Jealousy

Krea had been in love with the Queen since the day she got bucked off of a horse. Did Alex feel the same way?

Three Years Later

The blonde had been working in the stables all day attending to the charges of the knights and Her Majesty Alexandra's royal steed. She chuckled warmly as she brushed its black mane, her mind drifting to the first time she and the Queen had met. The little pout the young princess had playing on her face as she caught Krea red-handed, stealing the practice swords.

Back then the voice of the royal was childish, uneven with an 'I'll tell father' manner when addressing bad behavior, but her cockiness and spoiled demeanor had faded being replaced with actual confidence, command, power, and the weight of an entire nation's future on her shoulders.

It was awe-inspiring and chilling when she spoke now, like a lioness truly roaring for the first time, shaking the very world. Krea thought proudly of how far her friend had come, she was "beautiful" the girl whispered to no one.

As the blonde finished filling the last of the horse's food trays, she decided to work on her body conditioning in an empty stable Malcolm and herself used to sneak into for training. Her long-time friend was to join the knight's ranks tonight, he hadn't come by for their late-night training anymore due to the one-on-one training drills with Walter De Campos.

Krea was happy for Malcolm, but she couldn't help the bitter feeling that sometimes came at the thought of him fulfilling their lifelong dream without her and before her. Her jaw tensed, and both of her closest friends ran right passed her and left her behind.

"Hang that!" She shouted as she began ramming her fists into a makeshift practice dummy the blonde had constructed with old leather and hay. Krea started with warm-up jabs and continued to more complex combinations, concentrating on her breathing and measuring each strike. She won't fall behind, not a chance.

"A*s." She mumbled out of breath thinking of Malcolm's fortune. That bitter feeling creeping its way to her chest, this wasn't enough she needed more, she wanted more. Taking a deep breath, the woman wiped her brow with a wash rag.

Well, it wasn't empty in the stables when training, now and again Alexandra would come to join her early on in the night. Krea would train her on the basics both with the sword and hand-to-hand combat.

She had to admit the brunette was a natural when it came to fighting, she handled a sword as if it were a part of her, no more separate from someone's heart to their chest. Her hand-to-hand skills were just as good. The Queen had more power than speed. She was why Krea was so fast. No way was the blonde going to let her majesty land a hit, she had no desire to be in a coma. Alex was strong, even though she didn't see it herself.

Krea had just finished practicing her swings with her custom-crafted weight staff, she set it down and laid flat on her back to begin working on her core when Alexandra walked in. It was good to see her a bit strange for her to be here so late, however, which caused the blonde to sit up with a thin look of worry.

Alexandra didn't speak as she just stood there staring at the blonde. She was a breathtaking sight, a toned body with a thin coat of sweat dripping down into the curvature of the taller woman's ample bust. The Queen had come here wanting to speak to Krea about something, but no matter how hard she searched her mind, Alex couldn't remember.

This wasn't the first time she had looked upon Krea and lost her train of thought. It seemed after every training session the blonde became more alluring, it began a hunger, a longing the Queen couldn't ignore, it frightened her to no end.

Krea frightened her, these emotions, the desire to be closer to her old friend were eating her alive. She didn't dare ever tell Krea for fear that their friendship would come to an end and even if by some miracle of the gods she returned Alexandra's feelings, they could never be happy together. People would see Krea as a power-hungry peasant trying to make the Queen her puppet and she'd be a target again. This time a bargaining chip to get to her. She shoved those thoughts aside finally noticing her friend's look of worry. Alex smiled reassuringly.

"Hello Krea," She said while sitting on the wooden bench to the left of the entrance.

The blonde stood up and walked to her, noticing the queen's nightgown. It flowed and complimented the woman's figure gorgeously. Krea found her heart beating a tad faster at the sight.

Alex was so beautiful, the blonde resisted the urge to hug her friend, she typically used it as an excuse to have Alex's body pressed against her, but with what the brunette was wearing now, she wouldn't be able to restrain her wondering hands. She shook her head lightly trying to drag herself back to reality.

