NaNoWriMo 2015

Chapter Sixteen -- Day 16

        "What do you mean we're at war?" I say quietly. "With who?"

The King's eyes are hard, but he doesn't say anything.

To my surprise, Eria stands up from the chair, her face is stained with tears. "With the monster who has caused all of this." She says. She looks at Castor. "I want to go along with the group of people who are out searching."

"No, Eria, that's not happening."

Her hands turn into fists. "You can't stop me, Castor. I have higher authority than you." Her eyes flash.

I bite down on my bottom lip.

"Eria just think rationally for a few seconds." Castor says.

She scowls and stomps down her foot. "No, I think we've sat around and waited long enough. I'm going out there to look for this person and that's final. You're not stopping me." She turns and walks out of the room.

I stand there, not exactly sure what to do.

Castor turns to Samuel. "I want protection on her at all times. Put your best soldiers on this. We can't risk losing her at this moment."

Samuel nods his head and leaves the room.

"You can leave now, Rose." Castor says to me.

I nod my head a little. "Yes of course..." I turn on my heel and walk out of the room quickly.

Yelling can be heard from down the hall. I start to walk towards it until I recognize the voice.

"If you could go after your daughter, I know you would, Samuel, so don't you dare try and tell me I can't go after my mother." Eria's voice yells at him.

"It's not like that, Eria. My daughter has been missing for seventeen years. Your mother has only been missing for six months. She can take care of herself."

"If she's out there alone and dying I want to be there with her!" Eria shouts. "Why is that so hard to understand? She's all I have left and I can't lose her. I just can't." I hear heels clicking against the floor.

I look around the corner and Samuel is sighing while rubbing his forehead.

"You can come out now, you know." He says quietly to me.

I bite down on my bottom lip and slowly walk out from around the corner. "What was that about?" I ask him.

He just shrugs his shoulders. "Teenage hormones... we all get them." He turns to me.

"Oh..." I mumble.

"Why were you listening in?" he asks. His eyes narrow.

I bite my lip and shrug. "I just wanted to know if she was okay...?"

He laughs a little. "She's fine. There's nothing to worry about."

I nod a little bit. "I didn't know you had a daughter." I say.

His face grows hard. "Yes, well I don't tell everyone. She would've been Eria's age by now."

"I'm sorry..." I mumble.

He gives me a weak smile. "Don't be, I imagine she'd be very much like Eria... just imagine the two of them." He laughs a little. "They'd never stop arguing."

He shakes his head before looking up at me. "Sorry..."

I shake my head. "No, it's okay."