The Princess and the Writer

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Anne held her breath as Nadira approached her as eagerly as a little child approaches sweets. This was the moment; the day of all days. Was she going to be crushed by her nemesis, or was she going to soar above? Either way, Anne was trembling in her shoes. Just the sight of Nadira was enough to make her palms sweat. Behind her stood the villagers, lined up by their captors in order to watch the writer's defeat. Chelle, Lupa and Khin remained in the cages.

Anne had spent most of the night thinking over all her friends had told her and all that she had experienced. She saw reason to their arguments. It was true; she had become proud, and she had lost her abilities the moment she had started glorifying herself. In her quest for confidence, she had found arrogance instead, thinking that she could do things in her own strength when the Book clearly stated that it is through God that she could do all things.

What if she believed what the Bible said? What if she relied on God to give her strength, courage and peace? What if she trusted that no matter what Sandra did to her, she would be okay because God was with her? Anne realized now that her abilities to dance with the water, and swing with the trees, were not from her; they were from God because she asked Him and believed. She had asked him not as the writer, or as the princess, but as Anne, and He had answered her; Anne. Thus, realizing what she ought to have been doing all along, Anne closed her eyes and prayed.

Nadira stopped in front of Anne and stared at her. The girl's head was bowed but there was no mistaking it. She leaned towards Teral.

"She looks just like Nena," she said, loud enough for those around her to hear.

Anne almost laughed out loud. If she had a shilling for every time she heard that...

Nadira glared at her.

"You think this is funny?" she demanded. "Nobody ever laughed at their demise."

Anne finally lifted her head to look at her. Nadira took a step back. She swallowed and struggled to speak before inching closer to Teral.

"Are you sure she is not the princess?" she asked nervously.

Teral smirked.

"Not unless the princess can bring herself back from the dead," he replied.

He looked at Anne.

"You can't do anything, can you?" he said. "From outside you control our stories, but in here you are scared and weak, powerless to do anything."

Anne simply looked back at him in silence. Nadira saw Khin in the cage and went to him.

"You should know," she told him, "I am not your friend. So there."

Anne rolled her eyes, more embarrassed for her than amused. She had truly done Nadira's maturity an injustice.

"Just tell me what you want, Nadira," she said, exhorting herself to at least pretend to be brave.

Nadira went back to her enemy and sneered at her.

"You know exactly what I want," she said. "The book of spells."

"There is no book of spells."

"I saw it with my own eyes," Nadira retorted.

Anne shook her head. "What you saw was the Great Book."

"Great Book, book of spells, whatever it is called, I want it!"

"That makes the two of us," Anne muttered.

"Stop muttering and tell me where it is, writer," Nadira demanded.

"I don't know where it is," Anne replied. "Only Nena knows."