Only Chance

8.

I went back to my room, after saying a night to Ozanne and slipped into bed, exhausted with eyelids drooping.

Not soon after, I had been caught in a deep slumber and fell asleep, watching the moon and counting the stars.

Because I knew I'd be here for... a very long time.

'''''

I slept peacefully until morning, breathing softly, until I awoke, this time, to the calling sounds of a morning bird. I gracefully opened my eyes, and placed on my moss dress and tartan shoes, this time, without a complaint.

After, I strode happily to the kitchen, where I spotted Darwyn and Ozanne excitedly chatting about potions.

"Good morning!" Ozanne greeted me as she saw me enter.

"Hello!" I responded as I sat nicely at the table.

"Here, Darwyn found some peaches in the outskirts of the forest yesterday," she nodded to me, before she continued her talk with him.

"Hello Adelphia, I see you've gotten up without a complaint today?" he raised an eyebrow judgingly.

"Father..." Ozanne said. "Let her go easy this time. Anyways..."

Darwyn and Ozanne went back to their conversation.

I shrugged it off, and kept eating the berries, and peaches. They weren't castle food, but they were fine.

After I finished eating, I stood up.

"Training?" I asked Darwyn, hopefully.

"Aren't your limbs tired?" he frowned, eying me suspiciously.

"A bit, I suppose," I responded, testing out my arms and legs. They worked fine but they felt a bit sore.

"Combat is no use with loosey legs," Ozanne smiled kindly.

"Um..." I muttered, feeling as stupid as I did last night. "What should I do then?"

"Potions?" Darwyn questioned.

"Uh, no thanks," I responded idiotically. "It's more of an... Ozanne thing, y'know."

"How about reading some books?" Ozanne suggested. "I have a collection of history and legends, you can read about those while your sore limbs heal."

I nodded. That sounded better than making a fool of myself, at least.

I went to Ozanne's room after breakfast, while Darwyn took Ozanne out to practice combat.

In her room, I saw a few books scattered around on the floor, each with an interesting title. Thinia Regains was, however, the one that had caught my eye. I picked it up.

Inside, were tattered yellow pages, seeming to be printing of old papers. The words were so faded, I could barely read the first article.

But then I did.

And instantly wished I hadn't.

Legends, it read. Number one, the Great Void. The ruler of great evil and hardships. It leaves our skin filled with scars, the only reminder that...

I gave off a small, flimsy chuckle.

Sure, sure, what a "scary great evil." What could be worse than mother?

I looked at the next legend.

Number two, the Fifth Kingdom-

I slammed the book down. What a waste of time.

I slowly picked up another book: A blue, cerulean one, that looked in a new condition. I squinted: The title seemed to write: Queen.

Nolgastic visions suddenly clouded me, my brain, so hardly, I could barely see. My breathing went shallow...

And I fainted.

'''''

That night, I dreamt of Klide and blood and the cracking sound of a tornado, and then I dreamt of Darwyn...or rather, his echoing, wise, and crinkled voice.

Murmuring words upon words, lesson upon lesson, like tiny layers of petals on a flower flaring wider and wider open, blooming.

"Rise...past...rememory...shadows...light...Adelphia, I pray you know enough to know this" -those words stung, only a bit, but most definitely- "do not slow down your life for one thing. Forge on. Fight on. Do not slow and do not stop and do not give up.

"There is a brighter side to everything.

"Focus on light. Focus on kindness and brightness."

Darwyn's words, so wise, so...almost unbelievably...gentle. They made me want to cry aloud for some reason, as if I were in splintering pain, and a pain beyond Klide and whatever was happening with her. Probably because they were so close to my own life; the world had never stopped for me to sputter and cry and wail and drown in sorrow after all of this unfairness...

Well. For the first time, I thought that was a bit exaggerated, myself was a bit exaggerated. Who do I think I am, I thought to myself, and let shame bubble in my chest. To think such a thing? Who do I think I am, feeling bad for myself? I am not Darwyn, who has lost his family. I am not Klide, who risked her life for my survival.

I am Adelphia.

I had started a whole new life, used a whole new final chance. But the world, with all its shedding light and writhing darkness, had never bothered to slow down to wait for me.

Instead things just charged on, fast as ever, as always.

Fast as light itself.