Sunset Legend

• 10 •

I sat on my bed, twirling my new hair around my finger deep in thought. I had no advantage here. I wasn't some stolen princess that the city would throw an extravagant party for my return. I found myself okay with that. I wouldn't have people fussing over my every move. I didn't need bodyguards to hover me whenever guests came. I could just be me.
But who was I?
The Queen stole me for an unknown reason. It wasn't to ruin the hierarchy here. It was for something more, something that would give her more power.
Power. Magic.
That night of the meeting when I had somehow transferred into her body. Everything seemed like it was moving in slow motion, nobody could of known that was what I did. I didn't even know how I did it.
The queen knew I could.
I jumped off my bed, pacing the room as the puzzle pieces began to click together. She knew I had possessed some sort of magic that would help her with her plan. She refused to let me talk about magic because she didn't want anyone to know of her powers. My powers. She kidnapped me and raised me like her own just to one day use me as her weapon. She waited twenty-one years for me to be ready, to finally learn what I could do. She was going to use me to help take over the Winter lands. She would use to me to control other people to get her way. Those people were in danger.
I swung my door open with too much force as it banged off the wall, but I was already halfway down the hall. I scrambled down the steps, bolting into the only other room I was familiar with.
"They're in-" I was stopped short in my tracks as I ran into someones back. Sol turned around, an amused look in his eyes as he helped me off the floor. "Danger. They're in danger. We need to do something." I was panting. I didn't even run that far and I was winded. Wow, I need to workout.
"Who?" He asked, one hand still holding my waist to steady me.
"The Winter people. I figured it out," I breathed, bending over to rest my hands on my knees to catch my breath.
Suddenly Jaxon was there as I stared into his gray eyes as he squatted before me. He had to have some sort of super speed.
"What? What did you figure out?" He asked, taking Sol's job as his hand now held my waist, leading me to the couch. Ray and Summer skidded into the room as if someone called them. Did someone call them in?
The couch sunk as I sat down, finally breathing normal again. Jaxon stood above me, Sol stood next to him with his arms crossed against his chest as Summer and Ray stood behind the other couch.
"I figured out why she kidnapped me and those people are going to die under Frosts and her hands if she doesn't get stopped," I said, not knowing whose face to look at as I glanced around at all of them.
"Why?" Sol demanded, his voice the same roughness I heard when he was carrying me out of the castle.
I knew who to look at now as I said, "Jaxon, do you remember the meeting where they mentioned the arranged marriage?" His lips twitched as if he wanted to snarl, but he only nodded.
It was Ray in the back who said, "What the what?" Summer shared the same confusion, but I could explain later.
"Do you remember when my moth- the queen slapped Frosts?" Another sharp nod. "That wasn't her." I waited to see if he would get what I was saying, not really ready to say the words out loud. It would make it real.
The realization covered his face as Sol smacked him on the shoulder, pure surprise on his. "Is it her?" He asked. Jaxon's eyes were so focused on me I felt like diving under the cushions of the couch and living there for the rest of my life. Summer made a weird squealing noise as she realized whatever they knew.
"What?" I demanded.
"Summer Solstice." Jaxon said, slowly crouching in front of me and grabbing my knees. I stared back into the bright burning eyes that watched me. "There's a legend that someone was born on Summer Solstice and was the only person ever to possess the powers of switching bodies. The only problem is that legend has been around for decades."
Sol smacked Jaxon's shoulder again as he said something about how we should of caught on with my name.
I was a legend? Decades? How could that even be possible? I was only twenty... one. My breathing quickened once again, but not from running. I never had any earlier memories with the queen and king. I couldn't remember anything from more than five years ago. Nothing has changed since then. I had the same curves. I never grew another inch.
"What is it?" Someone asked, but I couldn't tell who as the anger blinded me.
The bitch controlled my mind for decades. She made me believe I was aging with the Winter Solstice parties, it was all for show.
"I'm immortal," I hiccuped, the anger dying down enough so I could see everyone again.
"We all are," Ray said, quietly. I looked at them as they watched me with nothing but concern.
"So I am from here. I am a legend from here. Is that the only reason why you brought me back?" My heart twisted with a pain. Of course they don't go to save all of their normal civilians that disappear. I wasn't royalty. I was just a freak legend that they wanted back.
