Another chapter, people! I deeply apologize for the long wait, I'll work hard to never do this again, promise!
This one is a bit more emotional than the last one; there will be fluff, angst, tears, blood, and a lot more Enjoy
Chapter 8: The arrival
White cream walls passing around her. Air escaping without control from their mouths. The nourasians running pretty faster than her. The prince, for the first time, was ignoring her. He didn't even turn around when she almost hit a wall by accident.
As soon as the ship landed, prince Aikka took G'dar from another ship, where the bugs were kept during the whole travel to Nourasia. Eva somehow followed him to the palace, not fearing to be alone, but fearing he would need her.
She barely glanced at the beautiful place; she was gasping and almost sweating. Her heart was beating furiously, remembering what had happened.
Aikka's sisters were kidnapped by the Crogs. Eva didn't know he actually had sisters, but she was worried about them already. She, better than anyone, knew how it was to be with them. She shook her head, trying to escape from the horrible memories that invaded her mind. Cold metal, pain, desperation and tears… yes, tears.
Sandals scratching the ground, as legs move one after another, without resting for a second. Eva thought it was very odd that they hadn't found any other nourasian there. The trio kept running trough the palace, until the prince stopped abruptly, touching a door with his hand.
Blue crystal eyes met crimson ones, and the nourasian seemed as if he was looking at her for the first time in his life. He never noticed her running behind him. She was still gasping a bit, but never took her gaze off.
-Go- she said.
Not losing more time, he glanced at her once more before opening the light brown door. Instantly, when it was closed, she fell to her knees, breathing hardly, eyes closed. Eva leaned her back against a wall, and waited.
As her chest went up and down, trying to breathe normally, she visualized in her mind curved walls, the great lamps floating highly by magic, the thousand of rooms in the way, the beautiful blue paintings on every corner and the elegant sculptures and carvings on the floor and windows. But more than any other thing, she could clearly remember a destroyed wing of the palace.
She waited for a long time, no idea how much. At least an hour.
She sat there, patiently, until she heard a growl and then the door was opened violently.
Aikka stormed out, his face completely tense into a furious expression. Athan appeared a few seconds after that, not daring to follow him. They both saw the young prince walk away, almost jogging.
Eva stood up instantly to go after the prince, but a strong grip of a hand in her shoulder stopped her. When she turned her head, the guardian with the violet eyes indicated her to come inside the room.
She entered, a bit unsure. There she saw two people, sitting on two thrones, decorated with gold and a few jewels. In the left one was a woman, pretty young and beautiful, with blue light eyes and her hair fixed in two ponytails, with a crown, the same design as Aikka's. She was wearing a long white dress and a brown belt under her breasts.
In the right throne was a man, pretty big, with long ears and with a tired expression, his blue eyes showing his sadness; his abundant hair was fixed into some kind of pieces of bronze, with the same crown as the woman, and similar clothes to Aikka's.
Athan bowed deeply by Eva's side and she did the same, as better as she could; luckily, it seemed to be okay.
-You are Molly Wei, am I right? - The woman was the first breaking the silence.
-Uhm… yes, your majesty. Actually, my real name is…-
-Eva- the king cleared, his hard voice echoing in the room.
-Yes- she answered nervously.
-It's a real pleasure to have you here- the queen said.
-And as our son's friend, you will always be welcomed in Nourasia- the king continued.
Then there was a tense silence in the room. Eva's red eyes explored the place for a moment; the walls were white with a slight shade of blue in the corners. The symbol of the planet was carved in the center; deep brown curves made of a mix of wood and ceramic were in the ground.
The thrones were placed exactly in front of the door, a few meters after it, as if it was made to welcome everyone who came in.
Suddenly, the king cleared his throat and commanded Athan to leave; so Eva and the royals were alone. Then, without warning, the queen sighed and stood up, walking directly to the young human, hugging her tightly and sighing again.
Eva's face became red as she felt the king's hand messing her hair, somehow in the way Rick used to, and the queen pressing her against her chest. Then the woman took her chin with two fingers, making her look at her light blue eyes, which had the same kindness and purity as Aikka's.
