A Dragon's Princess (no more tell published )

Chapter 4

"My name is... is... um... well...it's Abigail. But it's not a very interesting name, so don't even worry about it," she said under her breath, hoping that no one would make a big deal over it. Then she looked over at the queen and tried to tell her what happened.

"I knew something was wrong that day. I felt it in my bones, it seemed like even the cave knew it, but I still went out. I'm just glad that I made the decision not to go home, but still...," her voice dropped off and she looked down at the table.

"I ended up like this. I'm so stupid! I should have never left the cave. I knew that even if they found me, I would still be safe in that cave. I was the only one that could get into it. I didn't know how or why, I just knew that if I needed to get away from anything or anyone that was the place to go."

She sat there in her chair running those words through her head. She thought about being in her very own safe place. She thought about how she felt being in that cave. And now, she had no safe place to go.

Everyone was intently listening to her story, it was so quiet in the room, that it was like everyone in it had died, that was how quite it was.

She was afraid of the man who gave her the necklace. He also gave her a curse, and her name was part of it. She was also afraid that if anyone in the room would find out who she really was, that evil man who put the necklace on her would never rest until the day that he saw her killed. Abigail's thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"Well that is a rare name indeed!" The queen who was sitting across from her said with a loving smile.

"You know, out of all the kingdoms that I have been to, not once did I hear of a girl or boy who had a name like that," she commented.

"I hate my name," Abigail whispered.

"I hate it with all my life," Abigail burst out as tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"I hate it! I hate it! I hate it! I wish he had never helped my mom that night! I wish he had never even come!" She said as she gripped the edge of her dress.

"I...I hate him! I hate him with all my heart!" Abigail continued as she tried to brush away the tears.

"Who are you talking about?" Zander asked as he put his hand on her shoulder.

"You can tell me!" He insisted.

"No, no, I can't. If I do, he will kill me and then all of you!" Abigail shouted.

She jumped up out of her seat and ran back to her room. Zander and Arthur ran after her, but the king and queen just sat in their seats stunned. They had no clue on how to react. The queen was so shocked that she just sat there not even saying a word. Then she turned to the king,

"What did I say? What did I say to cause such an outburst? Does this child have no manners?"

"Abigail, wait, please!" Zander begged as he ran up the stairs.

"Zander, wait up!" Arthur called after him as he ran behind Zander.

They entered Abigail's room. She was on her bed crying. Her red hair was scattered over her neck and partially covered her face. Zander sat on the bed next to her and rubbed her back, so that she knew he was there.

She had finally stopped crying after what seem like a long time. Then she sat up and looked at Zander. "Do you really want to know why I hate my name so bad?" Abigail said looking very worried

"Yes, yes, I need to know," Zander answered earnestly. "Look, I need to know if you are in danger or not. It's important that I know these things," Zander said as he leaned closer.

"But why, why do you care so much about me?" She asked. "I'm just a nobody with a really big important secret, but every time I get close to someone special, I want to tell them my secret. But the last time I told someone, Seth killed them that night. And the person that he killed was my first love. Seth came to my house after he killed him and told me that if I wanted to live a happy life, I would have to keep my secret to myself. Ever since that night, I couldn't even say a word to anyone, not even to my own parents. That day when I told you thank you...well, those were the first words I had spoken in months and it was because I knew that I could trust you and only you. I knew I was in good hands, and after that...I don't know... everything is a blur." She said as she cried some more.

Zander began to speak gently, "That day I saw you, I knew you would be in trouble somewhere down the road. I don't know why, but I had a feeling that you would be in a life or death situation," Zander said smiling.

"Really you can feel all that just by looking at me? Am I really that pathetic?" Abigail asked as she sat up.

"Oh, no... no, you are not pathetic... I mean," Zander scrambled to find the right words. "Oh, no, I mean you will,"...

Then Abigail interrupted, "You see, I was very well known for being the tough girl and not showing anyone what I was feeling and I have never found a person that I felt safe to open up to. Once I met you, I knew that whatever we talked about, the next morning, you would remember. I knew that you would still be there and I could count on you... and still feel safe...," Abigail's voice dropped off.

"Still... still...feel like home," Abigail bit her lip hoping that would do the trick and hold back the tears so that Zander would not see her cry.

She needed to be strong for Zander, but she couldn't. "It's okay Abigail. You are safe here with me and I will never leave you alone. So go ahead ... its okay for you to let your feelings out. You have to believe me, you are safe here," He said looking at her with a big smile.

She looked up at Zander and jumped into his arms crying. "I tried, I really did, but I couldn't do it. When the queen asked me my name, I tried to tell her...but then I just lost it...I couldn't stay there... Everyone was staring at me! Let me try again, please!!! Let me try. I...I think I can do it! I think...." Then she hesitated. "But when I do, I need you to be there with me." Then she added, "And please will you keep an eye on me at all times because of...," she paused. She was even more terrified of what she was about to say next. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat. "Seth!" She felt sick to her stomach as he spoke his name.

She wanted to go hide, but her heart said that she belonged here in the castle, and that was what she was going to do, stay safe within the walls of the castle, and close to Zander. She felt protected, and for the first time in her life, she knew that she was safe. She yawned and stretched, she was so tired she started to fall asleep on Zander's shoulder.

"Okay, well you don't have to speak with the king and queen now, but sooner or later you will need to. Just not right now. All you need to do is rest up and sleep, and in the morning I will show you around and maybe, just maybe, we might go to the market and see all the people. How does that sound?" Zander asked as he tapped her nose in a playful, loving way with a big smile.

"That that sounds like fun," Abigail said in a tired voice. Then she smiled, closed her eyes, and fell fast asleep.

@uW