I feel my heart jump,but surprisingly stays steady,as if my body has done this before. My opponent has stood up and stares at me. "See. It's okay." Now my heart speeds up. Max. He removed his helmet and it is indeed Max. I cannot mistake his eyes. He drops his helmet and puts his hands up slowly stepping towards me. I pull my hands to my chest tightly and step back. "No. Don't touch me." He looks hurt but stops. "Please Ari. Its okay." My eyes become blurry. I look up to the platform on which my father and Dex are looking at me. Dex's eyes filled with surprise. My fathers filled with sadness. He didnt even look at me.
I feel something cold clamp around my heart and turn around running back into the castle. Marie sees me and is about to stop me to talk but sees my face and let's me go. I will have to thank her later. I make it to the east side of the castle and out to the stables. There are only a few horses in this barn,meant for the royal family. I have a gypsy,Sapphire,a paint,Sky,a beautiful black horse with a blue under tone who I call Onyx. The royal family get the most beautiful horses.He is already saddled up thankfully and I rush into his stall. He gets down on his front knees to allow me on as royal horses are trained. I jump on and flick the reins he jolts forward out of his stall. His hopes clip-clopping fast along the cobble stone floor. Tears run down my cheek as Onyx rushes out of the doors narrowly missing Max,Dex,and my maids. Dex yells out. "Ariella! Your Highness!" A few minutes later I hear more clip-clopping behind me. I look back and see two horses running behind me. Max and Dex on their horses Nomad and Sunny. Sunny is a palimino with two white socks and long white blaze ridden by Max. A jet black with one white sock and white blaze on his forehead ridden by Dex. They are gaining on me. Their horses are knight horses. They are made and trained for running to catch foes. But Onyx is faster.
I flick his reins again and he speeds up jumping over logs through the forest behind the castle as we go. I can barely hear Max,Dex,and their horses anymore. When I feel that I have gotten far enough away I bring Onyx to a walk and look around for a place to rest. There is a clearing between two huge weeping willow trees. The only reason I saw it was because of the river that blinded me from the sun. I lead Onyx between the trees and take in my surroundings. Even though Caricosia is beautiful its nothing like this. Pure. Untouched by man. Beautiful large green,pink,and white trees. All sorts of flowers on bushes between the trees. Vines hang from the branches like walls,preventing anyone from seeing in unless they found the right spot. I dismount Onyx and lead him to the river. I dont the him up because I know he wont go anywhere. He drinks the water gratefully then turns to eat some grass. I pat him on his beautiful sleek neck. "Good boy Onyx." He whinnies at me and I giggle. Always has something to say. I spot a place beneath a tree that stands in the middle of the clearing. The tree is unlike any I have seen before. Its leaves seem to be crystal clear and sparkle in the sun like diamonds.
Blues,greens,pinks,reds,and reds are given off by the leaves. I walk over to the tree and sitting just beneath it are the most beautiful flowers I have seen.They are lilies but they match the leaves on the tree. The only difference is that a black under tone lays to the lilies making all of the other colors blend like a galaxy. I sit next to them and lightly touch one. The petals looked delicate but instead they are hard and sturdy. They are soft however and smell amazing.I stay like that for a few minutes when I hear a stick crack. I jump up and unsheath my sword.(It was in the stables next to Skys saddle so I grabbed it.) Onyx hears it to and comes rushing to my side. He is trained to protect his master. "Who's there?" A figure steps into the clearing hands up. "Relax its me." I let out a relieved breath. "Dex. You scared me." "Sorry but you have to come back." My relief quickly turns to fear and anger. Fear of having everyone look at me like that again. Like I am a freak who doesn't belong. Anger at everything else. "No. No I am not going back. They all looked at me like they were not sure who I was. Like they didn't even know me anymore. I don't want that." Dex takes another cautious step forward. "Then what do you want?" I hear my voice crack as I speak.
