Chapter 7

"So how did it go?" Tre pushes plates of fresh baked salmon dressed in bell peppers with a side of mixed rice towards them. He managed to create a lemonlike taste to it and his sister, of course, is the first to try it.

Glancing at Naain, before focusing on her brother, "Ask General Naain."

Curiosity gets the best of him and he looks at Naain awaiting his answer.

"It was what was expected." His words are clipped not wanting to discuss what happened. Maybe he should call his second and ask him to come, he is not sure how long he can handle being on his own. Mother earth he needed a nap, but that would have to wait until this amazing plate of food was done.

Seeing Naain in no mood to talk he focuses on his twin. "Did she do something wrong during the interview?"

Naain snorts and Nwaeah rolls her eyes. "He" emphasizing on the he, "Did many things wrong, but that is what is to be expected. Due to the demon attacks humans are not exactly Tarians favorite people." Hesitatingly trying to choose her words wisely. "I suppose if I was to choose one thing he did wrong it would be…" She sucks in a breath, "He simply put, forgot who he was interviewing."

Tre looks at his sister, his expression clearly showing he has no idea what she is trying to say.

Wanting the conversation over with, Naain quickly adds, "It means he thought he was going to come in and interview some humans, and reacted like a child when he realized he was interviewing the opposite. If he wanted to interview humans he should have turned down this interview. I do not have time for spoiled people." He can feel his anger seeping out of him and turns his aggression to the fish he is eating.

Making eye contact with her brother, "The reporter did not know when to let things go and repeatedly showed unprofessional tendencies." Lowering her voice, "He brought up parents, and looking humane."

Standing up his chair scrapes across the floor. "Thank you for the meal. It was delightful."

"Where are you going?" Nwaeah asked before she could think. Great job no filter Nwaeah. You ask as if you care for him.

Smirking tilting his head to the side, "You ask as if you care about me."

She takes in a short breath, not knowing what to say.

"I am going to do an impromptu training. That is what I am best at." Debating for a moment he looks at her outfit. She had changed into dark jeans and a loose long sleeve shirt. That should be good enough, "You should come." Deciding to rile her up a bit, "A wife of a guardian should know how to defend herself."

She knows he is purposely trying to anger her so she does not respond to wife of a guardian part "I know how to defend myself General Naain." She smirks when she sees his eyes narrow at the word general.

"Well Princess Nwaeah, you can never be too prepared. If you cannot fight with your element you are defenseless." Not necessarily he supposes he will be there to defend her. No matter what he will ensure she is never hurt.

Finishing up her meal she slides the plates to her brother. Easing herself off the stool, "I suppose I will watch. While I would love to learn hand to hand combat today is not one of those days. Besides a hobby for a hobby right?"

He smiles a true smile remembering their conversation in the studio. "Very well Princess." Leading her out the door they walk to the guardians quarters.

"I have heard that you have been training the guards everyday since you have been here."

"Not everyday, you have to surprise them, guards should never get used to a schedule."

Nwaeah walks a few steps behind him taking note of his easy going mood. Was he not upset a few moments ago?

They arrive and Naain smiles when he sees 3 guards posted. Looks like they are listening.

The guards give deep bows to Princess Nwaeah, happy to see she has visited them once more.

"Princes Nwaeah!" Josh is jumping from the guards in front of him as he makes his way to the princess. "Princess Nwaeah, what brings you here?" He stops right in front of her, a childlike grin covering his face.

"I am here with your general to watch your training." Ruffling his hair, "Make sure to do well. I am rooting for you." She smiles when he nods his head.

"Attention!" Naain's voice leaks with authority as all of the guards rush to line up in front of him. Turning to Nwaeah he motions to a seat, silently asking her to sit down.

Turning to look at all of the lined up guardians she decides to take a seat not wanting to disrespect him in front of his subordinates.

"Everyone pull out your weakest weapon and break into groups of four." Pulling out his whip he cracks it onto the ground unraveling it.

Leaning against the wooden railing she watches how Naain paces through the guards. He easily stands out. She watches him stop some guards and show them step by step how to improve. He is in his element, looking so at peace with himself here. She is pulled out of her thoughts when he catches her eye, holding her gaze. He smiles at her and motions for her to come. Blowing air through her mouth she contemplates what he is attempting to do. She does not want to practice fighting surrounded by professionals. She begrudgingly gets up, slowly approaching him.

Leaning to her ear, "You want to play keep away Princess?"

She shivers from the air tickling her ear. "Keep away?"

Taking a step back he motions to the guard, "Mike here is going to guard and protect you."

