Freedom comes at a price and a young Earthal princess must live the life of somebody else, even if it means facing evil threats and impossible odds.
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As someone who craves freedom, Princess Clarabelle cannot just stand by and let her life be take...
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CLARA JUST LOOKED straight ahead as the guards escorted her and Emir back into the dungeons. She could not cast him a glance even though she could feel the intensity of his stare calling her.
She waited for the iron doors to close behind her and for the Fyrian guards' footsteps to fade far from her cell before she slid down the wall. She hugged her legs close to her chest and buried her face in her knees. Emir was as still and quiet as her for there was no sound coming from his cell. Both were as prideful as the other for no one intended to speak first.
You've got no right to demand, to weep, and to wallow. You're as good a liar as he, cried her conscience. Clara shook her head, biting back a sob, but her conscience kept throwing accusations that she could no longer take. He lied to no one but hid some truths about himself. Yet here you are making a fool of everyone, pretending as their dear princess.
Finally, she let a pained whimper escape and the sound of her anguish didn't miss the prince's attention.
Emir ran to his cell door and gripped the iron bar window. He could only make out the top of her black hair from where he stood.
"Anneliese," he called and the sob grew even louder. He heard her much deeper inhales and much faster breaths that told him she was having trouble breathing. Panic built up in his chest and guilt soon took over for he thought he was the sole reason for her struggle.
"Anneliese, please calm down. T-Talk to me, please." Emir pulled harder on the iron bars and summoned his magic in vain. He kicked and thrashed and even used his body to slam the door down.
All this noise of the prince's useless efforts reached Clara at last for her sobs reduced to sniffles, and she too looked through the iron bars.
"What do you intend to do? Bleed yourself out and break your bones to death?" Clara said, glaring.
"Then what do you want me to do? I hear you crying and all I wish is to give you comfort. Yet these doors are standing between us and I can't think of other ways to reach you."
Clara's chest rose and fell as if speaking to him took a great part of her strength. "What I want... is for you to tell me why you kept this to yourself."
Emir's jaw ticked. He knew for a fact that he would have to answer or he might as well risk losing the princess' favor.
Then he laughed a humorless laugh. "This has come sooner than I expected. When the suppressant could only barely hold my sun attribute back, I knew it was a matter of time before I'd lose control of it and unleash it."
More calmly this time, Clara asked, "Why go to such lengths to suppress the power destined for you? A gift by the Guardian Deity."
"You consider it a gift when it's a curse in disguise? It's because of the celestial power that Argyle, the master, and everybody else like them is after us. We have something they want."
