The Sapphire of Ismira

Eight hours left till I'm off to another world.

****I can't thank you people enough for the votes!! *Doing the happy dance*. Hope you like this chapter. I'm introducing a new charater in the next chapter and we finally get to meet Princess Ismira!!! I'm looking for atleast 5 votes before I update my next chapter. :) :D****

ALDRIEN

The meeting was over. I knew what I had to do now.

It's funny how so much can change in such a short time. Just yesterday I was leading a perfectly normal human life. Today I'm hanging out at the entrance to another dimension, I realize I'm invariably going to be crowned King and I'm going to be fighting a war alongside a weregirl.

Yes, life plays cruel tricks on us.

A thought occurred to me suddenly that made me stop dead on my tracks.

"I don't have all day you know! Unlike you, I have other matters to attend to!" yelled Sapphira. But she stopped short after seeing the expression on my face. I couldn't see it but even I knew it was demented.

"Are...you...umm...okay?" she asked again, this time in a concerned voice.

"If I go off to the Neither world, I'll be crowned eventually." I lamely stated.

Confusion was clearly visible on Sapphira's face.

"So...?" she dragged.

"So, I won't be able to see my family ever again, will I?" I looked into her clear blue eyes so I could be sure she wasn't going to be lying just to make me feel better.

For a second Sapphira seemed to look like she was choking. She found a sudden interest in the worm protruding out from the dusty ground. My worst fears were almost confirmed. I just needed to hear it to believe it.

"Well...you never know. Your grandfather and father may be able to survive there but your mom..." she muttered almost inaudibly.

"My mom won't be able to come. She'll go crazy like the other Human Ropta brought into the Neither world, right?"

"Yeah. But she might survive..." Sapphira tried to be optimistic.

I gave her a sad smile. We both knew what was going to happen. There was no going back.

"It's surprising that you haven't made fun of me or teased me for a full ten minutes!" I mentioned to her in a feeble attempt to change the topic.

We had resumed walking now. There was but eight hours left until dawn and I needed to rest in preparation for tomorrow. I was sure that it was going to be a long and very eventful day.

After the meeting, Sapphira was instructed to lead me to my living quarters. I was to spend my time there under dawn broke. Then we would finally travel through the portal, to my doom!

After what seemed like a very long time, Sapphira answered, "Because I understand."

"Huh?" I asked confused. I had almost forgotten my question to her in my brooding over my unavoidable future. I was trying to distract myself from all thoughts of my family. There was no way I was going to break down into tears.

"I said I understand what you're going through. You're not the only one." Sapphira whispered quietly.

"I don't see what you have to worry about? You can come back if you want to...can't you?" Now I was seriously confused.

"I have a feeling that once I leave this place, I'm not coming back. I'm not even sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I'm a Guardian. I know that being one means I'll be taken into the Princess' personal service one fine day but I didn't expect it to be so soon. And I certainly expected a better circumstance." she explained.

I was surprised she even bothered disclosing her feelings to me. That's probably the nicest she's been all day. It was weird in a way to see the vulnerable side of Sapphira. She was a weregirl after all. In a way I felt less burdened to know I wasn't the only one who was going through a tough time.

I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I had completely spaced out and was staring at Sapphira like a zombie idiot. It wasn't until she snapped her fingers inches away from my face that I came back down to Earth.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." she smirked. I got burned by my own line. Ouch.

Looks like Sapphira was back to her normal self.

"Annndddddd we're here!" Sapphira exclaimed motioning to the small white structure in front of her.

It wasn't exactly a house nor was it a plain cabin. It was right in between. It had a small porch in front and three steps leading to the front door. Sapphira led the way inside and positioned herself in the middle of the large one roomed cabin/house. There was a window right next to the door and another one on the left side. The place was well lit. A king size bed was pushed into one corner of the room and had a study table and chair was placed on the adjacent corner. The wall on either side of the window was covered with towering bookshelves filled with ancient looking books and weird artifacts. Next to the bed was a relatively modern looking cupboard. A small door on the wall opposite to the door led to the bathroom.

"This was my brother's place. Whenever he wanted some quite time, he used to come here. Of course he used to come home for his meals and stuff but otherwise he spent most of his time here. It the perfect place to just rest and do nothing else." Sapphira said smiling.

"Oh and your clothes for tomorrow are hanging in the cupboard. Unless you'd like to wear the same stinky ones you're wearing today." Sapphira said crinkling up her nose.

Oh my God! I can't believe I forgot to take my own clothes. How stupid can I get?

I was mentally scolding myself when Sapphira spoke again. Yes, she never shuts up.

"I'll be here to tomorrow morning before dawn to take you to Town Hall. Be ready by then. And DO NOT touch any of my brother's things!" she stated and simply barged out of the room.

Sometimes I wonder if that girl has multiple personalities or is just plain old weird.

I went up to my bed slumped myself on it and before you know it I was asleep.