AN: Hey there! Here's another chapter for ya'll! I've now put one of my
stories on hold so that I could continue this one and another, so hopefully
I'll be able to finish the chapters faster (but that's just a theory! I'm
not sure if it will work or not.) But yeah, here's the next chapter. I
have no idea how many there will be in total, it just depends how many
pages it takes me to get it all down on. Hopefully it will be a good
lengthy read. Once I'm done on it, I'll have more time to work on some
shorter J&D fics *I REALLY wanna see some other authors here! I know there
is a few J&D fics on Fanfic.net other than the ones in this section, but
come on people. We NEED more!
And also, as a special thanks to two people who are always reviewing my work and helping me out, this chapter is dedicated to Sandy87 and Vulpix.
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City
Chapter Four: The Threat
Karma watched with keen interest as her sister returned home. So she HADN'T made another escape. Pity really. She only had two guards following her, and she lost them pretty early. Needless to say, her father was NOT impressed when the guards reported this. However, Karma was curious as to WHY Xema had returned. What could have possibly been more important then leaving the city? It was ALL her sister ever talked about. She sauntered over to the open platform just as her sister landed. She looked tired, and Karma screwed up her nose when she caught sight of that orange furball cradled in Xema's arms, sleeping soundly. Xema was not impressed to see karma either.
"WHAT do YOU want?" Xema growled. Karma just smiled wickedly.
"I just wanted to know why my little sister returned home so EARLY! From the looks of it, you didn't even LEAVE the city this time! What gives?" Karma folded her arms and gave her sister a stern look as she waited for a response. Xema just glared.
"I went to see Chelly. Have you got a PROBLEM with that sis?"
Karma flashed her wicked smile again. "If you just went to see Chelly, then WHY did you try to loose the guards?"
"Would you like it if you had a bunch of men following you around all day?" Xema shot back. Yet again, Karma gave her a wicked glance.
"Why YES! I think it would be WONDERFUL!" Karma ran her hands through her long, ginger hair in a playful, flirtatious manner. Xema sighed and tried to get past her sister, but Karma stopped her with an outstretched arm. "You're really pretty for such a young girl." Her sister commented, running a hand through Xema's fringe. Her little sister pulled away from her rather rapidly.
"Is my hearing playing up, or did you just give me a compliment?" Xema asked. Karma laughed, her voice sounding more like an evil screech of a bat than that of a princess. Xema shivered slightly, and pulled the still sleeping Daxter close to her. Karma's eyes widened when she caught sight of this.
"You like that little furball do you?" Karma reached down to stroke Daxter, but Xema instantly pulled him away from her sister. "What? I won't hurt him!"
"I don't want someone like you touching him!" Xema spat. "I don't trust you!"
Karma was almost heartbroken to hear this. ALMOST. Truthfully, she didn't like Xema anymore than Xema liked her. But did that really mean she had to hate her to a point that she couldn't even trust her? Karma rolled her eyes.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd almost say you had FEELINGS for the little fuzz ball!" Xema raised an eyebrow, and shook her head, almost in disgust.
"Uh, hello. When was the last time you got your eyesight checked? He's an ottsel and I'm a human! There's a major species difference there!" Xema stroked Daxter's fur. "I just think he's cute, that's all. But besides that." Xema trailed off for a moment. "Look, he's just one of my friends who happens to be an animal. Nothing more!" Xema waited for a reply. Karma rolled her eyes in disgust.
"Thank you for that DISGUSTING display Xema. That heartfelt moment was almost too much to bear! I swear I felt a TEAR come to my eye!" Karma played out a scene in which she was wiping a fake tear from her eye. Xema growled and shoved her sister out of the way, heading inside. "Don't worry!" He sister called out to her. "If you never find the perfect guy, I'm sure father won't mind sorting out an inter-species marriage. It would be kind of cute! Considering you're as lowly as the animals are anyway!"
***
Xema ran down the hallway as fast as she could. She felt like she was about to burst into tears. WHY did Karma always pick on her? She leaned against the marble wall, and slid down it until she was nestled on the floor. She glanced down at Daxter, who was obviously a deep sleeper, as he had slept through the whole ordeal. He was busy mumbling in his sleep. Something about dark eco pools. Perhaps he was having a nightmare. Xema brought him close to her face and nuzzled her cheek against his. Instantly he calmed down, and she smiled. The nightmare was now over, at least for him.
