Chapter Six:

I woke up with a strong headache. The side effect of the meds. I was groaning in pain as I tried to sandwich my head with a pillow when a familiar hand clutched mine.

“Ariana,” the owner of the hand whispered.

Gradually, the pain seemed to lessen.

I wanted that beautiful voice to always be the first voice I hear during mornings. That was the voice I wanted to wake up to. Tyler’s voice was like a gentle song directed to me, and I responded to that voice despite my condition. He made me feel protected, as if nothing wrong could possibly happen to me.

“Good morning.” he whispered smoothly to my ear. In some ways, he was still formal, but at least he was playing out the role as “friend” in the public eye quite well and effectively. Among my guards, Tyler would have to be the most informal one, and I knew that this was only because he was ordered to.

At least I still had an illusion of having him as a friend…

I just watched him as he took the pillow from my left hand.

“I can’t do anything about the pain. That’s the side effect of the medicine.”

I heaved a heavy sigh. “I know.”

“Are you going to be alright?”

“Yes.” By now, the stupor was already wearing off, reminding me off the news that forced me to go through the meds. By now, I was already crying. Poor Kyra. This was my entire fault.

He nudged me lightly, obviously trying to alleviate the conversation. “Don’t worry. I’ll get to the bottom of all this. You and your family will be safe in the hands of us guards. And Razzi’s fixing things already. More trackers are working on it by now. And remember…today is Monday. Your father just broke out the news. Everyone will be on guard now. ”

I wheezed, worried about how the People took the news. “How did they take it? How is my father?”

“It went well. No need for you to be anxious. The people were very understanding and supportive. They were very grateful for the extra personnel your father sent to each household for free, and the extra safety precautions taking place. He is really busy right now, and also the twins. Your mother is also busy, tailing your father everywhere, helping him. Everyone seems to be impressed with the twins’ performance, by the way. They are flying around everywhere, making sure for themselves that everything is going smoothly. Caesar just went to the Earthians to bring home some wounded people. The Healers in the land of the Earthians are extremely busy right now, and it is a war already, and we’re all in this together.”

“Is he going to be safe?”

He nodded earnestly. “You have to learn to trust the Earthians, Ariana. And also, as part of the royal family, you’d have to do some appearances and stuff…do you see where I’m going? ”

“Yes. I understand.”

“But are you ready? Everyone would understand how affected you are after the news about…Kyra. You don’t have to do this if you’re still uncomfortable.”

I shook my head. Everyone might understand if I didn’t take part yet, but I wouldn’t. It was time.It was time I took part as the princess. I was still feeling shaken with the recent news about the Johnson family, but that’s how it was always going to be. Life, like they said, wasn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. I had to agree with that. Anyway, wasn’t this what I was waiting for, anyway?A war? I was just too stupid and self-centered to not have foreseen the people that could have been harmed. My vanity, selfishness, and stupidity prohibited me form expecting so many people I cared about getting hurt. Aside from Kyra, my family was also stressed out and anxious; the People were in grave danger without having the peace of mind. And I wished for that?!

I rumbled angrily. Guilt ate me up, and what was worse was that it was inside of me, eating me up piece by piece, but never seeming to finish. The guilt made me twitch.

“Are you alright?” Tyler asked.

I didn’t even deserve his benevolence and concern.

“Yah,” I grunted, tenaciously not meeting his eyes by jumping off the bed and heading to my wardrobe. “What are the other activities taking place that I could help with?”

“Well, a lot of programs are being set up to improve Earthian and Shadow relationships like teen workshops, educational and non-educational summer classes, and different conferences and meetings for the elders. You could visit and make some public appearances. The guards are also working together. More Earthians are being sent here, to get healed, and just to get to know each other. There’s a lot you could do. And another thing---the Earthians have come to make underground passageways for safety and convenience that are connected to their lands.”

“Oh,” I whispered, and despite my state, I felt genuine exhilaration for the things I could do now. I headed for the bathroom, and still not daring to meet his gaze, said to him, “Did you already have your breakfast?”

“No, I’m to have meals with you.”

“Seems like the only place I am to go consciously without you is the bathroom,” I said, attempting to shift to a lighter conversation. When I finally turned to him when he did not reply, he had the exact, opposite reaction, as if I said something tremendously crucial.

