The Daughter Of Dawn

The Misunderstanding - DAMIR

"I'm strong on the surface

Not all the way through

I've never been perfect

But neither have you."

He sang, I listened. Those words, the power they have in them, they give me strength everytime I lose my way from the track. Every single word incites you to be who you are. It's okay not to be perfect, it's okay not to be  whole, it's okay to be incomplete, what matters is how much you can learn, how much you can grow. We will always be the imperfect creation of the Gods.

Someone shook my shoulder. I took out my ear plugs and turned to see who it was.

"What's up dude? I called you for like 10 times." Ivan said. He is the guy from the next bed.

"Oh sorry I had my plugs on" I replied, which of course was very much obvious for him to notice, but he still asked.

"As expected from a musical singer. By the way the Captain is looking for you." He said raising his palm for a high five. Why is it even for? I just high fived him back.

"I should go then."

 Is it the time? Am I getting scolded for something again? I didn't even do anything this time. Is it because I didn't do something? Am I supposed to report anything? I don't even know why I'm being called for. I took my beret and went out. I hope it ain't going to be bad.

I came out into the bright sun. This is so hot, the weather and my uniform. She was there talking with maybe some General or Lieutenant or Whatsoever. Last time we met, it wasn't a good memory to remember. She legit called me a small brained, is that even a thing? I didn't even know if there was a word like that. I was so shocked at that time that I just went speechless. I was like stunned the way she talked to me.What was I even expecting here to be treated as? I looked at her, how can she look so calm and peaceful with all that rage inside of her. That beautiful face is just a facade to fool people. I ain't going to be the same dumb anymore, I had already had my share of her insanity.

Oh f**k, oh f**k man, she just caught me staring at her. Was I glaring at her? Maybe I was. She was done with her conversation and she just turned and her gaze fell at me, catching me red-handed staring at her. I guess I have to go to her, she is my senior right? I'm the junior, so I'll go. Man this is hard. I looked at her again, smiling this time and walked towards her.

"Hi." She said smiling back at me.

"Hii...Hii." I replied. Stop, just stop being so nervous. And stop staring at her.

"Yesterday was pretty rough, wasn't it?" She asked. She looked a bit shocked. Am I not supposed Hi people?

"Yes...ermm I mean no it wasn't...Ma'am?" I don't even know what I am talking about. Of course yesterday was rough and it was all thanks to you and here I am saying it was fine.

"I'm not usually like this. Everything was hectic and confusing yesterday with the kid and everything, hope you don't mind it, right?" Wait what? Is this her way of apologizing? Wow. That's cunning. What am I even supposed to say? It's completely alright, cause I've a heart of Buddha so I forgive you. No, that's not going to happen.

"I'm fine. Thanks for your concerns, Ma'am." I replied trying to sound more like a formidable man.

"Are you a qualified EMT?" She asked me, maybe she picked up that sarcasm in my tone and is getting back on me. No I haven't, I don't even know what EMT means. Electro magnetic train? 

"Hahaha. I'm so sorry that I messed up yesterday. I always wanted to apologize to you about yesterday. I'm so sorry Ma'am." I just laughed with my fake humour. Of course I don't want to admit what she thinks I'm not.

"So you're not. No wonder you couldn't figure out between a crepe bandage and a gauze." She just said it in my face looking at me, I can't even laugh anymore. Not with her staring at me.

"I'm sorry" I said looking down, I don't even have anywhere to look at. This is so humiliating.

"It's okay, you don't have to be. It's just training. Get your training for a week and you're good to go." She said looking into my eyes. What was that, is she pitying me? That's even more embarrassing.

"And yes next time when you see your senior just don't casually 'Hi' them. You need to catch up soon if you want to survive here." She said again, smiling at me, it wasn't mockery, it was just a smile, a genuine smile.

"Thanks" I said meekishly.

"And your beret." She said pointing at my beret.

"Yes?!?" What's with my beret now?

"You don't even know you're wearing it wrong." She laughed slightly. I'll be lying if I said her laugh wasn't enchanting. I just froze, staring at her smile.

She stretched on her toes and reached out for my head.

" It's always the left eyebrow and the right ear." She said as she was fixing my beret. The time really slowed down for me, I was just looking at her trying to fix my beret. I was struck, I just wanted to keep looking at her, just like this. Her eyes fell on me, our eyes met. I wish I could stop myself from staring at her.

"Ooooops. I thought you had brown eyes." She said lightly looking into my eyes.

What? Did she notice? I turned my face away. How can she? Yesterday was so hectic.

"No, I always had blue eyes." I replied, trying to act like I was looking around. My eyes caught a pair of hazel colored eyes with a tint of blue in them throwing daggers at me approaching us. I looked at her, she followed my gaze as he came towards us. The light colored hair, almost white, who cannot recognise them. She pulled me behind her.

"Your Highness" She greeted him. Wasn't it a little too simple a greeting for The Crown Prince of the nation. I stood behind her bowing my head a little.

"Avila." He said smiling at her. Is her name? Avila? Wow that's a pretty name. Wait a minute, what? Did he just call her by her first name? Are they close? Is that the reason why he was glaring at me? Really? The Crown Prince and her?

"Damir! It's so great to see you here." He said looking at me.

He knows me, that's good to know for once in a while, famous people know me. But what should I do now? Should I greet him the same way she did, or is it something different?

"Your Highness." I replied, copying what Avila did before.

"So you are under her?" He said, patting my right shoulder.

"Yes, Sire." Do I have to call him Sir? Why am I the only confused one here?

