The Bad Fairy (girlxgirlxgirl)

29. Inner turmoil

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Dieq leans against the outer wall of the inn, his head lowered and arms folded over his chest. It's late in the evening. The sky is bright and full of a million different stars, each one shining brighter than the next. The sun has just set, and the sounds of a rather bustling night-market of this small but strategically important near-border village have him rather occupied. Drunk goblins stumble in and out of the semi large three story wooden in, some of them happy, others already too lost in the alcohol to care.

"I wanted you to live a good life, away from us all."

Eang is in there, by the reception, making a deal with the chief of the village and the owner of the inn about how they should deal with such an important guest as the crown prince and regent of their very own kingdom. Dieq, needing to lay low, has let his guard do all the talking. Instead he stays with his head lowered right outside the inn, watching for any potential enemies, and perhaps...listening to the private conversation between Nayan and Chepi, right on the other side of the wall.

They don't know that he can hear them. They probably think he's standing further away from the door. But right by the entrance, standing off to the side, Nayan has finally taken his sister to have a real talk with her, after hours of silence between the two of them.

"Are you sure there weren't any selfish reasons?" Dieq hears Chepi whisper, an angry tone to her voice. "There were, yes. That's the point I hope you may one day forgive me on." Nayan answers her, this time more calm and sound than he was when they last argued. Dieq listens intently to every word and every emotion. He wants to know what they decide, how she feels, how Nayan feels. He needs to know everything.

It's been just about a day since they ran into Chepi, and she and Nayan haven't had a proper conversation since the argument. Dieq has been longing for them to talk, needing to know what their relationship will be like, and what he needs to decide. Whose side he needs to stand on, or if he needs to stand on any side at all.

They let Chepi sleep for a few hours, and then she continued her sleep while riding in front of Dieq on his horse, all the way to this village. They'll sleep through the night here, let her eat and rest properly and then continue towards the capital. Or at least, that is what Dieq has in mind. He knows that Nayan wants Chepi to follow him to the fairy capital instead.

Whose horse she should ride on and in whose room at the inn she should sleep in has been a topic of conversation between Dieq and Nayan. Chepi herself doesn't want to stay with her brother, but Nayan doesn't want her to be with Dieq either. Dieq knows that it is a sensitive issue, so they decided to split it up. Chepi rode with him on his horse, and will sleep in the same room as her brother, as that is more appropriate.

"I don't know, Nayan. I was fifteen. I didn't deserve that. I still don't deserve it."

Chepi is firm to her words. Dieq can't help but smile a little, knowing that he's the one who put those thoughts into her head. Partially because he needed her to stay loyal to him as a soldier and as the finder of the crystal, but also because he needed to help her heal. Her childhood had not been an easy one. Chepi sucks in a deep breath of air. "I don't know if I want to be talking to you either."

Dieq is surprised at himself, but he feels torn. Chepi doesn't like Nayan, and she doesn't forgive him. Maybe. It seems like she won't. But Dieq knows that Nayan doesn't have any bad intentions. In fact, he knows that the fairy crown prince has probably better intentions for Chepi than Dieq has for the princess himself. So, he is torn. Torn between wanting Chepi to choose what is best for her, and wanting her to choose him (so that his kingdom can win this war). In fact, he is torn in a third direction as well. Wondering which future would be the best for Chepi.