Happily Never After Could Happen to Us

Leo

This was officially our forth day, and the beginning of our training classes. I had classes with Alex and Rider, but Alex's classes didn't start until the next day. It seems he had some sort of business to go on as well, which was kind of weird. I was planning to see if Rider would mind if I started my class with her today instead of tomorrow, but then I ran into Rosie.

"Please Leo; don't make me go to Victor's class alone. Besides there's something I need to talk to you about," she pleaded with me. I knew something had to be wrong because Rosie never pleaded let alone begged.

"Fine, but as soon as you are safe with Victor I'm leaving to go to Rider's class," I agreed.

"I'm scared to be alone in this place any more," she said shakily.

"What happened?"

"Alex is freaking stalking me. It's not cool. For the past two nights when I went back to my room he was hiding in there," she explained.

"Well, dad did say he was a bit creepy."

"Leo, he was hiding in the dark in my room on my bed. I nearly undressed right in front of him last night,” she hissed.

“Well, what do you want me to do about it?”

“I don’t know, go check my room for me,” she answered childishly.

“Alright Rosie, tonight I will check your room for the big bad Alex,” I laughed. She glared daggers at my head, but all I could do was smile at her.

We walked in silence the rest of the way to the gardens where Victor had apparently instructed Rosie to meet him. When we passed the flowers into the court yard I noticed something. The hair on the back of my neck stood on edge. I glanced at Rosie, but she was too lost in her own world of wonder to be bothered with the odd feeling. I took in a deep breath and as the wind blew towards me I caught a swift scent of something too sweet. I couldn’t quite pin-point the scent, but I knew for sure that the poignant odor was definitely not the flowers from the gardens.

I stopped short of the tree that was in front of us, just as Rosie ducked underneath a branch. As if on cue Victor leaped from the branch and landed on an unsuspecting Rosie. I rolled my eyes as they got off the ground. Victor was laughing while Rosie was glaring. “You knew didn’t you,” Rosie hissed at me. Victor’s smile grew wider.

“Yes I knew he was there; it’s called instinct. You really should learn to listen to yours more often.”

“That is true; you do need to listen to your instincts,” Victor informed Rosie as he pulled himself off the ground using a low lying branch. Rosie scoffed as Victor offered her a hand. She rolled her eyes as she jumped off of the ground without his help. He laughed before walking away from her.

“You better go before you are late,” I chuckled. Rosie glared at me as she ran after Victor.

I shook my head as I thought back on our conversation. Alex was stalking my sister, and I wanted to know why. I walked back towards the castle type building and made my way to the pointless rooms. I then quickly made my way towards the two connecting rooms also known as Alex and Rider’s rooms.

As I walked towards the door, I heard the sounds of metal against metal. Rider was sword fighting. I quietly opened the door just a bit and peeked into the room. Alex was sword fighting his sister. I waltzed into the room like I owned it, which my family did own it, and I watched them intently. Every liquid move Rider made Alex countered it was a fluid intensity of his own. Finally, Rider got in close enough to get a cut on his cheek, and they suddenly stopped.

“Looks like I win, brother,” Rider purred happily.

“You always do, but you cannot beat me at my own sport, sister,” Alex answered angrily.

“Yeah, um, I have a question,” I blurted. Both Rider and Alex jumped slightly with startled movements as they turned to me.

“I did not hear you come in Leo. What is it that you seek,” Rider asked in her old sounding tongue.

“Well, I wanted to start my class with you today in hopes of finishing early, and I have a private question for your brother,” I answered, adding a little hiss on the latter.

“What is it that you need to discuss,” Alex questioned skeptically.

“My sister,” I hissed. His lips formed a small smile, and his eyes began to sparkle. I could feel my face contort with anger.

“Yes, Autumn Rose. She is a wonderful student,” Alex whispered mostly to Rider who looked sickened by the very thought.

“The only reason you like her is because she reminds you of Jacqueline,” Rider snapped.

“Yeah, that’s a discussion for after I’m gone. Remember this Alex; if I find you in my sister’s room you will die,” I stated boldly. He rolled his eyes.

“Good luck. You can’t hit a target,” Alex spoke snidely.

“But you forget, Victor says I’m his star pupil and he hasn’t even trained me yet. I’ve beaten him at every one of his games, and I can certainly beat you,” I threatened as I began to walk out of the room.

“Wait, Leo, your lesson,” Rider shouted.

“I’ll come back in an hour. I’m going to sit with Rosie until Alex leaves for his meeting,” I answered as I made my way to the gardens.

Victor saw me coming, and he was watching me curiously. Rosie turned to see what Victor was staring at, and she nearly screamed from the look of pure anger on my face. “I’ll kill him if I see him again,” I hissed.

“Oh you didn’t,” Rosie cried.

“Oh but he did,” Victor stated proudly. “Alex is not one to be reckoned with, but then again I believe you can hold your own in that battle.”

“I want to know what he knows,” I stated bluntly.

“Ah, but you already do. How about I teach you some things that he doesn’t know? He is not good with out his sight, but you two could be ten times better,” Victor smiled evilly.

“I want to know everything,” I stated.

“As long as I still get trained, I’m in,” Rosie whispered.

And so the training began.