Chapter 20 Training Begins

It was about an hour after the King took the queen back to the castle so that she could sleep for the night when the Royal Guards rushed into the dwelling of the three new protectors of the queen. Shouting as they went, "Come with us! The King has summoned thee! Your training as fellow protectors now begins. Groaning as they rose they followed the guards to the castle. Upon entering they headed for the castle courtyard where the King and Ihloi was waiting for them.

Helios and Ihloi waited for the three protectors to arrived. They had planned a special regime training for the children who will now be in charge of protecting the queen. Moments later everyone arrived to the castle courtyard. The children stared at the king waiting for further instructions.

"Welcome new trainees. Starting today when the queen is resting for the night you will be training seven days a week until you have mastered the course. During the day you will be looking after the queen as well as two additional guards will be with you at all times until I deem you worthy to protect the queen on your own. You will partake in several course ranging from hand to hand combat, weapons training, spell casting, flying simulations, navigation, first aid, martial arts, and caregiving. These courses are designed for the queens best interests. Here you will learn how to protect the queen, administer first aid, care for her well being and so forth."

You will be given special uniforms to wear so that you can be identified as a protector of the queen. Ihloi and a couple guards walked around passing out long billowy robes of white with a white cape to complete the uniform. Inside the cape was a deep purple with gold designs on top of the purple. There was gold fringe that outlined the cape. Buttoned to the cape was a few purple ribbons adorned with a gold star brooch. The robes were white with purple for the sleeves and purple lines running down the skirt of the robes. The uniforms were spectacular. They were much better than the simple white tunics of level three. All the trainees tossed their tunics and donned on their new uniforms. It was like shedding their old skin for a new skin.

"Too bad we don't get to sleep the night away like the queen. Now we have to spend all night training why she slumbers away," Lucas whispered with a chuckle as Ihloi continued to pass out the uniforms to the trainees. Sophie and Silas giggled in response to Lucas's side joke.

"Is there something funny you would like to share with the rest of the class Mr Lucas?" Helios growled.

"No Sire we are all good here," Lucas waved his hands nervously.

"Good then let us begin with warm ups and then we will start with hand to hand combat training. Ihloi please lead the way." Ihloi led the trainees with warm ups starting with a mile run followed by push ups, and then stretches.

Silas couldn't wait for weapons training and hand to hand combat. His specialty was in handling weapons back on level three. He never actually fought with any before but he would always train with them alone when his boss wasn't looking. He also had strength that could rival the Kings. He hauled and lifted heavy containers all day for millions of years. He's had more than one hundred life times of physical exercise to build up his muscle tone.

After the warms ups were finished it was time for hand to hand combat. Ihloi stepped to the front of the court yard and called out, "I need a volunteer." Silas who was itching for some action raised his hand. "Alright Silas please come up to the front. Silas walked up and stood in front of Ihloi. Without warning Ihloi threw the first punch. Silas was able to block just in time. With a cocky smile Silas get proud of himself. But in the next instance Ihloi round kicked and swept Silas's legs out from under him knocking him to the ground and quickly pulling his arm behind him like a chicken wing causing Silas to wince in pain.

"With hand to hand combat you always have to be on guard. You can not afford to get cocky in the moment. One wrong slip up and it could be the queens life in your hands," Ihloi grunted as he grabbed Silas by the cuff of his tunic pulling him to his feet. Silas hung his head in shame as he walked back in line with the rest of the class as Lucas doubled over laughing at him. "I wouldn't be laughing just yet Mr Lucas because your next. Let's see what you got," Ihloi said as he waved him forward.

As so the day went until it was finally a break for lunch. Eleanor who had been working away in the castle kitchen had been preparing the class of trainees their meals. "You will have to start eating smaller portions on a regular basis. My queen has to eat three times a day and there will be times she will wish to eat with you. You must show your respect and dine with her when she requests your company, Helios barked as he passed the tray of food around to the trainees.

Lucas chowed down on his food finally hungry for once after all the training. With his mouth full of food he asked, "hey guys do you think we will ever see some action in the field? I know it's wrong to wish the queen in harms way but Kosea seems like a very safe city. We are doing all this training and I'm wondering what it's for if Kosea is the safest city in this galaxy."

