My Secrets and Horrors

Chapter 10

Back to Basics

Previously

A heavy sigh filled the room, "look Jade I'm not going to punish you for this because I think your embarrassment is enough, but I am confining you to the base and I am putting you back through the training programme to patch up your skills which have got sloppy over the past years. You may leave now." He spoke his voice softer than before, as Flora got to the door he spoke once more. "Jade you are banned from having any contact with them, am I clear?"

"Yes sir."

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Flora's footsteps echoed through the dark corridors bouncing off the grey walls, which resembled that of an old school that had been long abandoned and left for the rats and pranks of the younger generation. Soon enough Flora reached a set of large wooden doors, which led down to a corridor of other doors, the sleeping compartments.

Silently she made her way through looking for a certain name upon the doors, suddenly the door she was in front of opened and a female figure stood in the doorway looking at Flora in shock. "Jade, is that you?"

"Riller... yer it's me. It's been so long" Flora replied as a smile grew on eh race at seeing her old friend.

"Get your backside into this room now" Riller said with a sense of urgency, Flora stepped into her friend's room admiring the decoration as she heard the door close and lock behind her.

Flora turned around to face Riller, she was the same height as Flora but had a slightly more athletic body with well tones muscles, her hair was short and black, spiked up in all places, untameable just like Riller herself. However, the thing that stood out most of Riller was her different colour eyes, one being a bright green while the other one is a sharp chocolate brown.

"Riller what are you ..." but before Flora could finish Riller had embraced her in a hug

"I have missed you so much Jade, where have you been? Do you have any idea how hard it has been here without you? All the boys think they can own me."

"I'm sorry Riller, I was sent on a mission..."

"Can you talk about it? I promise I won't tell"

Flora thought it out in her head before deciding she could trust Riller, they had known each other since Flora arrived at this place that soon became her 'home'.

Flora pulled herself from Riller's embrace and sat down on the sofa at the end of her bed; Riller could see the depressed look in her friend's eyes and gently sat next to her. "Flora are you alright?" she asked using Flora's real name to emphasize her concern for her.

"I failed the mission and I lost what I had, I, I "Flora spoke as tears continued to fall down her cheeks. Riller pulled Flora into a hug and held her tight, stoking her hair as she said soothing words to calm her friend down.

Minutes had passed, "its okay Flora, but tell me what happened" Flora thought it over in her head and decided to tell Riller about everything that had happened over the past years. When she had finished she hid her head in shame. "You mean to tell me you were given a mission to kill the princesses of the most powerful realm but instead they became your friends and they did not care that you were a commoner. Flora I know what I am about to say is going to sound harsh but you have to forget about them."

"I know but it's going to be so hard, they accepted me for who I am, they were there when I needed a hand. Even Helia was there for me, it felt like I had a family again."

"Flora you did the right thing breaking up with Helia, he couldn't be with you, and would he stay with you when he finds out the truth. Flora I know it's hard but you have been at this institute for over ten years, you are the most experienced out of all of us, you are known as Jade throughout all of the realms, you are an assassin."

"no I'm not" Flora replied getting to her feet "I never killed anyone, that man was an accident , I, I tried to save him but I couldn't I tried so hard"

Riller hated seeing her friend like this and wished there was a way she could take away her pain. "Flora hunny, look at me." Flora did not move so Riller walked in front of her and held Flora's face in her hands forcing her to look her in the eyes. "Flora I know you are not a killer, but you have to face the fact, we are here and there is nothing we can do. We have known each other for years, we went through all the training together, we went through their beatings and we made it. We just need to stay strong, think about it if your friend love you that much they will come for you, and then we can fight our way out of here, you Zircon, and me we can have normal life's once again. You just have to keep faith and believe."

Flora pulled neck and smiled, "your right Riller, if they care for me that much they will come and understand that I had no choice over any of it."

Flora dried her eyes with the back of her hand and a ping echoed through the room both sets of eyes landed on Riller's laptop that was on her counter, displaying that she had one unread message; Riller opened the message and read it before turning to Flora with a smile on her face. "Looks like I'm taking you through basic training. This should be fun; I will see you first thing tomorrow six am in the gym. Get a good night sleep it's going to be a long hard day."

"I can guess I will see you later Riller," Flora said as she opened the door after she unlocked it

"See you later Jade"

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Flora walked further down the corridors slightly more cheerful, thanks to the hope that her friends would come and get her. Hope, hope is all she needed.

Soon enough Flora stopped outside another door and knocked waiting for an answer, getting no reply she knocked again. This time a shout echoed from the other side of the door, "Come in." Flora entered the room to find it empty.

"Hello?" she called slightly confused.

"Oh hey Jade I'm in the bathroom, I will be out in a sec, help yourself to a drink from the fridge I restocked this morning."

"Thanks Zircon" Flora called back

"Please call me by my real name" the voice called back slightly annoyed

"Only is you call me, Jack"

"Sure Flora I will be out soon"

Flora smiled and headed over to the small fridge that was in the kitchen side of his room. The room was like a small compartment complete with bedroom living room and kitchen. Only few people had these types of rooms and those being Flora, Riller, Jack and several others. After grabbing a elderflower drink from the fridge she sat down on the sofa and turned on the telly, finding a programme about gardening.

Minutes later Jack walked out of the bathroom, his hair was wet revealing he had just had a shower; he was wearing a clean pair of boxers but no t-shirt. "Hey Flora, how did it go?" he spoke in concern as he sat next to her. Flora turned the television off and turned to face him.

"Well he was disappointed that I didn't complete the mission, but he said he wasn't going to punish me because I have been embarrassed enough by believing that the girls were really my friends. I have to go through basic training again with Riller, but apart from that I'm good."

"Flora, you care for those people don't you?" Flora sighed and turned away from Jack.

"Of course I do Jack I was with them for years, and I know they care for me. Nevertheless, when they find out who I am they will hate me, I know for sure they will come looking for me and I don't think I can face them. I want to leave here but I do not want to see horror and disappointment on their faces. I don't know... life just seems so hard."

Jack stared at his friend as tears began to fall down her face, they had known each other for years, the three of them, he, Flora and Riller were inseparable, they were closer than siblings were and that is what made them such a good team.

"Flora, I see you as my sister, if or when your friends come for you they will understand when they hear the truth. We will get through this together all of us, but for now we will get through your training together."

"Jack I don't know what to do, I done what is forbidden. I fell in love; it hurt so much when I saw the look in his eyes when I broke up with him. I..." Flora started to cry heavier.

"I know Flora; he will understand I know he will. You had to break up with him or his safely you had no choice. Come on keep your head high and we will all walk out of here free." Jack pulled the crying Flora into his embrace stroking her hair as she cried into his chest, in pain and fear.

"It will be okay Flora, trust me, everything will turn out okay"