BONDED

IV

I'm currently  laying on the sea bed playing with a star fish, my life hasn't been the best lately but this trip isn't so bad, compared to the everyday taste of my room in my gills, the atmosphere here feels better, refreshing even, I don't know how long I'll be here for, so I'll make the most of it. I'm not the strongest fish folk out there, but one day, one day for sure. No one could ever understand the despair that came over me these past few years, it was suffocating, I felt like I was going to drown at some point but something pulled me out, I don't know what it is, but never once did it allow the darkness to consume me, everytime I let it consume me, I was pulled out.

After all, I was a moonlight girl since I was a child, I have to stay the same for my parents, my father always called me his ray of moonlight, I smile, a sad smile as I recall the memory, my mother playfully telling my father she was jealous of me and him showering her with pecks all over her face, they were perfect for each other. 

My ray of moonlight, my father picked me up, spinning us as he kissed my forehead, 'who's my little princess?' He asked as he tickled me, I giggled wriggling in his arms,  'say it or I won't stop, he said 'me, I'm your little princess,' I manage to choke out, my mother was watching us, 'you don't love me do you? You only love your daughter now, I'm so sad, so jealous, she looks down frowning, I jump out of my father's arm into hers. 'Nooooo, I love you, don't be jealous or sad, I will love you, father loves me but I will love you,' I turn sticking my tongue at him, my mother hugs me as she laughs herself, my father embraces her, showering her with kisses, how can I not love the mother of my little princess. 

In a second, that life was ripped away from me and I don't know if I'll ever be able to get it back, to think that it has been four years since that happened is crazy, my heart aches as I replay every memory I had with my parents, with Aasil, with my mentor Ira, with Zaria, it made me happy and sad at the same time, it made me laugh as tears of pain rush out of my eyes, the fact that it was my fault in the first place has haunted me to this day, I wonder if I'll ever be able to be a normal fin folk again, even if all this gets fixed, those years of pain and loneliness will always remain, carved into the deepest parts of my soul.

In my childhood books, the hero always forgave the villain, I never questioned the reality of it, will I ever be able to forgive this race? Will I turn a blind eye when it's my turn? Will I be the hero who forgives or no less than the villain? Will I be the character to be tainted as the villain? Do I even have it in me to avenge my people? I should never have had to ask myself these questions, I would give my soul to return everything to how it was, until then, I will stay afloat the darkness, I will hold on, for their sake, I will live this through.

I smile my biggest smile imagining my parents were watching me, in this moment I'll be happy for you, father, mother, the last of my tears spill into the ocean as I pick myself up, a good swim will clear my head. I was drained by the time I returned to my room, I fall asleep right away, feeling a lot better than I have for the longest time, sometimes thinking helps you or destroys you, as for me I've had my fair share of each.

The taste of food awakens me from my slumber, I groggily open my eyes, heading straight downstairs to the dining room, there was no one in but multiple dishes bless my eyes, I sit myself down, digging into everything I could, ethics doesn't exist when you're not being watched, so I helped myself. I head back to my room satisfied with the meal I just had, maybe if they feed me like this everyday, I won't mind being their prisoner, I joke in my head, I change before heading to the training ground. My body was still sore from yesterday but I didn't care, pain doesn't hit me the same anymore after all my interactions with Kara, I don't know how long I'd been going before I was interrupted, 

'You seem different, too different, were you holding back against me yesterday? the mermaid asked, I stop, my back to her,'I have no reason to go all out with a mermaid, its a waste of talent,' I speak up. 'I see, you're kind is still as cocky as ever, looking down on other races, your crude talk doesn't affect me, but I must inform you it's not lady-like, our prince wouldn't tolerate that'.

I laugh, clutching my stomach while she stares at me confusingly, 'did I say something funny princess? she questions, 'what makes you think I have your prince's best interest at heart? Since you know so much about my race, I thought you'd know we're selfish too', I answer. She raises her eyebrows, studying me condescendingly, 'fight me', she says, my eyes widen in pleasure as she says that, she approaches me, standing a few feet, 'I have a feeling you're out for my blood today so we won't use weapons', she places her hands in front of her guarding her face, 'you released a beast from its cage, now lets watch you tame it' I say as I launch at her, the puzzled look on her face was satisfying as I move faster than she could've imagined landing a hit on her abdomen, she clutches her abdomen, 'not bad', she says as she takes a stance again.

I never thought I could move like this and with every hit I land on her, my confidence grows, she was able to land hits on me too, yesterday I couldn't even match with her but today we're almost at the same level, I was breathing hard as I make distance between us to catch some breath, I want to end this but she's strong and she won't go down easily, but neither will I.

I was determined to win today, I close my eyes inhaling deeply, 'did no one teach you not to take your eyes off your opponents', she launches at me, I could feel that she wanted to end it too and this was her last resort, if it was yesterday, she would definitely knock me out with that energy I feel from her, but its different today, I understand it now, she swam straight for me, turning to fling her tail into me, she moved so fast that it would be almost impossible to avoid it, almost but not impossible.

Just as I was about to be hit, my eyes shoot open, my body automatically detecting the threat and avoiding it smoothly, I use that brief moment she'd need to retract her tail, using mine to send her plummeting to the ground, a loud noise erupts as she hits the ground at an alarming speed, I cringed, hoping a bit I didn't do too much damage, fish folks are naturally faster and more agile than mermaids, I pant, trying to catch my breath as a cloud of sand rises, slowly obstructing my vision. I clutch my side which I swang to get that hit, it definitely hurt me too, I decide to lower myself to see if she was conscious, her eyes open sensing my presence, she groans as she tries to pick herself up, the guards around rush to her side helping her up.

 She coughs, the lightest shade of light red blood trickling from her mouth, her bottom lip was busted and her cheek was beginning to swell, she looked terrible, I probably did too. 'You really were holding back, weren't you? The last time I got this amount of damage was from my husband, and believe me that was ages ago, I made a good choice dropping the weapons, she chuckles but ends up wincing at the pain, I don't know why they sent you here to be trained, you clearly don't need that, I won't be able to function properly for a while anyways, consider this a holiday for yourself the. You've earned my respect fin folk but that doesn't mean I hate your race any less, you're ready, another person will handle your last training when you get back I'll take my leave now, the guards lead her out as I stand there still trying to catch my breath, I switch my tail to gallions, dragging myself to my room, I rejected help from the guards, my body hurt all over and once again my thought drifts to Leo.

 If I ask him to heal me, he'll think I'm opening to him and my pain will be gone too, so thats double the benefit but my pride won't let me, I lay closing my eyes, ready to sleep but the sound of my door opening causes me to open them again it was Leo.

Authors note

Hey readers! I hope you're having a nice day, what do you think of this chapter? I hope you enjoyed it, it's only starting to get more interesting, stick around for the coming chapters, have a nice day, byee!