Royals VS Outcasts

Chapter Five

I went back down to the Guest Wing, only to find that it was empty. A lone satyr walked past me, fully dressed in armor. He gave me a curt nod and then continued. My thoughts returned back to our actions, what we did. The consequences were great but the damage to the Outcasts wasn't that bad. Sure, their ego must be hurt pretty badly, but we're fast healers. By tommorrow morning every Outcast would probably be revived and ready to fight. Maybe even by tonight. Nowhere else left to go, I turned and headed back to my room. As I drew closer, a step away from the door, voices drifted through the door to me.

"You think he's good?"

"Yeah, probably. I mean, other than the scar, he doesn't look evil."

"You can't judge people by their looks!"

I recognized them as Akash and Prakash. They were probably in one of their heated arguments, this one about the boy from my dream. Curious, I leaned closer.

"Well, I say he's okay. I mean, apparently in her dream he said something about warning some girl. He's probably like a spy in the Outcasts who's there to help us."

"Suuuure. There to help us. He's an Outcast Akash! I mean, he's right, we can't just be stereotypical and assume all Outcasts are bad, but he's obviously a trusted Outcast. I know who that Cat Girl is, and she wouldn't just speak to anyone!"

"So? What if he's a trusted Outcast? More the better no one would suspect him!"

"Grrr. If he's a trusted Outcast than that means he's OBVIOUSLY on THEIR SIDE!"

Interesting. So Prakash knew who this Cat Girl was. I swung open the door and I heard both their voices go silent behind their curtain.

"Sis?" Prakash called cautiously and peeked out from behind the curtain.

"Yeah it's me." I said, swinging my arms and stepping inside their "space."

"What's up?" Akash said meekly, and moved over to create space for me on his bed.

"Nothing's up." I said distractedly.

"Well nothing if you don't count what just happened." Prakash said pointedly.

I rolled my eyes and threw myself down on Akash's bed. "Hey!" he said indignantly.

"I'm tired." I replied.

Grudgingly he moved over some more, "We're all tired." He ran a hand through his hair, flustered.

Prakash gasped suddenly and leaned forward, grim. "What?" I said, exasperated.

"Isn't today your battle day?"

"Noooooooooo." I moaned.

"They'll probably cancel it." Akash said.

"No they won't." Prakash said, practical as ever, "They never do. She'll just have to battle against Yail and hope she wins."

"Argh." I groaned.

"Oh quit it." Akash said, crossing his arms, "If anything, you have an advantage. We just beat the Outcasts to a pulp. She'll be even more tired than you."

"Knowing her," I said, "she'll just be even more angry."

"That's true." Prakash said, nodding thoughtfully.

"Oh shut up, you're not helping." Akash said, shooting Prakash a glare.

Prakash returned his glare with a sneer. Then we heard the familar creak of the door again. "See who it is," I said, "I need to save my energy and I'm too pooped to get up anyway."

"You mean you're too lazy to get up." Akash said, grinning again.

Prakash rolled his eyes at us and peeked out of the curtain. "It's older sis." he said.

"Hello." my sister said, as she poked her head through the curtains, very close to Prakash's face which startled him. "Nice to see you!"

"Yeah, yeah, you too." Akash muttered, blinking sleepily. It was over his time actually, he had to go to sleep now if he wanted to wake up early again.

As if reading my mind my sister asked him, "Don't you have to go to sleep?" She crinkled up her eyebrows.

Akash yawned. "Nah. There's not gonna be a sun tommorrow for the mortals. I don't care."

"Akash!" Prakash said, "You can't neglect your duties like that!"

"Sure I can." Akash replied, "I mean it's bad, but I'm pretty sure it's possible."

"You know what I meant!" Prakash snapped.

Akash smiled and stuck out his tongue in response. I shook my head at those two and turned to my older sister. "How's studying coming along?"

"Oh the yoosh!"

"You mean usual." Akash said, looking confused.

"Nooooo... I mean the yoosh." my sister said, "It's shorter."

"Well then!" Akash said.

"Soooo..." I was hoping to continue the conversation, "What's the big test about anyway?"

"Well, ya know, I'm gonna turn sixteen soon so I have to take this big test about all the things I learned about so far as a goddess. Then, if I pass, I'm granted access as future heiress of the castle as queen and so and so. Oh, and I get to be charge of stuff! Like the food supply or the technology and computer mechanism..." She got a wicked gleam in her eyes. We all raised our eyebrows in anticipation of what was to come. "Well anyway, I have to go so see ya guys!" My sister said and walked away with a flourish, slamming the door behind her as well.

"I don't see why she has to slam the door behind her." Akash grumbled.

"Why, hurt your poor ears?" I said sarcastically, "You sad little baby!"

"I di- ugh, whatever. It's not worth it."

"Akash showed some self control? Wow, must be my LUCKY day!" Another sarcastic comment from yours truly.

"Oh, shut up already, save it for later."

"Thanks for the advice big brother, will do!" Akash frowned and chucked his pillow at me.

"I'm done with you!" He moaned and buried his head into the bed sheets.

"Well, I'm feeling lively today, so its not my fault you're feeling sleepy and cranky Akash." I stood up from the bed and found myself thinking about the outcasts, especially three of them. The boy from the dream, the supposedly "outcast for no reason" boy, and who could forget good old dagger girl. I wondered if I would get any other dreams later when I fell asleep at five. Yeah, forgot, my curfew is at four thirty, five at the latest. I only had about a half hour till the battle and then four or five more hours till bedtime, assuming I win of course. "Don't think about it." I thought, "Of course you'll win." I pushed aside the curtain and took a backward glance at my brothers. I suppressed a smile at the sight of Akash, who was already fast asleep, and Prakash, who was... watching me?

"You okay?" He asked me, his eyebrows knitted together in worry.

"I'm fine, just... thinking." I replied with a wave of the hand. "I'm going to gouge the skills of my opponent."  Prakash smiled. I pulled open the door and mentally  prepared myself for the upcoming battle.