"You should learn how to do things by yourself. Your seniors won't always be as good as her." I don't know if it was mockery and just a simple concern, but I didn't like the tone of it.

"That's my problem to deal with, Your Highness." Avila said.

 Is it even allowed to talk to the Prince like this? I don't think so, it sounded straight out rude to me. Now I noticed she was still holding my hand. I looked at her, she was like glaring at the Prince, the way she looked at me the other day, it's the same.

"Oh hello there, dear Princess." I turned to see who it was. He was a tall masculine guy towering up higher than me. He had a dark skin, his eyes were darker, a Vizophian. What is he even doing here? Because of them we are facing a crisis here, because of them I had to come all the way down here. I wanted to grab his collar, but Avila pulled me closer to her side, pressing my hand more tightly to stop me from saying anything stupid.

"I think you got the wrong person here." Avila replied to him looking into his eyes.

"Of course not, how can I not know you, Princess?" he replied. She really does look annoyed. Is she really some Princess like he is saying.

"I apologize for my Captain's ignorance, Your Majesty, Emperor of Vizophini." The Crown Prince said let us know the identity of the stranger in front of us. How can this person even dare to set his foot on this land. Wasn't it enough for it to kill all the Bigener women that now he is drowning all of our croplands.

"So?" He said bowing to her as he pulled his hand out to her. She looked at me, and shook her head, warning me to not to say anything stupid and then let my hand go.

"Avila Riveara, from the Northern Tribe." she said, giving her hand to him.

"A pleasure to meet you, Princess." He said kissing her hand. All I wanted to tell him is that stay the f**k away from her. And what with the Princess? Is she some hidden Princess or something that the world never knew? I've never heard of this Kingdom having any Princess.

"And of course you Mir, the women in our Kingdom truly adore you." He said, finally looking at me. I don't even want to talk to him. I glanced at Avila, she looked tense.

"That's a big praise, Your Highness, Emperor of Vizophini." I replied again copying the bow that Avila gave to the Crown Prince.

"I never knew that you serve in the Army." He asked me. Stop asking me, I might just lose my cool and do something that Avila doesn't want me to.

"Neither did I. Just being some help during the bad times." This was the best reply I could come with.

"Of course, of course, the Flood! How is it going?" He asked, looking at the Crown Prince. 

"Thanks to the grace of God, we haven't suffered much loss." The Crown Prince replied.

That's a blind lie, anyone can tell how badly we are suffering because of someone who is feigning innocence in front of us right now.

"We can extend any kind of help from our side if we can." The King said. Really? Help? From your kind? We better starve to death.

"We are very thankful for your concerns, Your Highness." The Crown Prince replied. I don't know what kind of saint patience he has, because he can talk to him without losing his s**t. Maybe that's why he is the Crown Prince.

"Since I'm here, why not take a tour and see the situation. What do you say, Princess?" The King asked looking at Avila. I don't know, but I don't like the fact he is talking with Avila. Not because she is a women, not because she needs protection, not because she is beautiful but because she looks so much like a Bigener. Her dark skin, her light coloured eyes, everything about her looks Bigener. I just want to protect her, something I couldn't do for someone when she needed me the most.

"I'm sorry Sir, I do not have the authority to do so." She replied humbly. Maybe she just wanted to get out of this.

"He can arrange that right? And you're a Captain, I'm sure you can take me for a tour." The King said pointing at the Crown Prince. Everytime I want to say something outrageous to him, her face just stops me from doing it.

"I'm afraid that cannot happen, Your Highness. She just recovered from her sickness." The Crown Prince said. This was the first time I saw resistance in his eyes towards the king.

"She looks fine to me." How can someone be so annoying? If someone is denying, that means it's a denial, why would you force someone into doing anything they don't want to.

"No, she isn't. She won't be going anywhere. If you want someone to assist you, I'll personally send my Aide to be your guide." The Crown Prince said. The King looked amused, seeing so much defiance in his eyes. This isn't funny anymore, one can really see the annoyances on his face. He is completely denying sending her to him. Avila, at the same time, looked shocked and annoyed.

"It'd be my pleasure to be your guide, Your Highness." Avila just suddenly said, out of nowhere. What? Like for real what? Why would you say that, when the Prince gave so much effort for her to not go. She did what she didn't want me to do, Stupidity. I glanced at the Prince, he was angry for sure, but he didn't say anything, how can he, his own people went against him.

"Well then, I guess it's not a problem anymore." The King said clasping both of his palms. 

"Then I'll take my leave." She said, bowing to both of them, she turned to leave. I followed her after copying whatever she did.

"Hey, why did you do that? The Prince was trying to help you out there." I walk fastly beside her to match her pace.

"I'm fine, I can take care of myself." She replied without looking at me. I know she wasn't. She couldn't, he is the Bigener hunter and she looks everything like a Bigener could look like.

"You know right? That he is the one who ordered to kill all the Bigener women, right?" I said to her, grabbing her arm. I just want her to be safe, even at the cost of being disrespectful.

"Are you calling me a Bigener?" She stopped and turned looking at me.

"I'm sorry, I know I sound very disrespectful, but I just want you to know it's not safe." I said, I just don't want her to go. I can't just let her go to the predator, I can't live with the same guilt twice.

"Thanks for thinking about me." She smiled at me weakly and took her hand out of my grip. Is this it? Can't I do anything more than this? What if she really ends up dying. I can't possibly come out from the guilt then.

"And remember what I told you about not 'Hi’ ing your senior." She said patting my arm and went inside her office. Maybe I'm meant to live with the guilt forever.