"Protect me from?" She asks even though a part of her already knows the answer.

"From me. If you are safe within 10 minutes he passes." He is a tad excited to do this. Mike is a quick study and has been excelling in the past training sessions he has had with him. He studies well and picks up on the moves quickly. But fighting to save yourself and protecting someone is different. You have to watch your opponent as well as your royal. "Mike, for this training you can use anything to defend yourself." Grinning dropping his voice to a playful threat, "Choose wisely."

"What will you do if you catch me?" She asks cautiously.

Naain just shrugs his shoulders. "You ready Mike?"

Mike motions Nwaeah to get behind him and pulls his staff up in front of Naain. "I am ready." He readies his stance. "Stay behind me Princess." He whispers although it does not matter, Naain already knows his plan.

Josh starts the stop watch and Naain fakes left before diving at his feet, attempting to trip Mike.

Mike quickly moving back he turns his staff in a 360 motion before sweeping it diagonally to attack Naain.

Nwaeah is sure to focus on Mike's steps; she does not want to be too close to his back to make it hard for him to fight, but also does not want to be too far away.

Smirking Naain kicks the staff to the side landing a kick to Mike's chest knocking him to the ground. He rounds to get Nwaeah but Mike pulls on his feet forcing him to the ground. Pulling the whip off of Naain's side he wraps it around Naain's throat..

Naain throws an elbow backwards landing in on Mike's face causing him to lose his focus allowing him to get away. Shooting up he rushes towards Nwaeah who is hesitant on whether to run or not.

This is just a training should I act defenseless and not know what to do? Nwaeah debates her actions and decides to act like a helpless royal. If Mike can protect a helpless person he can protect anyone.

Mike grabs a sword throwing it at Naain then uses his staff to flip himself forward closer to Nwaeah. Reaching out his hand he pulls her to the side.

Dodging the sword he catches the end of it before circling Nwaeah and Mike. "You are doing good, I almost had her though. You need to give attention to your royal, as much as me. Make sure you are telling her where to go, and what to do. Otherwise she will shadow you and get in the way. Your main job is for her to be safe."

Nodding his head he spins the staff around his back as Naain rushes forward. Spinning their weapons off of each other Naain thrust his sword forward causing Mike to lose his balance a little. Rolling on his back Naain wraps his legs around Mike's left leg and hip before pulling him towards him. Using the momentum from the fall Naain flips him a few feet away. Smirking he looks at Nwaeah and gives her a wink as he advances towards her.

"Run left!" Mike yells pulling a flail from the wall quickly rushing to aim it at Naain's feet.

Cartwheeling and flipping away Naain lands on a ledge. "More focus Mike you are getting frantic. "Look how far your Princess is from you. She is not safe yet." His words are calm, not angry just trying to get Mike to understand where he is messing up.

Mike quickly rushes to Nwaeah, keeping her behind him, holding the staff in front of them both.

"Two more minutes Mike, then we are done." Smirking, "But this time I will not be holding back."

Mike is puffing trying to catch his breath. General Naain was fast and hard to keep up with, he found himself on defense more than offense.

Flipping off the ledge he kicks the staff to his hand and faces Mike. There are many guards watching. Running straight towards Mike shifting the staff he aims for his head, then shifts the staff using the bottom half to hit him in the gut. Rotating it horizontally he tosses Mike to the side. Once he is out of the way he sweeps his staff tripping Nwaeah then catches her around the waist before she hits the ground.

As he falls Mike rotates his staff to hit Naain in the back.

"That was 2 minutes." Naain steadies Nwaeah pulling her towards him before smiling at Mike. "You failed, I managed to get to her. Take today not as a lesson of what you could not, but as a lesson on what you need to learn to do. Remember the target is not most important, getting the royal out is. You need to focus on getting your royal to safety. You cannot fight forever, you lose stamina that way." He lowers Nwaeah's feet back to the ground.

Grateful for the training he bows to Naain, "Thank you I will study well."

"I know you will." His face is stoic again as he turns to look at the rest of the guards. "You were supposed to be sparring. Train again I will send someone to tell you when to stop. You will all be tested Thursday that leaves you 3 days to train. Chop chop." Leading Nwaeah out of the quarters all the guards bow as she leaves.

"Do you always train so realistically?" She thinks back on the weapons and moves Naain and Mike were using. They seemed as if they were really trying to hurt each other.

"Of course we do. If we are not serious when training we will die out in the field." He studies her reaction to her words. Her nose is scrunched up and she seems either confused or deep in thought, he is not sure.

"Mike threw a spear at you."

"It was a sword."

