commander

yes

Nala

I practically sprinted to the Palace. This bitch really thought she could get away with something so careless. I don't care about her calling the meeting, but in my name?

I reached the stairs much faster than I expected. I've never been able to run this fast, even when I convinced Elliot to let me sprint in circles for miles in the Bunker. Maybe now that I was well fed, or maybe because I wasn't getting the life beat out of me.

I climbed the stairs quickly looking for Anya. She stood absolutely swaddled outside of the Throne room playing with a child. Her child.

"Careful darling." Anya buttoned her daughter's hat. The same curly brown hair peaked from under the hat.

"But I wanna play!" The little girl spun around, her shawl flying up. Anya's daughter twirled again before bumping into me, making her lose balance and fall backwards onto her butt.

"You should listen to your mom." I advised, meeting her big green eyes. She looked a lot more similar to me than I care to admit. Her hair, the pale skin, even similar noses and lips.

"You're one to talk." Anya walked her, lifting her daughter to her feet. "This is Nina."

"Who are you?" Nina looked up at me with a harsh tone.

"I'm Nala." I squatted down to her level. "Do you know how to shake hands?" I reached mine out, waiting for her to take it. She put her tiny hand in mine and held firmly, shaking it like she had a thousand times before. "Good job." I praised, the child beaming before turning back.

"Do you want to know something crazy?" Anya told the girl, her eyes shifting up to mine. Nina nodded frantically. "Nala is your big sister." Anya squatted down and spoke directly to Nina.

"No way." Nina shrugged it off, twirling with her arms out.

I caught her hand, stopping her. "She's serious. I call her Mom too." I told, hoping to make some progress with her. She was fun and eccentric and wouldn't be leaving my life.

"What? But your so old!" Nina slowly thought it out.

"How old are you?" I asked, taken slightly aback from Anya's lack in etiquette teaching.

"Ten." She told.

"I'm eighteen. And I pinky promise you're my sister. We'll have to spend more time with each other." I began dancing with Nina, twirling her and letting her dip. "I think I'm going to like being your sister." I whispered, concealing the comment from Anya.

"So am I." Nina laughed before dipping a little further, her hair grazing the ground.

"I've got to go now! I'm pretty sure Mom does too." I threw a bit of an under-toned sarcasm towards Anya, making sure her dumbass knew to follow me.

"Time got a meeting." Anya collected her daughter, brushing her hair flat and fixing her shawl. "When we go in, you sit on my lap and be quiet. Let's go." Anya instructed Nina after I walked inside.

Fury and sadness swirled in my stomach, both emotions from the way she once treated me. I was the favorite. I was her Princess. I was hers. And she fucked it up.

Whatever.

The doors opened before me, head nods greeting me as the expansive throne room echoed with my name.

Someone clapped their hands behind me, walking behind me quickly. "Nala! How amazing to see you!" Aurora smiled with complete insincerity. She extended her hand, suspending it before me expecting.

I waited for her to withdraw her hand, which seemed a bit vain, considering she didn't pull away. I turned on my heel and walked away, but she held my arm tight, her nails digging in enough to draw blood. I yanked it away, and sure enough, a bit of my blood coated her nails.