Four years later...
"that's all for today Elaka. You seem to be slipping. You're probably too tired" mother smiled as I nodded and walked out of the room, letting my legs carry me wherever.
She had just finished giving me a lesson on magic.
Nothing too dangerous or exciting though.
Just minor things that I don't know won't save me in the face of danger.
The magic mom taught me consisted of lifting small objects and bringing them to myself.
That and fixing dresses and other useless talents I don't want to think of at the moment.
"you look awfully bored. Fortunately for you, I'm here to lighten your mood" Zack stood beside me with a mischievous smile on his face that almost reached his blue eyes.
I knew I could always count on him to lighten my mood.
Zack has grown to become my best friend over the years.
When he had snuck into this place, he wasn't an assassin or a spy but an outcast and it made me feel sorry for him.
He was a human who was cursed and turned into some kind of half wolf, half human hybrid.
For that, he was sent away.
Even his own parents sent him away so he was basically on his own for the most while.
He never really had anywhere to go so when he saw the walls of our home, he climbed it thinking it was abandoned.
That was why the guards thought he was a threat.
Father on the other hand saw it as an opportunity.
Father then made him my personal bodyguard and had him trained in the art of combat.
His training gave him an attractive body.
Zack wasn't skin and bones anymore. Now, he had muscles that added to his good looks.
He has a much higher rank than all our other servants and was better dressed than them.
He even has a room close to mine should anything happen.
Father said it's best if he doesn't stand out in case anything happens.
He needed to look like he was one of us.
Having him dressed like a guard and moving around with me would automatically make him a target and he couldn't have that since he was guarding something precious.
His exact words.
He had become a little too attached to me after I got struck by lightning and became the Khamatu.
He didn't hide the fact that I was his favorite now.
Anyways, Zack was stone faced and expressionless at first mostly because of fear but after a while he loosened up and became my one and only friend.
He is a really nice person to talk to and always knew how to make me laugh.
But he was also dangerous when he was annoyed.
"oh, my hero (!)" I pretended to swoon and we both laughed as we walked out of the castle.
"how have you been?" I stood on my tippy toes and ruffled his black hair.
He would always grumble whenever I did that but that didn't stop me.
"I was having an amazing time stuffing my face with cakes until I got yelled at to do my job and be focused. I couldn't even finish what I'd started" he basically whined like a child.
We went to our favorite spot in the gardens and sat.
To make it up to him, I had some servants bring cakes and sweets for us as well as juice.
While they were at it, I also told them to bring a book from the library.
It's a miracle he wasn't fat due to all the eating he was doing. We picked up small talk while we ate.
Nothing too serious though.
There wasn't anything too serious to talk about. Just me complaining about my boring life.
I know I should be grateful for what I have and I am.
But I just wished my life would be a little bit different and have a little more spice to it.
The servants finally brought the food and Zack didn't wait another second.
He dug in like it was his last meal.
Typical of him. While he ate, I opened up the book and began reading.
"well, You two really are predictable" Anaka made her way towards us with an irritated look on her face.
She had become somewhat distant with me.
The bond we had wasn't there before.
She was even meaner than before.
When she found out Zack was my personal guard, she almost lost it.
She wailed to father saying she needed a guard as well but he overlooked it as well.
He had made her stop lessons as well since he was mostly focusing on me.
I honestly envied her.
She got to spend afternoons the way she wanted doing whatever made her happy.
If only we could swap places.
"could you not eat like a pig? It's disgusting" she glared at Zack but he simply ignored her and continued with his meal.
He really wasn't affected by her snarky remarks.
"What did you come here to do? I know you're not so kind hearted to spend time with me" I forced a smile to annoy her.
"I heard father say prince Javan is going to be at the upcoming ball as well as every son and daughter of nobles. You may have the powers of the Khamatu or whatever but stay away from Javan. He's my one and only prince" she glared into my eyes.
We usually see him at sophisticated parties and what not. It's something I'm used to.
He wasn't exactly my type.
Yes, he did look like a prince but his attitude. There was just something that was off about him.
He was arrogant and felt the need to prove he was strong any chance he got; with or without me asking.
That was a little too much for me to handle.
"please; you can have him. I've got Zack" I playfully winked and pretended I was in love.
He caught on and played along with me.
"I should expect nothing more. You both are made for each other. I won't be surprised if you married this outcast and you both had ugly babies"
"said the girl who used to practically watch me train every day. Don't act like you never had little feelings for me" Zack flashed her a confident smirk that made her go red with embarrassment.
When Zack was getting his mojo back, she had occasionally mentioned he was good looking and it was such a shame he was a servant.
She also said he had a face of royalty. Which is totally true.
"That's weird, did you say you had interest in Javan?" I cupped my head with my right hand and looked at her expectantly.
"o-of course I do. Zack was just to while away time. And besides that, was before I had seen Javan in his full glory" she swooned and she recollected the first time they met.
What she sees in him, I will never know.
Besides his face there was nothing too special about him.
"if you say so princess" Zack rolled his eyes sarcastically.
Anaka huffed and walked away, leaving us to bask in the glorious sound of silence. It felt nice as she went away.
"Speaking of which, what was this ball for? I haven't been told too much about it" he poured juice from a pitcher and into a cup as he waited for me to talk.
"Well, father hasn't said too much about it either, but nobles are going to be there and something about it being special but it would be nothing more than them being snobs throughout" I wouldn't even call that a party.
It was just a fancy gathering that is usually dreadfully dull.
But fortunately, Zack will be with me to lighten the mood.
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