Luna's Dilemma

Chapter3

“Elle!!”

A wide smile spread across my face as I recognize the voice, I turn, immediately feeling a body collide with mine, acting fast I quickly wrap my hands around the person so they don't fall, eventually being pulled into a long hug.

“I missed you too Lena”. I respond with a light chuckle, reciprocating the tight embrace.

“We have a lot to catch up on”. She screeches, instantly pulling me away to my room, a smile forms on my face at the excitement radiating from her.

“So how have you been?” My guest says as she plops on my bed, making herself comfortable under the sheets.

I make a beeline for my reading chair, willing to let her have the bed to herself as I contemplate on whether I should inform her of the recent happenings.

With a light sigh I struggle to respond. “Erm yeah, It's been…. eventful,”.

The look I receive afterwards indicates that she didn't believe a word I said. She sits up on the mattress, gently shuffles towards me, placing her palm over mine on the desk, her eyes finding mine.

“You've always been a terrible liar Elle, please tell me what's wrong?”. I immediately look away, feeling overwhelmed by the look she gives me, knowing that she will continue to push for answers, I give in.

“Sincerly, it's been a lot to handle, I’m constantly battling the negative voices in my head, screaming that I don't belong here, that I'm a liability, that… that it should have been me”. Fighting to choke my sobs, I slap my palm over my mouth, staring hard at the floor, trying to keep the tears at bay.

Lena sits still, quietly caressing my hands in a bid to comfort me, knowing that's all the reassurance I need right now, a word doesn't leave her lips, choosing to be patient with me which I gravely appreciate.

“I was poisoned, I… I almost died Lena, because somebody though that I wasn't worthy to live, someone feels the same way I feel about myself, and it hurts, it freaking hurts”. My voice trembling as I speak, the need to let it all out suffocating.

“Then as if my day wasn't shitty enough, the elders came”. I look up at Lena with my tear streaked eyes, to find her staring back, she is listening, it encourages me to continue.

“They said something about a rite, I don't know what it's about but I know… they said that the reason I have to do it is because I am weak, and incapable of ruling, of defending the kingdom, that I'm useless”.

“Hey don't say that!” She immediately interjects, turning to hold my second hand “You are just…. you just haven't been trained yet, I'm so sure you’ll be a fast learner, and will become the most powerful Luna in moonland, I'm sure of it”.

She finishes off with a small smile, I reciprocate with a sad one as I feel the tears I've been holding in flow down my face.

She pulls me into a hug as I soak up her shirt, pondering on her words, struggling to believe them no matter how hard I tried.

The negative thoughts swarming my head, the fears that I'll be sidelined, forgotten, haunting me.

Feeling exhausted from all the crying I have done in the past week, I find myself struggle to keep the tears flowing.

Forcing myself off my friend, I aggressively rub my eyes, cleaning the residue tears off, faking a smile which I am sure she realized wasn't genuine but chose not to comment on..

“Enough about me, how have you been, you still juggling all the workload in the bakery?”. My attempt to lighten the mood met with a playful eye roll, she smiles at me, understanding why I wanted to change the topic.

“Girlll, it's not my fault, it's really difficult to find good workers these days, it doesn't help that my mom keeps yapping about expanding, and keeping the business alive, as if that's not what I have dedicated my entire life to do”. Finishing off her rant with a huff instantly lighting up my mood.

“Hey don't get too hard on yourself, things are going great from what I'm hearing”.

“Hearing?, really?”. She shoots up in surprise, bouncing on the bed with bright eyes.

I give a light chuckle. “Yeah Lena, I literally eat your pastries everyday, why are you so surprised?” The smile never leaving my face.

“I don't know, just never expected it you know, I don't think I'm doing as much as I should”. Her tone becoming sombre

“Or you’re just undermining yourself”. I cut in, “3 years later and i still give you pep talks, sincerely you don't pay me enough for this”.

