Her Name Was Sena

Chapter 4

Sena sat down on the floor and leaned on the soft bed.  All night, she sat there guarding princess Lilly as she sleeps peacefully. "-na...Sena?..." A voice called out.

Sena opened her eyes to see princess Lilly standing in front of her, "Sorry, I'm awake... Is there something wrong?"

Princess Lilly frowned, "I'm sorry about last night.. You must be tired because of me."

Sena shook her head and stood up, "Not at all! Someone like me can't go down so easily!!" Sena said with a fist to her chest.

Princess Lilly giggled as she sat on the bed with Sena, "Today, I really want to visit outside of the palace.. Will you come with me?" Lilly asked.

"Of course, it's my job to protect you after all." Sena said with a grin.

        After getting dressed in her usual clothings, a simple white blouse, black pants, fingerless gloves and black strappy boots. "Charge!~" She said as she zoomed out of her room. Outside, princess Lilly, prince Keenan and Leon were already waiting for her.

"Hurry up! If you're gonna dress like that then why did it take you so long?!" Leon complained as he opened the door to a large carriage.

'Geez, Leon. You don't know how hard it is to hide these markings!' Sena thought and pouted. As they headed towards the center of Strylis a town called Enrok, named after the man who built a beautiful fountain at the center. The place was crowded with people buying the newest arrivals of clothing, jewelries, furniture, and so much more. 

"If you ever get lost, it'll be easy to spot you." Leon said.

Sena glared at him, "Leave my hair alone, you meanie!!"

"I wasn't talking about your hair! I was talking about my height! I'm taller than average! Haven't you noticed?" Leon retorted in annoyance.

Sena gazed at him. Hesitantly, she said with an awkward smile, "Of..course, I noticed......"  

Prince Keenan suddenly laughed, "Ha ha..You two are quite amusing."

The princess stared at her brother in astonishment. "Brother, this is the first time I've seen you laugh in a long time!" With that Princess Lilly smiled with satisfaction.

After going around town, the group visited a small antique shop. Inside was a small old woman drinking tea as she stared out of the shop's window. The shop was dusty. Covered in cobwebs and the place was dark as night, except for the little sunlight that tiptoed inside through the window. No one would assume such an eerie run-down shop existed in the lively town of Enrok. 

"Wow! Brother, look at this book!" Princess Lilly called out to Prince Keenan, who quickly studied the book.

"The cover of this book.... It must be over 50 years old!" He said as he flipped through the rough pages. The smell of the book, the cover being slightly torn, it was enough to tell the history of its journey. Prince Keenan immediately walked towards the old woman. "I would like to buy this!"

As the others began heading out, Sena remained inside. "Do you have any books about Rúns?"

The woman glanced at with an amused grin, "Are you researching?" She asked and got up. 

"Sure... you can say that.." Sena uttered.

The old woman headed into the back of the shop, and returned with an even more worn out book that could make Prince Keenan's book look fresh. The pages were shriveled, the book was thick and had a large printing of the words: Rún 

"This book is a several hundred years old. My son found 16 years ago.. in the mountains, while he visited Krundel." 

"Krundel? You mean our neighboring country?" Sena said.

"Yes.. He found it just on the outskirt of Krundel in the Northern mountains. He suffered from a cold for a month after returning home. Foolish child... This book has no use to others.. It is why I placed in the back of the room, but I see that the book might be of use for you.. so take it." The old woman said a kind smile as she offered Sena the book for free.

After returning to the palace, Prince Keenan went to his study room, Princess Lilly went to etiquette class, Leon visited the Knight training hall, and Sena went to her room with the book which was carefully hidden. Sena threw herself on her bed. With the soft pillow on her face, she hugged it tightly. Thinking about what the elderly woman said, Sena began rolling around on her bed, feeling confused and disgruntled. 

"How can a book like this be easily found?! Did the old lady duped me!?" Sena mumbled. She got up and picked up the book on her table.

Sena glided her hand across the ruined cover. The leather cover was rugged, but it was still able to cling onto the rumpled sheets of papers together. When she managed to open the book, a nostalgic smell came flooding into her. Sena quickly turned to the next page to see something that sends chills down her spine. On the page was a large picture of a beautiful young woman. 

"Impossible....." Sena said under her breath.

The attractive woman looks exactly like Sena. The red crimson hair, rosy lips, and faded greenish yellow eyes that looks like it could pierce through anything.

"That's impossible...It couldn't be me." Sena stared at the picture thoroughly. Although, the woman looks like her, there were no markings on her.

A thought suddenly hit her, "The striking resemblance....Could it be-" 

Hearing the sound of her door opening, Sena quickly threw the book under her bed and nonchalantly leapt on the bed with a weird pose that looks as the she was trying to fly.

"What are you doing?" Leon asked as he stood there staring at her with an I-shouldn't-have-come look on his face.

"What are you doing? This is a young maiden's room, how dare you!" Sena said she wields an imaginary sword at him.

Leon heaved a sigh, "There's nothing girly about you!!" He said as he sat on the bed. "You've been acting pretty weird lately..." He suddenly began.

Sena then sat down on her bed, "How so? I was probably just too amazing for you to understand!! Oh ho ho ho!~" Sena said with a fancy noblewoman's laugh.

Leon turned towards her. Face to face, his pale blue eyes that stared into her's, it was what Sena really gets tense about. She can never look into someone's eyes for too long.
In their eyes, Sena will always be an outcast, someone who had no relatives was the same as a substandard slave.

She quickly looked away, "W-What?.."

"You know.. I'm here for you too. Stop ignoring people's help." Leon said as he held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. 

Sena smiled, "Thanks..." As he stayed there holding her hand, Sena noticed her stresses and worries were long gone. She never felt so comfortable. Before she even knows it, Sena was drifting into a deep peaceful sleep.