"Solstice, we just found out when you told us." Sol said, his brows pulling together.
"It was the queen's order," Jaxon admitted, moving out of his crouched position to sit on the floor still in front of me.
Right. He even told me that back in the Winter's castle.
"So the queen knew?" Nobody answered this time. "Did she know who I was? Are you lying to me?" I shot at Sol.
"She wanted you back. She may have had a feeling, but we did not know. She didn't inform us why we had to." Sol answered, quietly.
"So you guys are just acting like my friends because I'm some freak legend around here!" I shouted. I couldn't stop the tears that fell down my face as I became disappointed. I was hurt. I was angry.
"What? No, Sol-" Summer started, but I was already running in the hallway to the stairs that would take me to my room.
I walked into my room, the door still against the wall, to find Sol sitting on my bed. My face must of shown the question forming in my mind as he shrugged.
"Teleportation." I wiped away at the dried tears, blushing at my outburst. "Come tell Papa Sol what you're really thinking." I snorted as he patted the bed next to him, but I joined him anyways.
"Before I never felt like I was apart of the Winter lands, I never felt at home. Now I know why because it wasn't my home. I only had one person that could be considered a friend, but she was still my maid. I thought maybe I actually had a chance fitting in here because I was normal. I thought maybe you guys could actually become the friends I never had, but now you'll think of me as some weird freak that your queen wanted. I'm just embarrassed," I confessed, staring down at my still white painted toenails. That would need to change.
"Last night, we were good to you, right?" I nodded, thinking about how he held me while I cried. He barely knew me. "We didn't know what you were then. Why would we treat you differently now? Summer was just excited to get another girl in the castle." I chuckled. "I understand that you're a little lost right now. Hell, I would be confused as shit right now if I were in your shoes. Let us help you figure it out. We care about you, special powers or not."
My heart warmed at how much this group really did care for one another. Soon I would fit in. I just had to trust them.
"You don't hate me for punching you the first night?"
Sol laughed, his body shaking next to mine. "You socked me right in the nose. Summer had to heal it," he said. I started laughing too, it sounded forced but I couldn't help it. "I was a little pissed, but no I don't hate you." I imagined his nose bruised a purple that almost matched his eyes from my fragile hands before my laughter became real. Sol just sat there smiling until I settled down.
"Will you still teach me how to fight?" I asked again. Sol rest his head on his shoulder dramatically as he looked at me.
"I already said yes, but first we need to work on your cardio. Can't fight people while you're wheezing," he said with a playful grin. I found myself laughing again as I hit him in the shoulder.
"Thank you," I said, quietly. I meant it too. I wanted to be apart of this crew, I really did. Now I know they want me too.
"Always here," he said, flinging an arm over my shoulder that felt like twenty pounds of pressure. "I'll be here to teach you to fight and I'll be there when you're ripping out those damned pointed teeth and everything in between." I looked up at him, being closer to his face than I was expecting. I stared into the violet eyes that were full of promises. All I could do was smile.
We sat like that on my bed for what felt like forever. It was a comfortable silence that filled the room as we were left alone to our own thoughts.
"I think we should head back down and get a plan started," Sol finally said.
I felt my face turn warm as I thought about my outburst again. "I'm embarrassed. Could I just hide up here forever?" I asked, picking my head up off his shoulder.
"Jaxon wouldn't have that, but don't be embarrassed. Everyone understands that you're new to having people care about you. We get why it's hard for you to believe we want to be your friends and not for your powers." I nodded to myself. It would take some time, but one day I will truly believe they care about me as friends. "I'm only friends with you because I need someone to keep my ass in check who isn't afraid to sock me when I'm out of line."
My mouth dropped open as I smacked him in the arm that probably only felt like a bug flying into his muscled arm. He laughed, his arm around my wait squeezing me in a side huge before letting me go.
"We'll start training tomorrow morning," he said, pushing himself off the bed. "Should I bring an inhaler?" My mouth fell open again as his laugh danced its way into the hall. I shot up from the bed, ready to smack him in the arm again but he was faster, already running out of the room still laughing.