She sat silently, looking Daxter up and down. Maybe Karma was right. Maybe she DID have feelings for him? But how could that work? After all, they were two completely different creatures. The only thing similar about them was their ability to talk. But how did that help, asides making communication a lot easier? Xema sighed as she studies the ottsel. Well, obviously, an otter and a weasel could have some kind of relation. But then again, they were STILL animals. Not human and animal.
Xema shook her head rapidly. WHY was she even THINKING about this. 'You only like him as a FRIEND' she told herself. 'How could you even THINK that you liked him?' Xema pulled Daxter closer towards her, and cuddled him gently. How she wished to know why he could talk. Maybe it would answer the question that had plagued her mind from the very beginning.
***
"We're going soon." Keira had trouble releasing those words. Xema looked almost heartbroken when she received them.
"You're all going ALREADY?" Xema asked. Keira nodded her head. True, she would have LOVED to stay longer, but they had already been away from home for over three days, and no one knew where they were. Her father was probably having a fit at that very moment. She dreaded to think of what he'd do to her and the boys when they arrived back home. Xema sighed.
"I'd take you back. But I'm kind off, I guess you'd say, grounded." Xema replied with a nervous giggle. "Besides, I'm not allowed to leave the city, PERIOD!" Keira nodded her head in understanding.
"Yeah, we heard about your little escape from the guards. Your father was running around having a fit. Although I suppose we got something good out of it." Keira nodded in the direction of Daxter, who was presently talking to Jak about something only males would discuss. Keira laughed. "At least we know what he is. Now we won't always have to refer to him as 'furball', although my father will probably still call him that."
Xema nodded, although her gaze was distant. "I hope I'll see you three again soon." She whispered. Keira smiled, and wrapped her arms around Xema in a warm embrace.
"I'm sure you will Xema." The green-haired girl coaxed.
***
Draco glanced out across the shimmering pond. As he wandered through the silver gardens, he came across the figure of his young daughter, bent over the water and gazing at her reflection as if she were hollow. Something was troubling her.
"Xema? What's wrong?" He knelt down beside her and stroked her hair gently. She turned away, trying to hide her tears. "Do you miss your friends?" He asked. She shook her head, but straight after that, she nodded as well.
"I'm so confused." She admitted sadly. Draco blinked rather heavily.
"So am I. What are you so confused about?" Draco took her hand, which was icy cold, and rubbed his palms against it, trying to warm her icy touch. Xema brushed away a tear, and looked her father directly in the eyes.
"How do you describe love?" She asked. "I mean, how do you know when you truly love someone?" Draco reeled back slightly. This was the last thing he expected her to ask him.
"Xema." He sighed, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We've got ALOT to talk about."
***
None of the trio was happy as they departed from the city, slowly gaining altitude until a thick blanket of cloud concealed their view of the glistening city. Two guards had been ordered to take the kids back to their village, and they all watched with heavy hearts as their home for the past few days disappeared. Jak noticed as they flew away; a thin misty blue shield over the city. It reminded him of a glass dome, as if it were there to keep everyone inside the city. It was the first time he had noticed it, considering it was almost invisible unless the sunlight caught its surface.
Daxter sighed from his safe perch on Jak's shoulder. Out of all of them, he wanted to leave the city least. What he was going back to at the village was a step down to what he had back at the white city. The thought of Samos yelling at them wasn't terribly thrilling, and Daxter knew that some way or another, Samos would find an excuse to blame him for their mysterious disappearance.
Of course, Daxter felt that he was leaving more than just the city behind. His farewell with Xema had been rather rapid and short. Perhaps it was because he did not want to appear like a 'softie' or anything like that in front of Keira and Jak if he had given her a teary farewell. In the end, all he gave her was a casual: 'see ya', before heading out of the door. He remembered cringing as he caught a glimpse of the hurt look on Xema's face, and he wanted to kick himself for what he had done. He may never see her again, and he hadn't even said a proper goodbye to her. He had wanted to hug her and cry on her shoulder; but because he was so concerned with his snide, confident and macho self-image; he had hurt her even more.
