CHAPTER 1
PAin shot through Sophie's Leg. After hours of practicing, her pale pink gown was ripped and muddy. "You'll have to work a lot harder than that, Princess." Sophie was tired of everyone calling her princess. But Oralie was now Queen, so she had no choice. "Yeah, well maybe I could run a lot faster if you didn't insist I have to wear heels ."
Sandor rolled his eyes and shrugged " Grizel wears heels all the time, and so does Mila."
Sophie glared at him. " Yeah, well your daughter is basically Biana." Before turning back towards her target. After throwing a couple of daggers at it, and hitting the mark perfectly, she turned to Sandor and gave him a Triumphant smile. He scowled at her. "If you are ever going to get the Orb of Truth, Then you are going to need more than good aim" Sophie grinned.
"So you admit I have good aim?"
Sandor growled. Suddenly a noise came from the north side of the clearing. Sophie dropped her weapons and ran towards it. Sandor just gripped his sword harder. " What are you doing?" He shouted at Sophie.
But she ignored him. "Keefe! What are you doing here?" He stood up and dusted off his blue Jerkin. "Watching you."
Sophie rolled her eyes. "And that's not creepy at all." Keefe grinned and was about to respond when Sandor cut in.
"What were you thinking, Sophie! You didn't know it was Keefe!"
Sophie smiled "Yes, I did. I could sense him from a mile away." Sandor sighed. "Well at least stop flirting. I only have 10 days to train you.
Keefe added in " And me." Sandor and Sophie both turned to him.
" What?" Sophie asked.
"That's the reason I came here. I'm going with you, Foster. And I won't take no for an answer."
CHAPTER 2
Sophie should have known Keefe would do something like this.
"No, Keefe."
"I said that I won't take ‘no’ for an answer, Princess Sophie," was Keefe's response.
Sophie glared at him and decided to use being a princess to her advantage.
"Then I order you to stay home by… Ummm… Royal Decree."
Keefe whistled. "Well now, you're really taking your part, aren't you?"
Sophie sighed. It was impossible to get anywhere with him. Noticing her look of defeat, Keefe came and sat beside her.
"I can't let you go alone. After all, if you are going on a quest to find the other councilors so you won't be a princess, then so be it. But I will go with you."
Sophie smiled and started to say thank you when she realized what he had said. "I am not going on a quest so I won't be a princess, because I'm not even a princess!! Oralie isn't the Queen! She's The Imperium Rectrix or whatever."
"The Imperious Rectrix. And you’re the Imperious Regia."
"What?"
"Imperious means ‘in power’. Rectrix means ‘female leader’."
Sophie rolled her eyes. "I meant what is my title?"
"Imperious Regia. Regia means princess, Princess Foster." Keefe winked at her.
Sophie sighed. "So what if I don't want to be this all-powerful being because they don't have enough patience to vote in 11 new Councilors? If I get the Councilors back, Then—"
"You'll still be a Princess, Foster," Keefe interrupted.
Sophie turned to him. "You’re joking, right?"
"Nope. Sorry, Foster, but haven't you seen the change around here with Oralie ruling everything? Do you seriously think that people will trade that in for everyone else, who have been failing for centuries? And here I thought you wanted to be able to date Fitz without Matchmaking restrictions. Sophie, right now you aren't Unmatchable."
The words knocked Sophie back a second. She wasn't Unmatchable. Finally, she answered.
"So you don't think I should find the councillors?"
"No, you totally should, but just saying, you’re not going to stop being Princess Foster anytime soon."
Suddenly a familiar squeaky voice said behind them. "Have you made a decision yet, princess? Cause here I thought that we only have ten days to train and prepare you!" Sandor looked serious. Then Sophie remembered something important. No, not something. Someone.
"Fitz," Sophie said, looking at the ground.
Keefe looked at the ground too, as though he had made the same realization. Then the worst thing that could have happened at that moment happened.
A crisp accented voice filled the clearing.
"You looking for me?"
Oooooooh