1# Internal Battle: Heart Of Courage

Chapter 2 - Scarley West

"I messed up real bad today." Parisa sighed to herself. She was sitting outside the castle, near the main docks, watching the ships come in. 

But did she mess up? Surely she had every right to get upset. But it had made a bad impression on her mental stability, and that never worked out well for the royal records. 

Parisa knew if she headed back to the castle, she'd have to continue the meeting, and she wasn't prepared for that, so she bided her time. 

But just then, Parisa heard screaming. It sounded like a girl screaming in pain. It was coming from the further side of the docks. Parisa rushed over to see who had been injured. 

"What happened?! Is everything okay here??" was Parisa's first question when she arrived. However, she wasn't prepared for what she saw. 

A guard was beating a teenage girl who looked like she had just come off the latest arriving ship. "Hey!! Stop!!" Pairsa ordered. When the guard saw his ruler, he immediately halted. "What is going on here?" 

"Your Majesty, we found this girl on a raft, tied to the back of the ship. People only do that when they are traveling illegally. I was trying to drag her to the dungeons, but she fought back, with not only forceful kicks and punches but also a sharp, rude tongue." The guard explained his side of the story. He looked stressed out, and his face was a bit bruised, which looked like what could've been the result of a misaimed punch. 

"And that gives you the right to beat her??" Parisa felt protective over any subject, new or not. "The kingdom rules say we can turn to violence if necessary.."  The guard stammered. "And what would you deem "necessary", officer? A little instinctual fighting back from someone who is only trying to prevent being put behind bars? We don't even know if she's guilty of any crime worthy of such punishment!" Parisa cut back, sharply. If she was going to be queen, she wanted to do it to the best of her ability. 

"I didn't do her any real damage." the guard pleaded. He wasn't used to monarchs checking in on his behavior towards people he deemed a threat. Parisa looked disgusted at him, and it made him uneasy. 

"The blood on the floor would suggest otherwise. I don't suppose it came from you? Is there even a wound on you?" Parisa shot back. The guard went silent. "A thousand apologies, my queen. I won't strike her again unless she does something deserving of a lash."

"Thank you." Her voice went calm. She walked over to the teenage girl who had been arrested. "Um. Excuse me?" Parisa's voice gently nudged at the newcomer. The girl turned around, only to reveal an angry, bruised, and slightly cut face. The girl looked between 16 and 18 years old. She had very pale skin, dark brown eyes, and dark brown hair that looked like it had been roughly cut with a dagger or mirror shard. Her hair was neck-length, with jaggy ends. She wore a black leather jacket, and punk jeans, giving her an overall fierce and edgy look. Her glare cut to Parisa's core. 

"Who are you?" Parisa asked her, slowly, after studying the girl's appearance. 

"Wouldn't you like to know!" Her voice was filled with anger, pain, and cynicism. It was kinda low, raspy, and unique. Her tone showcased her exhaustion. 

The guard went over to the girl, and grabbed her face, aggressively, squeezing her cheeks. "The queen asked you a question!!" Parisa was upset with the guard's approach, but before being able to ask him to stop, the girl kneed the guard, and when he clenched down in pain, she headbutted him in the face. She couldn't use her hands, as they were tied. She giggled snarkily and sneered down at him. "Well, maybe the queen should hire less confrontational guards." 

Parisa was startled, in case the girl tried to come towards her, but to her surprise, she stayed there. "Normally I don't give anyone I don't trust, my details, but, as luck would have it, I'm feeling oddly generous today." The girl's tone dripped with sarcasm. "I'm Scarley West."