-May I check your health, my child. You look so pale!- the nourasian woman said, with a concerned voice; after a second she continued hugging her.
-Our prince was right about you, there's a clean and strong soul inside you. Though we nourasians don't have such a peaceful relationship with humans, he accepted you as his friend, without a doubt- the king said, at which Eva turned a bit red, thinking of the things the prince could have said about her.
-We wish you to know we are deeply sorry about the situation and horrors you have been through, my dear girl- the queen whispered, as if afraid that someone else could hear her.
-Thank you, your majesty- Eva answered politely, something unusual on her.
-Nori, my queen, please…- the king said, taking his wife's hand in his.
The girl's blush started to disappear slowly, as she talked to Aikka's parents. They were different from what she had thought they could be like. Queen Nori, instead of shy and polite, was very spontaneous and with a charming personality, the kind of personality only a mother can have. In addition, King Lao, instead of silent, cold and strict, was polite, friendly and kind to her.
She felt as if they were her parents, like in the past. The couple was really good and gentle to her. Everything went well, until the queen went silent, also the king, and their smiles faded away.
-My dear, you may know by now that the Crogs took our princesses away- said queen Nori, lowing her face. Eva nodded.
-They attacked our palace and almost killed a few of our knights- king Lao said, closing painfully his eyes.
-It happened while our prince was with the Crogs, but he seems to know nothing about it- this sentence touched inside her brain and soul. Then… Aikka could have been able to help if he didn't go to rescue her?
-Yes, I heard something like that- the human whispered.
-Lady Eva, do you have any idea of were our daughters could be? - Lao asked lowering his voice.
Eva didn't even try to think about it. The memories were just too painful, and to know that the princesses could be in the same situation because of her was something she couldn't bare.
-I'm… sorry, your majesty-
The royals understood that her answer was going to be the last thing she would say.
-Very well- Lao said, finishing the conversation.
Later, on another part of the palace
Eva walked silently by Athan's side. The guardian looked at her every two seconds, concerned about the silence that the girl insisted to keep. Also, he turned his head some times, as if looking for something behind him.
Finally, the maid that was guiding them stopped and turned around, barely trying to smile kindly to the new guest; but Eva noticed the sadness inside her heart, reflecting in her silver-blue eyes.
-This will be your room for now, m' lady. If you need anything, you can call me whenever you wish- with this, she made a respectful curtsy and left, making her long brown ponytail swing with her moves.
After she was sure the maid was out of sight, she sighed and didn't even tried to enter in the room, Eva turned but before she could give two steps, the same grip of a few minutes ago made her stop.
-Lady Eva, if you would let me, I recommend you to stay in your room. You must not go after the prince- he said, looking directly at her with his dark violet eyes.
-Why not? – The human asked immediately.
-Please, m' lady, stay here and as soon as the prince is back into the palace, I'll make you aware of this- he said, keeping his polite, though cold tone.
-Pardon my rudeness, but I do want to go look for Aikka- she said, starting to walk slowly.
-I'm sorry to inform you that guests are forbidden to leave the palace without the king's permission. As you're a guest, you can't disobey our King-
-Just watch- Eva said, finally losing her patience.
After she ran a few meters, she was about to cross a corner but Athan appeared and stood right before her, his expression saddening.
-If you would forgive my sincerity, I'll tell you a secret, Lady Eva-
-What is it? - She asked, not very curious but angry, because he wouldn't let her give another step.
The guardian sighed deeply and then looked through a big window by his side. His eyebrows were tense and getting closer to each other, as if their owner was thinking about something really hard… Or something too hard to remember.
-Prince Aikka has an incredible power to control himself whenever he's in the need of it, even his feelings ,but… only when anger is inside his soul, he's unable to control his own actions and words- Athan said, finally looking at the girl.
-What? I don't get it, you mean…- Eva had no idea of what to think.
-He can do anything, under anger's control. If anyone goes after the prince, he may get hurt or…worse- this last word was said with such worry, that Eva stepped back instinctively.
-No way! Aikka is not that kind of…- in that instant, some images of Aikka grabbing his knife appeared; things that could have happened, but never did because something or someone stopped him.
