Chapter Eight
2 HOURS LATER AT 7:00 PM (DINNER TIME)
Tala opened Keomae's door cautiously and looked at the little ball curled up on the bed. She hadn't moved at all in two hours, which made Tala worry. "Keomae, your father wants you to go and get something to eat." He said softly. Keomae moaned slightly, "No Tala. Tell him I'm not hungry. I couldn't eat even if I tried." Tala sighed, "Alright but he won't like it." Keomae shrugged, "Not nearly as much as I don't like to be here." Tala shook his head the left while Keomae stared at the wall in front of her and thought about Kai.
The prison room's door flew open and a big man pushing a cart of like 10 plates of food (barely any) walked in. Mystel readied himself in the furthest corner while Ray and Max did the same in the opposite corners by the bars. Hilary walked over to the bars and smiled brightly hoping to make the man fall in love with her. He ignored her and hit a switch on the wall near the prison door.
A small little rectangle on the ground opened up just enough so that he could slide the plates into the cage. He pushed them all in then hurried out of the prison right after he shut the food slot. Daichi punched the floor, "Darn it! No fair! And after all that hard work of planning out the perfect plan to escape! All for nothing!"
Kenny stopped him from punching the floor again while Ray sat down and said, "Its not like we could've known that they had a slot like that. Oh well, try to come up with another plan." Hilary passed out the food then asked, "Kai, you really should eat. If we do get out of here you won't have enough strength to get too far." Kai looked at the ground then sighed and stood up then walked over to the others and sat down and ate.
Tyson nodded to Tala who whispered to him about Keomae's behavior. Tyson nodded once more then said, "Don't worry. She'll be back to normal before you know it." Tala didn't look convinced but he nodded and walked off anyways. Tyson opened the door and shut it behind him once he was inside. Keomae was still in her ball on the bed looking as down as she could ever be. "Keomae...please..." Tyson said softly walking over to her.
She moaned slightly and closed her eyes. Tyson sat down beside her and sighed, "Keomae I know your depressed but you can't stay like this. You'll get sick or worse! Plus I don't want to see you so down." Keomae sighed, "What...what can I do? I can't be happy, not until I see them. Or once I know they won't be killed I'll never smile or eat or do anything ever again."
Tyson blinked then thought, 'Mariah was right... all she really needs is to see her friends. And I'm the man to help her do just that.' "Keomae I-" He stopped, 'Now's not the time, tomorrow maybe.' He stood up, "Never mind just please, try to eat something. That's all I ask and get some sleep, that could help too."
Keomae didn't reply so he sighed and pulled a blanket out from under her bed then laid it perfectly over her. Keomae sighed in relief, which made Tyson smile, and then he backed away until he was at the door, "Get better Keomae, please." He whispered then left the room silently.
1 WEEK LATER AT THE SAME TIME (NIGHT)
By now Keomae was skinny, sick, shivering, ball lying on her bed under a thin blanket. She still hadn't moved, not once. Everyone in the kingdom was doing something to try and get her to get better but nothing worked, only Tyson and Mariah knew how to make her better. While Keomae was in her strange little faze, Kai was on the his last straw to a break down.
Kai paced back and forth in the cage while the others sat along the walls and watched. "Please sit down Kai. You need to calm down." Hilary asked kindly. Kai ignored her and continued pacing. Suddenly the prison door opened, slowly, then a figure hurried into the room and shut the door behind them.
Ray looked at Max who shrugged then watched as the figure stepped into the light coming from the only window in the prison room, right at the very top of the wall. "You are the people who helped the princess no?" The man asked. Kai growled, "Maybe, maybe not. Who wants to know?"
The man bowed, "I am Tala, princess Keomae's bodyguard. I was the one who was careless enough to let her escape the first time." Hilary looked at Kai who smirked, "Then I should thank you." Tala looked confused then straightened up and said, "I've come to ask you for your story. I know that she ran away but what's the story with you all? The princess would not tell me, she won't tell anyone, and well actually she hasn't said much at all."
Kai looked worried then answered, "We found her. We befriended her. That's all you need to know." Tala nodded, "I see. So you really are her friends not her kidnappers. Then I shall let the king know that. Maybe then he'll spare you."
Tala turned then muttered, "Keomae hasn't been herself lately. I was hoping that if you all could go free she'd go back to normal. That's just my guess though, she may not but I hope so. If you are truly her friends then maybe it'll work, I'll do everything in my power to set you all free and make Keomae smile once again." He left without another word leaving the others speechless and Kai more worried then ever.
Ming-Ming walked happily through the halls, having something to do now after a long time of doing nothing. She looked up suddenly as Tala walked past her toward the throne room. "Tal...Tala?" She muttered. He didn't even look back; he just walked up to the throne room door and went inside, shutting it behind him.
Ming-Ming shrugged then turned and continued on her way. Later when Tala did leave he had three other guys with him. "Dang Tala, I can't believe you actually went down there." Joshua commented. Dunga nodded, "Yeah that takes some real courage there." Tala sighed, "Maybe but I still couldn't get the king to reason with me."
Ozuma shook his head, "Maybe not but you did get him thinking and that's a very good thing. Maybe he'll let those people down there go and then the princess will smile and you'll have that job all to yourself once again." Tala shrugged and looked at the ceiling, "Maybe..."
Tyson sat in the hallway right beside the door and thought about how he was going to show Keomae that her friends were still alive. He sighed and leaned back, "This is giving me a headache." Tala walked up and said, "I'm here to relieve you of duty." Tyson looked up at him then jumped to his feet and nodded, "Alright, I'll be back later then." Tala nodded then Tyson walked away giving Tala the time to go into Keomae's room and see what he could do.
Keomae was still staring at the wall with a blank expression while still curled up in her little, shivering ball. She didn't even look at Tala when he came and sat beside her, "Keomae...please...say something." He pleaded. Keomae whimpered a little then Tala sighed, "I know how hard it must be for you but please, you're worrying everyone, including your friends in the dungeon."
Keomae's eyes widened, "... Kai..." Tala smiled brightly and hugged the little form, "Oh Keomae you did it! See just keep saying one word at a time and maybe if you get good enough I'll take you to see you friends." Keomae nodded then rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "Kai..." Tala smiled and thought, 'And the winner is... Tala while the loser remains Tyson.'
He leaned back a little and looked at the princess who was about to cry, "Now, now, don't cry. Everything will work out, you'll see." Keomae nodded, "Maybe...I hope." Tala smiled then said, "You know I just saw your friends in the dungeon earlier today." Keomae's eyes widen then she gasped, "Are they...are they alright?" Tala nodded, "Yes, they're fine. One of them, a gray haired boy, kind of tough looking, was acting really worried about you. I'll take it that's Kai?"
Keomae nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek, "Kai's alright...I'm so happy." She didn't smile though she just cried one tear at a time then said, "Please Tala, keep checking on them for me. Then report back to me, I know I may never get to go down there myself so would you do that for me?"
Tala patted her shoulder, "Of course. Now, I'd better leave you alone now. Thank you though, for finally relieving me of stress and worry. Now that you've finally spoken I feel much better."
He stood and walked toward the door then looked back at the girl who sat on the bed and stared down at her hands in her lap, "Don't worry Keomae, you'll see, everything will work out in time." He left the room before waiting for a reply hoping that his little talk had given her something to think about.