Gold Blood

Chapter 7

He watched as Acelynn's family stood around her and said their goodbyes. He almost started crying. Why was his family doing this to them? He couldn't understand it. Phoenix turned and walked towards the door with Acelynn's bag in his hand, he didn't want to intrude on them. This was their goodbye. He slowly closed the door behind himself and sat down on their front porch. The old wood groaned under his weight and he shifted uncomfortably. The view in front of him was something that he wasn't use to. All of the houses were falling apart, and the people standing in front of the houses were skinny and they looked hungry. How had he not known what was going on in this country? He was going to run it one day after all. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against his legs.

    "Hey, can I talk to you Prince Phoenix?" A deep voice asked from behind him. Phoenix's eyes snapped open and his head whipped around to face the source of the voice.

    "Sorry you startled me, of course," Phoenix replied standing up. He was shorter than Acelynn's brother by a couple inches and his hair was a deep brown and his eyes matched it perfectly. His skin was nearly as dark as Acelynn's and he looked tired.

    "My apologies I didn't mean to startle you. My name is Ajax," he responded holding his hand out for him to shake. Phoenix placed his hand in Ajax's awaiting one and gripped it firmly.

    "Nice to meet you, you can call me Phoenix," he answered.

    "I just need to talk to you about Acelynn, she's different. It's hard to explain. She's not like most girls. She could care less about wearing dresses and attending balls. When she sets her mind to something she will do it no matter what the consequences are," Ajax told Phoenix his brown eyes staring into Phoenix's own. He nodded his head slowly as he processed what Ajax said.

    "I had a feeling that she wasn't going to be into dresses and balls," Phoenix replied a small smile on his face. Ajax's lip curled into what could be a smile but also what could be a grimace.

    "I need you to keep her away from King Orion, she has a temper. When she gets upset she says things that she doesn't mean, or sometimes what she says goes against the King. You need to keep her safe," Ajax's eyes were wide and he looked scared. He had given Phoenix and insight on what Acelynn was like or what she could be like. Ajax did not want this information to go unused. Phoenix again nodded his head.

    "I'll do my best, my mom won't let my dad touch her anyway," Phoenix promised. The Queen had always wanted a girl and she finally got the chance to have one.

    "Thank you, that is all I ask," Ajax answered giving Phoenix a small smile, a real one this time. Just as they finished talking the door opened and Acelynn walked out with the rest of the family following.

    "Bye," she murmured. She looked up at Phoenix and gave a soft smile, he couldn't find the strength to return it. He was taking her away from her family and he felt terrible.

    "Prince. You are to meet your family at home. I will take that bag," a soldier spoke loudly as he walked towards the stairs of the porch. Phoenix nodded his head and walked down the stairs to meet him. He gave Acelynn's bag to him and the soldier walked away with it. Another soldier walked forward with a horse, he handed the reins to Phoenix and bowed before quickly walking away.

    "Can we go please?" Acelynn asked fighting back the tears. He nodded his head and climbed onto the horse. Phoenix held his hand down and she stuck her foot in the stirrup, grabbed his arm and pulled herself up behind him. She waved at her family and then turned her face away, she wasn't going to cry in front of them. Her arms wrapped around Phoenix's waist for stability.  Ajax nodded at Phoenix in a silent message and Phoenix nodded back. Once Acelynn's house is out of view she looks back towards it.