrets are you all hiding from me?” I demand.
“This is my fault, I was the one that wanted to show you the house. I am sorry, it was not meant to be a secret. It was selfish of me. Would you like to go inside?” he asks hopefully.
“Very much so, lead the way.”
As our steps take us closer, I notice that the yard and exterior have been cared for.
“I have been living here, keeping up the maintenance and yard. Now that you are back, I will remove my things.”
His large hand grabs the handle and pushes the door inward. He doesn’t move as I cross the threshold first.
It is a quaint little house. It is set up a lot like the DeGore home. I step into the living-kitchen area.
The wooden furniture is sparse, but I do spy a beautiful hand-crafted four person table. The rays from the sun showcase the grains, along with an ornate pattern that runs across the sides and down the legs.
“Your father had this table made for your mother when they wed. My family was close to yours; I ate many meals here,” Lance tells me.
“It is beautiful. I am grateful that it has been taken care of. I have memories of my parents, but that night all I took with me was the necklace from my mother and the clothes on my back. It is wonderful to know that not all of their belongings were destroyed like I thought,” I reply as I trace a finger across the design.
“There is more if you would like to see it,” he says piquing my interest.
“Yes, please.”
Heading away from the kitchen, I follow the tiny hall with three doors.
The door closest to us is the first we enter.
Lance rubs his hand on the back of his neck, his face a little red at the mess that fills the room. I wordlessly enter as he scrambles to pick up some of the clothes that litter the floor of the room.
“Lance, leave it. You have no reason to be embarrassed. I live with Merina, I’ve seen much worse.” I laugh.
“I’m usually not this much of a slob, the king has kept me busy with ridiculous tasks. I think he is trying to get me to marry one of the ladies in his court.”
I raise an eyebrow at this. “Oh, is that so? What makes you think that?”
“All my ‘missions’ I have been tasked with are not my normal kinds. He sends me to guard their houses at night, to which they invite me to join them for dinner or to escort them on meaningless errands and outings.” He rolls his eyes. He picks up a shirt from a pile on the floor and sniffs it. It must have passed his test, as he slips it on over his head and arms.
“Surely one of them has caught your eye?” I inquire, a little unsure if I will like his answer.
He just shakes his head. “Not really, I have seen their true selves, the ones they do not show the king or his wife. I have no want or need for a wife that only wants to be with me because of my position with the king. When I marry, if I do, it will be for love. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic, but too often people marry for the wrong reasons. I want a woman that looks at me the way Tiffany looks at Declan. They adore each other…” He stops as he looks at the smile on my lips.
“What? Continue with what you were saying,” I tell him.
“No, no,” he shakes his head, “we aren’t here to talk about me or my lack of a love life.” He lets out a small laugh as he returns to the hall. “Let me show you the other two rooms.”
I follow him to the middle room. It is tidy—all but the bed.
“Percy has been occupying this one. I will tell him to collect his belongings once we return to the training grounds,” Lance informs me.
This room is the same size as the last. Simple décor, a bed, a dresser, and a wash tub.
“Let me show you to the master room and then we better head back,” Lance says, holding on to the door.
“Yes, I have two little ones I made a promise to play with. They will hate me if I go back on my word.”
“They would not let you forget it either.”
I stand in front of the last door; it is a little more ornate than the other two. The same design from the table runs down both sides of the door.
I wait for Lance to open it and give him a questioning look.
“I’m sorry, this is one door I have not dared to open. Tiffany is the only one that has gone inside. As a favor to me, she just tidies it up.”
“Why will you not enter?”
“This is your parents and your bedroom. It is not my place to go in. The last time I was in their room was the day that you left. Your mother asked me to check in on you as you were napping and she was finishing up dishes. You were still so tiny and new. You were crying as I made my way to your cradle. As I stopped at the edge and peered down at you, your tears were gone, and you lay there looking up at me with your blue eyes. A lot like you are now,” he remarks. “I didn’t want that to fade from my memory.”
“You really are a hopeless romantic,” I tease him.
“Why don’t you have a quick look around and we will return to the others.”
I grip the handle and take a deep breath. I don’t know what I was expecting, but of the three rooms this was the most decorated and full. On one wall is a bed so big that it takes up over half of the room. The headboard as well as the footboard have the decorative design that matches the door and kitchen table. I run a finger along the footboard as I look at the dresser opposite it. It’s as tall as I am. I open the second drawer and am in awe that it is full of clothes, even after all this time.
The wardrobe next to it is full as well. Beautiful gowns line the hanging space—my mother's gowns. This thought brings a tear to my eye. The wash tub is the same as the other three but bigger, for two people to share.
I reach the other side of the bed and there is the cradle Lance was telling me about. This was where I slept as a little baby and I have no memory of it.
My anger begins to rise again. I make my way out of the room and walk straight outside. Leaning with my hands on my thighs, I inhale deep breaths.
Lance gently places a hand on the small of my back, worry in his eyes. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, thank you. My emotions just got the better of me.” I smile up at him.
Once I straighten up, he removes his hand. I try not to let the disappointment display in my face.
“I’ll race you back,” I say.
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I don’t wait for him to reply as I take off. His laughter hits my ears from behind me, and I make the mistake of glancing over my shoulder. He is gaining on me, so I up my pace, but his long and lean legs are an unfair advantage. He easily passes me, but I’m determined to win. I spy the training grounds getting closer, so I slow my pace just a little and then just as he thinks he won, I zoom past.
I stop just short of knocking Grey down.
“Woah there, are you ok?” he asks.
Declan walks up, smirking. “Yes, she outsmarted Lance is all. She conserved some of her energy to pass him at the last minute, beating him back here. Well done.”
“Thank you. I’ll take this little victory.” I smile at them.
Standing with my hands on my hips, my breath is virtually back to normal when Arthur and Merlin appear. They both encircle one of my legs with their tiny arms.
“Will you play with us now?” Arthur asks, looking up at me.
“Of course I will, that is, if your father says I am free to do so,” I reply lightly.
“Yes, we are done with training for the day,” Declan informs us.
“Oh, that is great news. You know, boys, I heard the guys say they were jealous that I get to go play with you and they don’t. Why don’t you two grab their hands and we will go play closer to the house.” I smile at Arthur and Merlin.
“Yes, it’s been ages since they have played with us,” Merlin replies.
“Let us pair up and we can play hide and seek,” I tell the boys.
Arthur stares up at me and says, “You’re my partner.”
Merlin frowns, and I aim to reassure him. “Merlin, you have your pick of your uncles. After a few turns, we can trade partners and I will be yours.”
With a smile on his face, he runs over to Lance.
“Well Percy and Grey, that leaves you two as a pair.” I laugh.
“What, Beck doesn’t have to play?” Percy questions.
“Merina, come out. You are with Beck,” I command.
Legend of the Stone Page 6