The Knight's Princess

Chapter 15

Azaria finally made it home to Demenia. After getting off the jet and riding back to the castle her father King Hashu waited at the steps in front of the castle to welcome everyone back from their journey.

“Father!” both Azaria and Naliyah shouted with relief in their voices.

The king held out his arms as they both semi ran to hug him tightly.

“How was your trip? Did everything go ok? Are you both hurt anywhere?” King Hashu asked with barely taking a breath per question being flown at them.

“Dad let’s go debrief in your office and we can fill you in on everything that happened.” Azaria said putting a halt to the 3rd degree of 21 questions.

The King motioned everyone to come inside and then ushered the servants to take their bags to their rooms.

“Prince Alonza your room has been prepared for you to rest up” the king informed him.

Prince Alonza just nodded his head to thank the king and then kissed Azaria on the forehead telling her he will see later after a long nap. Azaria waved goodbye to Alonza and then turned back to face her father.

“Dad, can we debrief tomorrow after breakfast we are exhausted and need to recover from our long trip” Azaria requested showing while Naliyah nods in agreement with her sister.

Their dad replied with a “Sure” and motioned them to go rest and relax for the rest of the day.

Later that night Prince Alonza was tossing and turning in his sleep. Dreaming of a dark void engulfing him loosing himself to the realm of nothingness.

“Hello?!” prince Alonza yells hoping someone can hear him and help him out this void.

Then as he was floating around, he sees a figure in the distance, when he gets a little bit closer, he realizes that its Azaria.

“Azaria! Azaria!” he yells desperately but she couldn’t hear him. He tries to reach out to touch her and he went right through her like a ghost through a wall.

“Hello Prince Alonza” an unknown voice whispered.

Alonza frantically swiveling around to figure out where that voice is coming from.

“I’m you and I’m here to play for now its my turn to takeover so sit back and watch the show” the voice said as chains were coming from all sides wrapping around him trapping him in his mind while that voice takes over his body.

Prince Alonza wakes up in the middle of the night panting wondering if that was dream or was it real. He gets up to head to the bathroom and splash water on his face but when he looked down, he saw the mark of the Amulet burned on his chest. Panicking he touched it, and it was still fresh like it just happened as he looked into the mirror to get a better look his reflection began to smile back at him and says, “Next Time” and then went back to his normal reflection.

The next day everyone made their way to the dining hall to have breakfast before the debrief with the King. As Azaria was beginning to sit and eat her food, she looked around to find Alonza no where in site. Once she finished her breakfast before heading to her father’s office with everyone else, she first made a stop at Alonza’s quarters.

“Alonza! Are you in there? If are you doing, ok? I didn’t see you at breakfast.” Azaria said with concern laced in her words.

Silence filled the air for a hot minute before Prince Alonza finally opened the door.

“What?” he asked with irritation

“I was just checking on you again I didn’t see you at breakfast- “before she could finish her sentence Alonza interrupted her.

“Look did it ever occur to you that I might not be hungry…” he asked in a sarcastic tone

“Well, it did that’s why I didn’t come try and find right away” she responded

“Look is there anything else you need?” he rudely asked ready for this conversation to be over so he could lay back down,

“We have a debrief with my father” she reminded him

“I won’t make it for I’m not feeling good” he said then slamming the door in Azaria’s face.

Shocked by his actions she didn’t know how to respond to that. As she was about to walk away, she turns around and banged on Alonza’s door.

“What do you want now?” he asked after answering the door again for her.

“Listen here I don’t know what’s going with you today, but you will not speak to me in that manner while you are one in my kingdom and two while I’m your future wife. So, get up take a Tylenol for whatever ills you and get your butt down to my father’s office and get this debrief over with” she demanded as she heads to the king’s office before Alonza could respond back to her.

“Feisty” he thinks to himself before reaching to the back of his mind to talk to the real prince Alonza.

“You didn’t tell me this beautiful feisty princess is supposed to be our wife. Which is perfect because that would make getting that Amulet from her a lot easier. For last night’s attempt didn’t go to well for the mark as proof. I guess I will have to be nice to her which shouldn’t to hard” he says to the real Alonza before blocking him out.

Sitting in the King’s office as Azaria and Naliyah start the debrief as prince Alonza arrives 10 minutes late Azaria just gives the prince a glare of disapproval. Alonza catches Azaria glaring at him knowing that being late was not a good look for him so he smiles sheepishly and mouthed “I’m Sorry”.

She just rolled her eyes and look back her father waiting for turn to tell her part of the debrief for she was not in the mood for any of his mood swing excuses. She will discuss this sudden personality change with him later for now is not the time.

Azaria deep in thought about how he was acting trying to think when it started. Was it when they were in that tomb that had an eerie feeling like death and despair. Because after bringing him back to his senses with her amulet he has been acting different. But then maybe she was just over thinking it because he was perfectly fine yesterday. As she was engrossing in her theories the king cleared his throat to get Azaria’s attention. Azaria snapped her eyes up to see her father staring with concern in his eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry father everyone I just got lost in thought but I’m ok now and I would like to piggyback on what Naliyah has mentioned” she said. After explaining the events on her end minus the part where she thought Alonza was possessed. She told how they were trapped in cages which lined up with Naliyah’s statement and then they met Uncle Shein, and a shocked expression ran across the King’s face. For the king hasn’t seen his friend since Azaria was 2 and Naliyah was a newborn.

“How is my old friend?” her father asked

“He seemed fine even after seeing how I punched his son’s nose after leaving us and trapping us” Azaria responded.

The king nodded his head as he was pleased with Azaria’s answer. Finished debriefing the king Azaria headed back to her room when the prince trapped her between him and the wall. Landing a soft kiss on her lips surprising her for he was acting like mean i***t just a few hours ago.

“I’m sorry for how I acted earlier I didn’t sleep good last night and was just tired and a little unwell. I took it out on you, and I shouldn’t have done that” he apologized trying to fake being as sincere as possible.

Azaria looking at him and then replies “its ok I know that was a long and tough trip, so I understand”

“Thank you and to make it up to will you do me the honors of a private meal in the dining hall my lady?” the prince asked while bowing to Azaria reaching for her hand.

Azaria hesitantly took his hand for she still felt a bit uneasy but till she had more to go with she will put it in the back of her mind for now.

“Sure, my good prince, I would love to join you” Azaria replied

Pulling her into him giving Azaria a sweet kiss before walking away to prepare for their date. As he was walking back to his room, he reaches in the back of his mind to check and see if he still had control for he was feeling a slight headache.

“Stop trying to escape in there for it will not work my will and power is greater than yours” he confidently said to the real prince Azaria.

“Your plan will never work” prince Alonza spat out at the evil entity

“Oh, don’t underestimate me young prince for my plan is already in motion and soon your Princess will give me her Pearl Stone Amulet willingly and then the great Mandla the god of Death and Despair will rise again free from the void” informs the prince before blocking him out again.

“Now time to get ready for my date” he says to himself.