AND: Here's part four of today's chapters. I might get a fifth up later. Hope everybody likes.
Warning: Sap ahead! Sap ahead!
Disclaimer: See previous.
Chapter 11
"Doubts"
"The Queen?" Spring said. "But she has not been crowned yet, Nagali."
Nagali grinned, revealing crooked and yellowed teeth. "Just because she is not crowned does not mean she is not the queen. It flows in her blood and you can see it in her eyes. True queens are not made, my dear Spring, they are born. The only other with those eyes I have ever seen was Lunai."
"Lunai was her mother," Pith said. "Grandmere, can you teach her?"
Nagali chuckled. "She does not need an old woman teaching her, Pith. She already knows, it's just a matter of unlocking it," she said and turned to Molly. "You have been visited by your mother's spirit, have you not?"
Molly nodded and began to shiver. Everything was just too much for her. Too many secrets had been revealed that day and her mind just couldn't take any more.
She fainted and was caught by Prince Aikka. Ahn and Nagali were both by her side in a few seconds.
Hours and a very worried prince later, Molly awoke. Prince Aikka was asleep by her bedside. She smiled and blushed when she noticed her clothing had been removed and she was in a nightgown. Pulling back the furs that made up her bed covers and stepped onto the cold stone floor, she stood unsteadily. Slowly, but steadily, she walked over to the window and wrapped her arms around rubbed her arms to put warmth back in them. The stars overhead twinkled like diamonds. Molly sighed.
"Dad, are you worried about me? Do you wonder where I am? Did you know? Did you know about mom?" she whispered to the cool, night air. Soft footsteps approached her.
She spun around and would have fallen to the ground, had it not been for Prince Aikka. He pulled her up into a standing position. His hand lingered for a moment on her shoulder.
"You're awake," he said. Molly nodded and blushed. "You fainted in the war room. Everyone was concerned. The Elder, Nagali, said you had undergone too many shocks in one day." Molly nodded and turned back to the window. Prince Aikka looked her over, for injuries she might have gotten after getting out of bed, of course.
"Does he miss me?" she whispered. Aikka moved over to her side and looked at her wwith concern. "My dad hasn't been the most kind of men. He's never hit me, but he did abandon me for ten years. Then, when I found him again, he didn't recognize me. So I used the name Molly as a cover. My name is Eva Wei."
Aikka looked surprised when she said that. She had lied to him. It hurt, but his heart felt warm in that fact that she was confiding in him. She turned to look at him. A dull blush went across both of their faces.
"I don't know if I'm cut out for this," she said. "I'm not a queen. I'm just a racer from Earth. I don't know anything about ruling, or even fighting for that matter. How can I reclaim my mother's throne? Why me? How can I do this? Am I even the one these people are hoping for?"
Aikka gave her a soft smile. "You have a great heart, something all rulers need. You are fair and look for the best in everything. You aren't afraid of much that I have seen. Most importantly, it is in your blood."
"Blood will tell," she said with a rueful smile. Aikka looked confused. "It's a phrase on Earth."
"It is a good phrase, and very useful to your situation. Now, how about you get back to bed? I need to go tell everyone that you are awake," he said with a soft chuckle. Eva smiled and walked back to her bed. Aikka walked by her a few moments later.
"Prince Aikka," Eva said.
He turned to look at her. "Yes?"
She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she said with a blush and turned back to bed. Aikka stood there, just staring at the woman and brought his hand to his cheek. A bright blush flitted across his face.
