Sworn Enemies

Chapter 8: The Aftermath

My eyelids fluttered open slowly, my vision blurred as I fought to stay awake. I heard voices faintly but couldn't make out what they were saying. I could hear raised voices and knew I wasn't alone. I opened my eyes wider in an effort to see more clearly, immediately regretting it as the brightness of the room had me clenching my eyes shut once again. I could feel myself drifting away again, unable to fight it.

“You stupid girl," Resmer shouted in anger, c*****g his hand back as he struck me across the face swiftly.

I clutched my face, whimpering as I looked at him.

“You're weak, just like your mother. Take her away," he ordered, looking at the guard.

“No, father, please!" I better, tears starting to trickle down my face as the guard lifted me up and flung me over his shoulder.

“What shall I do with her?" The guard asked, ignoring my wails and cries for help.

“Weakness has no place here. Kill her," Resmer replied coldly, eyes calm and unwavering as he waved away the guard with a flick of his hand.

“Nooo, PLEASE!" I screamed, kicking and pushing in an attempt to escape the guard's grasp which only tightened at my efforts.

Before long, we reached the lower chamber. As the guard walked past the rows of cells, prisoners yelled and taunted me.

“Have you come to die with us? Princess of the castle," one of them leered. I flinched at his words, turning my face from his devilish smile.

The other prisoners cackled, cracking more jokes about how my own father had sentenced me to death.

The guard threw me into one of the cells, not bothering to chain me up. It wasn't surprising, no one expected me to escape. I stayed in the far corner of the cell, trying my best to ignore the crude laughter and remarks of the prisoners, who's spirits were lifted after my arrival. There were tiny windows scattered throughout, allowing a glimpse of the outside.

Soon it became dark, charter dying down as they all began to sleep. I looked around, searching for something. Anything to escape. I knew that if I stayed, I would be dead along with everyone else. The lower chamber is where the prisoners were kept the day before execution.

Spotting a broken spoon on the ground, I picked it up. I opened my mouth, biting down on the spoon with my fangs to split it in half. Once I had reduced it to half its size, I pushed my small hands through the bars of the cell and shoved it into the lock. It took hours of shaking, twisting, and turning before I heard the click of the door unlocking. I quietly crept through the chamber, careful not to wake the prisoners. I went over to one of the windows, hoisting myself up and through it's narrow opening.

That was the first time my father tried to kill me. I was only 9. He'd tried countless times since. I was always watching my back, never able to trust anyone but myself. The assassins were always people I knew, people close to me. Friends. Family. Guards. That was his way of weakening my resolve, of proving that I was never safe. But it only made me angrier, motivating me to fight harder to survive. I wouldn't let him have the last laugh.

My eyes flew open, my throat dry as I clenched my eyes in an effort to force the memory out of my head. Nightmares were no stranger to me, but I never quite got used to it. I c****d my head sideways, suddenly hyper aware of someone watching me.

“Hey, how are you holding up?" she asked, her eyes filled with caution. It was the same girl as before. I looked around, taking note of the rows of beds and realizing I was back at the same place I was before. But I wasn't alone this time, there were a handful of guards poised around the room.

“What happened?" I asked, wincing at the sharp pain in my abdomen as I attempted to sit up.

“You should stay still. You're beat up badly," she said, her eyes darting back and forth nervously as she twirled a strand of her blond hair in her hand.

“Who are you?" I asked.

“Dana, I'm one of the nurses," she replied, sticking out her hand before retracting it quickly as she flushed in embarrassment.

I narrowed my eyes at her, confused by her odd behavior.

“Anyways, I should go!" She said, running off before I could say more.

I shifted in the bed, grimacing as pain radiated throughout my body. I bit my tongue so hard I could taste the bitter tang of blood as it filled my mouth.

“You should try to stay still." I turned my head at the sound of Abel's gravelly voice, my lip curling up as he sauntered over to me.