"But it isn't time for me to die yet, so don't worry. And I'm all healed now!" Rebekka's voice rang out with an almost surprising confidence, the kind that suggested she was fully back to her old self. She was standing tall, her words sharp and clear. Her gaze flicked toward the dogs, and it was sharp—deadly even—but the intensity was paired with a kind of fierceness that struck me as both strong and strangely endearing. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her. The way her eyes, usually so soft and quiet, now blazed with defiance, even after everything she'd been through—it was oddly adorable. Her expression spoke volumes of her strength, of how far she'd come despite the circumstances. And I found myself smirking, a little in disbelief at how she could still be so strong, even in the face of those who had once hurt her.
"And why are they here now?" I asked, genuinely confused by the whole situation. The absurdity of the entire thing seemed overwhelming. "Are they trying to harm you again?"
Rebekka rolled her eyes in an almost theatrical way, but a faint, almost amused smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Queen's orders," she explained, her voice carrying a dry humor. "They hate me. I hate them. So, she decided to punish them by making them take care of my safety until the end of the trials." Her words were sharp, and though there was bitterness there, it was clear she wasn't bothered by it in the way someone might expect. It seemed almost ironic—the very people who once tormented her were now supposed to protect her, and that made her situation feel all the more ridiculous. Yet, despite the humor, there was no mistaking the resolve in her words. She wasn't fazed.
"But... It'll only end at the end of the year!" I responded, my voice tinged with disbelief as the full weight of what that meant hit me. "That's a long time to put up with them," I added, my voice heavy with the realization that she'd have to endure this kind of punishment for months. It was such a cruel and twisted punishment, but there was something about the way Rebekka held herself that made me believe she'd survive it, no matter how long it lasted.
"Don't worry, ugly duckling," Rebekka teased, though there was an edge to her tone. "We aren't able to hurt Nsomi anymore. The Queen made sure of that." She grinned, a playful glint in her eyes as she glanced at the dogs. Of course, Adonis would turn this into an opportunity for some sort of bullying.
"Do not bully the girl, Adonis!" I snapped, irritation rising in me at the thought of him making this situation worse. I turned my glare to him, my words sharp. "Don't you know how to be a gentleman at all? Barking asshole!" The words came out without thinking, a mix of frustration and protectiveness flaring up within me. Maybe it was the fact that they'd hurt her in the past, or maybe it was simply how easily Adonis could get under my skin, but I couldn't stand the idea of him being cruel to her—again.
Rebekka, however, wasn't fazed by my outburst. Instead, she turned toward me with a question, her expression curious. "Is he telling the truth?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for confirmation.
"Mmhm!" I nodded, my lips curving into a half-smile despite the irritation in my voice. "So, have the other girls mistreated you a lot?" I shifted the conversation back to her. It was the least I could do, after all, to keep the focus on her and not the ridiculous drama unfolding between me and the dogs.
Rebekka sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly in defeat as she nodded. "They have me as an easy target, so yes. And I'm not vicious like them, which makes them annoyed." There was a resigned quality to her words as if she had grown used to the cruelty, a side of her that had come to accept it as a part of her life. She looked off into the distance for a moment, a slight frown tugging at her features. "I think the only people who haven't been rude to me are your brothers, Princess Elodie, the Crown Prince, and... you!" She said the last part with a small, almost reluctant smile, but it was a sad smile. The kind of smile that spoke of how few people had treated her with kindness, how much of her life had been spent enduring the cruelty of others. "They are the only ones who haven't treated me like dirt. Now, it's just the dogs being jerks to me."
I felt a pang of sympathy for her, though it was mixed with something darker—perhaps a bitterness that came from knowing how cruel people could be. "I have that effect on them," I replied with a shrug, trying to brush it off. But there was a weight to my words, a certain weariness that spoke of the years I'd spent dealing with similar treatment. "It's kind of strange to hear you say that, because all the kind people you mentioned are assholes to me. Especially my brother Rai and the Crown damn Prince!" I shook my head, the frustration seeping into my voice. "But I'm glad none of them give you the same treatment as they give me."
