Chapter 9: Nadja's P.O.V.
2144 Words
"Again!" Queen Lenny shouted after I fell to the ground.
I struggled to get back to my feet. I held my wooden sword in front of me. In the stance that Queen Lenny had shown me.
Queen Lenny lunged for me again. I flinched slightly as she began to attack. I blocked the first five hits she made at me. The sixth one sent me flying back on my a.ss. Queen Lenny didn't stop attacking me though. I held up my sword to block her hit at the last second.
"Come on Nadja!" She said as she kept attacking.
I tried with all my might to push back. It's no use. The queen is just too strong.
"Nadja.. You're being too scared. I can't die, remember? So fight like you're trying to kill!" She said as I blocked more hits from my knees.
At least I made it a little further to getting up.
"Come on Nadja! Where is your inner Dark Elf!?" The queen asked.
I hate disappointing her.
I can do this. I have to be stronger. I have to prove that I can be a protector. How will I become a knight if I can't wield a sword?
I took a deep breath. Queen Lenny struck down again. I blocked her at the last second. This time she pushed against me, and I pushed back.
Then I kept pushing. I stood on my feet as I pushed Queen Lenny's wooden sword with mine. A battle cry flew out of me, followed by an immense rush of power.
The power was so strong that it sent the queen flying back. I dropped the wooden sword with a gasp. Then I took off running towards the queen.
"Queen Lenny! Are you a-alright?" I asked as I ran to her.
When I made it to the queen, she was laughing on the ground.
"I'm fine Nadja. Help me up." She said as she held her hand up.
I grabbed it, and helped her to her feet.
"Are you sure you're alright, Queen L-Lenny?" I asked.
"Absolutely!" She said as she bounced to her feet. "I've never been hit with a power like that. It was so strange. It pushed me back, but didn't harm me at all. Good job Nadja." She said.
I blushed at her compliment.
"I don't know about do-doing this again, your majesty." I told her.
"Nonsense." Queen Lenny said, waving her hand in the air. "That was exactly what you've been needing to do."
The queen turned to me, and grabbed my arms.
"Nadja, I know that it scares you to use this power, but you can't keep fearing it. That's why you lose control, why you haven't gotten better at fighting. Haven't you noticed how quickly you pick up on things? I've never met another person who learns as quickly as you do. When it comes to fighting or using your magic.. you second guess yourself." She said.
I felt my ears lower as doubt gripped my heart.
"Listen to me Nadja, you are not weak. Not at all. The people that used to tell you that were scared of you. Have more confidence in yourself. You are not weak, you are not useless. You have worth, and you deserve a good life." Queen Lenny said.
I gave the queen a small smile.
"I know that it's hard to think that way after everything you've been through. Just.. try to think better thoughts. Emrys promised you that no one would ever hurt you again. Besides, I thought that you wanted to become a knight?" She said with raised eyebrows.
My smile grew.
"I do." I said softly.
"Then fight like one." Queen Lenny said.
The queen picked up our swords, and handed me mine.
"Now," she said. "Let's go again."
**********************************
"Please Bea, let me do something." I begged for the hundredth time.
Bea shook her head.
"I cannot. Not after seeing your training this afternoon. The queen and you not only went an hour longer than usual, but you used a lot of your energy. I cannot, in good consciousness, allow you to do chores after that." She said.
"Please? I need to earn m-my k-keep." I said. "B-besides, I'm fine."
Bea gave me a pointed look.
"How do y-you always know when I-I am feeling weak?" I asked with a pout.
Bea laughed, and patted my cheek.
"I just know these things, sweetie," She said.
"Still, there must be something I can do. Even i-if it's small. I-I can work around p-people just in case I-I faint, or something." I said.
Bea sighed, and looked at me.
"Please." I begged with my best puppy dog face.
Something that Queen Lenny taught me, and it works on Bea and Ralee every time.
"Fine." Bea said.
"Yay!" I said happily.
"Never met a person that's begged me to work." She mumbled. "Eva was trying to finish her chores quickly to attend the knighting tonight. Her son is getting knighted, you know."
I nodded in repsonse.
"Go see what she has left, take over for her." Bea told me.
I bolted from the room to find Eva. It didn't take me long at all to find the little Pixie. She was in the main hall running around trying to replace the candles.
"Eva.. L-let me take o-over for you." I said as I approached her.
"Are you sure, Nadja? I can do it." Eva said.
I shook my head.
"Bea told me th-that you've been trying to f-finish all day. Let me do it, s-so that you c-can go see your son." I told her.
"Really?" She asked.
I nodded with a smile on my face.
"Please allow me t-to do this for you. Y-you've all b-been so kind and welcoming to me." I said.
"Alright," Eva breathed out with a smile. "I just had to finish replacing the candles here in the main hall, and then on the main floors throughout the castle." She told me. "You sure that isn't too much?" She asked.
I internally chuckled at her. They have no idea the work I used to do. I used to do things like this from sun up, to well past sun down. All without breaks or meals. Now that I'm fed more, it's so much easier to get things done.
"I am sure," I said.
