War Prize

Chapter Twenty-Seven: KATIRINA

My isolation may have ended, but I still chained myself to my room. I continued the routine. Pacing, humming, singing, dancing, the works. I emerged to eat my meals at dawn, noon, and dusk. And every night, when everyone has turned in for the night, and the Castle is asleep, I sneak out and return to the library.

I wait for him here.

Every night.

Without fail.

I wait for him to come strolling in, with his bad mannerisms, and hypnotising blue eyes.

But every night.

Without fail.

He does not show up.

After three days of this, I began to venture out from my self-isolation to visit the library in daylight. I hoped that he would be there, but he wasn't.

He was no where it seems.

I had convinced myself, that I was not becoming obsessed with finding him. But I was lying to myself. After two weeks in his company, I had become used to him. It had nothing to do with him, of course, just his presence. I had grown attached to the feeling of company, that I felt empty being alone.

Clara found me in the library, three days after I began visiting. I had been standing at the floor to ceiling window, staring out at the picturesque view. The sky was clear, and not a scape of cloud floated in view. The ocean seemed to sparkle, as the light of the sun bounced off it, creating thousands of stars that nestled along the horizon. The leaves, of the forest that lay slightly west of the Castle, were turning various shades of gold and red. And above the snow capped mountains, that stood like giants in the north, rose the two moons, that I had grown so accustom to seeing.

She had stormed in, with a fury that could rival any Barsite warrior. He blonde hair floated around her gracefully, but her face was twisted in anger, and her dark eyes glared daggers that aimed to pierced my heart.

"Hello, Clara." I said, watching her cautiously.

"So it is true." She snapped. "You can speak." I opened my mouth to reply, but she held up her hand to silence me. "I don't want to hear what you have to say. You pretended to be mute for weeks, you can sure as hell remain silent as I rant about it." I closed my mouth with a snap. Then glanced about at the others occupants who were in the library. Only a few openly watched Clara's outburst. The rest were either ignoring us, or they got up and left. But Clara was far from finished. "I mean, we were alone for hours, I told you stuff in confidence. Personal things. Yet you said nothing. Why didn't you tell me? You made me look like an idiot for not knowing."

She glared at me. I waited for a moment to see if she had anymore to say, then I spoke. "You are not an idiot. No one knew."

"But why didn't you tell me?" She whined.

"You never asked. No one ever asked. They all just assumed that I was, without ever asking me." I didn't say that I had found the entire situation fairly amusing, I don't think she would find it very funny.

Clara stared at me silently for a moment, before she gave me a small smile. "I guess you are right. I had just assumed. But I am still made at you for not telling me anyways."

I held up my hands in surrender. "That is fair."

Her smile got bigger. "It has been so long since I have seen you. I have so much to tell you." Then she linked arms with me, and began to drag me from the prying ears of the library occupants. We walked the hallways talking. She gossiped about anything and everything. I learned that the Prince hadn't visited Addrianna's chambers since the Trial of Strength. And that he been avoiding the flirtations of Eva, even though the Barsite were breathing down his neck about beginning a war. Hearing this gave me a feeling of satisfaction. At least I wasn't the only contestant he seems to be ignoring now.

Clara also told me of her activities. She had feared she had been contracting a disease from the barbarians that were still on planet, but said that she had been checked out by the Royal family's healer, Doctor Pyrce; the omegelan woman who had I meet my first day aboard the Prince's ship. I learned that her name was Elizabeth Pyrce.

After talking the entire afternoon away, Clara returned me to my chambers, and left with promises of returning the next day, with more gossip. Then she was gone. And I went back to pacing.

And humming, and singing, and dancing...

But I found, I didn't feel so alone any more.

Maybe I would skip going to the library later, and actually sleep tonight......