09

Chapter 7

-Do You Understand?-

I woke up with a sore body and a heavy ass arm wrapped around my waist. I look around to see we are still in my room. I know the moment Erik is awake. "You need to have someone come fix my room and don't have them install cameras either Northman."

With the strength of Nyx, Moon Goddess, and all things holy, I got out of my bed as my body screamed not to.

"Can we not argue?"

"I haven't argued at all and I need to get ready for dinner so leave."

"Ryan-"

"Please leave Erik."

Without another word, Erik gets out of bed slowly before walking stiffly out the door.

At least I'm not the only one who hurts.

I close the door behind him and went to take a shower before dinner.

45 minutes late...

I walk down to the dinning hall, where everyone was chattering away. It all stopped the moment I entered the hall. I scanned the room for Lindsay, who was sitting at the main table. I walked to the table when all of a sudden I hear this patter of feet. I smile before I'm engulfed by the legs and arms of my spidermonkey.

"Hedi! I miss you!"

"Hi my little spidermonkey! I missed you too."

She stepped back with a pout and tears swelling in her eyes, "Why did you leave me?"

My heart broke for this little girl. I was the mother and the sister she never got and I left.

"I'm so sorry spidermonkey. I needed to leave."

When her head tilts down trying to hold her tears, "But, I will be here for a little while. And even when I go back home, you can come visit me, I'll come back to visit you, and we will facetime everyday, ok?"

I wait a few seconds until her head lifts back up and she tosses her arms around my neck, "You promise?"

"I promise with all my heart and soul spidermonkey."

I hug her one more time. I grab her hand to walk to our seats. I stop when I see the most beautiful 5 year old sitting at another table with Mariam. I can instantly tell it's his; she is the spitting image of Erik.

"Where is her mother?"

"She left a long time ago."

That bitch.

"Why isn't she sitting at the same table as her father?"

"She is fine where she is. Come sit my Queen."

There was a warning in his voice, but his answer did nothing, but make me mad. That little girl had no say in the matter of whom she was born from.

His ass needs to man up.

I gestured for my little spidermonkey to take her seat. I walk over to Mariam and the little girl.

"Mariam, you are relieved. Please go enjoy your dinner."

She smiles at me before standing up and walking to the table where her husband is. I sit down next to the quiet girl.

"Hi hun, my name is Ryan. Can you tell me your name?"

She shook her head no.

"Well, that's ok. I'll just sit here and eat. Is that alright with you?"

It was a long and quiet 5 seconds before she shook her head yes. A server brought me a plate filled with steak, mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables. I began to eat and so did the little girl.

30 minutes later....

"As many of you all might have seen, our Queen is back."

Everyone roars with excitement and hand clapping.

Tuhh. They are in for a rude awakening.

"She will be spearheading our training from now on." Erik tilts his head to me in a signal that I had the floor.

I stood up from my chair, "it's a pleasure to visit. You all should have been sent an email today about when your training is. All adults between the ages of 18-40, have a run at 5am, teens between the ages of 15-17 have a run at 6am, 40-60 year olds have a session at 7am, everyone 61 and older have a session at 8am to 10am, children ages 5-14 will have a training session at 3:30pm, teens will have a session at 4:30, and adults 18-40 will have a 2 hour session at 4:45; giving y'all 15 minutes to freshen up before dinner. Please continue to enjoy your night because come tomorrow morning, we will have one hell of a day upon us."

I move to walk away as everyone else talks about the schedule. Before I can move too far, I feel a small hand slide into mine. I look back at the girl, "You want to come with me?"

She shakes her head yes. I turn to her and pick her up. Once settled onto my hip, I walk to my room. "Want to spend the night with me?"

Again she shakes her head yes. "Ok princess, here is my room."

Although quiet, She looked around my room in awe.

Thank you Jesus, someone cleaned my room.

"Alright princess, let's get you a bath. I have a big day and you have daycare tomorrow."

She whimpers, "I don't want to go to Ms. Mollys"

I assume Ms. Molly is the daycare worker, "How about this, I'll have Ms. Mariam wake you at 9am, you and her get breakfast, and she will send you to me- You get to spend the day with me. How does that sound?"

She nods her head yes. I smile at her, pick her up on my hip, and took her to get a bath.

