I leaned against the window, staring out at the moonlit gardens below. Today was... something else. I've trained plenty of people before, but Rainbow Dash? She's on a whole different level. Tough, stubborn, and so determined to prove she's got this. I've never seen someone throw themselves into learning as hard as she did today.

She acts all cocky and sure of herself, but I could see it—the uncertainty behind her eyes when she started. Like she wasn't totally convinced she could pull this off. And yet, she pushed through, never giving up. I've gotta admit, that kind of fight? It's rare. It's impressive.

But then there's this other thing. The way she looked at me after I showed her that room—it caught me off guard. She was... I don't know, surprised, yeah, but also kind of happy. Seeing her smile like that? It felt different, in a good way. Like maybe I'd done something right, something that actually meant something to her.

It's weird. I'm supposed to be her guide, her teacher, making sure she's ready for this whole queen thing. And I'm doing that, sure. But now? There's something else. Something about the way she holds herself, the fire in her eyes, the way she banters with me like it's second nature. It's starting to get to me. In ways I didn't expect.

Damn, Soarin, pull yourself together. She's here to learn. And you're here to teach. But why do I feel like there's more to it now? More to her? Maybe tomorrow will clear things up. Or maybe... it'll just make things even more complicated.

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The next day

Rainbow Dash's POV

The soft morning light streamed through the tall windows as I made my way down the palace corridors, my stomach grumbling at the thought of breakfast. Even though Soarin had told me we grew up together in Enchancia, I didn't remember any of it. The place, the people—none of it rang a bell. It was like a part of my life had been erased, and I was about to walk into it again for the first time. I just hoped it wouldn't be too awkward.

As I stepped into the grand dining room, the scene before me felt like something straight out of a royal fairytale. Soarin sat at a long table, laughing with two girls who looked nearly identical—his cousin sisters, I guessed. Across from them, a woman sat with a graceful posture, her warm eyes and kind smile giving her away as Soarin's mother Iduna(I think). At the head of the table sat Soarin's father Orion(I have no idea how I remember that), regal but with a relaxed air about him.

Soarin spotted me and stood up with a grin. 'Morning, Dash! Come on over and meet the family.'

I hesitated for a second before walking over to the table. My mind was still trying to wrap around the fact that I was supposed to know these people, but all I could muster was a vague sense of familiarity. It was frustrating. How could I not remember any of this?

'So, I guess you don't remember us, huh?' One of the girls, Lavender, asked with a playful smile.

I shook my head, feeling a little embarrassed. 'Yeah, sorry. I'm drawing a total blank here.'

Sofia, the other sister, laughed lightly. 'It's okay. We were wondering if you would. It's been years since you were last here.'

Queen Iduna's soft voice cut in, full of understanding. 'You were so young when you last visited. It's no wonder things seem unfamiliar. But welcome back, Rainbow Dash. We're glad to have you here.'

I smiled, appreciating her warmth, but still felt a bit out of place. 'Thanks... it's just weird. Soarin keeps telling me we used to hang out, but I don't remember any of it.'

Soarin chuckled, leaning back in his chair. 'Oh, you were a handful back then, Dash. Always racing around the palace, challenging me to races I could barely keep up with. You were convinced you were the fastest thing on two legs.'

I raised an eyebrow at him. 'Well, I am the fastest thing on two legs. Just so we're clear.'

Soarin smirked, crossing his arms. 'You've been here for one day, Dash. Don't get ahead of yourself. We haven't even had a race yet.'

I scoffed, leaning back in my chair. 'Do we really need to? I'll leave you in the dust just like always.'

Lavender laughed, nudging Sofia. 'Here we go again. Some things never change.'

Sofia grinned. "I'd pay to see that race."

Lavender grinned, glancing at Sofia. 'She's still got that competitive streak.'

King Orion smiled from the head of the table. 'Well, if you don't remember much, perhaps we can help jog your memory over breakfast. You and Soarin were quite inseparable back then.'

I gave a small laugh, shaking my head. 'I'm sure the stories will come flooding back once you start telling them.'

Queen Iduna nodded, her voice still warm. 'It's alright, dear. Take your time, and you'll see. Memories have a way of coming back when you least expect them.'

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As breakfast began, the conversation flowed easily, with Soarin's family occasionally bringing up moments from the past. I didn't remember any of it, but it was clear I had a deeper connection to this place and these people than I realized. Even though I felt a little lost, being surrounded by Soarin's family made it feel less overwhelming.