But what really got to him was how he hadn't told her about his past. If anyone deserved to know, it was Xema. And now she would never know. He hadn't told her about his past or his feelings towards her. Could it be he was in love? Now he would never know.
Jak stole a quick glance at his friend. He still had that same depressed look on his face that he carried when they had left the city. Jak didn't blame him. He was going to miss the city. He was also going to miss flying. Jak was trying his best to enjoy his last feeling of almost flying free, but his concern for Daxter was ruining the moment. Perhaps he was worried about what Samos would say when they arrived back at the village. Jak gulped at the thought. All of a sudden, the ride home didn't seem so appealing any more.
***
Xema sat on her bed in the afternoon sunlight, reflecting on every thing her father had told her. If what he said was true, then maybe she was in love. But with an ANIMAL? It just didn't make sense. When her father asked her if she thought had feelings for someone, she blushed and mumbled that she wasn't sure. She was too embarrassed to tell her father that it was Daxter.
A sharp knock on her door caught her attention. She turned, expecting to see her father, but instead, the dreaded figure of her sister stepped into the room. Xema groaned.
"I don't really FEEL like arguing with you Karma! Just go away okay?" Xema turned away, waiting for the sound of her sister leaving the room, but nothing happened. When she turned around, Karma was still there. Hands on hips and a most terrifying look of hatred on her face.
"Father thinks you're IN LOVE with someone! Is that TRUE?" Karma waited for a response, but Xema remained silent, just staring at her feet. Karma growled. "It's TRUE? Answer me!"
"I DON'T KNOW!" Xema yelled, grabbing at her hair and pulling hard, trying to take her mind off of the confusing matter, and onto something different. ANYTHING would have been a better mental image than the one she was experiencing now. Even pain. Karma stomped her foot in anger, and Xema shot her a look of poison. "What does it matter to YOU anyway?"
"WHAT DOES IT MATTER?" Karma screeched. "I'll tell YOU what it matters! If you fall in love, Father's going to give YOU the crown after he dies instead of giving it to ME! I'm the FIRST BORN! It's my RIGHT! But NO, if you fall in love, you get the throne, you get power, you get the whole damn CITY!"
Xema felt like she was going to explode.
"That's the STUPIDEST thing I've ever heard Karma. What on EARTH gave you that idea?" Karma was now pacing across Xema's room, mumbling to herself. She glared at Xema and growled under her breath.
"It's all because of that stupid prophecy! If you save the city, father believes that is a sign you are capable of rule! He'll break tradition and give the YOUNGEST the crown instead of the OLDEST!" Karma spat every word out, as if there was something bitter in her mouth.
"What prophecy?" Xema raised an eyebrow. This was the first time she'd ever heard of any prophecy. Karma shot her a quick glance, and sauntered over to her as if she was a snake ready to strike. She grabbed Xema by the front of her top and pulled her in close.
"There's an ancient prophecy that tells of the king's youngest daughter breaking the curse of this city!"
"Curse? You mean the one that stops almost everyone leaving the city?" Xema expected Karma to correct her if she was wrong, but her sister silenced her and continued.
"That mark you have is a sign that you are the daughter who will break the curse." Karma continued. Xema knew it had to be the mark on her left thigh. A strange birthmark made of circular and triangular shapes. It was defiantly out of the ordinary. Not many people knew she had it though, considering she barley ever showed much skin on her legs from the knee up. Karma continued on.
"It states that if you fall in love with a boy the same age as you, the curse will be lifted. And father declared that once you do this, he will present you with the HONOUR (and this she hissed through clenched teeth) of becoming the city's next Queen."
Xema shook her head in disbelief. But it didn't make sense. A BOY her age? But Daxter was an ottsel, not a boy. How exactly did that work?
Suddenly, Xema gasped. It all made sense now. Daxter's ability to talk, his failure to know what kind of creature he was, him being the same age as her and even his wardrobe. He WAS a boy. Well, he wasn't anymore, but there must have been a time when he WAS one.