"My next adversary is you"
"Stay away from me, for your own protection"
"Molly, don't make me do this is the hard way"
"You…killed a crog, right?"
-Please, stay in the room, m' lady- the man said, pulling her gently by the arm, but soon there was no need to do so.
Eva walked without objection and entered the room, slowly closing the door. She was too deep into her thoughts.
She stared for a moment. The place was huge! It had a queen-size bed, with reddish sheets, probably made of silk or something similar; a lot of white and golden pillows were in the bed and in some kind of chair; it looked like a mix of a small sofa and a big cushion. Eva didn't move for a few minutes, until she decided to rest in the bed. It didn't took long for her to notice someone else owned that room, and it wasn't hard to guess who it could be.
She turned her head to see an elegant table with a few weird objects; she couldn't say what they were; also a dark blue brush, a mirror with a golden frame and two books.
In the other side of the room was a white door with some details in blue and grey. It was probably the bathroom. And right next to it was a red curtain.
Eva blinked at this, curiosity running in her veins. She got to her feet and walked, as if afraid of finding something scary. When her hand reached the fabric, she pushed it to left and observed the dresses that were behind it. There were a lot, very fancies and delicate. Some blue, some brown, some orange, some other were light grey but there were at least twenty white dresses.
All were different and fascinating. She couldn't resist the feminine urge of checking on every of them, but she would never dare to try on them. If she guessed well, those may be Aikka's sister.
"It happened while our prince was with the Crogs…" the queen had said.
Was Aikka mad because of her? Was it really her fault that his sisters were kidnapped? She had to know, she had to make sure he wasn't mad, no matter what.
Quickly, Eva ran to the door but suddenly fell to the ground, pain running in her body.
-What the…? - She exclaimed surprised.
She had run to the door but it had some kind of barrier on it. She got to her feet and tried to touch the wood of the door, but couldn't. Instantly, she felt a pain in her fingers, as if they were burning.
Then she understood… Athan couldn't trust her, right? She grinned. He had put a magic barrier, so she wouldn't go look for Aikka.
Was it really that dangerous to be near him in that moment? If he was angry with her, then going after him was a pretty stupid idea, but… she wouldn't believe it! She knew Aikka wasn't going to hurt anyone.
She wasn't going to accept it that easily! She would find him in any way.
Her crimson eyes observed the whole room, expecting to find a way to escape. And she found it quickly. The window.
She approached and put a hand on the frame, looking outside. Eva suddenly felt a strange fire of fear in her heart, but filled with excitement; she hadn't done something wild and risky since… well, since Oban, a few months ago, and she was dying to do it.
She sat carefully in the ceramic frame, looking down.
-Great! - She said as she detected some plants growing in the wall. Classic but useful.
The red-black haired girl grabbed the frame with both hands and placed a foot on a strong branch and breathed deeply. She was afraid, yes, but she wouldn't regret now.
Very slowly she climbed, grabbing with all her strength the branches and trying not to look down. Of course, she was a pilot but she still felt a bit afraid of heights, and let me tell you, the window was extremely HIGH.
When there were only about two meters left, she lost some concentration and lost a branch and slipped, causing her to fall to the ground. She closed her mouth and didn't scream; otherwise someone would know she wasn't in "her" room.
Luckily, she fell directly into some flower shrubs. She was now panting in shock, trying to recover herself. She shivered as she felt spines in her back, stupid flowers…
She kneeled and glanced angrily at the shrubs that saved her life. In that moment she felt an unexpected peace and caring for those plants. The shrubs were light green, with orange-white petals on its flowers. It almost seemed to shine, that was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen for sure…
-No time to lose- she said to herself.
As the human walked in the garden, she could see some other kinds of plant. Reddish trees, blue flowers, a yellowish grass, everything was awesome and Eva had to fight against her impulses. It was finding her friend, the one who saved her; or playing around like a child… Definitively Aikka, the other option would come later.
She couldn't help but to grin all the time. She loved that place! Now she understood why Aikka wanted to show her his planet, it was so different and natural that it was hard to believe.
