After a few moments I remembered why he was here. The pull ups. My heart sank. Doubly so when I noticed how cold and distant his eyes were towards me. Instinctively my feet stopped. I knew this was coming since that meeting but actually experiencing it was another matter. We were at the barracks. This was all just a show but try telling that to your poor little heart. After a deep breath, I joined them. “Heinrick,” I smiled kindly at him before turning a glare at Eclis. Two can play that game. It didn’t appear to have any affect though.

“He’s here to see your progress lass. Donna disappoint him will ya?” Whenever Heinrick was angry, or happy, he fell into a thicker brogue. While he wasn’t smiling, the laugh lines around his eyes were. Out of the three of us he was the only one enjoying himself.

“Then, shall we?” It didn’t escape my notice that the knights were currently off the field. Normally, training would be in full swing this early in the morning. Instead, they had this morning off, and we passed many of them in the halls. They were meant to see this.

Our silent walk to the gym gave me plenty of time to guess at what they were planning with this display. I very well could’ve fulfilled this promise in the relative safety of the palace, away from prying eyes. Instead, I had to suffer through this awkward ‘we don’t like each other’ atmosphere. This was either a practice run for us acting coldly to each other, or this was intended to send a message to the Dominion, though what sort of message in particular still escaped me.

Once we entered the gym, my immediate problem changed. We walked to the far wall where the pull up bars were. The door had closed behind us, but half the room was windows overlooking the training fields. Scanning the fields and pews turned up nothing, though I knew the knights were skilled enough that someone like me would never spot them if they didn’t want me to.

“Then Jasmine, lets see your progress.” Eclis’ voice was ice cold and distant. His eyes held nothing but apathy for me. My immediate reaction was to glare back at him. Alphonse was right. When I’d discussed this plan with him about Eclis treating me like all his previous Roses his first concern was that I’d struggle to handle facing rejection like this. Objectively I knew it was all pretend but seeing someone with such apathy towards you after you’d gotten to know them as a friend? My chest tightened. Be strong Jazz. You can do this.

“This is the most awkward exercise I’ve ever had to do.” I forced a grin.

I took position under the bar, but my arms wouldn’t move to grab it. “Could you like, not stare at me like that?”

“I’m looking at you like I normally do.” Heinrick answered.

“Not you. Honestly, this is really uncomfortable.”

“Why are you grinning if you’re uncomfortable?” Once again my first reaction was to snap back. Fortunately, I kept that under control and focused instead on mimicking his mask.

“Forcing a smile is a way to trick your mind. You can force it not to focus on how uncomfortable you are, and if you’re sad you can force your mood to change to.” My brows came together in a glare, “And you staring like that is making me uncomfortable. I’m not a performing monkey.”

“If I can’t look at you, how am I supposed to see you uphold your end of the bargain?” For a moment, his mask slipped, and I saw the corner of his mouth twitch up. The pent up uneasiness began to ebb away. Right, this really is just pretend. That is still Eclis.

I changed my demeanor. My awkward grin was replaced with a teasing one. The tension I was holding in my limbs released. “I said I’d do the pull ups, I never said you were allowed to look.”

I kept my teasing demeanor and didn’t shy away from Eclis’ eyes this time. Vaguely I wondered what this scene looked like to the knights watching. It certainly was entertaining Heinrick. He was failing spectacularly at controlling his grin.

“Where can I look then?” His mask was too perfect. His voice was still ice cold and distant and it was hard to feel like he was actually conversing with me rather than at me.

“At my feet.” Heinrick couldn’t contain his laughter. I didn’t wait to see if Eclis would comply either. Instead, I hopped up on the bars and began my sets, my cheeks flushing from embarrassment. The food in this world truly was magic. There was no way a normal human could go from three measly pull ups to thirty in the span of two weeks, or if there was, there was no way I could ever have accomplished that without help. I was never making a silly bet like this again though, that I was certain of. My arms shook when I finally dropped my weight again.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Glaring at him was the only way I’d manage to face him. It was good we were ‘practicing’ right now. My god I couldn’t imagine having to deal with this for the first time at the palace. “You’ve improved quickly from three and a half.” I faltered. It almost seemed like he was trying to joke, but it sounded SO out of place with his cold demeanor. My eyes softened. This is still Eclis.

“Three and a half is pretty impressive for my first time to I might add.”

“Is it? I must be expecting too much of my knights then!” Heinrick laughed.

“Hey! Look at these muscles I have now! Impressive right?” I flexed my biceps revealing a slight silhouette of a muscle there.

