Blade looked at her with a burning flame in his eyes. She knew then that he was up for the challenge. Leading a bunch of partially uncivilized rebels will definitely be something new to him, but she was sure he could take it. “Okay, Topaz, you and Abaddon have to go out there and redirect the people. They will get all of the supplies and put it into the caravans, understood?”
“Of course, sir,” said Topaz.
“Meanwhile, I’ll go on ahead.”
“Yes sir.”
“And uh, T, in private, you don’t have to call me sir…” he added, scratching his head. She giggled at him and nodded. “So uh, I’ll see you later.”
She waved goodbye to him and joined the people. She turned to Abaddon, who seemed to look left out. “You heard the guy, we better go out there and join everyone else.”
“Look, I know that you two are getting along and all that, but can you please keep your complicated relations with the leader’s son away from doing any sort of task here? I know that he helped you with uh, training, but sometimes I feel like it’s more than just admiration.”
Topaz glared at him. “He’s my partner, and my lifetime friend,” she said.
“I was your friend first,” he replied.
“I’m just your replacement for Lily,” she muttered to herself, beckoning him to follow her. “Now come on, you know what Blade said. It’s time to get a move on.” She exited the camp as well and began to tend to the people.
She looked back at him, only to find him staring at her in such a longing way. She returned to her task and guided the children and the elderly to the horse drawn vehicles. As she urged them, she tried to remember what was going on that day of the raid and—
“Excuse me?” another person called out from far behind. Topaz made her way to her, only to find out that she was just a child. She seemed lost and alone. “I need some help to find uh, number three? My sister told me to meet up with her and I got lost in the crowd.”
Topaz quickly led the child to the third caravan, then began assisting the others. She found it so saddening that they were the products of the invasion and war. She hated the Royals for doing this to them, getting rid of them where they had nowhere else to go. She knew how that felt.
Because in a way, she was an outcast herself.
Topaz had no time to think about certain things like of course, and perhaps it was the reason why she took up on many of those missions, to keep herself occupied from remembering the past. She didn’t have a need of those things such as memories. This was her present, and this was her future. She didn’t need the past to define her.
She suddenly felt a hand on her head. “Come on,” Abaddon said, “Blade’s waiting for us at the front.” He lowered his hand and brought it to hers. “Let’s go.” Topaz quietly followed him and the two made their way to the front of the “caravan train” as the adults called it.
“We’re getting closer. When we build up our army,” Blade began his speech as she sat down inside the cart, “we will be one step closer to destroying the Royals. After all, they were the ones that blocked us out, shut us down, and oppressed us for so long. In the end, we’ll take back what’s ours.” He turned to the girl, and noticed her eyelids were slowly fluttering open and closed.
Topaz leaned her head towards Blade in a rather adorable manner. When she realized that she landed on something broad and firm, she straightened up, only to have Blade push her back down.
“Blade…” Abaddon and Topaz said in unison.
“Sweetie, if you need to sleep, then you need to sleep,” was Blade’s reply. Topaz felt horrible that she was acting so immaturely, but took up on Blade’s weird way of offering her some rest. She fell asleep on the boy’s shoulder and he too, fell asleep with her.
Abaddon could only sigh in wonder.
-.-
“Is it over? Am I free?” the girl asked. She, still in chains, looked up at the one individual that she didn’t want to meet up with.
The king glared at her coldly, and glanced at his hand every now and then. “Shut up,” he said quietly, and yet with such an authoritative feel. “You will fulfill your duty.”
She sobbed in her hands. She didn’t want this. Topaz tried to enter the room and comfort this beautiful young girl, but she was stuck. She was glued to her position, her feet frozen on the ground. She could only watch at this horror in front of her.
“Now, that is not a definite answer. Tell me, or you’ll regret it.”
“I swear that it’s true!” she said. “I can’t find anything to do with it! I’m sorry!”
Topaz felt voice float around her head, repeating the same phrases over and over again. She knew then it was just a dream, somehow, but she couldn’t escape it. The same thing over and over, and over…
-.-
She felt a nudge on her shoulder. “Topaz,” Abaddon said. “Are you okay?” She realized then that Blade was resting atop her head, and her cheeks began to glow in embarrassment. She looked at him and wanted to explain, but he hushed her up.
“You’ve been dreaming again,” he said. “About her. I told you. There was nothing you could’ve done to save her. Just let it go.”
Tears threatened to spill out of her face. Topaz hung her head down, trying to suppress the feelings back inside her chest. “Look now, it’s my fault that we got caught, and no one else’s. You just happened to be in the middle of it. It’s okay.”
“I wish it could be okay,” she said quietly.
“We are nearing our destination. For sure, this will be our permanent home until we take control of the kingdom,” Abaddon reminded her. “We both know that she’s still alive. And when we make it to the city, then we will sure rescue her from the Royals.”
She smiled sympathetically at him. “You really think that we can save her?” She didn’t want to hear wishful thinking. She had enough of that herself.
“Of course.” She really had to stop thinking about the past.
Meanwhile, she felt a shift in Blade’s position. Her pupils looked up at him, sleeping peacefully. She carefully removed his head on her head and gently placed it on her lap. He really did look adorable while he was asleep.
“Look, we’re almost there,” Abaddon said, pointing out through the hold of the vehicle. Behind the horse, they could see a bunch of green trees. “I heard that there’s an actual sturdy tower there where we can store the food and everything.”
She laughed. “You’re so serious, Abaddon,” she remarked, causing him to cover his face. “You both are. I don’t know how I can handle the both of you when you so uptight. I mean, unless you two are fighting…”
Immediately he jumped at her and grabbed her wrists. “I don’t like Blade. I never have, never will. Do not say that I am like him, because the last thing I want in your memory is that I remind you of him.” He massaged her hands. “Do… you forgive me for what I did to you?”
“Did what?” she asked. Abaddon smiled sadly and dropped his head. He shook it and returned to his seat, releasing her hands from his hold.
“Well, you better wake up Blade now. We’re only getting closer, and I don’t want a cranky leader when we get there.”
She nodded and tapped his head on her lap. She ruffled his sleek, darkish-brown-nearly-black hair. “We’re here, honey,” she cooed in his ear, pissing off the black-haired boy.
“Hey, no flirting while I’m around,” Abaddon scolded her, and Topaz rolled her eyes. She tapped his head again, causing the other male to wake up. He glanced upward at the girl’s face, which flashed him a gentle smile.
Blade sat up, not understanding what was going on at all. Then, after a second, he snapped up and glanced at the front hole, behind the horse.
Meanwhile Topaz, in her mind looked behind the wagon, and noticed the row of caravans after them. She sighed and stared at the path, and she remembered the path she’s taken. What a long road it’s been… With a small smile, she mumbled, “Heh, look how far I’ve gone…”
“And you say that I couldn’t handle myself…”
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