CHAPTER FIVE
1211 Words
Franksen:
I noticed Diana hadn't come inside, so I went back outside to see what was wrong.
"Oh? Why don't you want to come in?" I asked, but all I got was a glare.
I couldn't understand her. Was she still upset about last night? It seemed pretty clear she'd enjoyed it and it was clear she'd found it pleasurable.
She sat on the outside bench, her posture rigid. I settled down beside her, the power dynamic shifting subtly. "Do you want to go home?" I asked, my voice low and controlled. Her silence was a defiance I found amusing.
Don't lie to me because I can read your mind
"Who wouldn't want to see their family?" she replied but was laced with a bitter irony that betrayed her true feelings. She didn't want to go home, not really.
Don't leave, they'll kill you so stay here, and I'll take care of you. I'll… make up for everything your life has lacked.
"Pff! The road isn't safe yet, so stay here for now," I said.
A chilling thought flickered through my mind: I wonder what their whole clan would do if I brought their daughter back to them lifeless? The image of their faces, a mixture of grief, relief, and the ruthless scramble for power that would surely follow, sent a thrill through me. Most would likely rejoice at her demise, clearing the path for a new heir. Others, the more calculating ones, would already be plotting their ascent to power.
But I won't do that yet because I'll enjoy myself with you first, then deal with your family later! I'll use you before I throw you back to your clan!
I chuckled softly at my thoughts. "What are you laughing about? Is there something funny?" she asked.
I just stared at her face. Her eyes were an unusual, bright white, I could see my reflection in them. Her nose was sharp, her long hair shone, her skin was smooth and soft. There's no doubt you're a princess.
A loud, sharp slap landed on my face. "Don't look at me like that! If you think you can do what you did again, well I won't allow it, I'm gonna kill you if you try anything bad on me again!" she said angrily, then immediately went inside.
I touched my lips and felt blood there, but I just laughed because it was the first time I'd ever been slapped.
I looked around. This place is high up and far from town, I'm sure it's hard for anyone to find because it's hidden in the mountains.
I decided to go down and find food. I was already far away, and as I walked slowly, I felt someone approaching, but it was too late because they already saw me.
"Mister, did you see a woman with long hair, fair skin, and tall?" asked the man who seemed to be their leader.
I knew they were talking about the princess.
Who are you to tell me? She's with me, so you can't get your princess back, just wait and I'll bring her to your palace without a breath left in her!
"I'm sorry, but I didn't see anyone," I answered.
I continued walking, but he grabbed my arm, stopping me. I looked at his face and my eyes widened because I recognized him. But it's unlikely he'd recognize me because I was still a child then, in the palace.
"You're pretending," he said firmly.
"Thank you," I replied, then continued walking.
"Keep searching! Don't stop until you find the princess!" their leader ordered.
I hurried to find food because it occurred to me that they might have gone far away and might stumble upon my house.
When I was done, I took a different road and hurried home. When I arrived, I went inside quickly and looked for the princess.
But she wasn't in the living room, so I looked in the bedroom, but she wasn't there, I looked in the bathroom, but she wasn't there either.
"Diana?! Where are you?!"
I suddenly thought that she might have left.
That's impossible.
I ran, expecting to find nothing. Instead, there she was, feeding Brody, my raven. Relief flooded me, instantly replaced by suspicion. Too calm. Too… normal. Something about this scene felt deeply unsettling.
Brody, my raven, is more than just a pet; he's a companion, a silent witness to my life in this isolated haven. He's been with me for as long as I've lived here, a constant presence against the backdrop of my often turbulent existence. I remember finding him, a tiny, pathetic thing, fallen from his nest deep within the neighboring forest. I was just a child then, scavenging for scraps to survive, when I stumbled upon him, huddled on the ground beneath a towering tree. He looked so vulnerable, so utterly alone, a fragile dark shape against the earth. His small, broken wing twitched occasionally, a silent plea for help.
Something in his helpless state tugged at me, a kinship born of shared isolation. Without hesitation, I scooped him up, cradling his small body in my hands. The rough bark of the tree scratched against my skin, a minor discomfort compared to the pang of sympathy I felt for this creature. I brought him back to my meager dwelling, a makeshift home carved into the side of a mountain. There, I nursed him back to health, feeding him berries and scraps, tending to his injured wing with a gentleness I hadn't known I possessed.
As the days turned into weeks, Brody grew stronger, his dark eyes fixing on me with an unnerving intensity. He became accustomed to my presence, his wild instincts slowly giving way to a strange, almost unsettling trust. I tried to release him once, believing it was the right thing to do, to return him to the wild. I watched him fly away, a small, dark silhouette against the vast expanse of the sky. I expected him to disappear, to vanish into the wilderness. But after two days, he returned, landing softly on the small platform I'd built for him outside my home. He'd come back. He chose to stay. That's when I realized he wasn't just a bird; he was something more. A bond, forged in mutual loneliness, had taken root. He was, in his own way, my family.
"Oh? Why are you out of breath? Where did you come from and your pet is so hungry?" she asked.
Damn it! I really thought you left!
Brody flew up and landed on my shoulder. I noticed Diana's brow furrowed and I knew she had a question in her mind because I guess she only knows that humans are afraid of ravens.
"H-how this possible?" she whispered to herself, but I heard it.
Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly in a silent gasp. The look of dawning understanding, laced with a healthy dose of fear, was almost comical.
A low chuckle escaped my lips.
"Ah, yes," I said, my voice smooth as silk, "I recognize that expression. It's a look I've grown quite accustomed to seeing. And now, I think it's time you heard the story behind it... a story that will explain everything, and perhaps, change everything."
- Writer
