The Awakening

Keira- Loyalty Against Friendship

"Where are the rebels now?"

"I told you, I don't know!"

The guard pointed his sword at Keira's neck.

"If you knew what's best for you, you would stop lying!"

"I know the King doesn't want me dead yet, so if you know what's best for you, move your sword so you don't lose your head!"

"How dare..."

"Alright, this isn't working, so let's try something else."

The thick steel door to Keira's cell opened and Heidi stepped in, wearing a military uniform. She gave Keira a once over, looking at her messy hair and split lip, to her arms chained to the walls, then to her dirty feet and ankles, also wrapped in cuffs.

"Here's what I don't understand," Heidi said, sauntering over to lift Keira's chin. "You had everything! A kind father, a good friend, a good life! You were even going to become a queen! The Queen! And you threw it all away because a few criminals were going to meet their maker?"

"They were suffering! And not all of them are criminals."

"Not all of them... but you are. Now don't get me wrong, we're not going to send you to a camp. Once we get the information, you will be saying goodbye to your head. And your boyfriend!"

Keira yanked on the chains. No way was Heidi ever going to find Oliver, not through her, because if the rebels were smart they would have left the base Crate knew about. And Oliver was too smart to get himself caught. Unlike her.

"I thought we were friends."

"We were... but friends didn't come first. Breteri comes first, always."

"Why?"

Heidi gave her a death look. "Perhaps one of these days I'll tell you, when your fate is truly decided."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The King doesn't want the country to know that his own court was infiltrated. It would make him look weak. And we can't replace you, because most people saw you and the Crown Prince on the screens. I won't tell you our plan, that's silly! But I will tell you this. If you don't meet the fate the King has planned, then he will kill you."

Heidi punched her, guaranteeing a black eye tomorrow. She stood up and slammed the steel door behind her, allowing Keira to break the already crumbling facade of strength.

She curled up in a corner. Pondering what Heidi had said. Meeting the fate the King has planned...