Chapter 46

I waited in front of the bathroom door, Alice giving me a knowing smirk as she goes back to reading Allisara's schedule for the next two weeks, making notes in her own tablet of what she will need to do as my second in command of the Violet Guards. I know she is waiting for the day I have to step down and take my spot as Commander of the Violet Guards one day and I still don't know how I should feel about it. I love Allisara, want to be with her, but it will be hard when I am not a Noble.

The sound of the water is finally heard from behind the muffled door and my mind decides now is the time to imagine what she might look like at the water cascades down her naked body.

"Stop that." I grumble, shaking my head before running my fingers through my hair. That kiss from earlier is definitely one I have been dying to do and my body definitely agrees with my heart and brain that I want more. But I won't rush Allisara into it. She has most of her memories back, even remembers more about that night fourteen years ago when I helped rushed her to safety, but she doesn't remember me as the boy that protected her, that was there for her and would do anything for her.

She wants me, that I know for sure, but I can see the hesitation in her eyes and I curse myself for being so stupid that day as to confess about loving the girl in the photo on my fireplace mantle even though she was the girl in that photo.

"You look like you could use a cold shower." Alice's voice chimes clearly in the quiet room, Clarice and Millia looking over at me and giggling. I groan in frustration, sending a glare at Alice for pointing out the obvious but she just sticks her tongue at me before returning to what she is doing.

"I need something to keep my mind off of Allisara." I mumble, getting a chuckle from Alice.

"You only call her by her full name when she isn't around. Why don't you call her that when she is?" Fuck. Alice is seriously becoming the annoying little sister I never wanted.

"She told me to call her Alli, so I do." I answer, getting an eye roll from the blonde woman.

"Well maybe next time you kiss her senseless, moan her full name. That will make her change her mind." Clarice teases. Deciding that I am not going to win with these three women in the room, I mumble something about needing to check on the prisoners in the dungeon and stride out of the room, their laughter following me even after closing the doors. I think I need to get Allisara new guards.

Making my way through the Palace and down to the dungeon, I check on Juden and make sure he is in his room. It seems he has decided to behave today and honestly, part of me wished he would have tried something to give me a reason to punch him. Max is sitting in the interrogation room now turned office, a few other Guards he personally picked helping him go through a list of who will be transferred to one of the nearest prisons.

"Any problem today?" I ask, leaning against the door and watching the four men work.

"No. Juden is being docile surprisingly, but something tells me he is up to something." Max answers, getting up from his chair and joining me by the door. He looks like he's aged a few years since I saw him yesterday.

"I have a bad feeling Sky, like something big is about to happen." He whispers, pulling me towards the stairs and out of earshot of the other Guards. He then goes on to explain some files are missing from the cabinets but thankfully he had digitized them into our files meant for Arian, him and I. I frown, when he goes on to tell me some footage from the cameras are missing during the night and asked if he could put up a few hidden cameras without anyone else but the two of us knowing. I agree, explaining that keeping Juden secured is our top priority and a look of relief fills his face.

"How are the others handling the situation since yesterday?" We are sitting on the stairs, the two of us looking down the long corridor of cell doors and I wonder just when was the last time the dungeons were this full.

"Pretty good. Liz and Ron are coming to terms with their home being destroyed but Lillian and Everette are trying to convince them to move into the Palace with Allisara." Max nods, accepting my answer and the two of us begin to talk about what to expect with Juden. After last night's attack, I tell him that Lillian and Everette had a conference via video call and they all agreed to executing Juden and his men sooner than planned. That he and his influence needed to end now for Nimairene to prosper. Max agrees and promises to keep his eye out for any traitors coming to see Juden at night. I leave the dungeons with a feeling of unease before walking back up the stairs. If what Max said is true, I need to talk to Arian and make sure the security cameras are working in the Palace.

"Sky!" Turning to the person who calls my name, I spot Ron and Everette walking towards me, the two old men looking like long time friends. Ron has a new cane, his old one being left at his now destroyed house in our rush to leave.

"Afternoon." I greet the two, catching the weariness in Ron's face. He's been through so much in the last twenty four hours and I feel for him.

"We were heading to grab a snack while the women talk with Little Sara." Everette explains when they reach me, making me smile.

"Yeah, Allisara wasn't happy about waking up today. I think she blames herself for Liz and Ron loosing their home." I state, giving Ron an apologetic smile.

"Well it's not her fault." The old man states, slamming his cane on the floor. I agree with him, stating it's Juden's fault for everything and how I can't wait for him to be executed soon.

"Honestly, I blamed myself for Allisara disappearing for fourteen years and mad it my mission to find her." Walking with the two men towards the kitchen, I let out the guilt I have felt for such a long time. Ron stops walking, causing me and Everette to turn back and that is when I see the shocked face of Ron staring back at me.

"You knew her before she ended up in the Slums?" He asks quietly. I look to Everette, the Marquis being there for me since child hood when I promised the late King I would protect his daughter the day of her Christening. He nods, a silent permission to tell Ron the truth. I take a deep breath and look to the man Allisara calls her adopted grandfather and decide I can trust him.

"I was the first person outside of her family to hold her when she was born. At the time I was five and had grown up in the Palace as the gardener's son" I begin, taking a moment to collect my thoughts as memories flash by my mind.

"That was the same day I took the squire apprenticeship when Knights were still around. Juden got rid of them eight years ago." I continue, a light smile on my face.

"Her father told me that she is going to need a Knight to care for her and protect her and without realizing it, I blurted out that I will be her Knight. Her father was shocked, then smiled and laughed and told me I had six months to prove myself to him to be her protector. So I worked hard." My smile grows as I think about kneeling in front of the six month old princess, swearing to train hard be the protector she needs.

"In the end, we grew up together and on the day of the rebellion, the Knight I squired under and I took her to the apple farm his family owned. That bastard gave up Allisara's location without a second thought and Juden got to her." I can feel anger rise in my as I think about that confession Juden gave. How he retrieved Allisara from the apple farm with intent to kill her. If it weren't for that doctor, Allisara would have died.

"Sky blamed himself for years even with Lillian, Christopher and I reassuring him that he did nothing wrong. He was to be knighted eight years ago but Knights were disbanded the day of his Knighting. I think now it was Juden's way of protecting his men. Little Sara has no idea who Sky is, her memories of him are still sealed, but we all pray she remembers him. It's clear she is already in love with Sky and I think we can both agree we want him as our grandson-in-law." Everette pats me on the shoulder, leaving his hand there as he has done so many time in the past. I smile at the Marquis, feeling the grandfatherly love he has shown me since child hood radiating off of him. This is one thing I have always had over Demitrias, the love and respect of Allisara's maternal family, something he would never have.

"Well, hang in there Sky. Its the ones we love most that are some times harder to remember when we loose our minds." Ron steps closer to me, resting his hand on my free shoulder and giving me a smile.

"My Elizabeth was in an accident three years after we were married. We lost our unborn baby and Liz lost the ability to have any more. I think it was the pain and grief that caused her to loose memories of our eight year relationship but I stood by her until one day she woke up crying, telling me how sorry she was and that she remembered everything." He sighs as he turns to look at the window. A sad smile on his wrinkled face.

"It took another year of healing for Liz to be able to return to normal again." Shocked by his confession, I pull Ron into a hug and promise him that if Allisara and I were to get married and have kids, he and Liz would be a part of their lives as grandparents. Everette agrees with me, calling Ron family for how he took care of Allisara. The three of us continue to the kitchen, me feeling closer to the two men and I wonder if with Everette's and the Blanchard's estate support, maybe I can have a future as Allisara's husband.