The Arranged Marriage

Chapter 10

 You know that feeling when you want to punch someone, but you have to refrain, but it's hard because they're a jerk? And then when you tell someone about it, she looks at you like you're crazy and sends you away? And then you punch a wall and end up hurting yourself? I really hope you know what I'm talking about because I now feel really dumb for doing it.

But it wasn't entirely my fault. I had stayed up all night thinking about ways I could help Kiran. I probably should've listened to Kiran and just gotten some rest because I didn't gain anything from staying up.

Since I hadn't slept, I was in a bad mood, and Ned didn't help by talking my ear off during breakfast. He went on and on and on about how he was positive he would win the next round. As time went on, he changed subjects so frequently I wanted to hit my head against something enough times to knock me out. Right before I was about to do that, Ned said something that caught my attention.

"I spoke to the princess yesterday," he said. "But she ran off in the middle of it. I'm pretty sure she can get in trouble for that."

"What were you guys talking about?" I asked. Kiran had told me that Ned had come to talk, and she'd left in the middle of the conversation, but she never said what they'd talked about.

"I was trying to get her to my room to talk," Ned told me. "But she just got up, slapped me, and ran."

I tried not to laugh. I was mad at Ned for talking to her like that, but I was also proud of Kiran for slapping him.

"Don't find this amusing, rakkhosh." Ned glared at me. "I know you would've done it, too."

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"I know we want her for the same thing," he said. "I just did what any man would do."

"No real man would do that," I growled. "A real man would have respected her."

"Why should I respect her?" Ned raised his eyebrows. "She's a girl. She hasn't done anything to earn my respect."

I was about to say a few foul things, but a voice spoke over me.

"Doesss thisss thing work?" Naga spoke into a microphone. "Good. Hello, you idiotsss! Today isss the day of your sssecond trial!"

The snakes in the room all clapped- well, I can't really say they were clapping, but they were thumping their tails on the floor.

"Today, we're having fun!" Naga said. "We'll be playing capture the flag!"

Capture the flag?

"My assissstant will explain how you play." Naga motioned for his assistant to take his place on stage and slithered away as the other snake started speaking.

"In capture the flag, you both will be in teams of five," he told us. He flicked his tail in the direction of the door, and eight people were shoved inside.

"Brother?" I gasped when I saw Lal's face. Then came Mati's, and Naya's, and Priya's.

"We figured it would only be fair to have your friends to help you since us snakes like to play dirty," the assistant said. Lal, Mati, Naya, and Priya, made their way over to me silently, and the other four people went to sit with Ned. I shot them all questioning looks, but Mati just shook her head and put her fingers to her lips. Alright, then.

"Continuing," the assistant said spoke. "The flags will be snake eggs. But be on the lookout for the mother. She'll want to kill you both for killing her husband and stealing her eggs."

What? Hold on, we're stealing a mother's eggs, and we killed her husband? I shook my head, confused. I would have to sort this out later.

The assistant had continued speaking. "You will be playing in Demon Land, among plenty of hungry rakkhosh. When someone from the other team is captured, they have to give up a prized possession to the other team. We will collect all of the captured possessions at the end of the game. Any questions?"

I looked over to my friends, who's jaws had dropped. I shook my head at the assistant, and Ned did the same.

"Great! Try not to die!"