“What?!” I asked, worried as my gaze shifted to his dark, black, eyes, now widened with terror. He did not reply. He simply gawked at me, deep in thought.

“Okay, I’m going in now…” I said, utterly confused.

He nodded warily, his forehead creasing as he started to calculate something in his head. “Be careful.”

I shrugged and went in. That was confusing. It wasn’t in the nature of guards to show emotion. Like I said, robot.

I put the heater on 0 to relieve the hot and sticky feeling of the temperature. I let the water seep through my skull for a few minutes, and decided to quickly take a bath. Today is a big day.

When I went out, fully dressed and wearing my sweatpants, Tyler was threw me an inquiring look.

“What?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Nothing. Let’s go eat.”

For the rest of the meal, which we both shared unaccompanied, Tyler seemed to be too preoccupied to even start a conversation, so I made myself busy with the scrumptious cheese dog and bacon. The whole time, Tyler seemed to still be calculating something.

After the soundless meal, I dashed to the room, brushed my teeth, and ran to the door, with Tyler behind me, having no problems to catch up on me despite my hurried pace.

We went to the garden and finally, when he seemed to be finally finished calculating, he prodded me.

“What?” I hissed.

“There’s a reason that you always have a guard following you around, someone who is physically very close to you, unlike your other siblings. It’s for your safety. If for some reason someone shoots a bullet to you or attacks you, I should be the one to take that bullet. In short, the reason is for your protection. Your other siblings are already of age, so they have been given exceptions, all according to the law. “

“No. Alessandra’s not yet of age. She still has one year!”

“Yes, I’m aware of that, but the Council has decided and they believe that of age or not, Alessandra is mature and capable enough.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course. The laws that are made are created so that the Council could twist it.” Prejudice.

Tyler continued as if I have not spoken. “So, if I were the enemy and I wanted to get to you, I’d get to you where I am sure there would be less protectors and witnesses. So where else? ”

I stared at him in revulsion. “The bathroom.”

He nodded. “Obviously.”

I grumbled. “So much for privacy. Don’t go bringing up this absurd theory you have to Razzi or to my father, alright?”

“We need to protect you.

My nostrils flared, and the words flowed out so quickly even before I noticed them. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting?! So what do you propose now?! I have guards swarming around me when I take a bath?! Does Alessandra or anyone else ever get this treatment?! No! So this is still about me being the Talent less one, isn’t it?!This---“

Tyler was also angry. “FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, COULD YOU PLEASE MANAGE TO SHUT UP?!”

I snarled fiercely. “NO, I WILL NOT SHUT UP! I WILL NOT PUT UP WITH THIS NONSENSE!”

He positioned his hand on the side of my face, as though about to slap me, and then closed his eyes and put his hand down.

I shivered despite the blistering summer heat.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered as I edged closer to him, clutching his hand vigilantly. “I didn’t mean to scream at you or anything. I was just …I don’t know…I’ m just beleaguered by all these sudden changes. I blame myself for Kyra, and I’m also guilty for other things, too. I really am sorry.”

He kissed my cheek and my heart started drumming rapidly against my chest. “I know. I’m sorry too. Just please follow my orders, alright? I love you, Ariana, just like Razzi and your family love you, and even though it’s against what I was trained to do, I’ll always consider what you would feel and what you would want because now, after getting to know you, what you want is also part of my concern already. I just need you to trust me. Please trust me and follow my orders. I only want what’s best for you.”

I nodded earnestly and my eyes were already, sadly, wet once again. “Alright, I promise. Thank you, Tyler. ” I kissed his cheek transiently.

“I’m so worried about your safety. Don’t make this any harder than it already is for me. This is already more than just a job for me. I want you to be safe.”, he said as he cuddled me unconscientiously.

He smiled. “Come on. The view of the underground passages will amuse you, I’m sure.”

“Alright.”

His wide, twinkling eyes gazed into mine. “I wish you’d feel better.”

“Yeah. Look, let’s just go to the underground passages.”

“C’mon.” he whispered, as his eyes swept around the garden, possibly searching for something out of the ordinary.