“You’re positively dangerous looking.” Me and Heinrick grinned at each other. We’d spent enough time around each other that he was beginning to feel more like a friend than simply a trainer.

With that hurdle passed they invited me to have breakfast with them instead of continuing with training. I gladly welcomed the distraction. Heinrick opened the door, entering the hall before us. As I approached Eclis offered his elbow to escort me. For once I refused him. It was odd enough when Eclis was acting normal, right now there was no way I could accept. While I was beginning to recognize his behavior as simply an act it was still hard react to him with a semblance of normalcy. We walked the rest of the way to the palace in welcome silence. Alphonse was waiting for us at the door.

“Master, Madam.” Alphonse’s eyes scanned me, and he appeared to make his own assessment of how things went. The man was very perceptive, I almost expected him to be able to read our minds. “Breakfast is served in the garden hall, this way.”

The garden hall was part of one of the palaces grand ballrooms but it was a rather far trek from the entrance. We had to go down the hall on the first floor to its end. It was an arched domed room made entirely of glass and according to Maybella it was one of the original features of the palace, though it had to be rebuilt after the uprising. The hall was attached to the original ballroom of the palace as well, though compared to its successor it was small and modest. The floors were made of very old wood that was well kept, with only once small place slightly discoloured from its historical near demise. Inside the glass banquet hall, the morning sun had cast a beautiful glow upon the table.

“Why this room?” The kitchens were no where near here, and until today none of us had used it.

Heinrick bent down to whisper in my ear where his lips could not be read, “Today is in preparation for when you two enter the palace.” He chuckled seeing the look of disappointment that crossed my face. How long would I have to suffer? Ugh. The glass dome was visible to the knights and everyone outside.

I certainly didn’t eat at much as I normally did but after an entire morning reminding myself that all of this was an act, I was beginning to adjust. It was amazing how adaptable one could become with these things. The moment breakfast was over I stood to leave completely forgetting Etiquette. If one party were to leave the table all parties must stand. The sound of chairs scraping against the ground made me burst out in laughter. “Today has been incredibly awkward for me, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to retire for the rest of the day.” I left without waiting for their consent. Even if they didn’t give it to me, it wasn’t like I was going to listen anyways.

Alphonse oddly enough joined me on my way to my rooms and when Maybella opened the door for me, he followed me in. Inside, Misa and Maybella had set a table full of my favourite tiny sandwiches and pastries, fruits and nuts and I could smell the tea Ethan had introduced me to steeping. “What’s this?”

“We thought you could use some cheering up.” Misa spoke brightly and it brought a smile to my face. Since they were my personal maids I had told them about the plan in the palace, since they were to come with me anyways. Alphonse likely told them about the ‘trail run’ that I didn’t know was happening today.

“Thank you.” This did do wonders to my mood. I sat down and found the appetite I’d lost while suffering through breakfast. “So, Alphonse, I take it you had something you wanted?”

“Yes Madam.” He stood just to the left of the chair opposite me.

“Then continue please.”

“I will be joining you and Master on the journey to the palace.” I wasn’t surprised. Normally, the butler of a palace never left, though that wasn’t the case with Alphonse. Eclis treated him as his trusted assistant, leaving tasks normally meant for his vassals to Alphonse in the book. The palace practically ran itself given how experienced the staff here were. Ba’alings were not immortal, but they certainly lived centuries longer than humans and Alphonse was especially long lived among them. He regarded me steadily, carefully picking out his next words. “I do hope you’ll rely on me while we are there.”

“Pardon?”

“Today will leak rumours of you and master’s relationship throughout the capital. This will provide you a layer of protection, yes, but that does not remove your pawn from the chessboard.” He deftly poured the tea that I hadn’t noticed finish steeping into my cup, filling it with cream and sugar exactly how I liked it. “Eclis will be unable to stay by your side, and as of right now, you have no ladies in waiting.”

“Do you intend to accompany me then?”

“If that is what you wish.” He bowed. A smirk coloured my cheeks. Alphonse took his role as butler very seriously. He would not ‘order’ or demand anything of me. Instead, he developed a roundabout way of letting you know what he wanted.

“Sure. It’ll be me and you against the world.”

“I wouldn’t put it so boldly your highness.” My smirk turned into a smile.

“It certainly feels that way though. Oh, actually. Can you inform Sir Michael that I’ll be visiting him tomorrow? He’ll know what its about.” Alphonse bowed and left.