Annika the Fifth

Chapter Sixteen

Maya's deafening scream almost made me lose my hearing for a second. Saige stepped back as everyone tried to crowd around Maya but Ms. Hallewell ordered everyone to go back to their classes. I was going to leave but I just took a step back and Ms. Hallewell didn't seem to notice. I thought Ms. Hallewell was going to yell at Saige. But she pulled out her wand, waved it around, and tapped it on Maya's nose. The blood disappeared and her nose shifted from its slightly awkward position. Just like that, it was back to normal. "Go to class," she told Maya and me.

Maya looked upset that she wasn't being asked if she was alright or anything but the two of us walked inside the classroom. But not before Maya shoved me into the doorway. "Peasant," she muttered as she marched to her seat.

I wasn't the one who pushed her, Saige was. Even though I would have very much wanted to do it myself.

Saige was sent to the headmaster's office for the whole sorcery class, then Ms. Hallewell told Mrs. Bedford what happened, and Saige was stuck cleaning the classroom after school. Maya found out about this and kept leaving pencil sharpening around her desk.

"I don't regret it one bit," Saige told me after recess. She wasn't allowed to go outside and was stuck writing an apology letter to Maya. "I'd even do it again," she added, "I wish Ms. Hallewell didn't fix that nose or her's. It was already crooked to begin with,"

I couldn't help giggling. We walked back inside the classroom where Mrs. Bedford told Saige to give Maya her letter. Mrs. Bedford was still standing near the door when Saige was handing Maya the letter. Even from where I was sitting, as Maya skimmed over the letter, I could tell that was not an apology letter. I could even hear Saige threaten, "Tell anyone and I'll do it again,"

Saige then flounced back to her desk like nothing happened, leaving Maya staring at her letter wide-eyed. Saige turned to me. "Can you stay with me after school?"

"So clean the classroom?" I asked incredulously, "No way. Besides, I have to attend the parade,"

"I know that," Saige said, rolling her eyes, "Why can't you just skip it? What's the worst that could happen,"

"Lady Mary," I said under my breath.

Saige still heard me and shrugged. "She's not all too bad...from what it sounds like,"

"Are you kidding me?" I said, "She is horrible,"

"Well if she doesn't like you, Annika," Saige said, "Then maybe she won't care if you come,"

I just stared. I wasn't sure what to say to that. Saige smiled at me as she held the small gem from her necklace in between her fingers. "Besides," she said, "It could be fun,"

When school was dismissed, Saige and I were some of the few students there. The small other group of students went to tutoring with Mrs. Bedford. "I'll be back soon," she told Saige, not noticing me, "Don't try anything funny,"

Saige nodded obediently. "Yes, Mrs. Bedford,"

With that, Mrs. Bedford was gone and Saige and I were the only ones in the room. Saige sat on a desk, kicking her feet. I frowned, "You better start cleaning,"

I looked at the pencil sharpenings Maya left.

Saige furrowed her brows. "You are going to help me,"

"I agreed to stay not to help you with your dirty work," I told her.

Saige rolled her eyes but then they focused on the necklace she always wears. I looked at it, I'd pretty much forgotten she wears it since she has it on every time I see her. Even at the coronation.

"Where did you get that necklace from?" I asked her.

She looked up, a little startled at the sudden question. "From my home kingdom," Saige replied.

By the way, she was looking, it looked like she wanted to tell me something else. Not only that, I couldn't help feeling the same suspicion I felt when I met her for the first time. "Well?" I asked

"Well what?" Saige asked

"You're acting funny," I said, eyeing her.

Saige let out a laugh which kind of threw me off. And for some reason...it kinda creeped me out too.

"If anything," Saige giggled, pointing at me, "You're the one who's acting funny,"

"Yeah, knock it off," I said, "I think you should start cleaning,"

Saige hopped off the desk and I instinctively stepped back. Instead of going to erase the chalkboard, Saige turned towards me instead. I wasn't sure why I was getting so nervous. Like I wasn't in someplace safe all of a sudden. I took another step back. "You're acting weird," I said, my voice faltering.

Saige shrugged at that but she didn't step any closer. "You know, Annika," she said, "You look... familiar..."

I narrowed my eyes, now she was just messing with me. I should have gone to that darn parade. It was better than whatever situation I was in right now. "What?" I glowered, "Do I remind you of someone from your old kingdom or something?"

Saige placed her hand on the desk, leaning against it. "Nope," she said with this weird glint in her eyes, "Someone close to home,"

Was she trying to quiz me? Whatever she was doing it was getting on my nerves and weirding me out. "I don't have time for riddles," I snapped at her, "Look, you can stay here by yourself,"

As I marched towards the door Saige said, "I know where your brother is,"

I stopped walking. My heart seemed like it stopped for a second. But I knew what she was saying couldn't be true. How could Saige know where my brother is? And of all people? She doesn't even know what he looks like. I began to feel angry all over again as I spun around. "Stop it!" I yelled at her, "This isn't funny at all. You don't have to bring my brother into this you freak!"

Saige seemed unfazed by what I said which was somewhat unlikely of her. I squinted at Saige. "Don't look at me all funny," she said, "I do know where he is,"

"No, you don't," I snapped back, "Why are you saying this anyway?"

Saige crossed her arms, taking a step closer. "Do you want to know a secret?"

I didn't reply. I wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question but by the tone of Saige's voice she was going to tell me the secret no matter what my response was. "The truth is..." she said, "I'm not actually Saige,"

I stared at her again. This time for an even longer period of time. What did she want me to do with that information? Saige was making my head hurt. It's like she knew my pet peeve of things not making sense. "What is it next?" I fumed, "You're going to tell me I'm not actually a princess?"

I secretly hoped that was true. In that case, I could leave without a care in the world. But Saige snickered. "No," she said, "You very much are...I think. Anyway, that's not important. The important thing you should know is that I'm also a princess,"

Before I could say anything, she rubbed her necklace and right when I blinked...she started changing. The black streaks in her hair were spreading throughout her hair, making it fully black. Her hair grew, the ends getting curly. As if things couldn't get any weirder, her eyes changed from green to gray, her face changed too. Instead of a pointy nose, it was a round button nose. Her eyelashes grew a bit longer as well. She looked familiar...I gasped and stumbled back. She was right...and if I wasn't dreaming, she was definitely right about not being Saige. She was...Princess Alexandra.

***

That twist at the end would have been surprising to me if I hadn't wrote it. Anyways, did you like the chapter? I'm trying to post chapters more regularly now. Maybe not two chapters a day like before but we'll see. Thanks for reading!