Underneath (ON HOLD)

After riding on the horse until dusk hit, I took him back to the stables and went to my room to take a bath. Anne suddenly burst in, looking pale and in shock.

"Miss! the king wants to see you in his study immediately", she said, looking nervous.

I frowned. "Now?" I asked her. 

"Yes, now miss," she said while picking out a dress for me to wear.

                                                     ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~ 

Thirty minutes later, after a hot bath and a tense dressing situation, I was standing in the king's office, with him facing the windows. 

"You might have some idea of why I called you here Lillith", said the king without turning to look at me.

"Forgive me your highness, I have as to no clue to why you've called me here", I replied back, trying to keep my temper in check.

The king chuckled, "Fiesty, that's good", he said finally turning to look at me.

"I have two important issues to discuss with you," He said.

"I hope they won't be about my loyalty or any trust issues, your majesty", I asked.

"Unfortunately, I just need to know myself," He said. I internally sighed and told him the exact same story I had told everyone else. He nodded at me and proceeded to sit in his chair.

"The next issue I have is that the soldiers might not respect you as you are a woman. So I suggest you dress as a man for the remainder of the time you teach our elite." He said.

"I'm only teaching a select number of soldiers and not your entire army?" I asked him.

"No, no! Goodness no, that would take too much time, you would only be teaching the elite, consisting of our kingdom's best men, and of course, Prince Alex will be monitoring your sessions. 

"So how much time are you expecting I'd teach them for?" I asked him, hoping for at least a year.

"I'm expecting for at least six months, would that be enough time?" He asked me.

"I'll have to see, but for them to be properly trained it would take at least a year. And since I'm not a professional myself, it would take longer", I told him in an apologetic tone.

"Hmm, I would have to discuss that with the war council", He said.

Seeing this as an opportunity, I asked, "Maybe I could be of use your highness? If I could attend the meetings-"

Suddenly the king began chuckling. "Lillith, though you may be trained well in the art of the sword, it takes a lot of years of commitment and experience to advise council in a war dear." He said and dismissed me from the room.

I walked outside its office and slumped in one of the seating couches outside the room. I have to delay this as long as possible. This would give Elgar the advantage. I sighed.

"Something wrong?" A familiar voice from behind me. I jumped up and turned around, caught off guard. It was Alex. Of course.

"What do you want, your highness?" I asked him sarcastically.

He leaned against the pillar next to him, crossing his legs while smirking at me.

"Just wanted to see how my favorite army instructor was doing" He said

I walked towards him so I was right in front of him. "It's too bad I'm your only army instructor. What would you have done if you had another?"

Leaning towards my ear he whispered,"Then I wouldn't have bothered to come all this way", his lips brushing against my ear.

I shuddered, his voice giving me chills. This had to stop, I hated not being in control.

I pulled back to look at him, offering him a little smirk of my own.

"Why, your highness, you came all this way for me?" I asked him, though I would be lying if I wasn't just a little bit curious.

He suddenly took a step toward me, probably expecting me to take one back. But my pride getting in the way, I took a step forward too and we were almost touching. 

"So what if I did?" He said in a low voice.

I licked my lips, my eyes straying from his to his lips for a millisecond.

He leaned in, his green eyes staring into my own while I found myself doing the same. 

Suddenly a guard came through the doors of the King's office.

"Your highness the King is ready to see you now-er" His eyes widened, taking in our close proximity, and looked away.

So he didn't come here to see me. While my heart sunk a little, I glared at him.

"Prick" I muttered walking away to the main hall as he chuckled.