Soarin leaned back in his chair, stretching. 'Well, we actually have training to do today, mom. Maybe we can help her remember more during the weekend. We've got two days since it's only Thursday.'

Queen Iduna nodded thoughtfully. 'That sounds like a good plan. I'd love to help jog your memory over the weekend, Rainbow.'

She gave me a warm smile, but before I could reply, she added, 'What do you think of it, Angeline dear?'

'Angeline?' I repeated, my nose wrinkling in disbelief. 'Was that seriously my name?' I couldn't help the disgust creeping into my voice—it just didn't sound cool at all.

Iduna chuckled. 'Sorry, darling. It's what we called you when you were younger. The name just slipped out.'

I sighed, giving a small, respectful bow. 'It's alright, Your Majesty.'

She waved off the formality with a smile. 'Please, call me Iduna. No need for all that. You might call the king by his title, but I'd prefer something more personal.'

'Thanks, Iduna,' I said, relaxing a little. 'And yeah, I'd love to hear about those stories. Maybe they'll help me remember... though Angeline still feels a bit weird.'

Lavender chimed in with a playful grin. 'Oh, we've got plenty of stories that'll remind you of how much of a handful you were.'

Sofia giggled. 'You and Soarin were always up to something.' And they all laughed while Soarin and blushed a little.

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After breakfast, Soarin led me outside to the palace gardens. The sprawling greenery was breathtaking, with perfectly manicured hedges, colorful flowerbeds, and tall, ancient trees that stretched toward the sky. A soft breeze rustled through the leaves, and birds chirped from the treetops. It was peaceful—well, more peaceful than I was used to.

'So, this is where your training begins,' Soarin said, walking ahead with that confident stride of his. "It won't be easy, but you're tough. You'll handle it."

I crossed my arms, glancing around. 'What kind of training are we talking here? Because if it's more of that 'being graceful' stuff, I might just skip straight to the part where we race.'

Soarin chuckled, shaking his head. 'It's not all about grace, Dash. But there's a lot more to being a queen than just ruling from a throne. You'll see.'

We reached a quiet clearing in the garden, where the palace walls provided shade from the morning sun. Soarin turned to face me, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous glint. 'Here's the deal: if you train well today, I'll give you the day off tomorrow. With a little surprise.'

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued but also suspicious. 'A surprise? What kind of surprise?'

He smirked, clearly enjoying the mystery. 'You'll find out tomorrow, if you earn it.'

I rolled my eyes. 'You know I don't need bribes to get stuff done, right?'

"Oh, I know," Soarin replied, stepping closer. 'But I also know you like a good challenge. And trust me, you'll want this surprise.'

I eyed him for a second, trying to figure out what he was up to, but eventually shrugged it off. 'Alright, fine. You've got yourself a deal.'

Soarin grinned, clearly pleased with my answer. 'Good. Let's get started then.'

He stepped back and motioned for me to follow him to a more open space in the garden. The area was marked by soft patches of grass, with a stone pathway circling it, perfect for what I assumed would be some physical training.

'So, what's first on the royal training list?' I asked, stretching my arms in preparation for whatever he had planned. I hoped it wasn't some boring etiquette lesson.

"Well, we'll start with endurance," Soarin said, crossing his arms. 'You'll need to build stamina, not just for handling the demands of ruling, but for diplomacy too. Long meetings, formal events, tough decisions—they'll take more out of you than you think.'

'Endurance, huh?' I smirked, feeling a little cocky. 'I think I've got plenty of that. You remember who you're talking to, right?'

'Oh, I remember,' Soarin chuckled, clearly amused by my confidence. 'But let's see how well you keep up with this.'

He launched into a series of exercises designed to test my endurance. First, he had me run laps around the garden, picking up speed with each one. At first, it was easy—nothing I couldn't handle. But after about twenty minutes of running, my legs were starting to burn.

'Getting tired, Dash?' Soarin teased, jogging effortlessly beside me.

I shot him a glare, pushing myself to keep pace. 'Not... even... close,' I managed between breaths.

Next came a few agility drills—dodging through obstacles he'd set up in the garden, quick turns, and sprints. I had to admit, it was a lot more intense than I'd expected. But I wasn't about to let Soarin see that.

As I navigated through the course, Soarin stood off to the side, observing with a critical eye. 'You're doing great,' he called out. 'But keep your balance when you turn. You've got the speed, but you need precision too.'

I huffed, annoyed at his critique but knowing he was right. I adjusted my stance and tried again, determined to get it right.