But her smile faded away a bit as she saw a well-known figure behind a tree, resting his head on it and glancing silently at the sky.
---
-Aikka? - A soft voice said behind him.
He turned his face to the person he knew was the owner of that voice, the voice he had dreamed so much about, the voice that could control him, making him forget about everything, even his honor.
The girl with red-black hair approached slowly, holding her hands to her chest, making her look so innocent. Eva, his Earth princess sat beside him, though a few inches away from him.
-Can I? - She asked, even when she had sat already.
-Of course- he said in a low tone, but enough for her to hear him.
A cold wind made her shiver a bit, but Aikka didn't move at this. She wasn't shivering for the cold, but for she didn't know what to say, what to expect. His eyes were looking at the sunset, which made the grass look golden. He still had that angry expression on his face.
-Your parents told me what happened-
He kept silent, still looking at the sun, setting between a couple of mountains.
-I'm sorry- she said.
Suddenly, Aikka hit the ground with a fist, surprising Eva, but not scaring her. He stood up and hit the tree with his other fist, and then put his hands in it, looking down at where his friend was sitting.
The human got to her feet and observed him. His knuckles were bleeding a bit and his breath was hard, almost like suppressed growls.
Eva touched gently one of his hands. At the sudden pain, the boy looked up to her. Her crimson eyes, always braves and happy, were filled with tears. This sight changed his expression completely, from a tense one to a concerned one. With his free hand he touched one of her cheeks, feeling it wet, probably because of her tears.
He had no idea of what to say or do. His soul was burning into flames of anger and hatred, but in the other hand, seeing Eva crying, as in that time in the crog's ship; crying for him and his sisters, for his family; it made him feel sadder. Her heart was pure, he could say. How many people cry for other people's pain?
Her lips trembled slightly, as if something wanted to escape from there.
-I'm sorry, Aikka- she whispered.
He said nothing back. In only a second, his heart, deeply injured, full of pain and rage; changed into a softened one, more calmed than before, but still...
-Molly, why are you apologizing? - He said in his normal sweet voice.
At this, Eva let escape a mix of a laugh and a sob. She couldn't control her emotions… she felt like an idiot for crying in front of him. At least, he seemed to be okay now.
-It's nothing- she said. It was better for him not to know what she was thinking. Not yet.
-Then why are you crying? - He continued.
She said nothing. How to explain it? She had no idea. How can you tell your best friend "it's my fault your sisters were kidnapped and I feel guilty"? She wiped away her tears but more and more kept coming.
Aikka's expression softened more. There was no need for her to answer; he understood… part of it.
-They will be fine, Molly. We will find a way to rescue my sisters- he said.
After that he wiped her last tear and hugged her, shyly at first but as she rested her head in his shoulder, he surrounded her with his arms. The sky was black, filled with small stars.
They were like this some time, until Eva calmed down. She separated from him, though she didn't want to. In fact, she liked a lot to be there and feel… protected. But not only that, she liked to know it was him who was protecting her.
Now that she was sure her friend wasn't mad anymore she could tell for sure, he wasn't able to hurt anyone. Athan was wrong about him.
Also, she could assure something more. Deep inside her chest, her heart told her a secret, the one she never wanted to accept but never disappeared. She liked Aikka, more than as only a friend. But this wasn't love. No, it couldn't be. It was a crush, nothing more.
She blushed a bit as she stared into his eyes. She remembered their kiss again.
"Damn, forget it Eva. It's not possible" she thought, hopping the prince wouldn't hear her.
-Hum…- she tried to say something to break the silence, and to stop her blush.
-Yes? - The young prince asked kindly, which made her blush more evident.
Soon she found her opportunity to take away those embarrassing thoughts about the prince. Something else caught her attention. A red light illuminated their faces, coming from a nourasian moon. Then, there was a blue light.
-Why are there two moons?-
The prince grinned. He loved to answer that question.
OMG!! I don't know if I should feel like a villain or what. But well, I liked a lot to write this and you have to admit it, the chapter today was good I REALLY hope this doesn't turn into an M story, but I really suspect it will (only one chapter, don't worry).
Review please!
