Chapter Twelve

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Annie's POV

I stood by Katelyn, the gate of Nahakra looming over us. She takes in the sights around us, of the merchant booths filled with people and beautiful pieces of architecture sprinkled around the area.

"Have you been here before?" Katelyn asked, turning to face me. I just shrug in response, taking my own glance of the area before us.

"A few times, when I was a kid, family business and all that, but I haven't been here since so it looks...different than the last time I was here," I replied, turning to focus to the head guard of Nahakra who was approaching the front gate with even steps.

"Hello, I am assuming that you two are the jury members assigned to help watch the village for the next few months?" He said formally, voice monotone as he peered down at us from his helm, hiding any part of his face.

"Yes, we are, I am Katelyn, the Fire Fist, and this is my colleague Annie, the Ruby Aim," Katelyn replied with an equally as formal tone.

"It is very nice to make your acquaintance," he replied, voice still as stiff as he removed his helmet, voice becoming much clearer. "My name is Eli."

He had shaggy black hair with piercing green eyes. He wore a light gray guard uniform with dark blue accents on it and he had two small dark blue daggers attached to his belt.

"I will have one or two of the guards escort you to the guest house," Eli said, waving over a pair of guards over.

"Yes sir?" One asked, a female by the sounds of it, the other standing still beside her, seeming rigid. New perhaps?

"I need you to escort our guests," he made a hand motion over to us, "to their house," he replied, voice holding this type of warmth.

She nodded, the other quickly fallowing, and motioned for us to follow her.

Our steps made no sound against the clean path below us as we walked in silence for a few minutes before the female guard asked politely,

"Excuse me, ma'am but, by any chance are you Annie Ro'meave?"

I nodded shyly, face red as the girl smiled.

"That's why you are so familiar. When you visited here with your family a few years back, my father was the one who was put in charge of escorting you around town. By the way, my name is Trish," she said, turning to shake my hand, a smile on her face.

We continued walking until we arrived at the guest house. There Trish said goodbye and headed off towards the guard station, a slight pep in her step.
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That Night.....
Katelyn's POV

My eyes stared at the the object in front of me, it being blurry, eyes red from being denied sleep. I could feel the bags under my eyes, it being hard to blink.

It felt nearly impossible to do the one thing that was required of me, to close my eyes and go off into dreamland, so I had went into the kitchen of the guest house that Annie and I were sharing, wanting to get a snack or something of the like.

Suddenly, the sound of a scream broke loose from upstairs, echoing within the halls. The only person here was upstairs and that was Annie.

Forgetting everything around me, I dart upstairs, running into a few (read: a lot) things, and into the room, almost breaking the door down. There she was, with her head buried in her knees, her arms locked around them tightly, as she quietly sobbed.

That was it. I needed to ask her about her brother, which was something I had sworn to myself that I would never do. I hated breaking my own promises.

"Annie...you okay?" I asked with a concerned tone.

"I-I'm fine," she replied looking up at me from the tops of her knees and quickly wiped the tears away from her eyes.

I grabbed her leather jacket off the chair beside me and throw it to her, it landing next to her. She startles a little and jumps a bit, staring down at the coat before looking back to me.

"Huh?" her voice weakly questioned.

"We're going for a walk," My reply came quickly as I went to grab my coat and boots from my room, voice echoing through the hall to her, it becoming slightly mumbled.

I was met with protests but within the next five minutes Annie came  downstairs with her jacket, worn down boots and her beautifully crafted ruby bow. I held out the door for her, waiting for her to be out of it before closing it and me coming quickly behind, as we left the house and eventually entered to woods that were on the outskirts of Nahakra. We walked in silence for a while before I asked calmly,

"Annie, what happened to your brother?"

She stopped mid step and looked down at the dirt beneath her feet, the sound akin to a pained choke leaving her. She took a deep breath before leaning against a conveniently placed tree next to her and looking towards the stars, burning bright.

"How do you know about my brother?" she questioned, it sounding breathy.

"I asked around O'khasis about you," I replied quietly.

She was silent for a moment before she sighed and replied,

"When I was 15, my brother was killed by a man. His death was my fault."

"Annie," I said, "I am sorry you had to go though...," my voice drifts off as I watch her stare at the stars, not looking at me. The shine of the moon walked across her face, showing dried tears stains and glassy eyes.

She stayed silent for what felt like minutes but was most likely only seconds before she talked once again,

"Did you ask me about this because of my dream?"

"Yeah," I replied, watching her face, "But you have to realize that what happened to your brother... what happened to your brother...was not your fault." That seemed to make something snap in her as she looked away from the stars, mocking us with simplicity, the tears almost falling from her eyes.

"It was...is my fault, Katelyn! I knew that I should've done what he said but I didn't! I killed him! It's because I was stupid and didn't listen! An-and now?! NOW HE'S DEAD!" Her voice rang out within the forest and back at us, like a cold slap. Her voice was laced with so many things.

Guilt.

Anger.

Sadness.

Confusion.

So many things that shouldn't even be there, in her voice or within her emotions. Especially not for herself.

I didn't voice any of my thoughts though, staying silent as Annie grabbed her bow and ran back towards Nahakra, tears in her eyes, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I knew I shouldn't have asked her about it.
I just hoped that it wouldn't ruin our friendship.

-Authors Note-
A little bit of Drama is this episode! I'm trying a new style of writing for this book. Tell me if you like it or not. Anyways! Look forward to the next few chapters!
                                -J-

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