3:30am

I opened my eyes and looked at the little girl softly snoring besides me with her thump in her mouth. I smiled.

Awwwwwww

. A second later I lost my smile and tears came to my eyes. My heart felt heavy.

This was supposed to be my daughter.

I shake my head and blink away the tears.

I'll call her everyday like I will for spidermonkey. And she can come visit.

I get out of bed without making a sound. I go to the bathroom, where I pee, shower, and brush my teeth. I walk out and look at the bed to see the little girl is still sleeping. I walk to my walk-in closet, I grab a black sports bra, black spandex shorts, and black and white Nike trainers. I tie up my thick ass curly hair, grab my apple watch, and out the door I go.

Once I get outside, I stretch before going to the stopwatch app. Ok Ryan, let's see if I can get 5 miles done in 5 minutes today. I take a deep breath—letting Wahenda out a little. I set the clock and take off at inhuman speed.

4:50am

I'm standing outside feeling refreshed from my run and another shower, belly full, and ready to tackle on today's agenda. And no one is out here.

As soon as I think that, Erik, Dean, and Linds show up.

"Are we the only ones here?"

"Yes, Linds. But that's ok. I expected this and I'm actually looking forward to kicking their ass into gear today. Did you bring the blow horn?"

Lindsay nods her head while reaching out to give me the horn.

I smile, "Thanks boo"

I walk back into the castle and find myself next to the fire alarm."

"Wait! Ry-"

I pulled it and the alarm goes off as well as the sprinklers that must have been installed after I left because they weren't there before.

Ooops.

I hear cries, screams, and groans as people make their way out the building.

I place the horn next to my mouth, "Just because your vampires, does not give you a pass on training! Most of you know me; where I came from. Those guys prey on your arrogance and weak mentality. If you don't want to train, I won't force you, but I will not help you when the time comes. I don't help those who are not willing to help themselves. So when I say you start at 5am, you need to be here and stretched at 4:45am. DO YOU UNDERSTAND!!!"

I heard a mixture of yeses and yes ma'ams.

"Good, now line up. I want four people in each row. Make sure each row has 1 warrior, 1 house helper, 1 person between the ages of 18-29, and 1 person between the ages of 30-40."

Once I have 20 rows of 4, I speak back into the horn, "My friend Lindsay here, will be getting everyone's name. I want you to take a good look at where you are standing; who you are standing next to— These are your new roommates."

I hear a bunch of whining, "SILENCE!!!"

Everyone shuts up.

"I don't want to hear any whining. These people will be your life lines for the foreseeable future. If someone in your group fail, you all fail. Starting today, no one has rank anymore; If you were a warrior, you are now nothing, but a vampire with a certain skill set. So use your skills and everyone else's in your group wisely. Each week there will be a multitude of tasks that you and your team will have to complete. Some will be one lesson and others will be recurring ones. Your rank will be based on how well your team does. If you fail a week, your team will remain at that rank until you all pass. Any questions?"

No one raised their hands. "Good, moving forward! First task: you will run in sinque ; not with just your team, but as the formation you're in now. If you notice someone moving slow or too fast, you have 5 seconds to recognize and notify the rest of the formation to either slow down or speed up."

I look down at my watch that reads 5:01am. I look at everyone, "It's 5:01am and y'all are supposed to be running already. Since y'all slept in, it's time to wake you up. Instead of running two miles at human speed. You will run 5 times around the castles perimeter."

I hear a bunch of grones, but one look from me and they all shut up.

"Get moving!"

Me, Lindsay, Dean, Erik watch as they jog in formation. I turn to Lindsay, "Go to the lighthouse and watch them and report their progress." She nods and walks away.

I turn to Erik and Dean, "Go get the 4 Ice bath tubs brought out here." They both nodded their heads and went to retrieve the tubs.

5:40 am

"Welcome back. In a week's time, I expect you will shave 10 minutes off your time."

I would have laughed at their faces if I wasn't trying to be serious.

"Alright, everyone stay in formation. Each of you will get a chance to be in the ice bath for 30 seconds and once you are done, come to the training field."

I walk to the field with Lindsay and a few seconds later the first group arrives. Without saying anything, I attack them and have them down in 10 seconds. I tell them to get up and move to the side. I nod at Lindsay when the next group shows up and watch as she attacks them. Me and Lindsay repeat this until all the groups have experienced this.

