The Heart of Shadow and Gold

Chapter 2

Leyla's POV
Screams erupt from all around us as we walk through the crowd, we push our way to the front with a bunch of "sorry." "Coming through." "Move out of the way doochebag!" ...ok maybe not that last one but you get the idea.

As i push though the last few glaring people, i get to Ashley and see her staring at the puppy. Like seriously?

Emperor Commodus was standing on the side of the fountain gaining the peoples attention with his little white poodle beside him sitting and panting.

Guards in their white and gold uniforms were surrounded the fountain distancing the emperor and the crowd.

"Ley Ley, look! Bartholomew is so cute today" Ashley gushed over the poodle. I roll my eyes and turn my attention to the emperor who was getting ready to speak.

"Citizens of Etheria! In 2 days time it is time for the biggest party of the year! It is my 68th birthday and i will be hosting a huge celebration to welcome a new generation of guards. I will be going to the Brooklyn Orphanage to prepare the generation for the responsibilities in their future!"the emperor said other stuff too but i wasn't paying attention.

I inwardly gag. He does this every year. It's always "the biggest party of all time" but in reality its just another day with the spotlight on him with some cake on the side. But i knew this was important to Ashley, so i stayed.

I looked at Ashley as she was chatting with a little boy around the age of 7, and i smiled, she's such a good role model.

Ashley's POV:
Me and Leyla went back to the Orphanage. We may have skipped supper listening to the emperor but Leyla "borrowed" a sandwich from the café down the road for us to have, and let me tell you, it's a BIG sandwich.

It was past our curfew and we were sneaking back to our dorms. Well, if you could call giggling and running into walls because we were laughing so hard 'sneaking'.

When we finally got back to our dorms we closed the door behind us and turned to a disappointed mother looking figure crossing her arms at us.

"And where exactly have you two been?" She whispered, you couldn't see her face because of the minimal light in the room but you feel the demanding stare burning through you like lasers.

"Im sorry Della, the emperor had an announcement in town square and we stayed to listen to it" Leyla said quietly, trying not to wake the others in the room.

Della sighed and walked to the side, allowing us to continue our path to our beds. "What did he say?" Della whispered while sitting on the edge of her single bed.

"We were informed that the emperor was too visit our quarters tomorrow and prepare us for our training." I responded with tiredness laced in my voice.

Before Della got a chance to talk
I rushed into the washroom to get ready before Leyla, as i heard her quiet protests, i smirked into the darkness and closed the door behind me.

I wore my baggy white pyjamas that were just a simple T-shirt and pants with thin material. They hung off me loosely as i brushed my teeth and my hair, both separately and with their own proper devices mind you.

I looked in the mirror. My hazel eyes staring back into me as my chocolate brown hair dangled off my shoulders slightly curled at the bottom. I looked at my reflection staring back at me with fierce determination.

As i started to stare longer and longer, my determination faltered into a defeated one. Being a successful guard was my one chance to being accepted and happy, and i could NOT lose that chance.

I took a cloth and wiped the very little makeup i had on my face. Just mascara and blush. It was when I heard a knock on the door that i remembered Leyla.

I opened the door to see frowning Leyla in the dim glow of the bathroom lights. She gently pulled me out of the way so she could get ready. Somebody's moody today I thought with a smirk.

I made my way to my bed in the far right corner of the room, al the way at the back there was one of the many bunk beds in the room that i waddled my way over to.

I was careful not to step on the floorboards that creaked in fear that i may alert the girls sleeping.

Once i made my way to my bed i climbed in the bottom bunk and tucked myself in.

Hearing the sounds of light snoring and the bathroom door creaking signalling that Leyla has finished up and is now walking to her bed, much less careful than me, i might add.

With her tripping and stumbling over to me in the darkness, she reaches me and giggles.

I whisper "good night" and once i hear a reply, i let myself drift off into a deep sleep.

A/N 900 words exactly. I know that there short chapters but bear with me here, they will get longer.