The Water Princess: Ëthia

Ëthia: Chapter 20 ~Hold On~

Cayman looked up at the chief and answered his question, "No. My brothers and I are not protecting the princess, we never were. The only reason that we are all out here is because of the fact that we are trying to find the princess and kill her."

The Chief glared at Cayman with intense eyes, his arms were folded across his chest and his face was expressionless, making Cayman feel more uncomfortable.

The people that surrounded Cayman and the chief were all completely silent waiting for their chief to make an acknowledgement of Cayman's answer.

Cayman's heart began to beat slower and more pronounced, with every beat he could feel it thump harder and harder inside of him. Although he didn't mind dying he didn't want to be tortured to death, he was afraid that he had disrespected the Chief and was going to pay for the lie that his brothers and him told, he was afraid that punishment would bring him to a level of pain that he had never experienced before.

Cayman started to slowly hear a low sound coming from the chief, it was light and seemed to be full of amusement, almost as if he was...laughing.

'Is he laughing?' Cayman thought to himself before he realized that many others had joined in on the laughing, confused he began looking around and taking in the scene that was unraveling before him. 'Maybe they all know what's going to happen to me and that's why they are laughing, it has to be the only reason'.

"Pick him up" The chief ordered still laughing with a light booming voice.

Cayman found himself being gently lifted up by the men while the Chief walked over to him and pulled him in closer to his side, "So you're meaning to tell me that your friends escaped so that they could find the princess and kill her?".

Confused but scared not to answer the question Cayman spoke, "Yes" He weakly replied.

The chief and all of the people began to laugh harder until it seemed as if the whole world itself were laughing, Cayman weakly began to laugh with them but still didn't get the joke.

"Go get the other one in the cage and bring him here, quickly men, quickly" The chief ordered.

Cayman started to relax a little after he saw Berko being dragged in and placed right next to him, Berko gave him a questioning look as to what was going on.

"You are not our enemies" The Chief said with happiness, "You are honored guest".

Berko and Cayman both looked at each other being a little thrown off by the sudden change of attitude, neither of them knew what was going on and each was on edge in case it all was a joke.

"If I may" Cayman asked the Chief.

The Chief lifted his hand up and silenced everyone, then he looked over at Cayman and nodded his head.

Cayman took a silent deep breath and proceeded, "Why are we honored guest? I'm confused".

The chief stepped forward and turned Cayman and Berko around looking at the majority of the people, he patted them roughly on the back causing Berko to cough loudly which only made the chief laugh, "You two don't realize the favor you're doing for all of us, well the favor that your friends who escaped are".

He put his hands on their backs and began guiding them away from the huge group of people and inside a large teepee that had smoke coming out of it.

"Sit" He instructed as he walked past the little fire that was burning. "This group of people, my people, all left the water colony as soon as her grandfather took control of the colony. He wasn't fit to be ruler, he was too young, stupid, and unknowing about what a real leader is. So a group of people left the water colony and traveled out here to where the rightful ruler could rule."