Dinzel

4// A Friend

Rachel
Tension rose in the castle and the tensed air in the castle made me begin finding myself in the garden.

Relaxing in the scorching sun, I lay reclined on a bench right in front of my favourite tree.

Then I heard footsteps breaking the dry grasses as someone moved towards me.

I opened my eyes to see a slender female figure standing far away from me.

The face unclear as the sun before her hit my eyes. She stood afar but I could hear her movements.

I surprised myself by getting up and moving closer to the figure. Eyes adjusting, I saw her. It was Ninety eight.

"What's she doing here?" I wondered.

Taking a sit on another bench, she obviously hadn't seen me.
As I moved closer I noticed her pale face. I had to say something.

"Hey," I said, noticing Bruce's favourite sweats in her hands.

Finally looking up to see me she stood up in haste. "Your highness."

"Please sit down."

I sat first to ease things up then she did the same.

"What are you doing here?"

"I..." She didn't finish.

The warmth in her eyes made me speak further. "What's your name?"

"N- ninety eight."

"No, I mean your real name. The one your parents gave you."

"It's...." She paused, as though she didnt want to say it to me.

"Are you afraid of me? Or is that stupid rule." I tried to at least make her loosen up.

"No, your highness..."

"Look at me." I said raising her chin up and feeling her smooth chin.

She was startled by my action as her weak eyes shifted to mine.

I grinned.

"See, that wasn't so hard was it."

"No your-"

"Please, call me Rachel. Enough with the formalities."

She looked away again.

Gosh, she was beautiful, undeniably beautiful.

"What are you doing with my brother's sweats?"

"He said I should wash..." she didn't finish.

Then I noticed her swollen cheek.
"Holy shit! What's this? Who did this to you?"

Just below her left eye her fragile face was bruised badly. It seemed like it was swelling by the second.

How the hell did I miss it?

"No... No one, I fell," she lied.

I didn't believe her, that was obviously intentional but I realized it could be anyone cause no one liked her very much.

How heartless. It was bad.

"Look, I know most of the dinzel here want nothing to do with you but I think you need a friend."

Marian
"Did the princess just ask me to be her friend?"

I couldn't believe it.

Her small smooth hand stretched out to give me a hand shake.

Why does she want to be MY friend. Is this a trap?

Looking at her hand, I didn't shake it.

"Come on, I could use a human friend. Don't you want one too?"