Xema felt her heart race. She had been so blind to the obvious truth it was almost sickening. But also, she was incredibly saddened. To think, he never even TOLD her!
Karma, oblivious to the thoughts racing through her sister's mind, bent down so she could meet Xema's eyes. The dusty-haired girl was staring into space as her mind soared with a mixture of feelings and emotions. A snap of Karma's fingers bought her back to the cold, harsh reality she was currently facing. Karma grabbed Xema painfully by the ear, and pulled her in close.
"However." Karma said with a wicked tone in her voice. "If you're away from the city for more than a day, then the curse will remain forever. Father will have no choice but to give me my right to the throne." Her eyes narrowed as she gave Xema a stern look. The young princess' eyes were over-flown with tears as she listened.
"Only you and a handful of others can leave the city Xema." Karma pointed to a small clump of feathers, similar to that of a miniature wing, sprouting out from Xema's right hand. "That is a sign of one who has the gift to leave the city. Have you noticed it's always the SAME guards that leave the city to search for you when you run away? Have you ever noticed that THEY too, have that wing image on their wrists? That's because they too have the sign of a gifted one." Karma's eyes were almost blood shot as she hissed her final words to Xema.
"Run away sister. Leave the city. You know you hate it, and I will hate you less if you go. Just think: you'll never have to put up with being stuck here ever again!" Xema was backing away from Karma, towards her balcony. She was almost blind from the river of tears collecting in her eyes and flowing down her cheeks.
"And what if I don't?" Xema questioned, although her voice was more of a whisper than anything else. Karma let loose one of the most terrifying laughs Xema had ever heard as she glared at her sibling.
"If you don't, then I'll dispose you personally. Believe me Xema, I'd run away if I were you."
Xema didn't have to listen to any more. She was already taking off from her balcony, and flying towards the city's concealed dome. Her skin tingled slightly as she penetrated through it, and then she was gone. Engulfed by the clouds.
Karma grinned from ear to ear as she strolled back to her room. In twenty- four hours, everything would be hers. As she sauntered into her room, Karma picked up a twisted, heavily engraved wooden hourglass, filled with saphire blue sand. She turned it over and the sand began to travel from one glass dome to the next, counting down every second.
"Tick tock." Karma chimed, before heading off to make sure that no one had seen Xema leave. This time, Xema was NOT going to come back, and she was going to MAKE SURE of it.
And also, as a special thanks to two people who are always reviewing my work and helping me out, this chapter is dedicated to Sandy87 and Vulpix.
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City
Chapter Four: The Threat
Karma watched with keen interest as her sister returned home. So she HADN'T made another escape. Pity really. She only had two guards following her, and she lost them pretty early. Needless to say, her father was NOT impressed when the guards reported this. However, Karma was curious as to WHY Xema had returned. What could have possibly been more important then leaving the city? It was ALL her sister ever talked about. She sauntered over to the open platform just as her sister landed. She looked tired, and Karma screwed up her nose when she caught sight of that orange furball cradled in Xema's arms, sleeping soundly. Xema was not impressed to see karma either.
"WHAT do YOU want?" Xema growled. Karma just smiled wickedly.
"I just wanted to know why my little sister returned home so EARLY! From the looks of it, you didn't even LEAVE the city this time! What gives?" Karma folded her arms and gave her sister a stern look as she waited for a response. Xema just glared.
"I went to see Chelly. Have you got a PROBLEM with that sis?"
Karma flashed her wicked smile again. "If you just went to see Chelly, then WHY did you try to loose the guards?"
"Would you like it if you had a bunch of men following you around all day?" Xema shot back. Yet again, Karma gave her a wicked glance.
"Why YES! I think it would be WONDERFUL!" Karma ran her hands through her long, ginger hair in a playful, flirtatious manner. Xema sighed and tried to get past her sister, but Karma stopped her with an outstretched arm. "You're really pretty for such a young girl." Her sister commented, running a hand through Xema's fringe. Her little sister pulled away from her rather rapidly.
"Is my hearing playing up, or did you just give me a compliment?" Xema asked. Karma laughed, her voice sounding more like an evil screech of a bat than that of a princess. Xema shivered slightly, and pulled the still sleeping Daxter close to her. Karma's eyes widened when she caught sight of this.
