The King's Gamma (#Wattys2024)

Twenty One

Macey King

"Run the lap again!" Blackbeard as I have now come to call him, shouted from where he was sitting on the lawn chair with the fox that called himself Gem.

I was sweating like a pig and my stomach felt like it was eating itself by now. I felt about ready to go on a rampage.

"God damnit you sadistic fuck, I've been running for seven hours! I want food!"

"You are not in top form. Had you been in top form you would have finished six hours ago and you would have had your meal."

At the mention of a meal I was reminded once again of the fact that my stomach was probably chewing my intestines by now.

"I will have you for a meal if I have to run more than this lap." I grumbled.

"What was that?" He asked as he smiled cockily at me.

"Nothing."

"Your glare will not kill me, little one. Run again."

I huffed, knowing by now that taking too long Gem will happily throw a ball of lightning at me and then cackle as I lay sprawled on the ground with my body convulsing generously.

Turning away from the irritating duo I pushed my body into the makeshift forestry that the fox had created. Unable to use my regular speed, my fast healing or my wings as my powers and abilities were bound, I was barely able to keep my numb limbs moving. Running into a rock that popped up out of nowhere I tumbled down, my bruised body taking yet another fall.

The thing about this makeshift forest is that shit pops up anytime, anywhere and knocks the snot out of you. I ran over a cliff like that once a week before and nearly broke every bone in my body; and the assholes only decided to come and see what took me so long after several hours.

I fell for the seventh time this 'lap' and stayed down for a few minutes, my body starting to shut down from exhaustion and hunger. I passed out soon after, the forest floor matted with decaying leaves and soft mossy grass feeling inviting enough to lull me into sleep.

I woke up in Blackbeard's arms as he carried me, my body numb and my senses too dulled to wonder why the hell this asshole was carrying me.

My eyes closed again, my head falling against his chest as I struggled against the sleep that threatened to drag me under once more.

Waking up I soon realized that I was not alone. My head turned to the right and I found myself staring at a strange woman sitting beside my bed.

"The young miss has awoken." She called out and moments later the doors to the room I was kept in flew open with many young ladies entering, in their hands were trays with clothing or buckets with steaming water.

I was forcefully removed from my bedding and thrown into a bathtub where I was harshly being scrubbed and cleaned before I was being forced into a tight fitting yellow hanfu type dress that matched my eyes almost perfectly.

The woman who seemed to be in charge finally held the door to the room open for me.

"This way, my Lady."

She walked a step behind me, directing me with the two rows of young hand maidens and in front of me were two broad, intimidating and unidentifiable guards. I inconspicuously sniffed at them, but I could place absolutely no scents. They seemed to be of the same race, but what they were was a complete and utter mystery.

I was lead to two large doors behind which the sound of cutlery clashing into porcelain, talking and laughter and chairs scraping against floors could be heard through. The guards at the door regarded me momentarily as the other had done before they escorted me to this destination.