Poison Rose(Roses & Kings #1)

Reyna

"Wake up Rey or you'll be late again! I really don't know what to do with you,come on get your lazy bony behind out of this bed, Now!" God! She really need an ear plugs, Reyna tugged back the heavy covering of her bedding that was rudely pulled away back over her head. shivering! It is so cold, the autumnal rain has been falling for days.

Marlenia has it worse,not that she's been to any other places. But she really doesn't want to go anywhere, or do anything today. She haven't slept properly in two days. Mary, their trainer had been hard on all of them, but especially her. Reyna was bone tired, she feels depleted.

Her Nana won't let her sleep,not when she thinks Reyna might be in trouble with her mother if she overslept. Her Nana's voice has always been soft and warm,she's a short rounded bubbly woman, who adores her.

But in the morning her voice always sounds loud and screeching and she makes a mess of the room all in the name of cleaning. Reyna suspect her Nana intentionally makes it that way, she knows Reyna could never go back to sleep with so much noise.

Nana comes and stands at the foot of the bed, pulling the covers she'd just pinned down with her weight. They began a tug of war over the covers, her head and body still wrapped in the warmth of heavy cotton. This is something they had done all their lives, on most days Reyna won. Today is one of those days after a few minutes of fighting over the covers her Nana finally gives up, she is panting heavily,she throws her hands up exasperated.

"Get up now,you stubborn girl, if you don't want your mother to make an example of you,or do you? Today's the third. You really don't want to be late and call attention to yourself like last time,and you have training at mid-day. It is almost time for you to complete your training,and you know what that means, tardiness will only make her think you are not ready and then you'll have to repeat the year, or is that what you want?"

God No!

Calling attention to herself with the entire Queendom to witness her humiliation, that is the last thing Reyna want. After what had happened the last time, she doesn't think she will survive another humiliation. Thinking about how she was whipped in front of everyone three months ago when she had been late to the ceremony.

Had her cheeks flushed with shame. She definitely can't bear it, if she is held back while the rest of the girls graduate. Can you imagine the princess repeating the whole year? It will be the most shameful thing that she'd ever have done in her life. And her mother, the Queen will literally die of embarrassment. After which she'll make Reyna's life more difficult and miserable than it already is. Grudgingly Reyna gave up her soft, warm bed and got out of the bed.

"You're right Nana I hate the attention, I'd better get ready, I don't want to get scolded for being late again." If that's the only thing, she wouldn't have cared about getting there late, but Cassandra had a way of inventing new ways to humiliate her. It was then that Reyna remembered what happened the night before.

"Nana, is my mother okay?"

"Why won't she be?" Nana Maria said flippantly. Then she recall the events of last night. And amended.

"Oh. About last night. I told you she's okay, I saw her leave the castle a little while ago." Nana said averting her gaze, her cheeks were flushed. Reyna was relieved to hear that, she really thought Cassandra was sick-with the moans, groans and screams. She had never heard or seen her like that, she thought she had contracted something, a virus maybe. Even if she'd never heard or seen anybody screaming and moaning in that way before.

Reyna stretches and yawns loudly, her stomach grumbling, when she sees the plates of breakfast of bread,boiled eggs, ham, and a banana laid down on the table. She immediately went and sat down scarfing the food as If she hadn't eaten in a month. If her mother was here she'd be aghast, her face would be scrunched in disgust.

Reyna hasn't been eating properly for days thinking of the graduation to come. She force herself to chew, thanking God for the simple fact that Cassandra's always never around at this time. While she eat. Her Nana goes about her business as always, throwing more woods into the fireplace to wade of the morning cold. Folding Reyna's clothes, making the bed etc, just as she's always done as far back as Reyna could remember, she's the only constant in her life.

Her Nana Maria is in her early fifties, but she's still as strong as an ox. She's very energetic. She's been Reyna's Nanny since she was a baby, she's been more of a mother to her than a nanny. And cares more about Reyna than the woman whom had bore her. Sometimes Reyna secretly wish she were her real mom she knows her Nana Maria loves her like a daughter and Reyna love her equally. Their bond is more of a mother and her daughter who also consider each other as friends,than of a mistress and her servant.

