Chapter 9: The clock strikes midnight.
Zeke and I talked for hours about well everything, our kingdoms, battle strategies, war tactics, how annoying living with a royal family can be and things of the sort.
I laughed "You can't possibly think you can't beat me in a sword fight. Is it because I am girl? I'll have you know regardless of my gender, I'm really good. "
He chuckled dryly "Of course I know gender has nothing to do with. I'm just more skilled than you." "Fine let's test that theory."I replied.
"What?! You want to fight now?" Zeke said seemingly amused. "Yes. Is that okay or are you scared I might actually win?" I teased. "Of course not princess but it can't be a sword fight of my opponent doesn't have a sword." I stood up and walked over to one of the rose bushes near us and separated it.
"I spend most of my time in the palace here. Did you really think that I'd come here unarmed? What if someone managed to break into the palace and attack?" I said pulling out my sheathed sword from divided rose bush.
"Are you ready?"
"Of course I am."
I watched my eyebrows "You can't lie down to sword fight."
"Oh sorry my mistake." He smirked and sprung up from the grass.
"Okay but don't go easy on me; it has to be a fair fight." I said getting into a fighting stance.
"Whatever you say princess."
"Okay. 3, 2, 1, on guard." I yelled. Our swords clashed and clicked together as we fought. The match was intense as he backed me up to a wall. "I thought you said you were going to win, prove it to me princess." Zeke said flashing a daring smile.
I grunted and pushed him back "I can beat you and I'll prove it." I lunged at him hitting his sword with enough force to push him back. Now cornered to the wall, he grunted and pushed me back knocking my sword out of my hand. He spun me around and I landed in his chest with his sword pointed directly at my neck.
"I don't know about you but I think I won." He said. "Well think again." I said and elbowed him in the stomach. He staggered back and I slid my leg on the grass hitting his which sent him falling down. He landed on the floor with a loud thud.
"Uggh" he groaned "You're pretty good, I'm impressed" he said scratching the back of his head. "Why thank you, you're not too bad yourself."
'Ding, ding, ding' the ringing bells echoed through the palace signifying that it was already midnight.
"It's already midnight, I think it's time we head inside. My family will probably be looking for me, you should come and meet them." I said gesturing towards the garden door.
"I..." He began but was cut off by barking. Again. "You're back. Did you enjoy walking around boy?" I asked bending down to scratch behind his ears. "Woof." The dog barked as if answering my questions. "Would you like to come inside too? We've got plenty of food and snacks inside and when you're done eating we'll help you find your owner."
"Zeke, Zeke, Zeke." Someone not to far away kept whisper calling. Zeke rolled his eyes in annoyance. Something that made me giggle.
"I'm over here." He replied.
"I'm so glad I found you. You have know idea how long I've been looking." A boy about the same age as me, if not younger, said while briskly walking over to us. Zeke arched his brows "I've been in the same place since we arrived, you must've have not been looking hard enough."
Their dynamic sibling-like conversation and Zeke's bluntness made me giggle. My giggling caught the attention of the two boys who turned to look at me. "I'm sorry, I just thought you guys were funny." I apologised for disrupting their conversation. The young boy stared back and forth at me and Zeke with disbelief struggling to say something "How... What... Who... Who are you?" Zeke rolled his eyes again at the boy but this time in mock annoyance
"Close your mouth Kai you're not a dog. Alyssa, this is my friend Kai. Kai, this is Princess Alyssa, please show some manners." Kai just looked at me with even more disbelief and I giggled again "Hello, it's nice to meet you. Any friend of Zeke's is a friend of mine but to be honest, you and Zeke act more like siblings than friends. You two just be really close friends."
"Uh huh, yes friends." Kai mumbled then shook his head as he were trying to wake from a trance. "I'm really sorry to interrupt your highness but Zeke, we need to go now. It's an emergency."
"I'm afraid Kai is right. I've overstayed my welcome, I need to leave princess. I'll see you..."
"Tomorrow. First thing tomorrow morning, we'll go find your family." I interrupted. "Mhm." He agreed. "Kai, inferno, let's go." Zeke said. He glanced at me for a few seconds before walking away with Kai and the dog following behind him. So all this time the dog was his.
"Alyssa? Alyssa darling? Are you here?" Mom called out. "I'm coming mom." I replied snapping out of my train of thoughts. I quickly brushed off the dirt of my dress and got up to go meet her.
"There you are dear, I've been looking for you everywhere. I need to tell you something important."
"I'm sorry, I just needed some fresh air. We can go inside now."
I led my mother to my room and we sat on my bed.
"Many years ago when I turned fourteen, my mother gave me this necklace as a gift. She said it signifies good luck and the power of will. She even had a story for it. Long ago, an ancient magical kingdom was ruled by a great king. The king was brave and kind and ruled with his people's best interest at heart which made him loved by all. Until one day, he mysteriously got corrupted and turned evil.
When his children saw this and rallied against him, he was consumed by rage and he slaughtered them all. All except one. One lucky little girl managed to escape at the cost of her siblings lives. She had just watched her siblings die in the hands of her father, she knew her father had to be stopped but she also knew that she couldn't stop him at least not by herself.
So she called on the spirit of Watashi Kaizun, an even more ancient and powerful spirit who was said to protect the magic of the kingdom.
Watashi Kaizun gifted her this very necklace that strengthened her powers and help her defeat her father. She became the queen of the kingdom and proved to be a better leader than her father but alas, the magic of the necklace was lost during the battle and now it's just a normal gem."
"Yesterday my darling daughter, you turned fourteen and I want you to have this." She said placing her navy blue pendant in my hands.
"Are you sure mom? This seems really important, what if I loose it?" I said trying to give it back to her. "You won't loose the necklace love and even if you do it will always find it's way back to you." She said wearing the pendant around my neck.
I didn't really understand what she meant by it will always find it's way back to me but I was to tired to question it or argue further.
My mother and I talked for a while before she left for her quarters. I groggily forced myself to bathe and change into my nightgown before retiring to bed.
****Several hours later*****
"You're early." Zeke said surprised. "Of course I am or would you have preferred waiting for me instead?" I replied. "Let's go, we can cover more ground on the horses." He said while already on his horse. "Ok." I got on the horse beside him. "So where exactly are we going to Zeke?"
"Lendin."
"That far?" I asked a bit surprised. Lendin is one of the little towns in the kingdom but it isn't exactly close to the palace.
"Mhm. If we hurry we'll get there before noon." He replied tugging on the rein of his horse. I quickly followed behind him but time seemed to fly by and soon enough, the sky had darkened.
Zeke and I soon found ourselves riding into Lendin chatting as we rode. We had just made it to the duke's little estate when an arrow whizzed through the air and straight through Zeke's heart. The world spun around me and everything became hazy. The only thing that was clear to me was the arrow piercing through my friends heart over and over again.
I woke up in a start, drenched in cold sweat.
It was just a dream. A very vivacious dream.