A hearty laugh escape her lips, the sound bringing a feeling of comfort to me, the assurance that our friendship is still as strong as ever warming up my heart.

“Alright, alright, I have to go soon, have to prep for tomorrow”. She says jumping off my bed, dusting her dress off.

“It's fine, it was nice having you around, the palace isn't the same without you”. A sad smile grace my features as she turns to look at me.

With a little shuffle of feet she comes and hugs me, tight.

“I have missed you too, so so much”. Her voice cracks, coming out as a whisper, we remain in each other's embrace for a while.

“Princess!, Princess!!” A panicked voice calls from the hall way, causing me to break the hug and quickly throw open my door.

Standing there, in distress is my father, his eyes frantically scanning my room, releasing a sigh of relief when he finds my petrified friend is the only person in the room.

“Dad, what's wrong?” I ask as I run to him, holding his hands, eyes searching his expression, attempting to decipher the problem.

He stands there, quiet for a few seconds, save a few puffs of air escaping his mouth, indicating he is trying to catch his breath.

“ I…. I was in Icewood, and.. and I heard that we were under attack, I ran here as fast as I could I… are you hurt?”. His chest rising and falling as he breathes heavily between his sentences, his brows furrowed in concern.

I c**k my head to the side, slightly stunned by the scenerio”

“Dad, we are not under attack, we've been here the whole time, nothing out of the ordinary has happened”.

His hands fall from my shoulders, taking a few steps back and with a confused face he asks.

“Are you sure? I could have sworn that …”.

I see a knight walk briskly in our direction, quickly turning to face my father, his stoic expression masking the fear in his eyes, getting on one knee he bows his head, eyes staring at the floor beneath.

“Your majesty, the village, it's under attack”.

My father's eyes blow wide open.

“What!, quickly gather your men”.

“They are already there my King, I deployed them to the scene immediately I got wind of it, I just came to Inform you that we have it under control”. His speech clear and sturdy, the confidence in his men visible in his tone.

My father's features slowly relax, the adrenaline fading off into a sense of calm and safety, a light smile on his face at the efficiency of his knights.

“Alright, thank you for your unwavering service to this kingdom, you are indeed an asset”. He says in a lighter tone, I could tell his heart swoll in pride.

“I live to serve your Highness”.

“And you have been loyal throughout the years,

Please extend this diligence to my daughter, she is all I have”.

Then it clicks, this is the same man, so that why he has been following me around, because my father asked him to.

But why?, does he really think I am that fragile and frail that I can't protect myself.

“I”ll protect her with my …”.

“But dad, I don't need a guard!, I'm fine, I can take care of myself, I promise”. I interject immediately, feeling my heart break at the possibility that my dad felt this way too, that I’m weak”.

He swiftly turns to face me, looking at me with gentle eyes, his lips slightly curled upwards.

“I know princess, I know you can take care of yourself but..”.

“But?”. I squeak with a cracked voice, tears filling my eyes.

My father's smile brightens as he walks to me and places his hands on my shoulder.

“But I want to protect you too, I nearly lost you hun, I want to be sure that you are watched over at all times, that only people I trust come near you”

The tears glazing my eyes fall, cascading down my cheeks as my father pulls me into his embrace, words of comfort in a whisper fills my ears as the elders advice linger at the back of my mind.

I hurriedly shut off the negative thoughts, only concentrating on the positive ones that flowed through my ears.

Soon I stopped crying, pulling away from my father to clean my tears, making a resolve in that moment not to shed any more tears because of those elders.

I turn around to search for Lena, but she is nowhere to be seen.

“Relax princess, I asked your guard to escort her home, wouldn't want anything to happen to your friend”. His smile was as radiant as ever.

A serene feeling fills my chest, My father slowly becoming my anchor, his extreme care for me warming my heart.

In that moment, staring at his smiling face, I realize how far we've com

e, the pains we've shared and the laughs we've had, the assurance that we will face whatever life throws at us together, as a family.