Shrugging their shoulders they continued to eat. Silas glared at Lucas as he thought, I hope no harm ever comes to the queen. She is so pure and innocent. I would hate to see her frightened again like she was when they chased her down on level three. His heart was still tweaking from yesterday's events. He felt ashamed to have caused fear and stress for the queen. She must have been so scared when she saw us in our original forms. Humans had always known about aliens but still whenever they see one it creates mass chaos on Earth and cities burn because of it. Every time an alien sighting occurs they have to erase the minds of those who saw them. He was sad that the queen was frightened of his original form. He was just glad that he was granted to be able to do more magic in order to keep his human form up in front of the queen.

Finishing up their meals in a hurry it was time to begin the caregiving training. This was Sophie's specialty. She was a female and knew just what a female wanted and how to care for them. Ihloi and some of the royal guards rolled out carts with giant cakes in the shape of the queen. Lucas whistled as he saw the creation look a like of the queen. "Wow that is a lot of cake," he stated the obvious.

Helios stepped forward and waving to toward the cakes he shouted, "these cakes resemble my queen. Today you learned how to use your strength to protect the queen. But with the caregiving clad you will now have to learn how to refrain from using your strength when handling the queen. These cakes are fragile and delicate just like my queen. You are going to practice carrying the queen I. Your arms without crushing the cakes. If you so much as dent or smash the cakes you will have injured the queen.

I have to hold back my strength one thousand percent in order to not smash her in my arms. She is that fragile and when she is in danger and you have to carry her out of harms way you not only have to be strong to protect her but you have to subdue your strength in order to not hurt her. This in and of itself will be your most difficult course yet. Any harm to the cakes will be a threat to my queen. Please practice carefully because you will not be allowed to touch the queen until you have learned to refrain from your strength when you are holding her."

Ihloi waved his hand as he shouted, "let us begin." Everyone chose their cake and got to work. Silas stared at his cake poking at it. His finger went right through the cake. If this really resembled the queen she must be super fragile. With that he began to scoop the cake in his arms just like he witnessed the King doing only hours ago. Instead of it going like he planned the cake broke in half in his arms as it hit the ground with a splat. Everyone turned to Silas as they gasped at his cake queen on the ground. This was going to be a lot harder than it looks Silas thought as he went to find another cake to practice on.

As the night concluded everyone sat on the ground heaving as their muscles creaked and ached from the training. Who knew it would be a lot of work protecting the queen. It's a wonder this position was the most coveted in all of Kosea. There was so much to learn when it came to protecting and caring for their new human queen. Silas thought to himself groaning as he stood to leave.

Everyone bowed to the King as they turned to leave for the night. Helios called the class for the day saying, "the class is dismissed. I must return to my queen for she will be awakening soon. I don't want her to panic if I am not there by her side. With that the King turned and rushed back to the castle. Silas stared with envy wishing he was the one returning to his queen after a long night of training.

Walking home Silas couldn't help but recall his training today. He thought hand to hand combat and weapons training would be his favorite course but he was dead wrong. His absolute favorite course was caregiving. Deep down he was to afraid to admit this to his friend and his sister for fear they would laugh at him. But he didn't care, they way that cake felt in his arms was like holding a newborn for the first time.

How can the queen compare to those cakes? Was she really that fragile? Was our strength really that great compared to hers? He didn't believe the queen could be that fragile until the King showed the trainees how to scoop up the cake without it crumbling in his arms. Everyone was amazed at how restrained the King had to be in order to pull that off. Questions on how to care for the queen rushed through his mind making his head spin. There was only one thing that he could focus on now, he couldnt wait for the day he would be able to hold the queen for the first time.

Helios rushed back to the castle in a hurry leaving Ihloi and the other guards to clean up the cake mess in the courtyard. He didn't want to miss his queen when she wakes up. He could still hear her shallow breaths and her calm heart from the courtyard as dreams of him swirled inside her mind. After the training that took place all night he couldn't wait to hold his queen in his arms with a burning passion in his heart. He was scared to entrust any of the new trainees to hold her after witnessing over three hundred cakes smashed all over the courtyard. They had a long way to go before they can ever touched his queen, he scowled as he opened the door to his chambers and stepped inside.