The Water Princess: Ëthia

Ëthia: Chapter 20 ~Hold On~

"When are we going to get down from here!" Cayman yelled holding the bars firmly from inside of his cage.

Berko glared at him with irritation and turned his back to him.

Cayman looked in Berko's direction and began yelling at him, "What! Something you want to say!".

Berko didn't bother turning to his brother for he was already fed up with him and all his complaining.

"We've been up here for weeks!" Cayman reminded his brother once again, "Xrin and Keyon abandoned us and aren't ever coming back!". Cayman pounded his fists into the cage over and over until they began to throb with pain, he leaned his back up against the cage and began to take deep breaths to calm himself down.

Berko turned his head over shoulder and looked and Cayman's back, "Cayman, let's face it, you and I are as good as dead and there's no one here to stop them. Keyon and Xrin got away and that's that.".

Cayman knew perfectly that his brother was right but he didn't want to accept it, he didn't want to feel defenseless and he didn't want his life to be in someone's else's hands. He thought about where his other brothers were and wondered how they were doing, he thought about if Keyon was coming back to set them free or if he had truly abandoned them here to die.

As Cayman sat there thinking about his life and the things he found important he felt his cage began to descend.

"Cayman!" Berko stated loudly as he watched his brother get lowered to the ground.

Cayman looked up at Berko as he descended towards the ground and looked him straight in the eye, nothing was said between them but much was felt.

"Be safe brother" Berko whispered to himself.

"Get him out" One of the men directed looking in the cage at Cayman.

Cayman was pulled forcefully out of his cage by a few men and had his hands tied behind his back, "Move" The same man demanded as Cayman was pushed forward.

The men led Cayman down a path and back to where they had a bonfire weeks ago, they placed him at the feet of the chief and forced him down on his knees, "Head down" The man ordered.

Cayman didn't hesitate and quickly put his head down.

"He has learned" the deep voice spoke.

Cayman saw two dark feet appear on the ground and instantly he froze, he didn't know whether this was going to be the last thing he saw or if it was the beginning of the end for him. His breathing picked up heavily which caused his shoulders to rise up and down, he closed his eyes tightly and waited for them to finish him off, to put a stop to him once and for all, for them to take his last breath.

"Lift your head up" The deep voice demanded.

Slowly Cayman lifted his head and faced the man who would kill him.

He was the chief, he was still just as dark, strong, and threatening as the day they met each other.

"I have a simple question for you, and this question will determine whether you live or not, are you ready?" The Chief asked.

Cayman took a deep breath and thought about it, he knew he didn't have an actual choice but just the fact of thinking prolonged his death. He nodded his head to the chief.

"Are you trying to protect the princess?" The Chief asked looking Cayman dead in the eyes.

Cayman thought to himself about the lie that he and his brothers had told earlier, the lie about them wanting to protect the princess and that she had been taken away and they were trying to find her. He thought about how even though his brothers told the chief that they were wanting to protect the princess they, including me, ended locked up in cages for weeks at a time. It was torture not being able to move and just having to sit there and do nothing. They went through a rainstorm and couldn't bend the water off of them because their bending was still numb, they went days without food, and they were punished for relieving themselves. Cayman came to the conclusion that he really didn't mind death, in some ways he welcomed it. If he was going to die today he was going to die doing the right thing for once.