Chapter 25

Waking up in a warm comfortable bed that smells like pine, I find myself melting into the bed. I remember waking from my dream, of wanting to talk to Sky, but then nothing. Confused, I slowly open my eyes and notice that I am not in my room at all. This seems to be happening a lot lately. Groaning, I close my eyes and try to remember what happened the night before. Someone wraps their arms around me, pulling me closer and making me turn around to swat at them.

"I get it, your not a morning person." A deep husky voice calls out with a chuckle. Suddenly the events of last night flashes through my mind and I remember that after waking from my dream, my memory, I walked into Sky's room to talk to him. I must have fallen asleep on his bed and now I am pressed to his side.

"Um...morning." I say sheepishly as my hands feel the hard naked muscle under me. Yep, I am not living this one down for a while.

"Good morning." He says back, running his fingers through my hair. Leaning into his touch, I find myself enjoying this, feeling that this is the perfect place to be right now. If only my parents had betrothed me to Sky.

"What time do we need to meet the Generals?" I ask, pulling away from him and sitting up. The blanket pools around our waist, revealing his well defined muscles to me once again.

"It is at one in the afternoon. Arian and just getting the men into place for what is to come today." Nodding, I look at mental with all of his pictures, my eyes zeroing on the one with the girl covered in mud. He loves her, so why am I in bed with him?

"What time is it now?"

"Ten in the morning. We can relax for now unless you want to do something else." Sky answers, Sitting up beside me and giving me his easy going smile.

"Can we meet with my Elite Guards today?" I know Sky mentioned he would like to pass his position to Arian and be in charge of my personal Elite Guards, but I feel safer with him in charge.

"Sure. Your study or the Dinning Hall?"

"Dinning Hall. It's been a while since I dinned with everyone and with new recruits, including female Guards, I need to dine and meet them." I slowly get up and climb out of bed, stretching and turning to look at Sky. His smile is still on his face, but his eyes shine with something I can't place my finger on.

"I am going to get changed. Meet me in ten in the hall way so that we can get breakfast? "

"Sure Alli." I smile and lean down, kissing his cheek, surprising me and him. Before he can say anything, I quickly walk out of his room and into my own, leaning against the closed door. My heart beats fast, the realization that I kissed Sky making my skin heat up. With a sigh, I think about what a future of dating Sky might look like and find myself smiling. There is something I will have to do to stop tongue from wagging, but that is fine.

With a long day ahead of me, I walk into my closet and dress, pulling on a pair of black jeans, a simple blouse and an indigo blazer. I will need to look the part of a strong leader when dealing with the generals today. Finding a pair of wedges, I slip them onto my feet and walk out of the closet in time for Ellisia to walk into my room with Adam trailing behind her, a smile on her face.

"Something tells me you will need help with your makeup and hair, so I am here to help. Go wash your face and brush your teeth while I prepare everything." She states, shooing me into my bathroom. Rolling my eyes, I thank her for her help before doing what she told me to, coming out with a clean face and even cleaner teeth. She sits me down at my vanity, the top holding makeup, a brush and a few hair ties.

"I have a feeling less is more with you missy." She chuckles out, her hands expertly working my hair into an elegant French braid. With a smile, I enjoy how the small strands that frame my face matches the braid before my vision is blocked by Ellisia.

"Close your eyes." She orders, making me chuckle as I comply. Soft brush strokes graze my skin, the scent of make-up reaching my nose. This takes less time than my hair did and soon Ellisia says I can look in the mirror.

With a deep breath, I open my eyes to see my reflection staring back at me. Ellisia kept it light, only placing a shimmery nude shadow on my lids with a dark liner framing my large violet eyes. My lashes were darkened with the mascara she used moments earlier. It takes everything in me not to cry as I see my mother in my reflection. Her golden curls and button nose the same ones I have. The only difference are the violet eyes I gained from my father.

"Thank you." I whisper in awe, trying my best no to cry.

"You're welcome Allisara." Nodding to Adam, Ellisia takes the tiara that he held on his hand and helps to settle it on top of my head. With that final touch done, She helps me to my feet and the three of us walk out of my room. Sky is waiting in the hall, dressed in his uniform and leaning against the wall. His hair is tied into a bun, his cheeks carrying the morning stubble.

