Revealed

Every day for the past month I had been secretly training with Oliver before the sun came up. We had switched to a dagger after the first day and it was a lot easier than the sword.

"The queen...." Oliver burst in my room but stopped speaking as I turned towards him. I had woken up late and was in the middle of dressing when he barged in.

"What is it?."

"She's gone for the day, I was wondering if you'd like to train outside today." His cheeks flushed as his eyes fell to the floor.

"Yes, I'll meet you as soon as I am dressed." I reply.

"Yes, your highness ." He bows his head respectfully and leaves.

We had grown close as time passed by and I now saw him as a close friend rather than just my guard.

Before I left my room I made sure to strap my dagger to my thigh like he had taught me. It had became a habit no matter what I was doing.

"Ready, your highness?" He asked when I finally made my way down the stairs.

"Yes." I take his waiting arm and we head outside.

"Do you think we'll get snow this year?" I asked looking up at the sky.

"I don't know." He shrugs

"I hope so! I haven't seen any since I was a kid." I said excitedly.

"Ah, I remember that! It was your tenth birthday ball and you made all the guests have a snowball fight with you." He chuckles.

"And the last birthday I saw my father." I sighed.

"Don't lose hope, your highness. I'm sure wherever he is, he's thinking about you just as much as you're thinking of him." He unlinks his arm from mine and smiles.

"It's such a beautiful day, why don't you we just relax for a while before we train?" He asks.

"You're the teacher." I shrug with a smile and watch as he sits in the grass and lays back.

I join him and sigh happily.

I rarely got to leave my bedroom, let alone come outside and bask in the sun.

"How long have you been trained in weaponry?" I asked wanting to make conversation. We never really had the chance to actually talk before now. We would usually skip straight to the action.

"I've been trained since I was fourteen." He said and I looked over at him. He didn't seem too much older than me.

"How old are you?" I asked curiously causing him to chuckle

"I'm twenty-five." He says.

"What made you decide to start so young?" I asked.

"What's with all the questions?" He looks at me with a smile.

"We've friends right? Friends are supposed to know things about one another."

"Well. I ran away from home and met your father when I was traveling around. He said he saw potential in me for whatever reason. He took me in and trained me to be a swordsman." He said.

"Where is your home?" I asked and he sighed.

"I don't remember where I came from." He looked a little grim as he spoke. "No more questions please."

I respected his request and went silent for a while.

"We should get back to your training. I want to try something new today." He gets up and holds his hand out to me.

I took it with a smile

*

      I stood blindfolded with a stick in my hand. I was definitely bruised from the amount of blows I've gotten from him.

"Stop thinking and just listen." He whispers.

"I am listening!" I snapped and earned another hit.

"If you were listening, you would hear the sound of my feet." I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"You're too stiff, your highness. Relax ever so slightly and pay attention." He whispers in my right ear.

"Normally when people fight they can see one another!" I was beyond frustrated after an hour of this.

"Anything can happen on the battlefield, your highness. You have to be prepared for everything." He takes the blindfold off of me.

"That's enough for the day." He sighs.

I just scoff and angrily plop to the ground.

"You don't have to be perfect at everything." He smiles.

"Whatever." I pull my knees to my chest and wince at the pain in my side.

"How bad is it?" His smile fades as he drops down in front of me and places his hand on me.

He gently presses down causing me to wince again.

"I am so sorry, your highness." His face was shadowed with guilt as he bowed down.

"Relax. I've done worse damage climbing trees as a child." I laugh softly and grasp my side again.

"We need to get you inside so you can rest, your highness."

Before I could protest, he scooped me up and began to carry me back to the castle.

"This isn't necessary!" I wanted to sound upset about the situation but I was happy to be in his arms.

His manly scent filling my senses as he carried me....

Don't even!!!

I mentally screamed at myself. It would be suicide to even think of him that way!!

I couldn't deny my attraction towards him though. He was so handsome!!!

Short brown hair, mesmerizing green eyes, muscular arms....

No no no no no! Stop it Raven!

"Shit!!" He whispered under his breathe.

"What is going on?" Hudson, my mothers handmaid asks as we near the front doors

"I fell out of the oak tree." I turned to her and lied on the spot.