"You like that little furball do you?" Karma reached down to stroke Daxter, but Xema instantly pulled him away from her sister. "What? I won't hurt him!"
"I don't want someone like you touching him!" Xema spat. "I don't trust you!"
Karma was almost heartbroken to hear this. ALMOST. Truthfully, she didn't like Xema anymore than Xema liked her. But did that really mean she had to hate her to a point that she couldn't even trust her? Karma rolled her eyes.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd almost say you had FEELINGS for the little fuzz ball!" Xema raised an eyebrow, and shook her head, almost in disgust.
"Uh, hello. When was the last time you got your eyesight checked? He's an ottsel and I'm a human! There's a major species difference there!" Xema stroked Daxter's fur. "I just think he's cute, that's all. But besides that." Xema trailed off for a moment. "Look, he's just one of my friends who happens to be an animal. Nothing more!" Xema waited for a reply. Karma rolled her eyes in disgust.
"Thank you for that DISGUSTING display Xema. That heartfelt moment was almost too much to bear! I swear I felt a TEAR come to my eye!" Karma played out a scene in which she was wiping a fake tear from her eye. Xema growled and shoved her sister out of the way, heading inside. "Don't worry!" He sister called out to her. "If you never find the perfect guy, I'm sure father won't mind sorting out an inter-species marriage. It would be kind of cute! Considering you're as lowly as the animals are anyway!"
***
Xema ran down the hallway as fast as she could. She felt like she was about to burst into tears. WHY did Karma always pick on her? She leaned against the marble wall, and slid down it until she was nestled on the floor. She glanced down at Daxter, who was obviously a deep sleeper, as he had slept through the whole ordeal. He was busy mumbling in his sleep. Something about dark eco pools. Perhaps he was having a nightmare. Xema brought him close to her face and nuzzled her cheek against his. Instantly he calmed down, and she smiled. The nightmare was now over, at least for him.
She sat silently, looking Daxter up and down. Maybe Karma was right. Maybe she DID have feelings for him? But how could that work? After all, they were two completely different creatures. The only thing similar about them was their ability to talk. But how did that help, asides making communication a lot easier? Xema sighed as she studies the ottsel. Well, obviously, an otter and a weasel could have some kind of relation. But then again, they were STILL animals. Not human and animal.
Xema shook her head rapidly. WHY was she even THINKING about this. 'You only like him as a FRIEND' she told herself. 'How could you even THINK that you liked him?' Xema pulled Daxter closer towards her, and cuddled him gently. How she wished to know why he could talk. Maybe it would answer the question that had plagued her mind from the very beginning.
***
"We're going soon." Keira had trouble releasing those words. Xema looked almost heartbroken when she received them.
"You're all going ALREADY?" Xema asked. Keira nodded her head. True, she would have LOVED to stay longer, but they had already been away from home for over three days, and no one knew where they were. Her father was probably having a fit at that very moment. She dreaded to think of what he'd do to her and the boys when they arrived back home. Xema sighed.
"I'd take you back. But I'm kind off, I guess you'd say, grounded." Xema replied with a nervous giggle. "Besides, I'm not allowed to leave the city, PERIOD!" Keira nodded her head in understanding.
"Yeah, we heard about your little escape from the guards. Your father was running around having a fit. Although I suppose we got something good out of it." Keira nodded in the direction of Daxter, who was presently talking to Jak about something only males would discuss. Keira laughed. "At least we know what he is. Now we won't always have to refer to him as 'furball', although my father will probably still call him that."
Xema nodded, although her gaze was distant. "I hope I'll see you three again soon." She whispered. Keira smiled, and wrapped her arms around Xema in a warm embrace.
"I'm sure you will Xema." The green-haired girl coaxed.
***
Draco glanced out across the shimmering pond. As he wandered through the silver gardens, he came across the figure of his young daughter, bent over the water and gazing at her reflection as if she were hollow. Something was troubling her.
"Xema? What's wrong?" He knelt down beside her and stroked her hair gently. She turned away, trying to hide her tears. "Do you miss your friends?" He asked. She shook her head, but straight after that, she nodded as well.
