Princess of Erodaire: Part Two by christinetran |  |
I once again glanced over at my father, sitting upon
his throne, the same glazed look in his eyes. I knew that he was deep in thought
of who knows what, but for some odd reason I thought that he was thinking about
my mother.
After my mother's death, my father lost all
light and soul within him. The smile which used to haunt his face was replaced
by the frown of an evil dictator, and the number of Neopians which dwelled in
our dungeons increased dramatically in a few weeks. My father punished everyone
with an iron will and did not excuse one or show any signs of mercy. Around
this time, I was but a child, and did not realize how horrible and awful my
father truly was. I was about the only person in the world who truly was able
to make my father smile in happiness, but his smiles started to not linger as
long as before, and they became more rare as I matured. Now, if I was able to
get one small smile from my father, it would be enough to satisfy me for many
years, for that was how rare a sign of happiness from him is.
Before I was able to completely submerge myself
in my thoughts of the past, I shook it off with a heavy sigh. I knew that I
could not continue to live on what is gone, for that was not healthy. So, instead,
I started to glance around at the people about me. Everyone was wearing silken
dresses and impressive suits. They were talking with a sophisticated air, and
acted as if they were better than everybody else. I scoffed at this sight and
took another drink from my rose wine. Throughout my entire life, I was always
surrounded by these particular Neopians, and, fortunately, their uppity personality
did not affect mine at all. Throughout my entire life, I had always thought-to
be more precise, wished-that I was poor. I always wanted to be a peasant, for
being a princess isn't exactly what everyone thinks... especially if you're
the princess of a disturbed kingdom such as ours, Erodaire.
As my eyes continued to glance around at the
faces of the conceited company, my eyes finally lingered upon a young Draik
standing near the corner of the room. If this young Draik were dressed in some
other outfit other than the one he had on now, my eyes would've lingered upon
him for less than a second. But this particular Draik was wearing a dark cloak
about his shoulders, the hood drawn up so near to his cheeks that it was impossible
to distinguish the figure within the hood's shadow. The only part of his face
which I was able to vaguely see were two gleaming red eyes that sent shivers
down my spine. The shiver which was produced did not entirely come from the
fact that those red eyes looked gleamingly treacherous... the shiver was also
partly produced by the fact that I actually recognized those eyes. But
before I was able to get a good look at them, they averted my sight and stared
straight towards the front part of the room... the side of the room where my
father, King Alastare, sat. And while those treacherous eyes lingered upon my
father, the owner of those eyes reached down towards his sword and withdrew
something which sparkled in the light, as if it was made of some type of silver...
I gasped. My feet started to unconsciously bring
me towards the shadowed Draik. As I came closer, he withdrew from within the
confines of his cloak what I already suspected was there. Although it was small
for it's kind, it was still deadly to both my father and I. The moment I came
a few footsteps away from the Draik, I unsheathed the dagger which I always
kept at my side (for all princesses do, for there are many ransom-obsessed thieves
in the world) and threw it at the hand which held the Draik's blade.
The Draik cried out in pain, dropping his dagger
upon the ground and gripped his wrist tightly to cover the small wound. Every
single head within the room turned towards the sound of the commotion, and so
did my father's, but I was too caught up in my temper to realize this. With
an angry light within my eyes, I grabbed the collar of the Draik's cloak and
pushed him against the wall.
"How dare you try to assassinate my father!"
I cried out in anger. As I slammed the Draik against the wall in fury, his hood
fell back and revealed the face of a shadowed Neopian. The blackness of his
skin seemed to be as deep as the world's depths, as if there were no end to
the secrets which he held pent up underneath the dark overlayer. I released
him out of both shock and stupor, but by that time the guards of the castle
came rushing in, each armed with a spear of silver. They all thrust their weapons
towards the Draik, cornering both he and I. I stepped back and watched as the
Shadow Draik lifted his red eyes to stare into mines. It was then that I realized
how mistaken I was... for his eyes weren't gleamingly treacherous... instead,
they held a hint of loyalty and bravery within it, along with a shadow of pain
and misery, yet enough courage to hide the troubles within and stay happy for
the sake of loved ones. His eyes reminded me of myself.
"Seize him!" King Alastare cried and rushed
off his throne and towards the culprit. His hand was pointed towards the Draik
as his menacing glare continued to stare at him. "And the rest of you, get out
of my castle before I throw you all into the dungeons as well! No one is going
to assassinate me tonight!" He included in his dreadful tone, shouting at the
rich and sophisticated citizens about him as they quickly filed out of the room.
I took another awkward step back as the guards rushed forward and bound the
Shadow Draik in rope bonds, regretting what I am going to put this poor young
Neopian through.
"And you," King Alastare cried as he stepped
towards the now captured Draik,"you can go ahead and rot in the dungeons for
all I care. Take him away!" And with those words, the King stalked out of the
room with his royal robe flowing right behind him. I took a quick glance at
the retreating figure of my father, a heavy sigh escaped out of me as I caught
a sight of that image, but before the guards were able to take the young Shadow
Draik out of the room, I rushed towards them with an outstretched arm.
"Wait!" I shouted quickly. "I command you to
stop!"
When I reached the now still guards, I came
up close to the face of the Shadow Draik and took another glance at his secretive
eyes, now realizing why I thought they looked familiar when I first caught a
glimpse of them earlier on. My eyes cast themselves upon the floor in pity before
I whispered, "Who are you?"
The Shadow Draik smiled at this question, and
it was as if a change occurred right before my eyes. His face erased all signs
of sadness, and the depth of his dark skin seemed like a mere puddle now.
