The Sword Thief

Chapter 17

Training starts at the crack of dawn for us. We begin the day by learning how to properly groom our unruly morning hair, choose the perfect outfit, obtain perfume fit for a Queen, practice proper eating etiquette at breakfast, and organize the maids and waiters to clean up after the meal. At noon we take a tour around the city, learn the names of all the important people, prepare gifts for all the important people, help spread the news of the upcoming ball, and wave and curtsey to so many strangers my appendages are sure to fall off.

At around three we have to learn how to ride a horse sidesaddle. Two twins named Thwindle and Twindle plus Paul teach us how to handle the horses. But the whole while I'm increasingly distracted by the looks Paul kees giving Jane, and the obvious way she seems to not notice the looks, but smirk a little. By evening time I'm tired beyond repair and don't even want to stay up for dinner, but I'm also famished and need to figure out what was going on between Paul and Jane.

“So Jane, I think Paul’s taken a liking to you.” I say nonchalantly grabbing some pork from the table.

“Oh has he? I haven’t even noticed.” She replies smirking at me.

“Do you like him?”

“I don’t know, why? Do you like him?”

“No. I’m just trying to make honest girl talk here.”

“Well yes I do like Paul.”

“Great.” I say slightly annoyed by how the conversations turned about.

“Does that make you jealous?” She asks searching my face happily for any signs of jealousy.

“No….” I truthfully answer.

“Well I’ll just have you know, he said I am much more beautiful than you. Plus I act so much more lady like. I feel as if we were born into the wrong family’s Matilda. It’s so obvious that I should be a princess, and you a measly peasant.” She sneers.

“Okay?”

“I hope that didn’t offend you! It’s just, well, I mean I consider us good friends by now, and I just had to say that. You waste your princess status hiding and frolicking about with commoners. If I were you I wouldn’t come in a seventy mile radius of any poor person.” She says flaunting off all the dining etiquette she’s learned so far.

 “Well sorry to break it to you princess but that actually did offend me.”

“Really?” she says smiling more.

“Yeah.” I finish and stalk off to our chambers not even touching my meal.

Once in the chambers I pace about the room in such an angry manner several maids came in wondering what the ruckus is. Eventually I calme myself down enough to fall asleep, but I awake three hours later. Staring at the ceiling I listen to the sound of my grumbling tummy. All the other girls have come back from dinner and are sleeping peacefully in their bunks.

My tummy grumbles again.

The bunk next to me stirrs and Olivia slowly wakes.

“Go find some food, before that noise wakes up all the girls.” She mumbles tiredly.

“Oh! Okay.” I whisper getting out of bed and tiptoeing into the dinning hall. I crack open the large doors slowly, peeking in to see if there's still food on the tables. And to my delight there is! Without giving it a second thought I run into the room, heading for the first roll I can see.

Umph!

“Geez! If your that hungry just have someone bring the food to you!” a voice that sounds mysteriously like Garrett’s says from the floor. He's sitting on the ground surrounded by baskets and rolls rubbing his head. He hasn’t seen me yet and seems absorbed in cleaning up the mess.