The underground passages were something I have never dreamed of seeing. Everything from above appeared just the same, but when you went through the stairs, a tunnel was dug through, leading to the land of the Earthians.

The tunnel smelt like earth and felt cool once you stepped inside. It was dimly lit by lanterns that hung on the roof of the tunnel.

The Earthians were just making the earth disappear or move.

By lunch, the tunnel was built and finished.

All in all, the physical appearance of the Earthians didn’t change much when compared to the pictures of the old books and the descriptions in the stories.

They still hand shiny, blonde hair, wide blue or green eyes, and naturally very pale skin, despite their fondness of the outdoors. Their clothes, however, looked a little more modernized but still had some resemblance from the once they wore during the earlier days. They wore flashy clothes that always stuck to the skin.

The Shadows looked quite different. They had silky ebony-black hair, slightly tanned skin, eyes that were brown or black, small, curvy, lips, and usually wore cotton-material clothes.

I wasn’t aware that my lips were slightly hanging open as I looked around. It had been a long time ago since the Earthians and the Shadows have collided.

“Greetings, Princess.” a voice said from behind me once we were out of the tunnel and on the streets.

I turned around to see a teen, probably 4 years older than me, with a strikingly beautiful and angelic face. She smiled, revealing her pearly, white, teeth, and then she bowed oh-so-gracefully. The windswept her hair, and yet her golden curls looked as if they were just blow-dried. Her voice was high-pitched, and she stood up like a ballerina as she awaited my reply. Her clothes would also attract attention to her, not because they were stretched and tight like all the other Earthians, but because it suited her perfectly and emphasized her very stunning figure.

“Greetings! I‘m sorry but I don’t happen to know who you are. ”I smiled back, attempting to at least be presentable, but unfortunately, that was unfeasible. I was wearing gray sweatpants, plain, yellow sleeveless, dirty sneakers, and I my wind-swept hair didn’t get the same results with the wind---My hair made me look like I was just electrocuted. Beads of sweat rolled down from my forehead, and I was sure that I looked dirty.

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry about that. My name is Simone Rohan, and I was assigned by the Joint Council of the Earthians and Shadows, or JCES, to be the teen head for the Teen Workshops for the relationship of the Earthians and the Shadows to be nurtured. I was hoping that you could come to one of the sessions taking place now to introduce yourself, say what you have to say to the teens of both the Earthians and the Shadows.”

That seemed exciting. “They’re gathered together right now? ”

Simone nodded. “Some of them. We can’t cater everyone at the same time slot, of course, so we have one set per day. 30 Earthians and 30 Shadows per day, arranged alphabetically by family name.”

“I’ll be there after lunch.”

Simone nodded and bowed. “Thank you. Will he be there too? ” she asked hopefully, batting her eyes towards Tyler’s direction.

Great. My Tyler has a new admirer.

“I—um—well--”

“I’m always where she is, so if she’s going there, I’ll be there too.” He smiled his very glamorous smile towards her direction and she giggled.

“Okay, then. I’ll see you both in a few hours.”

I turned to him. “I’ve seen the places, now I want to go back to the castle and get ready for that workshop. Today’s a very hot day. I want to take a cold bath.”

He nodded. “Alright.”

I fished for a pink cocktail dress with puff sleeves and a ribbon on the waist, paired with pink ballet flats and a butterfly clip.

While I was taking a bath, I thought about what I was going to say when I got there.

Relax, I told myself. It’s not like you’re supposed to make a speech.

I shut off the shower, dried myself, put on my white spaghetti strap and white under shorts, and sat on the empty clothes basket, staring at the dress I was planning to wear. I suddenly became even more nervous. Did I look good on that dress? No, I might not.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I wasn’t able to open them again.

Someone grabbed me from the back, sharply tugging on my hair while the other hand gagged me. Excruciating pain came to my eyes as a spell was mumbled, preventing me from seeing anything.

When my I was gagged, eyes closed, the attacker threw me into the tub and turned on the taps. That same, high, voice muttered once more an enchantment, and then I couldn’t move. I screamed silently, but I was the only one who heard it since my lips couldn’t move and the sound was muffled by the cloth.

My heart beat faster as the water threateningly went up until I was almost under it.

