The Competition of a Lifetime (Editing)

Prolouge: 10 Years Ago

"Caleb, you know were aren't going to become King or Queen right? Marcus is the first born." Kaleigh explained this all like an adult, so it wasn't like I could act mad...right? How was it that Kaleigh already knew before me in the first place? She always was the smarter twin...

"But... What's going to happen with us?" I asked sitting down on the wood floor. The tree house was cool even though it was Summer. Since it was in the middle of the tree, every part of the house was covered in shade, except for one window. We had built the little house in the woods all by ourselves when we were younger, with the exception of Kaleigh's maids sewing curtains for us. I doubt even our parents, the King and Queen, knew about this place.

"You know," I say trying to cheer up. "We are both going to marry people and become King or Queen of another country." I smile reassuringly, but Kaleigh doesn't look as enthused. She can't help but look out the window, avoiding my eyes.

"Actually Caleb, that's only for me..." She gathered up the courage to gain eye contact. "You're suppose to go on with a selection."

"What? But where would my wife and I go?" I ask. Maybe we would live in the castle and I could still help Marcus with battle strategies... Or I could be a stable men! I don't know what the possibilities could lead to, weather they be good or bad.

"Let's just talk about something else..." She proposed, dodging my previous question.

"We really need a light source in here." I gestured up to the ceiling, as the sun outside was slowly dying down, and the walls of the tree house were becoming darker. My sister and I both stifled a small laugh.

"I'll get right on that. I'll ask dad tomorrow." She looked like mom with blonde hair. Mom always complained as a joke that none of her children had the beautiful red hair she had as a teenager. Of course, our modest mother never used the word 'beautiful' to describe it, even though that would be the perfect word.

"Any room up there?" I looked out the hole in the floor where the ladder lead to, and found Marcus,our older brother and heir to the throne, standing down there, awaiting entrance.

"Yeah! Come on up!" Kaleigh invited graciously like she wasn't even phased that Marcus had the best fate out of all of us, as she threw the ladder to enter the club house down to him. I couldn't bear to look at my brother as he came in. I had to scoot in closer to Kaleigh to get away from him. To be honest, the whole house was crowded now.

"How did you know we were up here?" Kaleigh asked grabbing her bag and looking for a granola bar. She did not have to tell what she was looking for, I already knew. I guess it is a twin thing.

"So did you guys hear?" Marcus asked stretching his legs out.

"It depends... What are you talking about?" I asked crossing my legs into pretzel style. Kaleigh just sat while listening to us and munching on the granola bar.

"Caleb, when I become King, you are going to live here! Mom and Dad are getting a special room that is way bigger than the guest rooms." Marcus explained, stealthily trying to grab a piece of Kaleigh's granola bar.

"Really?" A big grin popped up on my face as Kaleigh gave me a thumbs up. This, I could live with.

"Yeah! You are going to start your Guard training tomorrow!" He said smiling excitedly. Kaleigh and I both dropped our smiles that instant.

"Wait... Guard training, what?" I said standing up. I was a fairly short 8 year old, if Kaleigh or Marcus stood up, they would have to bend over a little to fit under the roof. Meanwhile, I wasn't phased by the roof, I was quite phased by the words coming out of my brother's mouth.

"Yes, when I become King-"

"STOP SAYING THAT!" I yell stomping my foot a little.

"Caleb..." My twin sister tried to calm me down, but my anger had gone way too far.

"You're not happy?" Marcus got up to stand on his knees, a questioning look playing on his face.

"Thrilled." I said through my teeth, then jumped out of the little house in the tree and abandoning my siblings right then and there.