"Line up!"

I watch as people slowly walk to their spot in formation. "How did yall like this last task?" I laugh sadistically, "Don't fret, it will only get harder from here on out. That last exercise is an exercise I expect each of you to practice with your teammates. It's about staying alert even when you are relaxing, keep fighting even when your body screams at you to stop. People have lost their lives because they stopped to rest and when danger comes knocking at their door again; they are too weak to move. You have to condition your bodies to be able to fight through the fatigue."

I looked around at all of the people in front of me. "Your session is over. I'll see you all at 4:45pm." I hear a bunch of sighs as I turn away. Once I get a few feet away, "Oh, and your task for the week is to build your team's outpost with a 360 degree command station at the top, sleeping corridors, and a kitchenette."

I hear a groan and whispers, "Failure to do so will result in you and your team sleeping outside and running the perimeter rain, snow, or shine."

I nod my head to Lindsay, who turns to the trainees, "Dismissed."

And the next hour runs similar to the last with the added bonus of teenage hormones flying around. Their task of the week is to take stock of the supplies in the bunker, resupply what needs to be resupplied, and link up with an adult team to help them build their outposts.

I had the seniors do a 30 minute yoga session, 2 laps around the castle's perimeter that took 20 minutes, 10 minute break and a light combat assessment to see what I'm working with for the last hour.

"You all did great today. You all will have mandatory training Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and a voluntary one on Sunday. Also, your task for the week is for you and your team to come up with renovation schematics for the bunker. Do not ask me for how many people because that is for you to figure out. You are all dismissed."

Once everyone leaves, I heave a sigh. I turn around to the little princess, "Ready princess?"

She nods her head yes and runs into my arms for me to pick her up. I walk us to Erik's office to debrief. I knock on his door.

"Come in."

I open the door and take a seat on the couch against the right wall. Everything looks the same; pure white walls, black curtains, soft brown wooden floor, ceiling to floor, black bookcase with books. In the center of the middle book shelf is a pottery bowl I made that mysteriously disappeared. At the time, I believed there to be only one other person who knew where I lived and had access to get in my apartment. I tossed this at Lindsay, who then 'confessed' to breaking it and was hoping I didn't notice that it was gone.

I guess Lindsay didn't break it.

What was new in his office was the black rectangular executive desk. It used to be a brown one that clashed badly with the decor in his office. But, it was his grandfather's and I could never tell him to change it.

Unlike his asshole of a father. Who I have not seen around here in a minute.

"I like your office."

"Thank you"

I nod my head to the pottery bowl, "Nice bowl."

He smirks, "Yeah, a friend of the artist gave it to me." He looks at his daughter and smiles. The little princess shimmies down my lap before running to her father. Although happy to see him actually interact with his daughter, I was slightly heartbroken that this beautiful little girl wasn't my blood, that she has a shitty ass mom, and a half assed father. I knew last night was a regular occurance for the princess to not be seated at the same table as her father and not be fed by him.

Mariam must have sensed my mood because there is a small knock at the door before she pokes her head, "Princess Mara, lunch is ready."

I know your name now little princess.

"Beautiful name princess Mars."

Mara giggles as she runs to Mariam. Once the door closes, I turn my attention back to Erik and ask the second most burning question in my mind, " Why are you so distant with Mara?"

"I'm not distant— you saw with your own eyes. Don't create a narrative that isn't there Ryan."

"Don't fuck with me Erik Northman. The narrative is already there and it is exactly what I see. You think I don't know that although this is a recurring issue that last night was mostly for my benefit than what it usually is for. You think so low of me that I would punish a child for the dumb shit that her parents did. Tsk. I'm not Claire's trifflin ass, nor am I your mother or your father. But I guess you spent the last 5 years being like them."

"Ryan, that's not fair and you know that is not true."

"Bullshit! You know what's not true? You being an actual father to Mara! She doesn't deserve half assed."

"Ryan-"

"Shut up. When I look into your eyes, I don't see Erik Northman, my mate. I see Silas härskare Northman."

I know that hit home for him. I can see the hurt and pain in his eyes from my statement, but it needed to be said; he needed to be the best father for Mara that he could be.