Then Eva wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.
"Thank you so much Nadja. You have no idea what this means to me. You are such a kind person. I hope I am able to attend your knighting as well." She whispered in my ear.
Then Eva took off down the hall. I stood there stunned for a moment. No one has ever thanked me like that before.
********************************
It took me some time to finish replacing the candles. Thankfully, no one here rushes me. Since this was my only task, I took my time.
Eva thanking me, has been replaying in my head the whole time though. Along with what Queen Lenny told me earlier. I can't stop thinking about either.
My life has changed so much over the last few months. I'm stronger. I filled out the way I should have all along due to being fed. My emotions have changed too.
I find myself growing more and more angry the longer I stay here. The way that these people treat me here.. It all seems so normal for them. Even though I'm a Dark Elf. No one discriminates in the Fae castle. Just like King Emrys told me.
You'd think that all of that would make me feel better. And it does, but.. It also makes me angry.
I'm angry about how I was treated growing up. I'm angry that Elanor died for no reason at all. Other than my uncle's twisted way of thinking. And I'm angry that I spent so much of my life keeping my head down because of them.
I was beaten, se.xually assaulted, and made to feel like I'm nothing. All of that left a huge emotional scar on me. I have a damn stuttering problem now because of them.
But then I feel bad for being angry. At least, this angry. I feel like I should try to see my uncle's side of things instead of being so furious.
Why did Uncle do this to me? Was he just scared because I'm a mixed Elf? Was he too angry about losing his sister and blamed me? Or, does he really believe all of the things he said about me? Is there no salvation for him?
"Why are your ears bending down, Nadja? Something bothering you?"
I looked beside me to see Queen Lenny standing in the middle of the hall watching me. She's still dressed in an emerald colored fancy gown. Fit for a queen. Her hair is up in intricate braids, with her crown on top of her head.
Queen Lenny doesn't normally dress like a queen. She told me that she loves the dresses and the jewelry, but that it's not what she's used to. The queen prefers to wear pants instead.
"Aren't you supposed t-to be at the k-knighting your majesty?" I asked her with a smile.
"I was there. It happened. Now everyone is celebrating." She told me.
"I'm sure that they m-miss their queen." I replied.
Queen Lenny smiled at me.
"You're coming out of your shell more and more." She commented.
Am I?
"I came to get you actually." She told me.
"Me?" I asked.
The queen nodded.
"Don't you want to join in on the celebration? When's the last time you had a drink?" She asked.
Celebration? A drink?
"Oh my Gods, you've never been to a party," Queen Lenny said. "I should have known. Come down with me then."
"I have to finish putting these candles up your majesty." I told her.
"You're almost done, let me help." She replied.
The queen walked up to me, and started taking candles from the pile in my hands.
"Your majesty, I cannot let you do this." I said, worried.
"Why? Because I'm fragile?" Queen Lenny teased.
"N-no, but you are royalty." I said. "It's u-unbecoming of a l-lady such a-as yourself."
"Oh please," The queen said. "It's a simple task. I used to do chores growing up all the time."
"You.. did?" I asked.
Queen Lenny nodded.
"In my realm, kids do chores to help teach them responsibility. My mother ran a school for all supernatural kind. Despite having a lot of money, she made my brother, sisters, and I do chores around the school. Of course, we had lights and not candles though." She told me.
"Lights?" I asked.
The queen turned to give me a smile.
"Would you like to visit my realm one day? It'll be easier to show you." She asked.
"I would love to y-your majesty." I replied.
"Good," the queen beamed. "Now, will you tell me what was bothering you?" She asked.
"Bothering me?" I replied.
"Your ears lower when you're bothered. You also had that look in your eyes," Queen Lenny said as she started to replace the candles.
I chewed on my bottom lip as I contemplated whether to confide in the queen. She has been here for me from the start. I even told her about the abuse that I endured while at the Grand Duke's castle. Queen Lenny would be the best person for me to confess my inner feelings to.
"I feel angry," I admitted.
"About?" Queen Lenny asked.
"My uncle," I replied.
"You don't sound angry. You sound sad." She commented.
I sighed.
"I don't think it's right that I feel angry," I said.
"Nadja.." The queen said my name in warning.
"I know w-we've spoken before. My feelings a-are valid, e-even if they are not right. But.." I trailed off. "I can't h-help but wonder why Uncle did a-all of this t-to me. Should I be so a-angry? Shouldn't I-I let the anger g-go, and move on?"
Then I sighed again.
"I d-don't like being angry Q-Queen Lenny," I said.
"Unfortunately, you're going to have to deal with that anger eventually, Nadja. Trust me, you shouldn't bottle it up. I think that you have every right to be angry. The things that sorry excuse for a Grand Duke did to you were awful Nadja. But I understand that you're confused. I think that the best thing for you now is to move on. Move on from everything. That will not only help you heal, but don't you think it would be the best revenge?" Queen Lenny said.
I had to think about what she said. Would that really work? Would I feel better?
"Well, now that we're done... Let's go get you dressed up for the party." The queen said.
Dressed up?
- Writer
