Scars of Blades

10

In a clearing in the woods Conrad turns his frosty eyes on me.

I am completely aware of the fact that I'm about to be severely injured.

"Do you know what it's like to work hard for something, Isha?"

I hate questions that aren't questions.

"Because I do." Conrad slowly comes closer to me as he speaks,"Imagine." He takes another step closer,"that you have." Another step, "worked your whole insignificant life for something," step,"and your moment has finally come," another step,"but you don't even get time to fully do your work." He is right in front of me now,"because somebody ruined it. How would you feel, Isha?"

I look dead straight into his eyes,"then I'd screw myself for making other people do all the dirty work for me."

I don't bother trying to protest against his punch when it comes. Conrad rarely hits us. But when he does, every once in a while, he will make sure we keep fearing him, he makes us remember it.

But if I was afraid of pain though I would have tried to dodge.

I take the pain as it comes. I let my body curl in on itself, and tears eventually sting my eyes.

After a few minutes I start to see black and wonder if I've finally pushed this man off of the edge.

I should have just let him torture to King, it's not like the King is a good man anyway. Both him and Conrad are horrible.

But they're still both human.

As another kick and punch hit me I thank the stars that Jax is helping me and can still take down Conrad.

As another kick hits me death feels near.

My eye's squeeze out another set of tears.

Conrad doesn't deserve my tears.

"Get your bloody hands off of her!"

A voice cuts through Conrad's abuse.

My head is too hurt to recognize it.

"Get out of here Jax!"
I always recognize Conrad's voice though.

"Get away from her."

The other voice is pure malice.

"Leave or I'll have you killed."

"If you so much as touch her again, I'll kill you!"

Another hard kick sends jolts across my abdomen.

I'm sent unconscious before I can hear the other man's next words.

I wake to somebody holding me against their chest.

My head hurts so badly it feels like somebody has run a knife through it.

Whoever is holding me feels so good there that I don't want to bother opening my eyes.

I must stir because the voice of the man who must have sent away Conrad comes to me gently,"Isha? Are you awake."

Forcing my eyes to open I look up to see Jax staring down at me.

I breath in his strong and beautiful eyes before forcing myself to sit up. It takes almost all of my strength to do so, but he makes sure I'm steady before letting me move away from him.

"Thank you." I croak, wishing my voice didn't sound so shaken.

Jax's voice sounds deadly as he forces his words out,"you shouldn't have to thank me. You shouldn't ever have someone treat you like that." He spits out the last word.

I remember the time he merely offered to kill the prince for me and Conrad tortured him for it.

I feel intense guilt now for not even thinking about the amount of time Conrad must have tortured Jax.

"I should have just killed him now."

"We need his death to be public so the other gang leaders won't immediately take Conrad's place."

As my eyes begin to focus more I notice now the blood streaming down from above Jax's eyebrow and his beat up lip.

"You're bleeding." I reach my hand out trying to dab away the blood.

"You're no pretty sight yourself, sweetheart."

I ignore this, closing my eyes to hide the tears,"you shouldn't have gotten involved."

Jax lets out an ignorant laugh but it's not his usual laugh. This laugh is cruel and hard,"he was going to kill you, Isha."

"No he wasn't." I say my head throbbing,"but now we might not be able to get inside the castle because Conrads mad at us."

"Screw that. I wasn't going to just stand there and let him hurt you."

I roll my eyes which hurts more than it should,"he's hurt all of us Jax. If you think that was the first time then get out of your own head."

Real anguish crosses his face and when he speaks his words sound broken,"I'm so so sorry you've had to grow up with that man leading us."

I'm surprised by this so I try to soften my voice for my next words,"It's fine Jax he's-"

"No! It's not fine Isha!" His eyes flash,"It's never fine to go onto the streets, take kids who need help, bring them in then scare them into doing what you want! That's not fine in any world!"

I look down, not meeting his eyes.

In this split second moment I realize something. Something I should have seen years ago. Jax is an amazing human being. Yes, maybe he flirts too much and maybe he can be a jerk at times and annoying, but when it comes down to it. He's a good person, no, an amazing person.

"I just wish it didn't take you kidnapping a little boy and killing so many people for me to finally start fighting him." I whisper.

Making myself meet his hurt eyes I say in a hushed tone,"At least we're starting now. Now," I make my voice lose its emotion and move farther away from him wishing his eyes weren't so intent on me,"is everybody still out there?"

He shakes his head,"No, after Conrad ran away he's taken them to siege the palace in its moment of weakness."

"So... Quincy has Tay..." My mind starts working to remember the plan we've formed over the past week,"Do you think Conrad will welcome us back?"

Jax nods,"you go get Quicny to bring Tay to this forest by then the main fighting should be over and Conrad will come out to give his speech, then will kill him and bring Tay forward to become the next King."

"What will you do?" I ask.

He gives me his usual grin but it's sad,"I'll go join the fight so Conrad will see I'm still loyal."

Right before he leaves I suddenly lunge towards him giving him a hug. I notice he barely hugs me back so before he can say a word I move away awkwardly.

Before running into the woods.