"I really do not think that matters. If you had not been paying attention you could be dead." Am I caring too much? Should I stop talking? Is this how Zase trained, because if it is that is preposterous. "Should you not use the fake wooden things?"

"I did not realize you were caring so much about my well-being Princess. I believe it was you who told me that we do not have to be friends." He pulls his bandanna off his head letting his hair fall to the front of his face.

Watching his black hair frame his face is simply mesmerizing. Holy mother earth why can't he be ugly? Shaking her head she looks at the tree around her. "I am concerned about the way guards are being trained, that is all." Aww come on Nwaeah. Maybe she should just come out and tell him she likes him. Not that she do like him as in like like. She simply thinks he is not too bad. If he was not father's pick he would have no faults. Or maybe she should just focus on being his friend. Yes that is a great idea just be his friend. Wait, she is being stupid she said she did not want to be his friend. Maybe she can just be super cool in a way that he wants to be my friend first.

"... which is why you have nothing to worry about. Any other questions I can answer about the guards you are so concerned for?" Smirking he can tell by the look on her face she did not understand what he just said. I really thought I said it in the easiest way. Taking a swift glance at her he sees she is studying him.

Gosh he probably thinks I am gawking at him. I just wanted to see if… What did I want to see? Shivering at her thoughts, nothing flirtational that is for sure. Is flirtational even a word? Stupid is English. Realizing she has not responded to him yet, "As long as everything and everyone is okay then." He probably said something along the lines of how he is too trained to get hurt, and would not let his subordinates get hurt either blah blah blah.

"When must we meet Haters?" Naain has a hint of a smile on his face, happy about his nickname.

"Haters?" It takes a moment for the joke to process, she has been so distracted by other thoughts. "Naain that is cruel. His name is Hathers."

"Cruel would be treating him the way he obviously wishes to be treated. I would like to think I have been easy going." His words are joking but the tone of his voice drops a bit showing the seriousness in his words.

Knowing a strong part of her agreed with Naain she decides to drop the topic. "We should see him again around dinner. He needs to see us interacting in our daily life, not just asking us questions." Arriving at the door she realizes that subconsciously she had been leading them to her studio.

"Do you plan on starting the actions you spoke of in your letter then?"

His tone is light, he is not asking to be annoying he is asking because he is curious.

Looking at the floor, "I am not sure how to answer your question." Saying yes seems too forward, and with the way they have been interacting Nwaeah does not want to admit just how much she would not mind.

Naain cannot help but smile at that answer, "Answer it truthfully, no lies."

"I am many things General Naain, a liar I am not."

"What are you then?"

"I wish I knew." Her voice is a whisper, for she never meant to actually say it out-loud.

Studying her Naain is curious about just how much is below the surface. He heard amazing things about her, and no, she is no angel. She is not good in all that she does, no one is. Yet her morality and fierceness of her people and her duties is something.

Arriving to the door of the Ozikill studio they both pause. Nwaeah pauses because she is wrapped in her own thoughts. Naain stops because he decides Nwaeah needs a moment before they walk in. Looking around he sees there are no guards. Shaking his head, guess you cannot teach a dog any tricks.

Turning to completely face Naain, "I do not trust you, and I do not like that I feel bad for not trusting you. I do not like you because you somehow make it hard for me to organize my own brain."

Smirking Naain waltzes closer to me, "So you are saying I make you nervous?"

Rolling her eyes, "You seem to have a hearing problem because I never said that."

"Or maybe I am just good at reading between the lines. It seems when I am next to you, you are unable to think." Naain is standing closely, his breath dancing across Nwaeah's ear.

Swallowing, "It is terrifying that someone like you became a general when you are unable to hear correctly." Taking a deep breath she takes a step back to stop breathing in his scent. "I am going to paint, you are not invited."

Nwaeah's is stopped by Naain's arm sticking out locking her between him and the wall. Nwaeah can see the door to the studio about 7 paces away. Glaring at him, "You can move or I can make you move, what do you want?"

His head at a side-wise tilt, "You gonna move me with water? Go ahead if you think you are fast enough."

So freaking confident, Nwaeah holds her glare as she looks at him, but they both know she is not angry. Although Nwaeah has no idea what she is feeling at the moment. That is precisely why she feels so confused around Naain. One moment they are getting along and he is great, and then she remembers who he is and attempts to push him away. Then there are also the moments where he holds her close, or she holds his hand. Honestly what is that even about? Come on Nwaeah do not be so wishy washy. How did they even get to this position? They were having a normal conversation and now he is locking her between the wall and him. His breath fanning over her face, why did it always seem to smell like cinnamon? How do you smell like cinnamon all the time? Is that a toothpaste? "What do you want?"

