Orenda

To Each

Hello everybody I'M BACK AGAIN! If you heard the sad news, @DefinatelyNoOne is going to delete their account when they finish their stories. I'm super sad about that, but also I understand why. Please guys, I know not many people are going to read this but the ones that are are because of DefinatelyNoOne, and I owe them a million thanks. This was a dream of mine, and they made it come true! Please go and read their story if you haven't already, because it's truly amazing, and they deserve a Watty Award!

-- Ivy :)

Two Weeks Later

The man walks tiredly into the gates as I watch, pressed against one of the many third floor windows that line the hallway. Something looks familiar with the figure, but I can't quite place it. I would go to meet him, but Father has decided that I'm no longer allowed to leave the castle. Still, I turn and run towards the stairs to go and see who it is.

The figure stumbles through the door, his cloak in tatters and his tunic worn with holes. He looks exhausted and unkempt, but I recognize him just as easily as if he were cleanly shaven. He came.

"Adam!" I gasp, running forwards and pretty much throwing myself on him. My heart swells with emotions that were supposed to be saved for a Prince, but I don't care. Thrill runs through me, my heart speeding up with excitement.

Adam's hands wrap around me, catching me and swinging me up in a hug so tight that I can hardly breathe. "You're safe," he whispers, "you're safe."

I nod into his shoulder, and then he sets me down and grabs my chin to inspect my face. "I thought you mighta been dead, darling, I was-"

"Scared?" My brother, Technoblade, interrupts him coldly.

I turn, feeling Adam's warm touch still lingering on my back. My brother stalks forward, scowling at Adam. The former protector, however, is undaunted. He sweeps a perfect bow and greets Technoblade with the correct title, "Your majesty, I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"Really? I can't say the same for myself. And I suggest that you get out of my presence immediately, peasant," Techno replies scornfully.

I stare at him, "Techno you can't be-"

"Be quiet, Alaynia," he cuts me off, using my real name and not even seeming to care that I technically have authority over him. Or, at least I did, who knows what I have now that Dad has been so protective.

"Techno I-" I try again, but he cuts me off again.

"I said be quiet, Alaynia," he practically spits.

I wonder how much I actually care, compared to what I feel for Adam. Still, he's my brother. There's nothing I can do about it anyways, though, because a guard's arm comes across my chest and pulls me backwards out of the circle of people. I'm irritated by this, but he ignores my struggling.

My second brother, or should I say my first brother, strides into the room. Relief fills me, because I know he'll see more sense than Techno will. "Wilbur, Adam is here!" I tell him, unable to hide the affection in my voice as I say the name of that man.

"Adam, the guy who let you get kidnapped?" Wilbur's voice is instantly filled with indignant outrage.

I look at him with surprise, "He did everything he could, Wilbur! Leave him alone, please?"

My twin reads my expression easily, and I can see blatant surprise slide across his own face. "You like him, don't you?"

I can't deny that my stomach does flips when he's around anymore than I can deny that Wilbur is my brother. So, I'm honest. "Yeah, I do."

"You've got to be crazy, Alaynia!" There it is, my real name again. Wil runs a hand through his hair, looking stressed at the thought that I like this man.

"I'm not crazy!" I protest.

"Yes, you are. You're not thinking, and clearly he's manipulated you," Wilbur argues, wrongly reading my mind for the first time since I can remember.

"NO!" I'm a bit more intense than I intend, but it definately puts the point across. "No," I repeat, softer this time. "I'm thinking, Wilbur, I know what I'm doing and what I'm saying. I'm not being manipulated."

"That's exactly what people say when they're being manipulated," he shoots back, raising an eyebrow at me.

I raise both of my eyebrows at him, "That's also what people say when they're not being manipulated, Wil."

He shrugs, doing that head thing where he moves the top of his head from side to side but keeping his eyes on me. "Sure," he agrees, obviously not agreeing. He turns to a guard, "Take her to her rooms, lock the door, and send for a maid to help her get ready for bed."

I'm taken aback, shocked, and horrified. "What the heck Wilbur?" My brother shrugs at me, which subsequently annoys me more. Enough to use a playing card that I rarely play, "Wilbur, I'm overriding that. You can't boss me around like that."

He sighs, shaking his head. "Did Dad ever tell you? I can, Alaynia. Remember, I'm the heir?"

And then I'm hit with a rush of memory, painful memory, as Dad explained to me that it wasn't safe. I shake my head, and allow the guard to lead me away to my rooms.

I might have another chapter out soon, I'm hoping that I will so tune in for that please! Thank you to everybody who is reading this, it's literally a dream come true to be able to write where people can read my stories and see that they might no hate them because I have practically zero confidence! Thank you so so much!

Also, writing on Wattpad has boosted my confidence a bit. But really the best experience out of all of this was getting to meet DefinatelyNoOne and read their story and speak to them in comments. If you're reading this, DefinatelyNoOne, thank you. I'm not trying to do this in a creepy way, but seriously you gave me something that I thought I would never be able to get because of previous attempts and I'm so grateful. I'm not SIMPing or anything, I'm not trying to be creepy. I just feel like I can't say thanks enough, I've been dreaming about being a Wattpad author for years, and you made that happen more than anything else and you gave me the motivation to continue writing.

-- Ivy :)