Chapter 10
1366 Words
CHAPTER 10
Sphyra’s smile was a golden sun. She succeeded in bringing down the dog. She caressed its head and it licked her hands. She never thought that dogs could make her heart flutter like that. This dog was just different.
After Sphyra got the dog from Aragorn, he climbed back down. He smiled when he saw Sphyra having fun with the dog. He was also impressed with her skills of climbing the tree as if she wasn’t a woman.
Even though she’s wearing a hood, she’s attractive and beautiful, he thought. Her climbing skills were marvelous and fantastic.
Sphyra let the dog fall from her arms. She’s done petting it and the dog waggles its tail while it surrounds Sphyra. Such a cute and smart dog. Sphyra forgot about the dog, let out her dagger, and pointed it to Aragorn.
“Now, tell me. Why do you want to kill me and why do people always want to kill me? What did I do wrong, making people mad at me?”
“I don’t know what you are saying.”
“Liar! I believed what you said last night that you’re just lost, but then you’re here again. I heard the conversations of you and your men in the market earlier. You’re the crowned prince of Caspian?”
Aragorn leaned close to Sphyra but she gripped harder on the dagger, still pointing on to the crowned prince.
“Is there any problem that I am a prince and I happened to see you?”
“Of course, there is a problem.” Sphyra glanced at the sky, it’s slowly getting darker. “You’re a crowned prince of Caspian and I don’t know what your purpose is, but I know that you’re going to kill me. And only a person with royal blood is able to kill a phoenix. You know I’m a phoenix and you belong to the royal family. Tell me, why do you want to kill me before I’ll strike this dagger at you.”
“I never thought of killing you, Sphyra. People hate me for being weak and even though I am the future king of Caspian, they despise me for taking the position.”
“Now you have a motive for killing me. You want to kill me for your own sake and for the citizen’s trust in you. That makes sense. If the dumb prince of Caspian is able to bring home the body of the dead phoenix in the royal palace, everyone would start trusting him. But I won’t let you or anyone kill me.”
“I won’t be the one who will kill you. Don’t blame anyone in the palace for killing you. You’re going to die because you have ears but don’t have a sense of hearing and understanding.”
“Don’t deceive me!”
Aragorn smirked, clicking his tongue. “Are you deceived?”
“Hey, I’m not. If you think this trick is going to work for me, it won’t. Even though I’m not from the royal family, I know I’m smart. My survival for years independently helped me on that. You’re making your death longer.”
Sphyra sauntered towards Aragorn. She pointed the dagger on Adam's apple while glaring at his beautiful eyes.
“After you kill me, would things be worth it? The king and queen would eventually mourn my death and I hope the citizens of Caspian would also do so. After mourning for my death, they would take actions to look for the person who killed me. Last night, we both saw citizens in the forest and they had seen you flying. Won’t they tell my father and mother that the phoenix is alive and may be the one who killed me. By killing me, you’re just making your life shorter.”
Aragorn’s words made Sphyra feel confused. He’s right. When the king knew about her presence, she could be killed. The king would be so mad that his only son died.
Slowly, Sphyra hid the dagger. “You’re lucky that you pull out a good threat on me.”
“Don’t you have a family?”
Sphyra pursed her eyes for seconds, picturing the figure of her mom. Her mom died many years ago.
“I had but the king killed her.”
“I don’t believe you. My father can’t kill innocent people and he’s too pure for that thing.”
“He did! Your father and my mother had a fight. My mother was extremely ill when she came over to me. She only said three golden rules for me to survive: Eat any food that you can encounter, avoid those in the royal families, and don’t show yourself to people. She was the one who told me to wear a hood in the day, get to the deepest part of the forest at night, and avoid people like you.”
“I’m sorry if my father did kill your mother. There must be a reason for it. I’ll talk to my father and clear the things you are saying.”
“Don’t do that! Don’t tell anyone about me. I let you live and please let me live also. If other people would know about my existence, they would search to kill and capture me.”
“Sure, then. But I still want to prove to you the innocence of the royal family. I will prove to you that officials aren't bad. I’ll be the one to prove it all to you.”
“What can you do? Normal citizens already didn’t like you to be the king. How can you help someone like me? It could cost your life and position in the future. You should just go and forget that I exist. I already learned how to live for more than a decade and a half. I can do this in the future.”
Aragorn touched her arms, grinning his teeth like machines. “You can’t live like that forever. Hiding yourself, eating only the food that fell from trees. You have to live like other people.”
“Phoenix can live forever if we weren’t killed by anyone in the royal family. You’re not anyone who can change the prophecy. I have to live this way.”
“No, Sphyra. I’ll change the world and think of you. Not now but as soon as I have the power. Since it hasn't happened yet, I’ll be your protector. I’ll try to be by your side as much as I can.”
“Don’t act like you’re my lover. You have to live your life also.”
“Can I still meet you? I still want to prove that the royal family wasn’t that bad.”
Sphyra thought for a second. Of all the people she met, this guy is the most genuine and pure. Maybe he wasn’t like those in the royal palace. Maybe he’s different, a very kind one.
“Yes, just shout our secret call sign so I can acknowledge your voice.”
“What’s our secret call sign?”
“Eagles love to play with fire. That’s it.”
Aragorn was about to leave when the dog that they saved earlier barked. “I have one last wish.”
“What is it?”
“Take care of the dog.”
“I’ll surely do it. But we have to name him.”
“What name should we give him?”
Sphyra smiled. “Burn.”
- Writer
