The Hunt for the Royal Runaway

Chapter 3: Her Selfish Escape

[1 WEEK LATER]

Akisha Diamond’s Point of View:

“Have they lost their mind? Me? As a Queen? As if!” I gritted my teeth after letting out that loud rant. I let my chest heaved a disappointed sigh before finally throwing the pebble I keep holding in my hand out the river.

As I did, fishes started jumping out and flying up the sky before disappearing in plain sight.

“Woah…you’re scaring the fishes away.” Naris scoffed playfully at my back upon witnessing what I did.

Right, I almost forgot that she’s here with me.

“N-Naris…I’m sorry.” I slouched a little bit at the sight of her. Quickly, I tightened the grip on my olive green cloak and proceeded to sit down on the grass a few inches beside her to calm myself down.

Blue skies are enveloping the Opal Realm’s morning atmosphere. The both of us watched the flow of the water from the river run smoothly while sparkles of light rays shine above it. It’s been a week since I mastered my escape route from the kingdom to the Opal Realm and Naris became my first friend.

“I don’t know what to say to make you feel better. Here, have an apple instead…” She offered before proceeding to stretch her arm and points it to the direction of the apple tree sitting adjacently at the river. After a few seconds of staring at the bright red fruits, a faint green light started emitting from her palm and soon enough, 2 pieces of fresh apples flew slowly from the branch straight to our laps.

“You’re really quite amazing, Naris. I must keep up!” I smiled before taking my first bite.

This is how the magic of the Opal citizens work. They are naturally connected to the earth and all the sources of life. Whatever they command the nature, it obeys to their will.

“Oh come one…considering our social status difference, you’d keep up with me in no time…especially with that healing magic you said.” She smirked in return before munching down her apple carelessly.

She was right about the first thing. We were different in terms of social status. The 4 natural realms of the Stoneheart Kingdom holds great amounts of magical powers that our country would collapse without them. But, for some unknown reason, the citizens inhabiting the realms were discriminated as peasants. My mother said once that being peasants is the price they have to pay for inhabiting self-sustaining lands. If I am being honest, I think that the Royals are just afraid of them. For obvious reasons, if these so called peasants used their powers to the fullest, the Royal Realms would be wiped off in an instant.

“HAHAHAHA!” I couldn’t help but let out laughter after visualizing how coward my lineage is.

“Have you lost your mind?” She countered, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

“Sorry about that. I just thought of something funny…about being a royalty.” I uttered as I close my eyes and feel the breeze of Opal air fill my skin. Before I could say or do anything stupid again, I laid down the grass and stretched my whole body out.

Ahhh, relaxing.

 “Why are you despising yourself, Akisha? Everyone here would kill for that status, you know…” She argued, following to lay beside me in a weightless force.

I parted my eyelids in return.

“You said that I could keep up with you in no time…but you’re wrong. I am the weakest of the House Diamond, you know. Our bloodline possess all the elemental powers yet I couldn’t master a single attack spell…on top of that, I feel trapped and lonely up there.” I said, allowing myself to be vulnerable in front of her.

“Give yourself time, Akisha. Come on, we’re only 15. Listen, I think when you concentrate enough, your unique light powers would be of great use! Trust me!” She stated in a lively voice, giving me all the encouragement that I need.

I tilted my head towards her direction and I felt my lips automatically form an upward curve only for it to disappear again.

“But…I don’t want to be the queen…Ever. I’m just not made for that title. Surely, they would find someone better than me.” I pouted, remembering the pain I felt during the Royal Show-Off when the king announced that I am the future of our Kingdom.

“Oh, you’ll be a great queen. Make me your maiden by then!” She joked, playfully bumping my shoulder. Her action made us bolt up from the grass and laugh.

“No way, it’s fine that I’m the only ones trapped there…I’m not going to make you a prisoner of our castle!” I reasoned quite seriously afterwards.

Now that I think about it, Naris is really a good person. I know I’ve only known her for days but our connection is profound. I’d bring some goodies from our castle’s kitchen whenever I escape and she’d bring me cloaks and books that we would share before I leave. Out of all the goodies I keep bringing her, her eyes sparkle at mango tarts the most and I love how she stutters while she speaks in excitement when crumbs starts falling down her chin.

I never knew that I could make someone happy so effortlessly and magiclessly. I grew up thinking that the only way for everyone to accept me is through proving that I am powerful. But, naris proved that otherwise. She treats me as an equal and she doesn’t care if I’m royalty or not.

I wish….

“You could escape for real.” She uttered out of the blue.

“Yeah I could…Wait, could I?!” I countered, finally standing up and looking at her suspiciously. I shook my head and stepped away from her for a moment as I try to figure out what she will say next.

“I’ll switch place with you.” She offered.

“No way!” I persisted.

There’s nothing in this world that could make me agree to her offer. Nothing!

--

“Be careful in there, okay?” I whispered as low as possible so no one would be awake as we execute our plans. I held Naris’ shoulders tightly as I peeped through the window of my room before pulling her up there. 

“Yeah…I will. There’s no one around yet. Hurry up.” She whispered back, lowering the hood of her cloak and grunting softly as the both of us climbed to the window of my room all the way inside. And after a few seconds of smooth teamwork, we finally made it.

“So…this is your room, huh?” She observed everything around, eyeing the furniture, wall colors and accents and I just let her be. Right after we arrived, I started arranging the thing that I was supposed to give her before I leave.

We planned everything and we both know that this would be a success.

“Not to be offending but…your room’s a little….” She started commenting and I knew exactly what she will say.

“Tacky?”

“Tacky!”

We both said in unison as our eyes automatically sync to look at each other after soft snorts came out of our mouth.

“I know, right?” I nodded my head in the middle of our shared ugly laugh.

“Shhhh! Don’t speak too loud…By the way, is that ready yet?” She asked, walking back at my direction.

“Yeah…here it is!” Finally, I handed her the bottle of my light magic so she could use it when she got caught and beaten up.

“Nice! Don’t worry I’ll use my plant magic to dodge their attacks and fake my wounds’ appearances so they could see that I’m hurting just as real.” She declared confidently.

Naris managed to convince me to escape for real. She offered to take my place not to steal my title, but just to buy me time for my escape. She would pretend to be me tonight until tomorrow by sleeping in my room. When she’s already caught, she would receive a few beatings from the guards but they’re not allowed to do so much since she is just a minor. While receiving punches and kicks from the armored guards, she would defend herself with plant magic and fake the severity of her wounds so they would stop early. She would pretend to pass out to avoid questioning for the mean time. And when they decided to imprison her, Naris would use my light magic in a bottle to heal herself and command the iron prison to break away so she could escape.

“You’re really crazy for this!” I spurted one last time before handing her the bottle of my magic.

“I know, that’s why we’re friends!” She mocked me before inviting me for an embrace.

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” I proceeded to ask. My chin started shaking as soon as I realize that a lump is starting to form at the back of my throat.

Naris is sacrificing her sake for me. Aren’t I a little bit selfish?

“Enjoy yourself out there, Akisha. You are free. No one could dictate your destiny except from you. Let’s meet again in the Opal realm soon.” She tightened her embrace one last time before finally letting me go.

In one swift wave of goodbye between us, I was finally out of this hell.