The Soldier Queen

Thola’s POV WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN IT JUST DISAPPEARED? DAMN IT J YOU JUST LOST THE ONLY LEAD WE HAD IN 3 f*****g YEARS?” I slammed my phone down onto the receiver and smashed it. ‘Damn, Dad’s going to be pissed again’, I thought to myself with a sigh. Slumping down into my seat with my face in my hands a small traitorous tear escaped my eye. “Knock knock,” I hear someone say at my office door. “Come in,” I say as I wipe my eyes I can’t cry, not in front of him. “Hi baby Girl how are you doing?” “I don't know Dad, J said he followed the trail to some small town but it just disappeared like whomever has her knew we were onto them,” I said dejectedly. “Don't worry Hun we will find them. In the meantime I do believe we promised a certain little girl a fun day at the park. She certainly deserves it, don't you think?” “OK pops, give me 15 minutes to shower and get dressed, yeah?” “Alright baby girl, we’ll be waiting,” he said as he shut the door leaving me in an uncomfortable silence. I got up from my desk and made my way up to my room. Sitting on my bed I slide off my slippers that were handmade by my Granny. I smile just at the thought of her but my smile fades knowing that I am the reason why she is no longer here. Sighing, I get up from my bed and head into my closet looking for something cool yet practical to wear. I decide to wear my light blue crop top and white ripped skinny jeans. Just for the hell of it I throw on my camouflage wedges that my dear brother bought as a joke saying, “You need to dress more like a girl sis. I am starting to wonder if I have a brother instead of a sister.” Chuckling at the memory I pick out a black lacy bra and panties set before heading to my en-suite for a much needed hot shower. How silly. Let me introduce myself so as not to bore you with the steaming hot shower scene. My Name is Thola Knezacek. I'm 29 years old and Russian. I’ve got silver hair and deep brown almost black looking eyes. Now, before you ask; yes, my hair is naturally white. I am not sure how it got this way. All my family told me was that I got really sick as a child. One night, I just miraculously got better and woke up with silver hair. I have a beautiful baby girl named Pearla, she is 10. My family was slaughtered by my ex, Pearla’s father, 4 years ago which resulted in me taking my leave from the army. Now I bet you are wondering, ‘What the hell? Wasn't she just talking to her Dad?’ Let me elaborate. Simply, Roberto is not my father. He is my dear big brothers father. He agreed to take in Pearla before I left to the army. My mother and father were too far away from the base I was to be stationed at so he packed up his things and came to live in the house that I bought that was closer. It is just a simple house with a red door and blue shutters. I dreamed of my house like this since I was a little girl. It is also next door to Malechai. For those of you wondering, YES! He is the big brother I was telling you about. Now back to the story. Yeah? “MOMMY! HURRY UP!” I hear from outside my bathroom door. I chuckled. It’s only been 5 minutes. She’s so impatient. I cut the water off and grabbed my towel. ‘Oh well, she does deserve this.’ I thought to myself. I got dressed and opened the door only to be engulfed in the biggest bear hug that I’ve had for a while. “Mommy, I was so good at camp and guess what? I met this boy.” I stiffened at that. ‘Oh boy, I hope she hasn’t told Dad this yet,’ I thought. As I am finishing getting ready my daring daughter is literally fan-girling over this cute boy that she met at camp last week. Dark hair, bright blue eyes that “draw me in so bad I don’t hardly hear what he is saying to me”, was her description. Like, WHAT THE HELL CHILD? “Mommy, I think it’s time that you allow me to have a boyfriend okay?” “Wait! WHAT?” I suddenly holler, catching her off guard and alerting Dad to come running worried. “What *pant * is *pant* going on?” he says, out of breath letting us both know that he came barrelling up the stairs. Damn, he could have fallen. I better keep my freaking out in check, but I mean come on my baby can’t have a boyfriend. She’s only 10. She can’t date. Not yet. “You wanna tell papa about this baby girl?” I ask with a raised brow and a smirk in her direction. “NOOOOOOOO! Nope! Mommy, I was kidding I swear! I promise, never again. I won’t date. Not ‘til I’m 35 years old. That is what uncle Malé said and that’s what I will stick to!” She screamed running out of the room and down the stairs. Standing there I chuckled, turning to my Dad. “So...” My words die on my tongue when I saw that he was white as a ghost and tears were streaming down his face. “Dad? Dad what’s wrong?” I said going over to him, seriously worried about him. “My... My... My...” he stutters. “You’re what, Dad?” I said panicking, thinking, ‘What the hell is going on? What do I do?’ “My baby... She... She has a boyfriend?” he wondered, getting a hard look on his face and a twinkle in his eye. “HA...HA HA...HAHAHAHAHAH,” I burst out laughing. “Oh god this is gonna be epic,” I said as he sprinted out the door of my bedroom. “Time to pull Betsy out!” he yells as I follow behind at a much slower pace. Now for those of you wondering and assuming, Betsy is Dad’s Benelli M4 shotgun that he keeps locked up in the garage. Suddenly I hear “PAPA NO! Let’s just go to the park. I need your help on the monkey bars, okay?” Hearing that she needs him was enough to stop him in his tracks and head to the front door where Pearla was waiting for us. While walking to the park Pearla spotted an ice cream shop. “Papa, can we please get some ice cream?” She asks politely. “Yes princess, let’s go” he replied. I follow closely behind marvelling in the impeccable manners that I pride myself in teaching to my daughter. “Yes/no, sir/ma’am, please, thank you, excuse me, etc.” You know? The usual manners that every person should have but simply don’t use or are just too ignorant to use. My baby skipped into the shop while a middle aged man who looks very sad holds the door for us when turns to him to flash her innocent smile and says in her melodic voice says “Thank you very much sir, I hope you have a better day”. The gentleman turns to me and says, “What a polite, darling girl you have but if I may ask, how did she know that I was having such a bad morning?” “Sir we can tell just by looking at you that you have had a very bad day. She doesn’t like to see anyone sad. She is unconsciously able to make people smile just by smiling at them and saying few words,” I replied to the now smiling man as I thank him, walking in the door behind my Dad and Pearla. “OOOOOOH can I pretty please have 1 scoop of cotton candy, 1 scoop of bubble gum and 1 scoop of…” Turning to me she asks, “Mommy, what’s the one that tastes like black licorice called?” I just looked at the lady. She nods, understanding what Pearla was talking about. Tiger ice cream. Pearla turns to me with tears in her eyes, alerting me immediately. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” I ask, panicked. “She, she just read your mind momma!” she says with her eyes wide and I chuckled at her innocence. “Pearla, she didn’t read my mind. She heard your question and knew exactly what you were looking for, therefore she just got what you wanted,” I replied, trying my hardest not to fall on the ground laughing at my poor daughter who was still skeptical of the teenaged girl behind the counter. “She’s adorable!” I heard a masculine voice say behind me. Turning, I see a face I haven’t seen since high school. “Jim?” I asked in shock. He just smiled and said, “Long time no see, Thola. How you been?” Jim and I had been really close but that all changed when I met Lexus. He alienated me from my friends. At the time I didn’t really realize what was happening but now I am so happy to see Jim that I jumped into his wide open arms as if we had not been separated for 12 or so years. Jim accompanied us to the park, giving us time to catch up. While Dad was pushing Pearla on the swing Jim asked if I was still with Lexus but i just shook my head and said “Ain’t worth talking about my friend.” Right after those words came out of my mouth my phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw that it was an unknown caller. Furrowing my brow I thought ‘no one should have this number, no one that I don’t know,’ so I answered the call. “Govorit, kak ty poluchil etot nomer?” (“Speak, how did you get this number?”) I said into the receiver knowing that if I spoke in my Russian tongue and they knew me they would know what I said. “Printsessa, eto ya u menya plokhiye novosti.” (“Princess, it’s me I have some bad news”) Came through and my stomach recoiled, I knew exactly who this ‘bad news’ was about. “Miles? What is going on what has happened?” I asked trying to remain calm. “Thola I didn’t mean for this to happen but…” he trailed off “BUT WHAT MILES? WHAT THE f**k DID YOU DO?” I hollered taking Jim by surprise and getting Dad and Pearla’s attention. “I… Well… You see… Malechai was deployed overseas with Mystic Dawn 5 Days ago and, well, Thola, they were ambushed.” He almost whispered. “We don’t know what happened but it happened.” I was left speechless, ‘No, anything but this, this can’t happen!’ “Wh… What?” I say as I slump into the bench I had not realized i had stood up from as my tears started to flow. “Mommy?” “Baby girl?” “T?” Dad, Pearla, And Jim all asked at the same time making me snap out of it and return to my call. “I will fly out to base tomorrow I will be bringing Gunwise… Prepare for our arrival.” I said sternly. “Sir.” I added sarcastically. I shut my phone off and turned to the only family I had left, to deliver the news. Dad was going to be devastated and Pearla was going to be heart broken. “Dad, it’s Malechai. He’s… he’s been…” He waited patiently while I fumble for my words. His face changes as brain starts to register what’s happening but before he can assume the worst I blurt it out. Nothing like ripping the band aid off in one go right?  “The team… They were ambushed” I said.