THE QUEEN AND THE SWORDSMAN

The next day I woke up already knowing the decision I had to make in order to survive in this place. I went outside the castle looking for Kiran, I found him on the training ground where I was told he would be. He was cleaning his sword with a rag and I smiled as I approached him.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." Kiran said looking up from his sword.

I smiled at him in greeting. "Hello Kiran."

"You look well." Kiran observed raking his eyes up and down my body but not in a creepy way. "I heard about what went down between you and my mother and I'm sorry you had to go through it. She can be a bit of a bitch when she wants to."

Oh wow! I thought to myself as I stared at Kiran who had the same rage in his dark eyes like his brothers. It was obvious they both share the same sentiment about their mother and I'm really curious about what it was, especially since Ivan described it as a nightmarish tale. But I suppose I can always ask that another time.

"So, to what do I owe this pleasure of seeing your beautiful face?" Kiran asked waggling his brows at me and I rolled my eyes at him but answered.

"I need you to train me."

For a moment Kiran didn't say anything and I was worried he didn't hear me until he busted out laughing. I frowned a little at him, wondering what was funny. I waited for him to stop laughing but Kiran just continued howling with laughter and it was starting to irritate me.

"What's funny?" I gritted out unable to take it any longer.

Kiran stopped laughing to look at me. "Oh wait, you are serious?" He asked me with his brows raised in surprise.

"Of course I'm serious." I replied still annoyed at him.

"Oh." Was all Kiran said instead of giving me an answer. "Well in that case." Kiran picked up his sword and walked past me, heading towards the castle.

What the? I hurriedly went after him. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you." Kiran answered without sparing me a glance.

"Okay may I ask why?"

"Because you are insane." Kiran stated without looking at him and I was tired of it!

I quickened my pace and planted myself right in front, so he would have no choice than to listen to me. "Will you just stop for a second?" I asked him and he regarded me with a bored look in his eyes but stopped to listen to me. "So, what's the problem?"

"I don't have a problem with you sister in law." Kiran says shooting me a lazy smirk.

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Then want to tell me why you won't answer my request?"

Kiran's eyes widened as he raised his brows up at me, looking like a picture of innocence. "What request?"

I breathed through my nose starting to feel really annoyed by Kiran's games. "I asked you to train me."

"Oh that__" Kiran trailed off on a laugh before his face got serious again. "My answer is no."

I let out a frustrated sigh as I refrained from stamping my legs on the ground like a child. "Why not?" I asked placing my hands on my hips, hoping to look intimidating but Kiran just continued looking at me with that bored look in his eyes.

"Does my brother know of your insane request?"

I let out a scoff of disbelief. "Of course he does!"

Actually Ivan has no idea about my 'insane request' as Kiran puts it. I had woken up this morning to the smell of pancakes with honey, I also had a bowl filled with different fruits. Ivan had taken it upon himself to go to the kitchen and fetch me breakfast. He had also watch me eat everything, his gaze darkening when I bit into the cherry I had taken from the fruit bowl. A guard then entered at that moment to come and call the attention of Ivan to some papers he needed to sign.

As soon as he had left I had gotten dressed and sought after Kiran. He was the captain of the royal guards which makes him the perfect person to train me. I would have asked Ivan but I know he would decline immediately and make a fuss. I needed to learn how to defend myself if I was going to survive in their world, I can't always be depending on Ivan to save me all the time. Now the main thing is to get Kiran to agree! I thought to myself as I stared at Kiran who was staring at me, his arms already folded across his chest.

"Ivan doesn't know, does he?"

Shit! How did he know? I ask but quickly morphed my face into a bright smile. "Well, at the moment he doesn't kn..."

"Save your breath Arianne! My answer is still no!" Kiran affirmed then continued walking.

"Why that cheeky hairy ass...."

"My ass isn't hairy and I'll be happy to show it to you!" Kiran called out to me and I blanched at that.

Shit! He heard me! Of course he could, werewolves have super hearing. With a groan I ran after Kiran stopping in front of him. "Seriously what will it take for you to train me?"

"Absolutely nothing, I just don't want to train you!" Kiran said with a one sided shrug and this time I actually did stamp my feet on the floor.

"Why?" I whined, "Why won't you just train me?"

Kiran let out an exasperated sigh before he answered. "Well mainly because my brother could kill me once he finds out I'm training you and I value my life, thank you very much."

I arched a brow up at that. "So what? You are scared of your brother? That's it?"

"Of course not!"

I smirked at his reply, he answered way too quickly. He was actually scared of his brother but then I can't say I blame him. Ivan can be very scary and last night was the proof. That doesn't mean I was going to back down though, I was still going to get Kiran to train him.

"Oh well..." I sighed heavily. "I guess it can't be helped then and here I was thinking I could be trained by the best swordsman in Egralon." I say then turned to walk back to the castle.

"The best swordsman?"

Kiran's voice stopped me and I smiled, I've got him! "Well yes. Why do you think I asked you to train me? I heard talks about you being the best and I knew that if I wanted to protect my weak mortal self who else would I turn to than the best warrior?" I asked with a wistful look on my face but Kiran just assessed me with his dark eyes but I could see a spark of curiosity in them.

"Very well then, I guess I'll just go find someone else." I turned to leave but Kiran stopped me.

"Wait!"

I turned to look at him with a smirk on my face. "Yes?"

Kiran let out a small chuckle, "I know what you are doing Arianne." He commented giving me a pointed look.

Darn it! I cursed inwardly but smiled sweetly at him. "Well then, is it working?"

Ivan regarded me with a look of amusement before he answered. "If we do this, you must not tell Ivan about it!"

"Yes!" I whooped jumping in glee, "You have my word!"

"And there will be no complaints!" Kiran declared, "You do what I say when I say! And there will be no room for whining! Just because you are a girl and my brother's wife doesn't get you any special treatment, I don't care even if you are mortal! On the training ground you become a man! A warrior! Is that understood?" Kiran asked giving me a stern look.

Yup, I can definitely see why he is the captain of the guard and for good reason! I muse as I nodded my head vigorously. "Yes!" I replied and Kiran arched a brow up at me, "Sir?" I added with uncertainty and that seemed to please Kiran.

"Good!" He answered and I smiled at him, "I'll summon you when it's time."

"I'll be waiting!" I told him with a smile then turned to leave before I remembered something, "Oh I almost forgot?"

Kiran let out an exasperated sigh. "What is it now woman?"

I chuckled at him. "I just wanted to remind you of the summer festival tonight!"

"The one in town?" Kiran asked me in confusion.

I nodded my head at him. "That's the one! And we are all going!" I announced in a cheery tone while Kiran looked at me like I've lost my mind.

"When you say we? Do you mean Ivan too? He's going to attend the festival in town?"

"Course he will! He's their king after all!" I say with a look of disbelief on my face.

Kiran chuckled at me. "You might have been able to win an argument with me but I assure you, it's going to be different for my brother. He's not going to attend the festival."

"Oh but he will, I'll make sure of it!" I countered.

Kiran scoffed at me. "Good luck then, you are definitely going to need it." He told me before he sauntered off towards the castle leaving me to stare after him.