By the time we finished, I was covered in a light sheen of sweat, my muscles sore from the exertion. Soarin looked entirely too relaxed for someone who'd just put me through the wringer.

'Well, I've gotta admit,' he said, leaning against a nearby tree with a smirk. "You're as tough as I remember. Still, there's room for improvement."

I wiped my forehead, catching my breath. 'I'm just warming up.'

'Good, because this was the easy part,' Soarin replied with a playful grin. 'But I think we've earned ourselves a break. Let's head back inside for lunch.'

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I didn't argue with that. The palace kitchens were legendary, and after that workout, I was more than ready to eat.

Back inside, we made our way to the dining hall. The long table was already set with a spread of food that made my mouth water. Platters of fruit, bread, roasted meats, and an assortment of vegetables filled the table, along with pitchers of water and juice.

I sat down heavily in one of the chairs, eyeing the food hungrily. Soarin sat across from me, still looking annoyingly fresh, despite the training session.

'Eat up,' he said with a grin. 'You'll need the energy for the rest of the day.'

I rolled my eyes but grabbed a plate, piling it with food. 'You really enjoy this, don't you? Making me work for every little thing.'

Soarin shrugged, a teasing glint in his eyes. 'Hey, I'm just making sure you're ready. Besides, I think you're enjoying this more than you let on.'

I smirked, taking a bite of fruit. 'Maybe. But don't think I'm going easy on you next time.'

'Oh, I wouldn't dream of it,' Soarin replied, grabbing his own plate. 'Now eat up. The day's not over yet.'

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After lunch, we returned to the training grounds in the palace garden, where Soarin had a few more exercises in store for me. This time, he focused on drills for mental endurance and diplomacy—skills I usually found less thrilling than action but were, admittedly, just as demanding.

"So, being a queen isn't all about physical strength," Soarin said as we settled under the shade of a grand oak. "You'll need mental resilience and patience, especially during tough conversations. Handling negotiations, for instance, is more about reading people and staying calm under pressure."

I sighed, crossing my arms. "So basically, boring stuff?"

He smirked. "I figured you'd say that. But let's see how you handle it. Imagine a situation where your decision could affect everyone in your kingdom. You'll have to stay calm, even when others aren't."

For the next hour, Soarin ran through a series of hypothetical situations with me, testing my patience and strategy. At first, I struggled to stay focused—it was much easier to run laps than to consider the nuances of royal negotiations—but as Soarin went on, I found myself actually thinking things through. I tried not to show how interested I was becoming, but I could tell Soarin noticed.

"You're picking this up faster than I thought," he said with a nod of approval.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't get all proud just yet."

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With the sun beginning to dip lower in the sky, we wrapped up the training and headed back inside to clean up before dinner.

Dinner was served in the grand dining room, with the table laid out with an impressive array of dishes. Queen Iduna and the rest of Soarin's family joined us, filling the room with laughter and conversation.

"So, how was training today?" Queen Iduna asked, giving me a warm smile.

I glanced at Soarin, catching the smirk on his face. "Let's just say he didn't go easy on me."

Soarin shrugged, feigning innocence. "You did pretty well, though. And I think you're ready for day two."

I groaned, which got a laugh out of everyone. Lavender and Sofia, Soarin's sisters, looked amused as they exchanged a glance.

"It's funny," Lavender said, "seeing you two together again, always challenging each other just like when you were younger."

Sofia nodded. "Some things never change."

I shot a playful glare at Soarin, who only grinned back.

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After a long day of training, Soarin walked me back through the dimly lit palace halls, the soft glow of candle sconces lighting our path. When we finally reached my door, I glanced at him, thinking back to the room he'd shown me earlier. It was still a little surreal—the plush canopy bed, the bookshelves, and the view over the gardens. He had really gone out of his way to make me feel at home.

"So, still think I overdid it with the room?" he asked, a smirk on his face as if he'd read my mind.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. "Alright, maybe it was a nice touch. I just... wasn't expecting it."

His smirk softened, and he shrugged. "Only the best for the future queen, right?"

I felt a slight warmth creep up my cheeks and looked away. "Well, thanks, Soarin. Seriously."

"Anytime, Dash." He paused, as if wanting to say more, but then took a step back. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we keep going."

I huffed, already feeling the weariness from today's lessons. "I'll try not to dream of all the speeches and diplomacy practice you're throwing at me."

He chuckled. "Just keep up, and maybe I'll throw in another surprise."

With a wave, he turned down the corridor, leaving me with a feeling I couldn't quite shake.