"Hey, weirdo. It's a little late, isn't it? And wearing that of all things, you might get jumped." She said in a playful voice sitting next to the brunette while coyly touching the lace on her shoulder.

"I think I can handle myself thank you." The Queen stated jerking a bit at the sudden warm hand on her right shoulder.

"It wouldn't shock me. What are you doing here at this hour?" Krea asked whilst still absentmindedly fondling the loose fabric on the brunette's shoulder. It was so soft, she marveled at it.

"Are you not happy to see me?" Alex smiled, moving her body to face Krea to stop her from fondling. It was hard enough being this close and not pouncing on the woman. The touching wasn't helping, not that she didn't like it.

"No! I mean of course I am!" Krea said truthfully. Leaning a bit back, she gave the Queen a better view of her smooth and well-sculpted abdomen. The woman was wearing a half-shirt. Alexandra bit her lip slightly.

"I just wanted to see you."

"Awe, how sweet of you princess." She said jokingly.

Alexandra groaned at that name. "Must you call me that? It seems pointless now that I'm the Queen."

"Well, you'll always be my Princess." This caused the Queen to smile warmly blushing ever so slightly. "Besides if I walked around saying hey Queen, that would just be... "

"Weird." They said in unison before laughing.

"So..." Krea started. "I see you're wearing your nightgown. Does that mean no practice?"

She looked at Krea with an intensity that made the other girl shake a bit. Alex was looking at her differently, the blonde's throat ran dry as she dared to make eye contact, her eyes were hypnotizing.

"Beautiful." The brunette said. Not too loud, if it wasn't completely silent, the blonde would have never heard it.

"Huh?"

The brunette stood up suddenly, Alex couldn't believe she said such a thing out loud. She planned to run back to the castle, forget she was ever here, and salvage whatever friendship she could tomorrow morning. She didn't watch her footing, slipping as she turned, falling forward. Krea's reflexes kicked in, catching the Queen in a semi-embrace.

Their bodies pressed together Alexandra's thin nightgown felt cool against Krea's exposed abdomen, the queen's hands felt soft against the blonde's shoulders and Krea's hands felt firm on Alexandra's lower back. The closeness of this was overwhelming both their senses, this was dangerous. They could feel their breath on each other's lips. The warm, tingling sensation that was so new yet somehow familiar.

"Are you okay?" Krea asked tickling the brunette's lips. That was Alexandra's breaking point, she leaned in and their lips met. It felt as if a breath they weren't even aware they were holding was finally released.

It was nothing more than a long peck, but it sent electricity through them both. It felt so right but no! The queen pulled away. She can't let this happen. Krea can't. Alex looked up at her friend, her blue eyes even now make the Queen long to continue, but this can't happen. It was silent for a while both women just standing there waiting for what? They didn't know.

"I...I have to go." And with that, the brunette walked out of the stables and towards the castles. Leaving a very stunned Krea behind.

Krea stood there for what seemed like forever after Alexandra left. She put her fingertips to her lips and smiled slightly. Krea had always known that she preferred the company of women she had many memorable experiences with fellow female workers and a woman knight at one point.

Those were all for pleasure-seeking, a distraction to pass the time. But this feeling was nothing like before, it was more than just pleasure, Krea felt her heart jump. The Queen was a beautiful woman to be sure, but if she were to even attempt a relationship of that manner with Alex, it would either mean execution or a bounty on her head to lore assassins.

Shivers went up her spine at the thought. Something about that didn't seem worth it. Krea scratched the back of her head returning to her training, before cleaning up and heading home.

The next morning Krea slammed her hammer into the hot metal giving it shape and purpose. Before her father died he had taught her everything he possibly could about being a blacksmith "The pen is mightier than the sword my a*s". He used to say with the biggest grin on his face during their lessons.

She would always heat the metal for too long and make it unusable, but her father was patient and by the time she was sixteen, she was among the masters. Krea immersed the blood-red chest plate in the water, watching the steam rise as the metal cooled. For this armor set, she used a material called bloodstone, designed by nature to be extremely dense. Most blacksmiths and craftsmen avoided the stuff when making armor, not wanting the warrior wearing it to be weighed down by the heft, but Krea had the skill to make it as light as common cowhide.

