Chapter Twenty-Three

"Y-Your Majesty." I hear when I enter the building. The room stops and turns to bow.

"Don't let me interrupt, please continue." I say.

The teacher nods and resumes. I can assume they're showing off for me. It was impressive. I can see why the resistance has done so well for so long – they've been well trained.

"What do you think Your Majesty?" The teacher asked after he made his way to me.

"I think you must be an excellent teacher to have such well-trained men."

"T-thank you Your Majesty. That is truly a compliment coming from one such as yourself." He said.

"That is why I'd like you to train me in self-defense."

"Y-Your Majesty. I-I wouldn't dream of, I couldn't dare cross our King this way."

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Maximus Greaves, Your Majesty."

"Let me worry about the King, he'll give his permission. I don't want to be some defenseless royal. The enemy won't see me as a Queen or treat me like one. I need to be prepared if anything happens."

"Y-you will always be well guarded Your Majesty. Any of my men will lay down their lives for yours." Max says.

"And I want to make sure I'm not a liability to them."

He just stared a moment and blinked a couple times.

"I'll let you get back to your men. I'll talk to Aidan and return."

"Y-Yes Your Majesty." He says.

I walked back to the castle and up to my room. I changed into an outfit I could do some basic training in. It felt good to go back to the basics.

After training I had the servants ready a bath. After I undressed, I got in the tub and laid down. I washed my hair and body. Once the soap had been rinsed off, I rested my head on the back of the tub and closed my eyes.

I must've fallen asleep because I woke up in cold water. I got out, dried off, and put on my warm robe.

I sat down and had Louise braid my hair before she cleared the water from the tub.

"Is something wrong?" I ask and turn to her.

"O-oh no, it's nothing." Louise said and turned away.

"Spit it out. I won't be angry."

"W-well some of the guards are talking about you and how you want to train like a knight."

"Good or bad talk…"

"A little of both."

"Ah, you'll have that…my father was a knight. We would always practice together. I don't want to be useless again…"

"No one thinks of you that way Your Majesty."

"Maybe not. I'd like to keep it that way. I don't want to fumble and be in the way if something did happen."

"I think that's admirable."

Aidan burst into the room, so Louise quickly bowed and left.

"Are you crazy?" He asked.

"N-no?" I said confused.

"You want to train to be a knight? There are no female knights Ari!" He was shouting now.

"T-that's not what I asked. I wanted some basic self-defense training." I said and stood up.

He sighed. "You don't find my men capable?"

"I-I didn't say that either! I said they were well trained actually and that I didn't want to be a liability."

He walked over to the bed and sat down. I joined him while he held his head in his hands.

"This stuff spreads like wildfire and the story changes along the way." He said, he seemed tired. How much had he been dealing with and I was just adding to his stress.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't want to be a problem." I say as I looked down.

"You're not." He leaned over and pulled me closer to him.

"I-I really liked training with my father and brother. I have fond memories from then."

"Why don't you and I train together then?"

"R-really?" I asked and looked up at him.

"Yes, I can smooth over everything here – just my overzealous wife wanting to impress me." He teased.

"H-hey it wasn't for you." I say in an embarrassed tone.

"Are you sure it wasn't?" He jested. He pulled me up onto his lap. "You weren't trying to increase your stamina and pain tolerance after our first night together?"

My face started to light up and I looked away.

"N-no, it was for defense!"

"I like my reason better." He whispered in my ear before placing kisses on my ear and down my neck.

"B-but won't people talk a-and say s-stuff about our…"

"Our?"

"S-sex life." I said meekly.

He laughed. "Most likely. But if they're talking about that they're not talking about you wanting to be a knight or thinking ill of my men's abilities."

"I-I guess."

"Better to talk about us having a healthy sex life rather than nasty rumors about us not getting along. Nothing tears a palace apart faster." Aidan said in a husky voice as he spread my legs open.