Princess of Flames

Silence to Swimming

        Brydan looked as if she had just struck him. He looked at her in shock, then rage. "How could you do that?" he yelled. "I can protect myself, and I wasn't going to let you die for my life!" she yelled back at him. "You were injured and only had two blades. And yet you want me to apologize for trying to protect you from forty soldiers, and a commander who held a blade to your throat." They were both yelling now. "I had my magic too as I said, I can protect myself," she said with deadly quiet. "The magic you used to block me out. You completely blocked me out for your own pride!" "Pride?" she hissed. "It was - you know what, I'm not doing this. You can go deal with your anger somewhere else," she spat. She stepped around the bleeding out commander. "You can interrogate him if you want," she said to Rowan before she stalked down the halls to her rooms. When she got there she could feel the tears stinging at her eyes as she quickly changed and got under the covers on her side of the bed. She couldn't remember the last time she cried about herself. So she let it out, no one but Breanna would come in here. She cried for a while until a knock sounded on the door. She put on her slippers that matched the sleepwear she was wearing next to the door. She wiped her tears before opening the door to see who it was. There was Brydan standing next to Breanna in the hall.

       She let Breanna slip into the room. But she went to close the door in Brydan's face. She didn't even want to see him right now. He must have noticed her red eyes, and the tear streaked cheeks, because he said, "Are you okay?" She paused in closing the door. "I'm fine." she said sharply. "No, you are not," he answered. "What do you want, because if you were just dropping off Breanna then thank you, but I'm tired so good night." She closed the door this time. He walked away as she listened for him to try to open the door or say something. She let out a breath. She shifted into a wolf, so that she couldn't cry. Wolves couldn't cry, at least she didn't think so. She curled up on the bed next to Breanna. Breanna ran a hand down her back. She fell asleep a moment later from today's adventure if that's what you want to call it. 

      The next morning she shifted back and got dressed. She went down to the kitchens, not saying good morning to anyone. She helped Emrys, who said that when the other soldiers heard the she had taken down those soldiers that they ran away. She nodded and continued her work. She brought breakfast back into her room. A few people knocked but she didn't answer the door. No one opened the door. The only one brave enough to do so was Liara. Liara came and sat on the bed with her. At one point she cried again and Liara held her. She knew how it felt to need to just let it out. She was angry with Brydan but she also felt guilty. She didn't even know why anymore. Liara stayed with her until dinner when she went down to get them food. She laid down on her side just curled up facing the wall. She heard someone come in. Liara had finally come back with the food. She rolled over to see Brydan standing in the doorway. She rolled back over. The anger overtook the guilt. She said, "Go away. I don't want to talk." "Your voice is so scratchy that I can tell you haven't spoken all day." he said. It was true she hadn't uttered a word until then. Then she heard light footsteps halt before the doorway. Liara came in. She set the food on the table, as Taylor rolled back over. She walked over to Brydan and said, "She said get out, I suggest you do that now." She said it with such coldness that she didn't hardly recognize her friend's voice. Brydan's eyes went wide too, he stepped back out the door where Liara closed it in his face. "I got food!" she said sweetly to Taylor as she brought it over to her.  That made a faint smile bloom onto her face. 

       She didn't know how or when but Liara managed to convince that she was going to stay with her for a few nights, and Breanna was staying with Soaren. Liara made her get up out of bed and go outside. It was warm and sunny outside then. They walked to a nearby river. The river was pretty this time of day with the sunshine reflecting off of it, the small fish swimming upstream, and the crystal clear water. Liara took off her shoes and rolled up her pants as she began to wade in the river. Taylor followed her but as she got into the slightly deeper part, she stepped on a algae covered rock. The algae made it super slippery, and as she put her weight on it, her foot slipped and she fell into the river. It was fairly shallow there but it went up to her chest. She gasped as the cold water soaked her. Liara turned around to see her. As she saw how soaked she was and the shocked smile on Taylor's face she burst out laughing. "If you wanted to go swimming you should have put on better clothes." she said in between laughs. Taylor decided that she shouldn't be the only one who went swimming. So she grabbed Liara's foot and she lost her balance. She landed in the sand and rocks in the water next to her. "Well now that we're all wet why don't we actually swim in the lake this river leads to." Taylor suggested. Liara laughed, but nodded. They decided to walk since they had brought a few things. They walked along the sandy riverside till they got to the small lake. The lake was not giant but it was fairly deep. Even Taylor wouldn't be able to touch the bottom. Liara since her clothes were already soaked started wading in. Taylor followed suit. When they were up to their waists. Taylor dove under. She opened her eyes and saw Liara did the same. "Race you to the bottom." Liara said when they surfaced and she dove under again. Taylor was a good swimmer. She caught up with Liara soon enough. She felt something brush her leg, she paused and whirled but there was nothing there. When she looked back she saw that Liara had a piece of grass in her hand. And then she saw Liara touch the bottom. They both swam up. "You're a cheater!" Taylor said with outrage. "There were no rules against it." she said innocently. So they laughed, and played, and swam, and splashed, until a while before dusk.