"When you are done eating,please come sit so I can entangle that bed nest you like to call hair. Today is a day where all the citizens would be present. And you need to look your best, not look like a homeless urchin."

Reyna giggles with her mouth full, and stands up to hug her, Nana's the only thing that brings her joy in this dreadful existence. With so much expectations, both from her mother and the citizens of Marlenia on her shoulders. She sometimes forgets what it really feels like to be free and happy, her childhood days seem so far away.

Especially lately with the graduation day around the corner. Her trainer is being even more of an asshole. Reyna's unwillingness to beat the reigning champion to within an inch of her life, is considered a weakness.

Naturally her mother thinks it's all Nana's fault, that she had pampered Reyna. Made her weak, with her attention. Instead of doing her job as a maid and nanny, and leaving the job of mothering Reyna to her! Gah! As if she knew the first thing of being a mother.

Reyna remembers the last time she had talked to Cassandra two days ago. When she came to see her train with the other girls. Reyna and another girl Chloe were about to spar when Cassandra arrived. Her dozens of guards trailing behind her at a safe distance. They were standing in the middle of the training grounds at the time, Reyna and Chloe were the top fighters of this year's batch, and have known each other for years but had only become friends two years ago. Cassandra had stopped the fight before they could even begin. In turn she made Reyna fight the reigning champion Lisa,who was also Reyna's childhood friend.

They were told to fight hard and make it real, so that's what they did. They had fought hard,and struck fast and brutal. Lisa had experience and she fights dirty. In the end they were both bloody and there was no winner. They were tied. Reyna had held back her punches; she wasn't being arrogant.

But she knew the truth. While Lisa's bigger and taller than her, Reyna's faster than her and she watches her opponent like a predator watches it prey, finding out weaknesses and tells. Her quick reflex has always given her an added edge over her opponents.

As a princess her mother had always wanted her to be the best at everything. so she trained harder than all the other girls ,double the time the other girls trained. Trying hard to be perfect for her, to earn her mother's approval. Lisa knows she can't beat Reyna in a fair fight even with her two years experience fighting as a Rose. Not that she's not a formidable opponent.

Reyna had always been on the offensive rather than the defending. She always throws the first punch, and never holds back. She's good at fighting. But just because Reyna's good at it, doesn't mean she likes hurting people. She never shied away from a fight with one of the girls, as long as it was training and wasn't for her mother's amusement.

But today she was defending rather than attacking,hesitating. Because Reyna couldn't stop remembering Lisa as the laughing little girl she'd been, instead of this new woman who is a stranger to her. She might be the best fighter in the entire Queendom. But Reyna's also not the girl she was two years ago, she'd trained harder than the girls in her class. Fought her way through the batch until her reputation built. The only other person that goes almost head to head with her is Chloe, the girl really knows how to fight.

Lisa's a few years older than Reyna.

Before she joined the Sisterhood of the Red Roses two years ago,she was Reyna's best friend, until she wasn't. She's a Rose now, a stranger who would go to any length for power. Reyna had heard she's one of the girls sent to the outside world, she'd also heard Lisa was one of two survivors out of seven Roses sent to the outside world months ago.

It really saddens her to realize that the girl she knew is no longer there, if she were still her friend,she'd have told Reyna herself. Reyna was just glad Lisa survived whatever had attacked and killed the other roses.

It was no surprise that both Reyna's mother and trainer were furious with her after the fight ended, they knew she hadn't fought as hard as she could. But they didn't reprimand her. They couldn't! They were all to be given the same treatment,for the Queen to show her displeasure because her daughter couldn't beat her opponent. Means favoritism, and that she's not the fair Queen she is said to be. And to prove she's neutral, when Lisa comes to pay her respect, she smiles at Lisa and shakes her hand. Knowingly encouraging more gossip from the other girls,throwing pitiful looks at Reyna.

Lisa's smile was smug, they chatted for quite some time, and then to Reyna's disbelief, she extended her an invitation to Reyna's birthday dinner that was to take place in three days. Reyna knows since Lisa is part of the roses even without Cassandra inviting her, she's duty bound to attend. Which was why she didn't let herself feel bad about it.

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