"I want to go home." With that I realize just how true it is. "I want my old life back. I want my old friends back. I want to go to school and worry about tests and if I will get asked to dances." My breath hitches on the last part. "I want my parents back." Dexs face turns to one of confusion. "Your parents haven't gone anywhere." I groan and throw my hands down. "No Dex. I want my parents back. Iliana and Stark may be my birth parents but they didn't raise me." I gesture with my hands angrily. "They weren't there to play with me on a playground,to take me on vacations,to talk to me about my first boyfriend. They weren't there Dex. But the Captain and Sargent were. They were my parents they raised me. Iliana and Stark gave me up. They gave up their daughter."
Dex has frozen in his tracks his face the icy wall again. "They did it to protect you. They did what was best. You shouldnt be mad at them. You should be grateful." I wipe my tears angrily and laugh darkly. "Grateful? I should be grateful? THEY GAVE UP THEIR LITTLE GIRL DEX." My voice raises and I thought I saw Dex flinch a little. I dont think on it. I get my voice under control again. "They could have at least made an appearance in my life once or twice. They could have at least come to visit me. Maybe then I wouldnt be so mad." Dex becomes livid. "They did what was best for you. You should show respect to your parents they are the king and queen." "Ughh why wont you get it? I don't care if they are royalty or not. They had no right to give me up knowing where I was and not come and visit me. No matter what you say it wont change my mind. They gave me up to people that knew them and about them,so why stay away? I cant just let that go Dex!" He finally snaps.
Dex's P.O.V
I find the princess and start talking to her. How can one girl be so stubborn?"They did what was best for you. You should show respect to your parents they are the king and queen." "Ughh why wont you get it? I don't care if they are royalty or not. They had no right to give me up knowing where I was and not come and visit me. No matter what you say it wont change my mind. They gave me up to people that knew them and about them,so why stay away? I cant just let that go Dex!" I was able to remain calm until she said that.
Something deep inside me snaps and I go off. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT? THEY ARE YOUR PARENTS. THE KING AND QUEEN. NO MATTER WHO RAISED YOU IT DOESN'T CHANGE WHO YOU ARE OR YOUR BLOOD!" I see her flinch at my voice and instantly lower it. My voice is still harsh though. "How can you be so disrespectful towards two people who loved you so much that they sent you away to protect you? How can you be so selfish?" I can see something snap in her eyes. Like a rubber band thats been stretched to far. "Selfish?" She steps towards me and a weird feeling goes through my chest. Like a warm pressure pressing down over my heart. Its uncomfortable. "Your calling me selfish? Coming from the guy who's heart was broken so much that it makes you wonder if he has one at all. Coming from the guy who cant let go of the past of a girl who said that she wouldnt love you? Holding on to the past so much that it makes you cold and detached and completely and utterly blind to others feelings.I am not Ameilia Dex.So just leave me alone." I lose it all over again.
Hearing her name again makes all of the feelings come rushing back. "MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH YOUR CAPTAIN AND SARGENT. MAYBE I SHOULD NOT HAVE RESCUED YOU. HOW CAN YOU BE SO INFURIATING? MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST DIED WITH THEM AND SAVED US ALL OF THIS TROUBLE." Her face falls and hurt is written clearly across her face. My words catch up with me and I am instantly horrified. I cant believe I said that. And to my princess no less.
Ariella's P.O.V
After his words I can feel nothing but horror and hurt. I am sure its written all over my face. Onyx has come to my side sensing my discomfort. He is standing in a way to be protective. "Ariella I-. "I can't believe you said that. For being someone who is supposed to be a knight you sure dont act like it. I think you should go." "No I can't without you-" "Leave Dex I dont ever want to see you here again. If I ever find you here I will be sure you regret it." Dex is quiet. His face is full of so much emotion it's hard to place just one. "Princess please-" I fight back tears. "Just leave Dex. Get out of here." Dex gives me one last reluctant look, mounts Nomad and disappears in the trees. All the while leaving me in a wondering state of what the hell just happened.