First day at the training yard. Ethan’s heart was pounding in his chest, but he kept his posture sturdy, confident. His father always told him that while there was no shame in feelings, men shouldn’t show them otherwise you might come across those who would either exploit them or think you’re weak. Both were a possibility in this situation and neither ideal.

 "I know you well," the head of the knights said after Ethan greeted him. It seemed he’d done so appropriately because the knight gave him a firm, masculine handshake in return. "If it weren't for you, I'm not sure I'd still be here. You managed to drive that beast away without even a second thought," he had a large grin on his face as he patted him on the shoulder. 

"Where did you even find it? Why was it following you?" Ethan cursed himself as the curiosity bubbled into his words.

His grin dropped and his face hardened as he leaned close to Ethan's face, he had to stand on his tip-toes to get eye to eye. "The princess may favor you now for what you've done for her and the prince, but I'd be careful about the sort of questions you ask out loud. That's my advice for you, because I like you."

Ethan thanked him for his consideration as he grit his teeth. That only made him want to question it further. The truth was bound to come out sooner or later. He believed that, whole heartedly, that everything gets brought to the light. Even the most heinous secrets.

Training was the hardest thing he'd had to do in his life. He'd come home, battered, bruised, sweat dripping down his face, and his limbs turned to jelly. There'd be the smell of burnt dinner in the air as he fell on the couch. "At least clean up before you sit down," Raymona would yell at him. "How many times do I have to say that?"

In the background he'd hear Bren complaining about eating dog food until a loud thud echoed in.

"Then cook your own damn food," followed by cursing from both of them. Until finally Bren would leave with a scowl on his face and a red mark on his cheek. "And feed the animals while you're at it, I'm sure the goats miss your pant legs."

Bren stomped his foot and growled, Ethan imagined steam coming from his red-hot face. 

Ethan sighed as he dragged himself off the couch, "I'll wash up now."

Raymona watched the scene between her boys with her hands clutched at her skirt and a pitiful look on her face. "I really spoiled those two. It's just, Vergil's always been so fragile and Bren...afterwards…."

He was surprised she even brought up Bren’s past. It was something always shrouded in mystery. From a time before he had yet to meet his brothers to be 'The event' occurred. Whatever it had been, apparently had long lasting effects on him. But from Ethan's point of view, when they'd met shortly after, he seemed perfectly fine. Or maybe it's what caused him to be a raging jerk, but he figured that was just something innate in him. 

It was like that for weeks, and despite being within the same castle as Amalia, he only managed to catch glimpses of her as she passed by. During a two second break while he guzzled down water she was walking by the large glass doors of a balcony which overlooked the training grounds. She smiled at him with such warmth that he felt as if he were being embraced. She charaded five o'clock then pointed toward a fountain. A huge smile spread across his face. He nodded fervently and felt even happier when his excitement caused her to giggle into her hand.

Against his back, he felt the burning gazes of the other knights-in-training. He turned to them, witnessing the jealousy in their eyes. There were fewer of them now than when they started, so many had dropped out. Those that were left, hated Ethan, and not just because of the favor granted by the Princess. It was because he was good. He picked up quickly every new thing that they were taught and he pushed himself harder than the rest. While they were all on the verge of begging for an end, he would ask for another round. The head of the knights had seemed pleasant company, and he was, but he didn’t go the least bit easy on them. He quite literally beat them down into the ground until they cried for mercy. Ethan had gained favor in his eyes as well.

Ethan turned his back on the other men, ignoring them, to look to Amalia once again, however she had already disappeared. No matter, he’d see her again in the evening. 

"I apologize that I have not come to greet you. As the Crown Princess I have much work to do, I hadn’t realized how hard my brother had been working," Amalia looked downward at her feet, red eyelashes fluttering. Ethan couldn’t help the blush crawling up his neck. She looked back up at him with a glint in her golden eyes as if she were watching him like a tiger stalking her prey. He shook his mind of the thought, the Princess was a sweet young lady and even thinking such a thing was disrespectful.

"There’s no need for the apology, I’m grateful that you’ve even given me the honor of meeting me privately." Though privately was not exactly the word. Her handmaiden, Vivi, was sitting on the opposite side of the fountain. After all, it would be inappropriate for a lady, especially, the Princess, to be alone with a man.

"Honor?" She gently touched her fingers to his bicep. "But we are friends now, aren’t we?"

"I feel like I haven't done much to earn your friendship."

She stared silently at him for a moment before giving him a strange look, "Why are you being overly modest for?"

"What, no, I don't think-"

"Either that or you don't think saving my brother's life is of any import."

Ethan stood up frantically, "That hadn't been what I meant. It's just that being one's friend requires more than a good deed, no matter how wonderful a feat that deed was." A flush spread across his cheeks at the self-boast. Well, it really wasn't so much of a boast as it was a fact. If any one else had done what he had, he'd be thinking he was the greatest hero ever. But Ethan had always played the part of the modest boy- it paid to be this way- that it felt almost like he was breaking his 'character' to admit that he'd done anything amazing. He had though.