I tried to scream but only muffled sound escaped from my lips. The pain in my eyes was getting worse, and when I was almost under the water, the attacker whispered another spell, and then my whole body ached, as if I were being burned alive, only the fire wouldn’t stop. I gasped in pain, which only made the pain worse as the water went inside my nostrils.

I couldn’t breathe. The water was above me already, and no matter how hard I tried to scream, I wasn’t able to.

An ailing, sweet chuckle echoed through the comfort room as ---I guess---the attacker watched me feebly writhe in pain. I tried to gasp for air , but the water was above me already, high above.

I heard the attacker turn the tap off, and then laughed once more. “Goodbye, Princess. I’ll see you at your funeral.”

I tried to scream, but I failed. I tried to open my eyes, but the water and the pain prevented me. I tried to move, but I was still under the enchantment. Tyler was just outside of the door, but he had no idea of what was happening to me inside the bathroom.

The worst part was the pain. The burning sensation was getting more intense, and then I started crying.

Ouch. Aaaaaaaaaaaaah…Ouch! Ouch. Ouch! So this is what being burned must feel. I see. New discoveries. Good. Knowledge is power. I now know what being burned feels.

I would never see my family again. I would never see Kyra or Jazz again. I would never see Tyler again. I would never be able to see Razzi again . I ---

I started getting weaker, every feeling and thought seemed to be even more blurred and incoherent, and I felt myself spinning. Faintly, the pain was still there, but the numbness was also present.

I must be dying already.

I waited patiently to die, wishing it would come to me sooner. The pain would have to stop once I died.

Death, come and take me...

The pain was definitely almost gone now, only slight and inconstant contracting of some muscles were left. The numbness was certainly dominant right now.

I drifted off to unconsciousness, and I was certain that I was already DEAD.

It was without doubt less painful.

My eyelids fluttered open, and I saw Tyler, Razzi, Alessandra, and Ramon all crowded around my bed and staring at me.

“Oh!” Alessandra gasped in relief. She hugged me tightly and kissed me on the forehead. Her eyes were damp and Ramon’s arm was wrapped lightly around her petite shoulders.

Ramon squeezed my hand and sat on the side of the bed, exhaling noisily as he rested his head on the pillow.

Razzi and Tyler remained rooted to the foot of the bed, nodding to me when I looked at them.

I observed that this wasn’t my room; it was the guest room. A thick cloth was swathed tightly around me, but I was still wearing my wet garments.

I shivered.

Alessandra stood by me and looked at the two maids at the door. “Please fetch dry clothes for Ariana. She is awake now.”

One of them nodded, and left the room.

I peeked at the crack of the door and saw a lot of guards at the hallway and some media men snapping pictures.

The door closed at a snap, and I looked back at Alessandra.

She still looked pale and troubled.

“Allie, she’s alright now. Stop worrying.”, soothed Ramon.

“Who would do that?” Alessandra spat, her eyes becoming slits. “Who would do such evil thing?!”

Ramon sighed. “I know… I know…don’t worry…We’ll look out for each other.”

I looked at them. “What happened?”

Alessandra shrugged. “Ask Tyler.”

“Tyler?”

Tyler moved forward, but his eyes were different. They were blank and as if they were in shock.

“I don’t know what could’ve happened. I had a bad feeling, like an instinct, and when I thought I heard you stop the waters, someone turned on the taps again, and then you seemed so long in the bathroom. Usually it only took you 20 minutes to take a bath, but after 40 minutes, you still didn’t get out. I started worrying and my gut feeling was just buzzing. So I knocked on the door and came no reply, and then transported inside. I saw you paralyzed inside the tub full of water. You were unconscious. I took you out and alarmed the other guards and Razzi here ordered me to let you in the Guest Room instead of your own.”

“So what’s happening now?”

“Your room’s being inspected. We don’t know who it could’ve been.”

I heard Razzi sigh. “Really…things are so wrong … Like Tyler, I had suspicions about the bathroom being a target before, and so I made enchantments. Only her family and her guards, including me, are going to be enabled to transport. So…that means…”

Everyone stared at him in horror. “The attacker’s one of us.”

So that explained his shock.