No Ordinary Princess

Raven

Raven

I was walking into the dining hall with my anger blazing. How dare he tell me that we'll be together? I can choose to do whatever it is that I want. I can choose whoever I want. I sat down in my original seat and noticed that James was no longer reading his book. Instead his gaze was set on me. I waved to him and smiled but all he did was stare and stare and stare. Alrighty then, I thought, In cogitationibus enim mihi videre, puerum istum in nomine Iacobi. Suddenly, thanks to the spell, I was hearing all of his thoughts: She went off with that jerk from earlier. She doesn't want you. You'll never get her. She clearly likes everyone else except you. Give up. Leave. Let her be with some manly guy. Girls usually like guys like that. They don't like bookworms. Okay I had had enough of that. Mentally, I cut the strand that was linking our minds and reached my hand out to him.

"Hey, some of us like bookworms."

"You l-l-like bookworms?"

I nodded. "Totally."

He blushed and, pulling his hand away from mine, stood up, walked around the table and sat in the seat the Nex ,the Insufferably Annoying, was about to sit in.

Nex looked down at him with disdain and hatred. "What do you think you're doing, vampire?" I looked at James and finally registered that he was pale skinned and had a more striking look to him. Ugh! I probably sounded stupid to him. He was probably older than me by a hundred years!

"Were you once human?", I asked, not looking him in the eye. I almost felt a little concerned about the safety of my people. If he was older than a hundred then he had experienced the bloodlust that all vampires feel when they turn a certain age, but they are most dangerous when they are over a hundred.

"No, I was never human." and, whispering the next part, he said, "I wish I had been born human."

"It doesn't matter what you were hoping you were born as." Nex scoffed, "It's clear that you are disgusting me and therefore the princess."

What?! "Who are you to talk for me?," I shouted getting everyone in the dining hall's attention. I blushed and, embarrassed, hung my head and cleared my throat. "Sorry." I'd have to remember later to take a dagger to his tongue. 

                                                              ******

I was walking through the corridor when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to look but I didn't see anyone. I picked up the pace then and made my steps lighter. I heard the steps behind me quicken.

"Who's there?", I call. I didn't need confirmation that someone was one-point-five yards away and around the corner, I had an ability for that. I had too many abilities if you ask me. I had magick and elemental control-which should be considered a magickal ability- and I had heightened senses.

"Come out." I stepped closer to them this time. I was about a few steps away from them when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned quickly and pushed them against the wall with my dagger unsheathed and at their throat.

"You know this is the second time that you have had me in this position. I'm starting to think you like me." I could hear the grin in his voice even if he was managing to conceal it on his face.

Putting the dagger away I glared at him. "I do not, nor will I ever, like you Nex. Simple as that." He pulled me closer to him and I threw my hands up to keep our chests from colliding. He was leaning down with his head on my shoulder. "What're you doing? Get off of me."

"You know if you stopped fighting me we could be happy."

"How many times do I have to say it? It will never, ever , under any circumstances, ever happen. And that is the nicest way I can say it."

" You're wrong. You don't know what you're talking about and I know that we belong together. I know you will be mine. It has already been foretold, something about me being your dark knight? I can't really remember. Recolere, et diliget te mei erunt carissimam mihi iura. Me amabis sicut et suscepi te propitiabitur mihi."

"Enough with tha-" Did he just say.. "Did you just say 'my dark knight'? Like Batman?"I laughed.

"You know they haven't made comics and movies for Batman since 2034. I think that it was the attempt at Injustice that killed it." James was walking down the hallway in my direction. He smiled when he noticed that I had seen him, but glared when he saw Nex so close to me.

"I thought you weren't feeling well this morning?"

James had asked to be alone and we all knew that it was the beginning of the Change. He would imprint soon. Mother had talked nonstop about how as soon as he was ready he would be released from the 'fun and merry times' of this splendid competition.

"No, I'm feeling better now and-"

"Did someone call for me?" Oliver asked walking from behind a pillar.

I stepped into the middle of the triangle of boys and looked around me. "Am I being ambushed or are you all going to show up out of nowhere? Where is Prince Monty?"

"I am here but I must say that it is very odd that we all have come together just to participate in a challenge."

The other guys groaned.

"This is a challenge? You all nearly scared the devil into me."

Nex snorted, "As if he isn't already there."

I was about to push him against the wall when I thought of something else that would really grind his gears. Walking, hip sway and all, over to Oliver, I motioned for him to stoop down as if I were going to tell him a secret and kissed him on the cheek, then, moving to James I did the same but he seemed to be letting a little fang show.

"That's adorable."

I kissed Monty on the cheek and walked right past a very much fuming Nex. The overhead speaker began the challenge and the scene around us changed. It was a simulation and robots ascended from the floor. "First up will be Prince James." the voice monotoned.

James turned to me and winked, "Wish me luck."

"Good Luck."

I was smiling for about another minute before the steel pole that was behind me produced a metal strap and attached me to it. I struggled against it but it only got tighter.

"Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to free the princess by defeating three strong warriors. You have ten minutes." James looked to me and I could tell he wasn't ready for this. The first robot awoke with a screech that tore through the air. It charged at James and he moved out of the way really quickly, but because he hadn't Changed yet, he wasn't fast enough, and the bot cut him. And because it probably wasn't the latest model it could stop and it ran past me as well. There was a sharp pain in my abdomen and I hissed in pain.

I could feel the hot, scarlet liquid as it ran down my skin. James was stilled and his eyes were tinted red. He was a solid brick wall and I feared he wouldn't be ok after this.