The armor was meant for General Walter De Campos it was to be picked up by his son Kevin De Campos later today. He was to take over his father's position if the old man could no longer lift his blade, or ultimately just fell in battle. So it's in his best interest to be aware of who would be making his future arms. As she set the last piece of the armor on the wooden table, there was something or rather someone that Krea couldn't get her mind off of. Alexandra.

Her long dark brown wavy hair smelled of lavender and felt like heaven. The way her big hazel brown eyes always softened when speaking to her. Her strong build only enhances her body's feminine appeal. The perfect hips swayed as she walked, carrying herself with confidence. And by the gods her breasts. That woman's chest is amazing, what she wouldn't give... In the most respectful way of course. And her lips were lightly thin, inexperienced, innocent, yet perfect. She was simply perfection itself.

"So she does smile." A man with a deep voice said as he walked into the shop.

"I always smile Kevin. I just don't show it to you if I can help it." Krea passive-aggressively stated, the smile falling from her face.

She and Kevin weren't friends, but they were friendly towards each other to a point. They had a mutual respect for one another as fighters and nothing more.

"Is the armor ready?" He asked glancing at said armor on the table.

"Ready as I can make it." The blonde responded.

Kevin looked it over, the armor was fit for a king. The gauntlets had sharp talon-like fingertips, the shoulder plates were even, and the metal was notably thicker near the neck to protect the wearer from being beheaded. He flipped the chest plate over to see what type of hide the women had used, he couldn't believe what he saw.

"Is this Dragon skin?! Where did you?!" He said in gaped-mouth amazement.

Krea smirked reveling in his astonishment. She had rare material delivered now and then from different nations. In the years she had taken over her father's old business she extended his contact network tenfold. From the highest of venders in the merchants guild, to the black market, there was no material she couldn't get her hands on.

"Don't worry about it, just don't scratch it as you're delivering it." She responded polishing off a shield behind the counter.

"You've certainly surpassed your father, he'd be proud, maybe even a bit jealous." He said light heartily.

"Maybe. Thank you."

Before the man left the armor safely in hand, he turned around and looked at the blonde. "Look, I'm just going to be blunt and say it. I saw you last night. In the stables."

Krea was screaming bloody murder on the inside but kept her composure. "I was tending to the horses as is my job, what's your point?"

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"Then I'm afraid you have to be specific."

"I know you've been training there to become a knight."

Krea's shoulders relaxed. That damn a*s made her sweat twice as much as the fires had already made her, letting out a slight sigh. "Yes, it has been a goal of mine."

"How long have you been training?"

"Since I was eight."

"You're good. From what I've seen even better than some of the higher ranking officers, you should try out sometime. The kingdom could use your skill."

Before Krea could say anything back, it was like Kevin could read her mind. "I know what you're thinking but honestly, it doesn't matter who or what you are if you can carry your sword and this kingdom's honor as you march into battle, we will take you"

"Thank you, Kevin." The blonde said gratefully.

He smiled and walked out. Krea noticed the Queen walking around in front of her shop near the rose bushes on her way to the training field, no doubt to make sure the knights were training accordingly. She looked the blondes way and they made eye contact. Krea smiled, but Alexandra put her head down and kept walking.

"Oh no," Krea said under her breath. Kevin joined the Queen in her walk to the field, he said something funny apparently because she immediately smiled and blushed looking bashful even. This took Krea back, just last night, it was Alexandra who was a blushing mess, but for her and vice versa.

Touching and the kiss, she shouldn't care, it would be the end of her, but seeing Alex lightly taping Kevin's arm, laughing, and being so close made her sick. This all caused the blonde to feel something in her chest that was very unfamiliar, was it jealousy? As the two walked to the field Kevin sat the Queen down on a nearby bench so she could watch the knight's train and kissed her hand as he left her there Alright that tears it. The head man's axe be damned! Krea thought. Before she could even think, the blonde was making her way to the training field, passing the Queen without a word, walking right up to Walter De Campos. Krea was ready. "Lieutenant."