"I think we need to talk and get everything out on the table. We can do it in the hallway or you can invite me into the studio with you., or we can go back to the suite." After the talk with Tre and the interview with the idiot Naain needs to talk and explain a few things to Nwaeah.

Smirking, "So you admit you need to be invited?"

"I never said I didn't. We need to talk."

"And if I don't want to?"

Pausing to look at their position by the wall, "I did say you could try to move me."

"So you are saying I have no choice but to do what you want?" Rolling her eyes, "Never saw this coming."

"See." Pointing at her, "This is what we need to talk about."

Seeing that he moved one hand, Nwaeah slides to the left away from him. "Well since I have no choice." She motions for Naain to go inside the studio.

They stand looking at each other. "Well are you going to go in or not?"

"You want me to go in first so you can run away."

"I am an Ozikill I run from nothing."

"Interesting words from someone who is running from a conversation with her fiance."

Moving her curls from her face, "Whatever I do not want to go to the studio anymore. We can talk in the suite."

Catching up to her fading figure a grin plastered on his face, "Thank you for agreeing to speak to me Princess."

Sending a glare at him "It is not like you gave me any choice General."

"If you really did not want me in your studio I swear to you I would not have pushed. I wanted to talk to you, that is true, the hallway would have sufficed."

"Right because your actions screamed, let's talk in the hallway."

"I did not mean to order you around. Please keep in mind that my occupation is based on giving orders though." It was odd, there is someone above him, not that there had not been someone before but, they had never been someone with less experience than him. He was not used to being in relationships with someone of higher power.

"Right is this your excuse?" the left side of her face turns up as she turns to face him.

"Are you this hard on everyone, or is it just me?" walking past the kitchen he hides his shock when she leads him towards her room.

"The amazing General thinks I am being hard on him?" Her voice is full of mock concern, as she motions for him to sit down.

Resting his elbows on his knees he cannot help but smile at her antics. If he was to be honest he quite enjoys their bickering. "I wanted to talk to you."

As much as she wants to say she is well aware she holds back her comment. Sitting in the chair across from him she gives him her full undivided attention.

"You seem to have your own thoughts and ideas of what kind of person I am, as did I. After the small week I have been here I think the person you believe me to be is incorrect." Pausing he glances to see if she wishes to say anything but she gestures for him to go on. "I would like to correct those preconceptions. May you please tell me what kind of person you think I am?"

Her teeth gently nibble on the inside of her lip. This has to be a trap. He will use this information to harm her. Or maybe he is just like her father and waits to hear her deepest fears so he can use them against her. But, there is a slight chance he is telling the truth. Tre is keen on him so that has to mean something. Her brother would never intentionally place her in harm's way. Unless he did not know. There is a war in her head, a part of her wants to believe Naain is a good person who will not harm her, and the other part is waiting for the shoe to drop.

Seeing her hesitancy he rakes his hand through his hair. "Would you be more comfortable if your brother was here to mediate?"

Her eyes flash, he wants to bring my brother here? Why? So both of us can be punished in the end? Taking a calm breath to steady herself, she freezes the door handle so no one can come in. "What do you want? What are you hoping to obtain from this?"

Her eyes are hard and guarded. If anyone would recognize those eyes, that expression, all that it is hiding; it would be Naain. It is the same look he would show to his father and brother. "Princess Nwaeah," his voice calm as he pours all the honesty and truth he can into the next words. "I will not stand against you. If you allow it I will stand beside you, just as you could stand beside me. Your father has painted me in a light that makes it hard for you to lower your guard, fine I understand that. But I am not your enemy today, nor will I be your enemy tomorrow."

How she longs to ask him whose side he was on, but that would be too much. She is never to speak of the abuse in her family, not to anyone. Naain could easily be a test if she would keep true to that promise. Or maybe… her hair falls as she shakes her head. "Was there anything else you wanted to say to me?"

Other than his hands tightening behind his back there was no way to tell his irritation. If this was a soldier he would not be so patient with her emotions. Nonetheless she is to be his wife. "Tell me what I can do to help you let go of your false interpretations of me."

Her heart pleaded for her to reach out to him. Pleaded and prayed for her to tell him the truth. She is scared, terrified, her walls are all she has to stay safe and strong. Her heart wished to tell him that she is afraid he will be just like her father. Her heart. Her small organ beating to keep her alive is not stronger than her brain. Her brain kept her safe, her brain told her to not trust him. Oh the war she continued to fight since Naain stepped into her vision. Whispering I don't know, she leaves him in the room.