Queen's Princess

PART I: Chapter 7

She opened the back door and stepped inside, greeting her mother, father, and other siblings she had. Her mother came over to us, saw the state I was in, and entered another room, holding something in her hand when she returned.

"Odessa, rub this on her bruises," her mother said.

"Thank you, mum," Odessa said and grabbed onto the container her mother had. 

She walked into her room, which was a bit bigger than mine, but not by much. Setting me down onto the bed, she closed her door as best as she could.

"Where did they get ya?" she asked.

I lifted my shirt up just a tad to reveal a now forming bruise. She looked at the ones she had caused and started to apply the cream on it.

"I should probably hold back when we're training," she said. 

"Why hold back?" I asked.

"Because I'm causing ya pain. Something I don't want to do to a friend."

"But isn't pain necessary to get stronger?"

"In a way, but still. I shouldn't be hitting ya as hard as I have been. And here I thought we were ready to move on to holding weapons."

"Dez," I said, grabbing her face and making her look at me. "I'm alright, really."

She still shook her head, "I may be intimidating and strong, but I know when to show mercy and compassion. Something others cannot show and yet," her gaze wandered away from mine. "And yet I still get tossed aside for it."

"Because they think you're weak."

She chuckled, "I am anything but weak."

"No kidding," I chuckled, but winced not too long after.

She put the lid back onto the cream and placed it down beside her.

"We should take a pause in the training so you can heal and get the much needed rest. I'm sure you've been pretty sore these past few months."

"I am, but," I turned towards her, noting she wasn't looking at me. "I wouldn't change it for the world."

She turned and met my gaze, "What do you mean?"

"For the short amount of time I've known ya, I like your company. I despise training, but I think we all do, but when I know I am training with ya, it makes this place a bit more tolerable."

The right corner of her mouth bent upwards as she let out a breath, "Ya really think that?"

"Yeah," I said. "I never really had someone who would stick up for me and defend me when I was down on the ground. You've been the first one to do so."

"Well, I gotta look after my friend, right?"

I smiled, nodding, "Right."

She reached over and clasped her hand on my shoulder, smiling, "You're alright, Y/N. I like, ya. If we stick together, I think we can get through just about anything."

"Ya bet we are," I said.

"Alright, I think ya should head home. I'll walk you back," she stood up and extended her hand out. 

I reached out and grabbed her hand. She lifted me up and led me out of the house.

"I'll be right back, mum!" Odessa called to her mother.

"Be careful. Your father went over to Y/N's house. Wait until he's done there so you two can walk back together."

"Got it, mum," she called and we walked out of the house.

We walked out of the house and headed up the sand dune, my house appearing once we reached the top of the dune. My father and Odessa's father were sitting around the motorcycle talking to one another. I assume they were talking about how to fix it up and make it better.

"G'day, dad," Odessa said to her father.

"Hey there, Odessa. Hello, Y/N," he greeted me.

"Hello," I said.

"I shouldn't be too long, Odessa," Stone said.

"Take your time, dad," Odessa said and followed me into the house.

"Hello, Odessa," my grandparents greeted her.

"Hello," she greeted them back.

"Another day of training?" my grandmother asked.

"Have to get stronger in order to take care of ourselves out there."

"With you lookin' after Y/N, I'm sure she'll be fine," my grandmother chuckled.

"Really, nana?" I asked, chuckling.

"Look at ya, Y/N. Ya may be fast, but you're not strong."

"That's why Odessa is helping."

"Train her well, Odessa."

"I will, ma'am."

"I know there's not a lot to do here," I looked over at Odessa.

"Nah, don't worry about it. Ya have a nice place."

"I guess. It gets pretty crowded in here at times."

"I can say the same thing with my house. Although," she looked away from me.

"Having one less person doesn't feel right to you, does it?"

"No. No it doesn't."

"You're always welcome to come by, Odessa," my mother called from her room.

"Thank you. I appreciate it, Mrs. L/N."

"Your father is always here talking to Y/N's father. I think both of them enjoy the company."

"She's not wrong," I said to her. "I was pretty lonely here whenever I was banished. I never made any friends because we all have the mentality of every man for himself out here. There have been so many deaths out here because of that mentality. I tried to make friends, but ya see how they can be."

"Not all of them are like that."

"Of course, since I was able to be your friend."

She snickered, "But you got a point on everyone having that mentality. There's nothing we can do to change it. Not in the place and position we're in right now. We're nothing more than Wasterlander scum."

"To hell with that," my grandfather yelled.

"Papa," I said.

He turned around and looked at Odessa, "We may be out here in the Wastelands, but Mason Howl is just getting fatter everytime he sits back and let people eat each other alive in that arena. He's getting soft, getting weaker. Sure we're considered Wastelander scum to them, but the scum of the Wasteland is going to be the reason why he loses his title. So, yeah, we're Wastelander scum, but we're the strongest scum there is."

Something my grandfather said struck a nerve with Odessa. Since then, she was been training harder on her own and has been training harder with me. Every time there was a need to fight, she would, even if it didn't involve her. She stuck up for those who were unable to and she helped me stick up for myself whenever I would go search in the junk yards. She really was something.