"Ready to eat?" He asks when he spots me, his emerald green eyes scanning me from head to toe. That shimmer in his eyes return, causing me to blush as I walk towards him.

"Yes I am." I answer cheerily, the two of us walking down the hallway. The walk is quiet, not knowing what I should say to him. Thankfully we reach the Dining Hall in no time. I pause in the door way, taking in the table set up. As usual, those that bent the knee to me are in their usual seats, but the seats that used to be filled by Juden's men are now filled with women. Shocked by the divide, I pull aside a Maid that was bringing food to the table and ask her to remove all the food from the men's table. She complies, the men protesting when more maids and butlers come to help until one notices Sky and me.

"I never thought my Guards would be so rude to women." I call out when the room quiets, the men looking down in shame.

"I want this room to be rearranged how my father had it in the past within ten minutes. In this Palace we are a family and that means I want each and every one of you to get to know one another." With a resounding 'Yes Ma'am' the men stand from their chairs and begin to rearrange the tables. They start with an outer line, the tables forming a square with one table missing from the center of the north and south side. After apologizing to the women, the men take the food off of their table and onto the newly arranged ones before moving the tables they sat on and making two lines inside the square. With the tables now arranged, the chairs were moved, spacing them evenly on both sides of the table until all the chairs were placed.

"Thank you gentlemen. Now that the room has been rearranged, I would like to have two buffest sections on either side of the room where we can easily access food. From now on we are one unit, one team. We will switch seats until we have all gotten to know one another." With my point made, maids and butler bring in more tables, getting to work with placing the cooked food onto them and removing the served food from the tables that have been rearranged. The final touches being a beverage station at the end of each table and a stack of clean plates and cutlery at the beginning. Making my way to the left buffet table, I grab a plate and cutlery set and begin to portion my food, smiling when the others follow suit.

With Sky and I having full plates, I make my way to the tables, walking into the middle and sitting down. Sky places his plate beside mine, promising to be right back and leaving quickly only to return with a glass of orange juice for the two of us.

The tables begin to fill up, both men and women introducing themselves to one another bringing a smile to my face. Soon the room begins to fill with conversation and laughter until the line of tables that Sky and I sit at fill up. Max sits in front of me, a grin on his face as he nods a greeting.

"How is he doing?" I ask, watching his smile grow wider.

"Good and taken care of. He will be healthy when its time." He answers quickly with a smile taking a bite of his bacon. I chuckle, looking to the others that join us.

"I have never seen a Royal or Nobel sit with us grunts and enjoy the same food as me!" Someone exclaims as he takes a seat to my left, his bald head shining from the light above.

"Mike Grant, your Highness." He introduces himself, holding his hand out to me.

"Well if it is good for my Guards, then its good for me too. Besides I hate being alone." I answer back, reaching out to take his hand and giving it a firm shake.

"And call me Alli."

"I like her already." Mika chuckles out elbowing a woman beside him. She rolls her eyes at him before looking towards me, a smile on her face. Her brown eyes are clear and calm, something I like in a person.

"Alice Grant and Mika's sister." I chuckle as she swipes a sausage from his plate, realizing that I am going to enjoy having these two around. Soon the others begin to introduce themselves. The twins Lia and Mia Crossroan are skilled in disguise having come straight from cosmetic college before joining the Palace Guards when they heard females were finally being recruited and Alec Blighte, a new recruit fresh from the military who decided guarding the rightful Queen sounded better than retiring with honors.

"These bright Guards are also your Elite, Alli." Sky chimes in with a grin, his green eyes sparkling. Shocked, I look at each and every one of them, seeing the five people nod in confirmation. To think my Elite would be easy to get along with.

"I thought we agreed upon six. Three men and three women." Confused, I look back to Sky who gives me a shrug, looking away from me for a moment before turning to face me once more.

"I want Arian to become Captain of the Guards. He has been here five years longer than me and had been trained under Sir Carlos, your father's Captain of the Guard." He admits, shocking me once again. Taking a moment to collect my thoughts, I look down at my hand and try to calm my quickly beating heart.

"Then what will you do?" I ask, scared to know the answer.

"Be the Captain of the Elite Guards."