Mine (Book 1 )

Part 2

Hal

"What is with you?" I ask her. She whimpers and sits down. For the past two moons she's been different. She spends more time outside. Refuses to eat what I feed her, eating only from what the cook served her. "Kaala" I say again and she twists her head to look at me. She whimpers and turns her face away. The war was here and I needed her by my side. There was only one Normak camp we needed to defeat. They were close. One of their swords cut me today. I sit beside her "Are you ill?" I ask petting her and she leans away from my touch. She gets up and starts running out.  "Kaala!" I call after her but she's gone. 

A soldier came running in with a scroll "Your Highness" he bows and I stand up straight from when I had crouched down to pet Kaala. "We've won" he says shocked handing me the scroll. It was a letter from my brother Kal that the last camp has retreated and the King of Norma had been captured. 

I never liked war but it was better than home. I instructed the troops to head back home. I took a week staying back at camp and then went back to Ayra. When I get back I see the whole place had returned to normal. We had been at war for almost a year with the Normak and before that we were at war with Iftika for four years. I enter the Palace halls and was immediately greeted by my mother. She rushes to me with the handmaids following quickly behind her. 

"Hal" she smiles and pulls me into a hug. "It's so good to see you" she pulls away. "Kal hasn't returned yet" her lips turn into a frown. "How was your journey? I expected you a week ago" she says worried. Before I say anything we hear footsteps at the end of the hall and see Etym. 

"Your back brother" Etym says walking towards us. Mother quickly stands behind me. He smirks at the movement. "Evie" he greets my Mother. "How was the journey?" he asks. 

"Good" I say curtly. 

"The King has been waiting for you" Etym smirks. I look back at Mother who is now looking nervous. 

"I'll be right there" I say and he looks between Mother and I and then leaves us. "What is it?" I ask her. 

"They're all here" she whispers. "All of them" she furrows her brows. "Eiffe was just raped by Djolna two moons ago" she refers to the handmaid to the right and I look at her. She bows her head further down and looks ashamed. "Their men are worse" she shakes her head. "I have to send Eiffe away. She's with his child. And you know what they'll do to her. If they know." she says worried. 

"Give her some gold and tell her to go to Gaia. I'll send word to Iverynn to take care of her" I say and Mother nods. "I have to go" I say and she nods and hugs me again. 

"Come see me" she whispers and I pull away and go to the great hall. My Father sits on the throne while the entire court is filled with his sons and daughters. His Queen sits beside him while his other wives sit beside their sons or daughters. I find Kal's and Mother's seat empty while Kaala sat beside mine. 

"Your Majesty" I greet and my Father smiles at me. 

"My son!" he cheers "I knew when you were born you would one day win a war for me" he smiles proud. I look around at my brothers whose eyes are now all diverted to where I was standing. The ones I could stand simply staring and the ones I couldn't, were shooting daggers at me with their eyes. I feel movement by my calf and look down to see Kaala come stand beside me. "Look at her! She's the tallest among them all" he says proudly referring to Kaala. 

He speaks some more and praises me some more while I stand there. I hated court and it was unbearable without Mother or Kal. I leave once I've made my presence known and go to the training ground where I see Uri and Elijah training. I join them and start training. It was all I knew. Kal still hadn't returned.