Katie cringed as a bead of her sweat dropped from her forehead to her eyelashes. She quickly wiped it off and continued running with the other knights. 

All the knights were instructed to train the whole day by the Head Guard because the Prince needed to pick the "best of the best" as they were told.

Her legs burned but Katie kept going because she desperately wanted to be picked.

Her body tensed up more as she spotted Keith with a conflicted look on the sidelines watching them train, his eyes constantly going to her.

She didn't know why but she hoped he would at least consider bringing her.

She hissed in pain when her leg started cramping and she was forced to stop and walk to the sidelines with all the other knights looking at her.

She massaged her leg slowly and caught her breath trying to get a little rest before going back when she heard Keith's voice beside her.

" Is it rough?" He asked and when she didn't answer, staring at him wide eyed, he quickly added,

" The training I mean." 

Katie thought of the best way to not embarrass herself in front of him and answered.

" Even if it is rough, I am instructed to do them so I will." She said in a low voice hoping he wouldn't notice and was surprised at how steady her voice sounded.

" Oh." He replied sounding disappointed as if he wanted her to say something else.

As he was about to walk away, Katie called out to him.

" Wait," She said and met those beautiful violet irises as he turned back to her, " Is there any chance I could be chosen to accompany you?" 

His eyebrows raised in surprise but he gave her a rare smile, 

" If your intentions are good." He said and he walked away leaving her speechless.

' What is that supposed to mean?' She thought as she got up again to continue running training with the others.

 By evening, she was sure she sweated more than 2 lbs and she took a long shower.

As she dried her hair using a towel, she realized how much easier it was with shorter hair now that she wasn't distracted but she admitted that she did miss her long hair.

She joined the rest of the knights for dinner in the dining room and swiped a seat by Theo.

She looked across from her and flinched when she realized Theo's half was seated there.

" Nice to see you again Pidge." Mark said and gave her a grin.

" Same to you." She replied and offered back a careful smile.

Theo turned to her and gave her a look, when Mark wasn't looking , that told her to "be careful" and Katie gave him a smile that said " I'm being careful enough".

It wasn't  difficult to tell the difference between the twins because she hung out with Theo longer than Mark and she knew that Theo had a small beauty mark under his left eye and was told by Theo that Mark had the same beauty mark but under his right. Mark also seemed to have a dimple while Theo didn't.

Theo rolled his gray eyes at her response and went back to his food.

Katie looked down at her food and remembered the time Keith snuck her some food from his dinner.

Her cheeks warmed at the thought of it and she dreamed of things that she would be able to do with Keith if it was possible. Have meals together, go to nice places together, kiss-

She forced herself to snap out of it as her cheeks reddened at her own thoughts.

She was sure the twins and some other men were probably looking but she couldn't stop her cheeks from puffing out in disappointment.