"Before," he whispered back in a casual tone,"I
was but a mere shadow in a room full of people. Later on, I shall be a mere
shadow in the dungeons of your castle... but now, you may call me Oldraik."
I nodded quickly in response before I once again
backed away from Oldraik. "Take him away..." I said to the guards, but not a
sign of enthusiasm rested upon my voice as I watched the guards take him away.
Once again, my deep thoughts started to come over my mind as I thought about
the events which had just occurred in this room. It's strange, and also peculiar,
how life tends to give a person everything and take it away the moment they
take it for granted... or at least life is like that at times. I had always
known that my life was filled with ironic situations, but what had just happened
was just too weird to comprehend... it was filled with too much courteousness
to be believable... but yet it was true.
Throughout my entire life, I had never had a
true friend or companion. My father was my only 'partner in crime', or so they
say, and he still isn't able to be there every time I need him. I did try to
make friends once, but it was hard and extremely difficult. The daughters and
sons of the neighboring kingdoms were just to egotistic and haughty for my liking.
All they talked-or bragged-about were all the things which they had or were
going to have in the future. This was quite boring for someone like me who does
not believe in materialistic possessions. I also tried to befriend some of the
children of Erodaire, but they always acted as if I was higher than them, as
if I was some sort of nobility, and that became drastically annoying in moments.
It was hard to become friends with one of lesser stature than I because they
always treated me based on my fortune besides my personality. You could say
that I never truly belonged anywhere.
Now, after I met Oldraik, I knew that my 'never
belonging' had stopped. The moment his red eyes rested upon mines, I knew that
he will understand me, and I knew that I will understand him. It was as if my
uncompleted puzzle found it's last missing piece when I realized how alike we
were. I knew that he understood how it felt like to try and live up to everyone
else's standards, and how hard it was to deal with losing the people who were
supposed to always be there with support and words of encouragement. I know
that it's crazy how I instantly knew all of these with just once glance at his
eyes, but deep down inside of me, I know that Oldraik and I are alike. It's
like some sort of reaction, like when one's long lost father came back after
many years, you feel as if you're flying in response to this. This moment is
exactly like this; the moment I truly looked in Oldraik's eyes, it was as if
a hidden part of my mind was released and Oldraik is the only person who's able
to release this part of me.
I sighed irritably as I thought over these thoughts
once again, and the odd feeling of this situation once again struck my mind.
It was strange, how after many years of trying to find the perfect friend, I
finally found him, only to have Oldraik taken away once again. It's peculiar
how the person whom I could mentally connect with is the person who just tried
to assassinate my father. With one quavering glance at the door where Oldraik
had exited from, I sighed once again and walked towards the stairs which led
to my room above.
I trailed serenely up the stairs, but within
me I felt crazed and confused and all jumbled up inside. If I were to befriend
Oldraik, I would be betraying my father's trust. But if I just stand back and
watch while Oldraik waste his life away behind the bars of the dungeon, I would
be betraying the trust in my heart. It was a complicated situation for a lover
of simple things, such as myself. By the time I reached the top of the staircase,
my hand was gripping it's banister tightly for I was as confused as a Floud
in a field of carrots.
"Mother... I wish you were here," I said completely
out of the blue. Although I knew that my mother wouldn't be able to aide me
in this situation, it would be much easier knowing that she was here with a
helping shoulder, for I was lost. Those six words are usually uttered by me
whenever I feel as if things couldn't be worse, so I've said those words so
many times by now that they have lost its effect. Yet, I still utter them out
of pure habit, and because an unusual calm seems to come over me whenever I
say those special six words. Right now, they're the only shoulders which I could
lean on.
My eyes scanned the room below me while I continued
to ponder, and I caught a glint of silver in a corner which I hadn't noticed
before. I once again walked down the steps which I ascended upon before, and
my feet found it's way to the corner where the blade lay. I bent down and picked
it up, for I knew that my dagger was safely tucked within the folds of my sash
and that this blade definitely did not belong to me. The hilt of the dagger
was made out of a roughish type of black leather, and a little golden line ran
through it in many curves and bends. I traced these bends with my eyes until
it reached the end of the hilt, where three letters stood out quite distinguishably.
The moment my eyes laid upon those letters, I instantly knew what they were,
and what they stood for. Anger bubbled within me and I quickly turned around
and stared at the doorway where Oldraik exited out of, his dagger gripped tightly
within my hand.
Before, I was unsure on whether or not I should
visit Oldraik in the dungeon, but now, I know that I seriously needed to see
him. I glanced down once again at the three letters upon the dagger's hilt,
and felt a tug of pain leap into my heart. For the letters upon the hilt were
'D.o.E.' To any other person, this letters would've meant nothing to them. These
letters would've been exactly what they truly were, just letters upon a blade's
hilt. But to my father and I, these letters mean much more than just 'D.o.E.',
for they stood for something... something deadly when uttered to our ears. 'D.o.E'
simply meant "Deathdealers of Erodaire"...and they were a group of Neopians
who terrorize our kingdom. They steal, attack, punish, and plunder Erodaire,
but their main reason for existence was to dethrone King Alastare and claim
the ownership of our kingdom. Although all of these are wonderful reasons to
hate and despise the 'Deathdealers of Erodaire', there was another reason why
both my father and I hated the D.o.E. more than others. The D.o.E took away
King Alastare's queen... they took away my mother...
I tightened my grip upon the blade and quickly
started towards the doorway towards the dungeons, determination upon my face
and anger within my heart.
To be continued...
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