"I'm so confused." She admitted sadly. Draco blinked rather heavily.
"So am I. What are you so confused about?" Draco took her hand, which was icy cold, and rubbed his palms against it, trying to warm her icy touch. Xema brushed away a tear, and looked her father directly in the eyes.
"How do you describe love?" She asked. "I mean, how do you know when you truly love someone?" Draco reeled back slightly. This was the last thing he expected her to ask him.
"Xema." He sighed, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We've got ALOT to talk about."
***
None of the trio was happy as they departed from the city, slowly gaining altitude until a thick blanket of cloud concealed their view of the glistening city. Two guards had been ordered to take the kids back to their village, and they all watched with heavy hearts as their home for the past few days disappeared. Jak noticed as they flew away; a thin misty blue shield over the city. It reminded him of a glass dome, as if it were there to keep everyone inside the city. It was the first time he had noticed it, considering it was almost invisible unless the sunlight caught its surface.
Daxter sighed from his safe perch on Jak's shoulder. Out of all of them, he wanted to leave the city least. What he was going back to at the village was a step down to what he had back at the white city. The thought of Samos yelling at them wasn't terribly thrilling, and Daxter knew that some way or another, Samos would find an excuse to blame him for their mysterious disappearance.
Of course, Daxter felt that he was leaving more than just the city behind. His farewell with Xema had been rather rapid and short. Perhaps it was because he did not want to appear like a 'softie' or anything like that in front of Keira and Jak if he had given her a teary farewell. In the end, all he gave her was a casual: 'see ya', before heading out of the door. He remembered cringing as he caught a glimpse of the hurt look on Xema's face, and he wanted to kick himself for what he had done. He may never see her again, and he hadn't even said a proper goodbye to her. He had wanted to hug her and cry on her shoulder; but because he was so concerned with his snide, confident and macho self-image; he had hurt her even more.
But what really got to him was how he hadn't told her about his past. If anyone deserved to know, it was Xema. And now she would never know. He hadn't told her about his past or his feelings towards her. Could it be he was in love? Now he would never know.
Jak stole a quick glance at his friend. He still had that same depressed look on his face that he carried when they had left the city. Jak didn't blame him. He was going to miss the city. He was also going to miss flying. Jak was trying his best to enjoy his last feeling of almost flying free, but his concern for Daxter was ruining the moment. Perhaps he was worried about what Samos would say when they arrived back at the village. Jak gulped at the thought. All of a sudden, the ride home didn't seem so appealing any more.
***
Xema sat on her bed in the afternoon sunlight, reflecting on every thing her father had told her. If what he said was true, then maybe she was in love. But with an ANIMAL? It just didn't make sense. When her father asked her if she thought had feelings for someone, she blushed and mumbled that she wasn't sure. She was too embarrassed to tell her father that it was Daxter.
A sharp knock on her door caught her attention. She turned, expecting to see her father, but instead, the dreaded figure of her sister stepped into the room. Xema groaned.
"I don't really FEEL like arguing with you Karma! Just go away okay?" Xema turned away, waiting for the sound of her sister leaving the room, but nothing happened. When she turned around, Karma was still there. Hands on hips and a most terrifying look of hatred on her face.
"Father thinks you're IN LOVE with someone! Is that TRUE?" Karma waited for a response, but Xema remained silent, just staring at her feet. Karma growled. "It's TRUE? Answer me!"
"I DON'T KNOW!" Xema yelled, grabbing at her hair and pulling hard, trying to take her mind off of the confusing matter, and onto something different. ANYTHING would have been a better mental image than the one she was experiencing now. Even pain. Karma stomped her foot in anger, and Xema shot her a look of poison. "What does it matter to YOU anyway?"
"WHAT DOES IT MATTER?" Karma screeched. "I'll tell YOU what it matters! If you fall in love, Father's going to give YOU the crown after he dies instead of giving it to ME! I'm the FIRST BORN! It's my RIGHT! But NO, if you fall in love, you get the throne, you get power, you get the whole damn CITY!"
Xema felt like she was going to explode.
