The Knight's Princess

Chapter 8

After the competition, news of Azaria's success in the Semi-Annual Advancement Competition traveled throughout the kingdom. Everyone was applauding Azaria on her success, but she remained humble throughout. Naliyah, on the other hand, was unconcerned. Naliyah, you see, was displeased with the way Azaria was receiving all of the attention.

“So you’re popular now huh?”

“Are you mad?”

“No but just remember that if it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t even be in the spot light that you’re in right now”

Azaria started having visions again after Naliyah left. Images of the goddess Sahar hovering over someone's floating body, the ceiling collapsing, the ground trembling, people fleeing, and so on. The visions came to her in pieces, like a puzzle that needed to be put together. Fortunately, the headaches caused by the vision weren't too bad this time. When the visions stopped, she felt disoriented and dizzy. So Azaria took her time getting ready and was about to head to training when she was surprised with a tap on the shoulder. It startled her to the point where she grabbed the mystery person's arm and flung them over her shoulder, landing flat on their back. She didn't realize she'd just flipped Prince Alonza.

“Oh my gosh I am so sorry. I didn’t know you were the one that was behind me.”

“Do you flip all your suiters on their backs?”

“No I do not, my mind was somewhere else and I was startled when you touched my shoulder.”

“My apologies for startling you. That was not my intentions.”

Azaria helped prince Alonza off the floor and dusted him off.

“Anyways what are you doing here?”

“Well my father came to finalize the Marriage agreement with father King Hashu. So I decided to tag along and surprise my wife to be.”

Azaria started to blush and smile from Prince Alonza’s sweet gesture. After their sweet exchange Azaria decided to take prince Alonza to the training grounds where she was heading. Once arrived everyone immediately stopped to see who the princess brought to visit the training grounds. Instructor Gail walked up to confront Azaria about bringing visitors to the training grounds.

“Azaria! You know how I feel about visitors in my training area!”

“I know Gail but this is Prince Alonza my fiancé”

“Oh you’re the one I have been hearing about”

“All good things I hope”

“Well since you’re here you might as well join my training session today. Here are some extra training clothes they should fit.” Prince Alonza just stood there in confusion because in his mind he didn’t come to train he came to spend time with Azaria.

“What? You to fancy to fight?”

“No I’m not I always train back home”

“Then get changed and show us what you got prince Alonza”

“Fine I will”

Prince Alonza got change to train with everyone. He felt a little awkward at first because it was so sudden for him. Azaria gave him some reassurance that he will do just fine and that gave him some motivation to just go with the flow and put his all into it. Since the prince was their guest and didn’t want to keep him for to long Gail decided to have a practice match just to see what the prince is made of. Their her way of testing his worth and if he is worthy for princess Azaria for she is the strongest in the kingdom but she wont tell her that. So she chose to put him up against the second strongest which was Nkosi. Which he was happy to participate for he was not feeling the prince at all.

“Nkosi verses Prince Alonza!”

“I wont go easy on you because you’re the prince and marrying my best friend”

“That’s fine by me, it wouldn’t be fun if you did”

This was a practice in sword fighting so the guys chose their practice swords. The swords were filed down til they were dull for that way you are practice with a real sword but wont severely hurt someone in the process. Nkosi and prince Alonza took their stance and Nkosi made the first move by charging at him aiming for Alonza’s head. Alonza countered with his sword by blocking Nkosi’s strike and gave him an elbow to the gut. However with Nkosi’s quick reflexes he jumped back to lessen the damage and recovered back to his fighting stance.

“You’re pretty good for a prince”

“I told you I practice a lot back at home”

“Well lets see if you can keep it up your highness”

Nkosi charges at prince Alonza again only this time Nkosi jumped over Alonza when the prince tried to strike and slashed the prince from behind sending prince Alonza flying forward hitting the ground face first.

“Oh is that all you got prince? I thought there be more to you then this”

“I’m just getting started don’t count me out just yet”

As both charged at each other blow for, swords clashing as they were trying to see who is the strongest. When both were going for their final blow instructor Gail stepped in.

“That’s enough you two, the practice match is over”

Once their adrenaline levels started to calm down they both shook hands and gave each other that nod of respect for each other’s skills and abilities.

“Not bad for a prince, we should do this again some next time you come to visit”

“Thank you, and sure that would be fun”

Meanwhile King Remond from the Rose thorn kingdom and King Hashu were finishing up finalizing the marriage agreement to secure an alliance with each other’s nations.

“So now that we are all set with the treaty how about I show you around the castle”

“I would be delited”

As King Hashu was giving King Remond a tour of the castle grounds Azaria, prince Alonza, Nkosi, and even Naliyah was finishing up training when Azaria had another vision come to her and this time it revealed all. The memories that were coming back came in one big cluster. So much of her memories were flooding back that it almost split open her brain for it was going into overload. Azaria screamed in pain that her powers started to come out on their own and started to attack anyone that came near her.

Naliyah ran to go get the King and Queen while Nkosi and Alonza try to figure out how to calm Azaria down. As the two were trying everything to get through to Azaria the King and Queen arrived on the scene. Queen quickly put a barrier around Azaria so her powers wont hurt anyone. Soon after the barrier was put Azaria’s bracelet activated and absorbed some of her powers and she began to calm down then once completely calm she passed out and was taken to the medical center.

“Hey! How are you feeling?”

“Dizzy, and my head is killing me?

“Well take it easy ok, you had everyone worried”

“Where’s my mom and dad?”

“They’re right outside, I’ll go get them for you” The doctor proceeded to open the door for the King and Queen; however Azaria was not happy.

“Hey honey” as the Queen was reaching to hug her, Azaria pushed Queen Nova away.

“Why would you do that to your mother?”

“Because I remember everything, so tell me mom why would you take my memories away”