Turning my back on them, I reached down to grab the sword from the ground. The cold steel felt solid and reassuring in my grip, grounding me in the moment. It was all I could do to offer her some semblance of safety, even if it was just being there.
"You're free to stay around me if you want to, Rebekka," I said softly, the weight of the decision settling between us. My voice was quieter now, but no less resolute. "While the girls will avoid messing with you, you will end up seeing a bad side of those who were kind to you. It's not all sunshine and roses, believe me." I let out a quiet breath, feeling the tension leave my body in slow waves. "It's your choice to make." I ran my fingers along the blade, brushing away the dust that had accumulated on it.
Rebekka, seemingly undeterred by my words, met my gaze with an expression that was more thoughtful than I had expected. It was clear she was weighing her options, taking in everything I had said. And I could see that there was a decision she would have to make, one that would alter her path in some way. Without a word, I twisted my body to face the dogs, the sight of them standing there in awkward silence filling me with a sense of absurdity. Their reactions to my sudden shift were exactly what I'd expected—apprehension mixed with the usual bravado, the kind of cocky stance they tried so hard to maintain.
I pointed the sword directly at them, my tone turning serious once again. "Be kind to this girl. She doesn't have anything to do with the hatred we shared toward each other. You can be rude to me as much as you want, I don't care. Just don't hurt innocents like Rebekka, got it?" I wasn't sure if I expected them to listen, but I had to at least try.
"We won't!" Sohan responded, raising his hand in a mock surrender. His tone was playful, but there was a hint of uncertainty behind it, something that made it clear he wasn't entirely comfortable with the situation.
"You are the only one we despise," Adonis added with a smirk, trying to sound more menacing than he actually was. It was his usual way of coping—trying to hide behind a tough exterior when he was really just as uncertain as everyone else in the room.
I gave a dramatic bow, my movements exaggerated for effect. "Oh, darling," I said, sarcasm dripping from my words. "I feel so special knowing that I'm the only target of your delightful hatred!" The mockery in my voice was unmistakable, and I made sure to draw out every word for emphasis. My exaggerated bow only added to the ridiculousness of the moment.
Rebekka, despite everything, let out a small laugh. It was a sound that was becoming more familiar, and it made something shift in me—something I wasn't quite ready to name. Her laughter was a sound that made everything feel just a little bit lighter, even in the midst of all the tension. And for a moment, I found myself smiling along with her, the weight of the moment momentarily lifting.
"How does it feel?" Rebekka asked suddenly, her voice quiet, but there was a spark of curiosity behind her words. It caught me off guard, and for a second, I wasn't sure how to respond.
"What?" I asked, the question catching me off guard.
"How does it feel to see people's deaths?" Rebekka's words came out without any hesitation, almost matter-of-factly. It was such a blunt question that it left me speechless for a moment. "Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted to know."
I felt my jaw drop, completely taken aback by her question. No one had ever asked me something like that before. People had always been afraid to know what it was really like, and I had never imagined that anyone would actually be brave enough to ask.
"No one ever asked me that," I said with a short laugh, but it felt awkward, like I didn't know how to explain something so... personal. "But in what sense do you want to know?"
Rebekka seemed to think for a moment, her fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of her sleeve. "I want to know if it feels like a faint dream, if you see it from the person's perspective, or if you see it as if you were there and it was real? Maybe others also have this curiosity but are too afraid to ask you." She paused, looking up at me with a hesitant expression. "Now that you allowed me to get close, I can't lose the opportunity. But if it's uncomfortable for you, you don't need to tell me!"
I couldn't help but admire her bravery, but the question lingered. How did it feel? I couldn't answer her easily, not without revisiting those moments I'd never been able to forget.
But Rebekka was different. She didn't look at me with fear, just genuine curiosity—and that made all the difference.