" I'm so disappointed in you. Despite everything, I expect more from you and more importantly I expect you to be better than your father."

I get up and walk out of his office. I couldn't even give him a report on how everyone did today.

Chapter 8:

-I Won't be Stubborn-

After telling Erik off for the hundredth time, I went back to the training grounds to set up for the afternoon training. As I'm setting up the last piece of the obstacle course, I can hear and feel Lindsay walking up to me.

"Hey girl! What have you been up to? I feel like we haven't had a girl- time in a minute. Since we've been here it's been all business."

"Yeah, I know. I miss my girl-time"

We walk over to a bench to sit down

"Ok, let's catch up now."

I roll my eyes playfully

"So, what was up with you in the airplane over here?"

I roll my eyes again, "Well, apparently Erik has been switching out my birth control pills for about 6 months now."

"WHAT!!!"

"Yes, girl. And then had the nerve to cum in me while he shared this news."

"Was it good?"

I smack her on the arm

"Ouch Ry! You didn't have to hit me that hard."

I smack her arm again, "Next time I ask for help, you better help."

As she rubs her arm, "ok, but stop hitting me. That shit hurts."

I bet it does.

"So did you go see a doctor?"

I looked at her like she was stupid, "Girl, yes and the doctor had the nerve to be disappointed that I wasn't pregnant. Something about continuing the royal bloodline. I told that doctor that her and King Erik can fuck that bloodline to hell after this."

Lindsay laughs.

"You laugh about this now, but if I was pregnant, you would have been on co- parent duty with me and Etik until it was in the 3rd grade. And not the god-mommy babysitting; I mean that 'wake up in the middle of the night' and check on it duty."

"But I'm not the parent."

"The moment you left me in that room, is the moment you signed yourself up for it. Be glad my eggs dodged his little swimmers."

"Ewwwww, even though I'am."

"Also, Erik hasn't been a true father to Mara and I just chewed him out for that."

"Damn."

"Yeah and I even had to tell him that he was starting to turn into his father."

"Ryan!"

I wince, "I know, but he needed that wake up call. If that doesn't work, I might have to take that little girl with me. She deserves the world."

Lindsay smiles, "I see you have grown attached to Mara."

"Just because her parents can go fuck themselves doesn't mean I want her to be treated as an outcast. She is the heir to the throne, whether her daddy wants her to be or not."

"I hear you." Lindsay stands up, "I know that you are under a lot of stress, but I wanted to let you know your office is finished."

"Thank you Lindsay."

As Lindsay walks away, "Hey babe! How about we have a movie night tomorrow after I put Mara to bed?"

"See you at 9?"

"See you at 9"

1:36pm

It's a few hours before the afternoon training sessions and I'm sitting in my new office.

I love it! Thank you Linds.

In the center of the back wall behind my desk chair, in a 10' bow- 5 picture bay window, giving me a view of the training grounds and the beautiful forest behind it. The window is framed and lined with dark, almost black wood that extends out to bookshelves that make up the side walls. Books as old as Jesus fill in the bookshelves except for a royal blue book with silver and gold writing. That is a false book, when pulled, opens a hidden passage to a safe room. It also, houses all of my weapons. I get up from my brand new black office chair from starspace.

It even has a kick-stand!

As I walk pass my desk, I rub my hand up my new gray Treviso Armchairs with silver trimming. I stop in the middle of my black and silver rug that decorates a gray carpet. I tilt my head up with my eyes closed and twirl around in a happy jumping-dance type of way. When I open my eyes, I stop dead in my spot. Upon my pure white ceiling is the light of my dreams.

"She got the LED 3-Light Linear Flush Mount Ambient Light with a Metal Aluminum Geometric Pattern-"

"Yes, It's in cold white coloring and has dimming capabilities. The remote is in your top drawer, but if I know you, you will lose the remote control somewhere around here. So, its voice activated and only to your voice."

I look towards the voice that belongs to my mate, coming from my doorway. I so badly wanted to run to him and thank him because I know that Lindsay didn't install the voice activation. As long as I could remember, Lindsay has broken, blown up, etc. any and all technologically advanced products beyond a simple computer. Erik was the tech expert despite his current role. He once confided in me that he wanted to run away from the throne and go to MIT and become an engineering technologist, but he said that he couldn't leave his people when they needed him the most.