"The Queen has told you a million times to stay out of the trees! You are a princess!!! Not a wild animal!" She yells.

"Yeah yeah. I'll be having lunch in..."

"The Queen requests that you join her and The King and Prince of Love for lunch." She interrupts me. I hated when she did that.

"I'm in no condition..."

"You shouldn't have been climbing trees then. Guard fetch Princess Ravens handmaiden and make sure she is dressed in the next ten minutes. Do not leave the Queen waiting or there will be consequences for the both of you!" She snarled and retreated back into the castle.

"I'm..."

"Take me to my room please." I didn't feel like talking anymore.

*

   Music played downstairs as I made my way to the dining room. I

"Ah Raven. Nice of you to finally join us." Mother greets me coldly. I bowed to her and the guest respectfully before I sat down.

"Princess Raven. It's lovely to finally meet you." One of them spoke. I didn't care to look up from my plate as I spoke back with pleasantries.

I just wanted to go back to my room now that the bitch had come home.

"Why don't we get down to business." Mother said happily.

"As we all know my lovely daughter will soon be of age to marry and I believe that once we join our houses...."

"Excuse me what?" My face shot up and looked at her.

"Quiet." She practically growled at me and continued. "Now as I was saying. Once the kids are married...."

"I'm not marrying anyone." I couldn't stop myself.

"You don't have a say so in the matter." She was keeping herself under control for the guests but I could see the hatred that filled her eyes.

"My father abolished arranged marriages." My jaw clenched.

"Yes and your father is no longer here now is he." She smirked. "He couldn't handle the responsibilities of running a kingdom and ran away like a coward."

"Watch how you speak about my father." I growled at her.

"You will marry who I tell you to marry you spoiled little brat!." She said. All of the lights flickered as I jumped up from the table. My anger was beyond controllable now.

"You wanna fucking bet ." I growled and she stood up and faced me.

"Get out now! I have never in my life heard such filth come out of someones mouth. Guards!!" She exclaimed.

Two guards grabbed ahold of me and held tight as I struggled.

"Take her to her room now."

"Yes, your majesty!" The guards practically dragged me away.

"I'm so sorry..."

I couldn't hear her voice anymore but my blood still boiled.

Olivers eyes grew wide as we passed him on the way to my room.

"Sorry, your highness." One of the guards whispered as he let me go.

I quickly made my way into my room and slammed my door as hard as I could.

I was past the point of anger now. There was no stopping the scream of hatred that left my lungs.

"Your highness..."

I blacked out immediately.

*

I opened my eyes and was surprised by the darkness that surrounded me.

"Raven, stop that this instant!!" I knew that voice. Even in my dreams she infuriated me.

I searched aimlessly in the dark until suddenly she stood in front of me smiling at a younger me.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it." Younger me says timidly.

"Why does she keep doing that!! Control his child." Mother groans.

"She's a young caster Sophia. She has no control of when her gift awakens." Lyra appears beside her.

"Take the magic away from her and make her start calling me mother.It's bad enough that I'm forced to look at the both of you every day. I have an appearance to keep if I am to stay in charge of this Kingdom!!" Mother says.

"Yes, your majesty." Lyra bows.

Mother leaves the vision and I can see the look of sadness on both mine and Lyras face.

"I don't like the lady, mommy." I began to cry.

"I know, my love." She waves her hand and young me collapses into her arms. She hugs me close as tears fill her eyes

"When you're old enough, you will awaken and remember the truth, my child." She looks up at me suddenly. "And when you do, I want you to leave this wretched place! Go to the Kingdom of the Lost and reunite with your father. I love you, my heart."

*

      "Your highness, wake up please." Oliver shook me and I jumped awake. I remembered everything.

"What happened?" He kept looking around the room bewildered by the mess of my belongings scattered around." You we're surrounded by light...everything was like a hurricane around you..."

He gasped.

"You're awake!"

"Yes. And I'm leaving now." I said and got up.

I headed to my closet to pack.

"We'll wait until nightfall, your highness."

"We?" I asked

"You aren't going anywhere without me." He said and smiled.