The Good and Bad Souls

Chapter 11: Analia

My eyes open a little and I see a face staring down at me.

"She's awake! She's awake! Camara, Sam, look." Max screams.

I sit up so I can see them better, but as soon as I do, pain shoots up my arm and I fall back on the bed.

"There, there. Easy An, urrr, Princess Liferia. Your hand is hurt. Don't put pressure on it," Camara says to me, changing the 'Analia' quickly because Max is in the room.

Samantha sits down next to me and starts to stroke my head. Max sits by my legs and keeps on staring at me.

"What happened? Everyone was fine and then, what happened?" I ask them, my voice unrecognisable, sounding croaky and cracking.

"They were shooting arrows to stop us and unfortunately one hit you. Luckily, you were with us that time. You were unconscious for five days." Samantha answers.

I suck in a breath. I could have died. Died for no reason. They didn't want to kill me, they wanted to kill Princess Liferia, who I am not. My fists clench, well, my right fist because my left  hand hurts.

I don't belong here and don't want to be here. It's enough. "I would like to talk to Prince Drake," I tell Camara.

She looks at me with worry, but says, "Sure, I shall tell him that," and then saunters off.

Samantha says she will get me some food and also leaves the room. Then it's only me and Max.

"Hey buddy. How are you?" I ask him. "I am perfectly fine Leaf. You are not fine. Why did you have to get hit?" he says, his voice cracking and then hugs me, his tears soaking my shirt

I hug him back with my right arm and close my eyes.

"Leaf?" he asks. "Yeah," I answer.

"Where did you learn to fight like that? You couldn't and weren't supposed to know how to."

I pull back and look at him, my eyes wide. What does that mean?

I am about to ask him that when the door bursts open and in comes the Prince. What is with him and bursting doors open? He is such a prick.

Oh wait, Prick is such a good name. I think I just found a new nickname for him.

"Are you alright? Feeling better?" he asks.

"Since when do you care?" I say, a smile building up on my lips. He grits his teeth and then says, "You can't die yet. You are important for this to work."

My smile turns into a frown and anger starts to build up inside me. I am not some toy he can play with then throw it away as soon as it is of no use. I notice Max is still with us and look at him, my eyes softening a little.

"Max, I'd like to talk alone with the Prince," he nods and leaves the room, the door closing behind him.

As soon as he's gone I turn to Prick.

"Send me back," I tell him. He looks at me as if he expected me to ask this.

"Not happening," he replies.

"This is not something we agreed to! I nearly died out there. I won't be a part of something I don't want to do. Let me go. Please," I say the last words with desperation in my voice and eyes.

He looks at me, a pinch of sympathy touching his eyes and looks away. "I'm sorry Analia. You can't leave. You're just going to have to deal with it."

Tears touch the corner of my eyes but I blink them back in. He can't see me crying.

He gets up and starts walking out.

"Then will you teach me how to sword fight? At least teach me how to defend myself." I ask him.

He comes to a halt. He is about to say something but probably sees the desperation in my face and stops himself. His eyes soften a little then he says, "Fine. That's the least I can do. But you only fight if it's Life and Death. Or you don't. Understand?"

He doesn't wait for my answer and walks out. I release a sigh and close my eyes when I hear someone coming in again.

"Leaf?" I open my eyes and look at him. "Hey, buddy." I say. He looks nervous, and scared. My eyebrows crease together.

"What's wrong? You okay?" I ask him.

He hesitates, but answers me. "You're not Leaf..."