The Knights and the Princess

Chapter 2

It's just excruciatingly painful when someone you love and care about points it out to you. I know he meant well, but it really stung and... well... I ended up crying in the bathroom for a few hours after Dad went to bed and moped for a few days. I didn't feel angry at him, but more... apathetic then anything, yet still hurting. Did that make any sense? It just hurt... while at the same time I felt nothing.

Kind of like how I beginning to feel now. Heartbroken, but numb.

Nana always said I was way too tender-hearted... to the point where it wasn't even funny anymore. My sister, Tiana, told me that every time I cried when she was around I'd have to give her a dollar. I want to see them... I was scared now. I was worried. I missed them even more so and could feel panic rushing through. Unfortunately I left my phone in the band room so I couldn't text them or ask how they were doing at the moment. Tiana should still be at work, or at the very least getting home soon, and Melissa and Dennis are probably sleeping. Damn it... you guys better be doing okay. Y-You better... be... My eyes welled up with even more tears. It felt like my eyes were on fire.

We soon had to stand and play our schools fight song, of which I could only get out a few notes as I choked back a sob, and once the teams had walked out I grabbed my stand, music, and instrument and headed up the stairs as fast yet as calmly as I could as we all headed back to the music department. I put my things away, threw on my green and black plaid jacket that Melissa gave me, threw the hood on, and then put on my much bigger green jacket that Dennis gave me. I took the hood off and pulled out my phone, waiting impatiently for it to turn on the rest of the way.

I texted them all, then mother as I told her I was ready to be picked up. My foot tapped against the ground rapidly and I wiped at my face with my green sleeve, wishing one of them would hurry and answer.

It was Tiana. A bit of a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I relaxed just slightly, asking how work was and if Dennis and Melissa were doing okay. According to her Melissa was doing just fine, but Tiana herself had to keep reminding herself that there was no Netflix in prison because of her coworkers. She knew nothing of Dennis. I choked on a laugh when she mentioned how Tom still hadn't brought her flowers, as flowers meant death to him, and we both started to complain to each other about it being cold and rainy.

Mom soon texted me, saying she was pulling up to the school, and I quickly made my way outside, feeling a bit lighter. I went outside and instantly sneezed, teeth chattering as I rubbed my arms. I quickly texted Tiana and told her that I loved her and had to go, and she replied with the same. I told her I'd see her whenever and she said she'd try to visit sometime soon. The thought made me happy and temporarily distracted me from the darkness that had taken hold earlier.

Waiting for mother's car to show up I fumbled with the necklace, rubbing the back of it with my thumb and pausing when I felt some indents. Squinting I pulled out my phone and turned it on, flashing the light onto the silver and reading what it said. "When darkness befalls the land... the... the true... oh! When darkness befalls the land the true bearer of this necklace, the consultant from earth, shall transcend through time to find the rightful king." It had a "history" made up for it... nice. I loved stories. "Only in history will this tale be told, but only by death can it unfold..." My heart ached a little as I remembered everything from a few moments ago and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I really didn't want to cry again. Talk about a dark day...

I shivered, teeth still chattering. My fingers were beginning to go numb, my ears and face turning red from the cold.

I looked for more writing, but everything was chicken scratch. "Alright, then... okay-hey, wait, is that a dragon?" In the little jade gem, there was an image of a Wyvern Dragon. It... actually didn't look that jade, now that I think about it. It seemed more like a turquoise... an aqua blue. "It's beautiful..." Huh. Aunt Tabitha outdid herself this time. Granted it said she bought it instead of making this one, but still. She shouldn't have. I felt bad for her wasting her money on me, but I was little happy because of it being such a pretty necklace.

A horn honking caught my attention and I looked up, startled to see mother waving at me. I grinned and ran forward, quickly getting in the car.

It began to rain five minutes into the drive. I began to talk about the game, instantly bursting into tears when I got to the part about the teachers talking about the deceased student, and she said that it was worse when it was someone you know-whether you actually knew them or not. Knowing the face makes it so much harder to accept, especially if you'd spoken to them at some point in time-even if it was only once. She handed me a couple tissues with one hand, getting on me and saying that she handed me the tissues to wipe my face-I having been using my sleeves. I quickly blew my nose, apologizing, before laughing slightly. I turned my head to look at the road, only to freeze when I looked into the side view mirror.

"Mom-Mom! Look out!" She looked confused before she glanced into the rearview mirror, eyes growing wide. She made to hit the gas pedal, but wasn't fast enough before we were suddenly slammed into from behind, the car spinning on the road and being thrown against the railing-flipping before landing on all fours and crashing into a tree. I wasn't too sure what all happened during that. It seemed in slow motion yet all too fast at the same time. All I know is that when my buckle came loose and I saw the glass break, I grabbed onto the steering wheel, holding on for dear life and trying to throw myself in front of mom in fear that she would die, too.

Next thing I knew the car stopped and I tasted iron, blood bubbling up my throat like acid. I coughed, spitting it out, and tried to move to make sure mom was okay-having fallen into her lap upon landing. The airbag protected her much better than I had, but I did keep her stomach from getting impaled.

Of course, that just meant I was the one who got stabbed by shattered glass instead. "M... Mommy?" I forced out, finding the action of speaking almost too difficult. Breathing had never felt so painful before in my life, for everything time I breathed my stomach moved and pressed against the glass in my side. "Mom?" My vision was blurry, my eyes burned and stung with tears and blood from a head wound. I hit the airbag, trying to get it to deflate, and after a few minutes it did so. I painfully raised an arm, inhaling sharply as I tried to sit up, and pressed a hand against her neck to feel for a pulse.

She was alive. Unconscious, but alive. I began to laugh, but ended up choking on my own blood soon enough as I cried tears of relief and fear.

I think I was going to die.

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