Broken Beginnings

Chapter seven

Chapter Seven- Unhinged

Opal was there waiting for us. Her hands were clasped behind her back, white hair glinting in the moonlight. She stood at the edge of the water as we ascended from the cool depths of the river. I coughed and sputtered, while Ashered, graceful as ever heaved himself up in one fine attempt.

I shivered obnoxiously as he pulled me from the water, he had insisted that we take off our clothing and pack it away in a magically waterproof bag. I shivered in my undergarments as he took the bag from his shoulder and placed our clothes on a nearby boulder. He pulled my wet form into him, heat radiating from his body. Within seconds, my body was dry, still cold but dry. I slipped on my thermal shirt and leggings as he began talking to Opal.

"So?" I asked inquisitively as they're voices hushed.
"You can't leave the castle or the lands for that matter."
I frowned annoyed. "I knew that much." I deadpanned.
Opal rolled her eyes at me and took off her pack, unzipping it.
"I found these documents, they're new rulings and plans for the kingdom."

I took the manilla folder beginning to open it when the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the cave. Opal snatched it from my fingertips and shoved it back down, kicking the bag to the wall. Misha and Indra appeared in athletic attire.
Indras long hair was pulled into a tight braid and Misha's hair mirrored hers.

Indra looked at us without surprise while Misha gasped, a hand slapping dramatically against her pale chest. "Creator above." She exclaimed. "Apologizes, your majesties we did not know anyone was coming to train so late."
Opals hand slid stealthy to the blade tucked behind her. "We mean no harm, warrior." Indra said unblinkingly, eyes boring into Opals before sliding to mine.
Opal bared her teeth at her, saying nothing in return.

I could feel the authority and struggled to hold Indra's gaze.
"This is my sister Misha." Indra said smoothly.
Misha bowed to both Ashered and I.
Ashered pressed the middle of my back, and we dipped our heads to them, somewhat unprofessional as I hesitated.

"What are you doing up here?" Indra asked.
I opened my mouth to answer but was cut off by Ashered. "We are here to train, although as guests on our land you have no right to ask us such questions."
Indra hummed in response, looking at him pensively. "So, you decided not to abandon your people." She stated.

Ashered grit his teeth at her hard enough that I could hear his jaw whine in response.

"Don't speak of situations you don't understand." I snapped sharply.

Indra raised a brow in surprise before breaking out into a grin. "I see you haven't lost your spark."
I blinked taken aback as Misha continued the conversation. "What my sister means to say is how lovely it is to see you." Misha shot a glare at her sister, smiling as she faced me.

Indra looked at her sister and blinked once. "I did not speak in riddles; you did abandon the people here."

I felt Ashered tense beside me. "I did not abandon my people. The people of this world were thrust upon both Hope and I."

Indra shrugged. She pulled thin gloves from her pocket and slid them gracefully over her knuckles. "I'm not going to argue over semantics." She stated turning and walking into the moonlit arena.

Ashered made a move to walk toward her, but I held his arm firmly. "Let her go." I said gently. He looked at me questioning but listened.

Misha's face was flushed red. "Please forgive us for the lack of manners, sometimes I fear Indra forgets she is not home."

I raised a brow at Misha. "How is that to make any difference?" I asked.

"She is a queen herself, your majesty."

Ashered and I paused. "How did we not know this?"
"She was recently announced queen, she was given the tile immediately after Sian died. Although later, she had to fight for the throne over the last year and it's made her... different."
"And you are the same, are you not her sister?" Opal asked calculatingly.

Misha looked down at her shoes. "We weren't around each other much growing up so no."

I hummed in response, a sense of understanding filling me. "Do you wish to train with me?" I asked pulling back my hair.
Opal and Ashered looked at me equally perplexed. "I can train and be filled in later." I instructed. "I need to blow off some steam anyway." I shrugged.

Ashered let me go with a less than disapproving look but not before he and Opal began talking hushed by the entrance. Ashered listened, watching me.

"Come to join us, your royal highness?" Indra asked drawing out my title exasperatedly. I threw a sharp glare at her and positioned myself next to the dummy that she was fighting.
I threw punch after punch watching as she used her powers to practice. She curled her hands and the arms of the dummy pulled forward snapping.
She continued to use her powers before stopping, grunting in frustration.

Misha came over to her sister from where she had been sitting on the sidelines. She handed both Indra and I water. I chugged mine greedily and Indra did the same. "How could you leave your people?" Indra clipped. I swallowed and looked at the fairy taken aback. "Excuse me?" I snapped back. "After everything you were given. A people that would fall at your feet, who needed you. You left and for what?" Why would you leave? To run from Frost, Melvin or Ambrose? Scared he was going to come back and finish what he started?" She seethed.

Before I could register what, I was doing my fist collided with her face. Her hand went up in time to deflect but not before I reached for her powers and snatched them away. "You bitch." She heaved angrily, sucker punching me in the stomach. A bout of fear ran through me, and rage filled me. I did what I saw her do twisting my hands, her shoulder ripping out of socket.

We both went to make our next moves, but Misha grasped ahold of her sister, shielding her with her body. Ashered was beside me in the small instance that it took for all of this to happen. "What is this?" He roared angrily looking between us.

Indra held her shoulder, dark hair sticking to the sides of her face.
"You would really hit a pregnant woman?" Opal growled unsheathing her knife from behind us. "Please, let me take her back and we will pack in the morning."

Opal looked to Ashered who although furious nodded.
Misha pulled a begrudged Indra into the cave before attention turned to me. My knuckles were white as I still grasped onto Indras power. "Why did you do that?" Ashered asked perplexed.
He looked at me in disappointment. "You can't do that, let go of her power Hope."

My fist tightens as I remembered her reference to Ambrose and the hit to my stomach. "Hope." Ashereds hands were on my shoulders, I was shaking. "Let go."

I breathed in deeply and undid my fist. The adrenaline rushed from me, and my knees buckled, Ashered caught me and pulled me up into his arms. "Opal, can you check her in our room?"
The warrior nodded. "Yes, Sir Ashered."