"That's the STUPIDEST thing I've ever heard Karma. What on EARTH gave you that idea?" Karma was now pacing across Xema's room, mumbling to herself. She glared at Xema and growled under her breath.
"It's all because of that stupid prophecy! If you save the city, father believes that is a sign you are capable of rule! He'll break tradition and give the YOUNGEST the crown instead of the OLDEST!" Karma spat every word out, as if there was something bitter in her mouth.
"What prophecy?" Xema raised an eyebrow. This was the first time she'd ever heard of any prophecy. Karma shot her a quick glance, and sauntered over to her as if she was a snake ready to strike. She grabbed Xema by the front of her top and pulled her in close.
"There's an ancient prophecy that tells of the king's youngest daughter breaking the curse of this city!"
"Curse? You mean the one that stops almost everyone leaving the city?" Xema expected Karma to correct her if she was wrong, but her sister silenced her and continued.
"That mark you have is a sign that you are the daughter who will break the curse." Karma continued. Xema knew it had to be the mark on her left thigh. A strange birthmark made of circular and triangular shapes. It was defiantly out of the ordinary. Not many people knew she had it though, considering she barley ever showed much skin on her legs from the knee up. Karma continued on.
"It states that if you fall in love with a boy the same age as you, the curse will be lifted. And father declared that once you do this, he will present you with the HONOUR (and this she hissed through clenched teeth) of becoming the city's next Queen."
Xema shook her head in disbelief. But it didn't make sense. A BOY her age? But Daxter was an ottsel, not a boy. How exactly did that work?
Suddenly, Xema gasped. It all made sense now. Daxter's ability to talk, his failure to know what kind of creature he was, him being the same age as her and even his wardrobe. He WAS a boy. Well, he wasn't anymore, but there must have been a time when he WAS one.
Xema felt her heart race. She had been so blind to the obvious truth it was almost sickening. But also, she was incredibly saddened. To think, he never even TOLD her!
Karma, oblivious to the thoughts racing through her sister's mind, bent down so she could meet Xema's eyes. The dusty-haired girl was staring into space as her mind soared with a mixture of feelings and emotions. A snap of Karma's fingers bought her back to the cold, harsh reality she was currently facing. Karma grabbed Xema painfully by the ear, and pulled her in close.
"However." Karma said with a wicked tone in her voice. "If you're away from the city for more than a day, then the curse will remain forever. Father will have no choice but to give me my right to the throne." Her eyes narrowed as she gave Xema a stern look. The young princess' eyes were over-flown with tears as she listened.
"Only you and a handful of others can leave the city Xema." Karma pointed to a small clump of feathers, similar to that of a miniature wing, sprouting out from Xema's right hand. "That is a sign of one who has the gift to leave the city. Have you noticed it's always the SAME guards that leave the city to search for you when you run away? Have you ever noticed that THEY too, have that wing image on their wrists? That's because they too have the sign of a gifted one." Karma's eyes were almost blood shot as she hissed her final words to Xema.
"Run away sister. Leave the city. You know you hate it, and I will hate you less if you go. Just think: you'll never have to put up with being stuck here ever again!" Xema was backing away from Karma, towards her balcony. She was almost blind from the river of tears collecting in her eyes and flowing down her cheeks.
"And what if I don't?" Xema questioned, although her voice was more of a whisper than anything else. Karma let loose one of the most terrifying laughs Xema had ever heard as she glared at her sibling.
"If you don't, then I'll dispose you personally. Believe me Xema, I'd run away if I were you."
Xema didn't have to listen to any more. She was already taking off from her balcony, and flying towards the city's concealed dome. Her skin tingled slightly as she penetrated through it, and then she was gone. Engulfed by the clouds.
Karma grinned from ear to ear as she strolled back to her room. In twenty- four hours, everything would be hers. As she sauntered into her room, Karma picked up a twisted, heavily engraved wooden hourglass, filled with saphire blue sand. She turned it over and the sand began to travel from one glass dome to the next, counting down every second.
"Tick tock." Karma chimed, before heading off to make sure that no one had seen Xema leave. This time, Xema was NOT going to come back, and she was going to MAKE SURE of it.