The Destined Protector (The Chronicles of Mistar - Book 1)

Seven · · · Tapalla (.2)

Tapalla feet burned from the trudge through the woods just like they had on the way to the cabin. Just thinking about what happened at the cabin made her shutter. Her father had left the room to stop the warriors and had gotten himself killed. Tapalla still remembered her heartbreaking when she heard the shots ring.

It was hard for her to hide her emotions from Monta. Ever since she was little she had felt like it was a burden, but that was when she came to Gazar. On Lotna, it happened to everybody. Not just one family. If you were sad, people would help you, but somebody flocked to your side asking what was wrong.

Tapalla knew her face was blue from thinking about her parents and she knew that Monta was worried. He had always been worried when she was sad, but he didn't make a big deal out of it like most of her friends. Instead, he would give her a hug, ask her if she was alright and they would sit there in silence, encompassed in each other's warmth. Silence was always the best gift he could have given her. So, Tapalla wrapped her arms around him as they walked. He squeezed so she knew that he cared and he gave her a quick kiss on the top of her forehead.

"I'm sorry," he said breaking the silence.

"You need to stop saying sorry," she said rolling her eyes.

"It's not about any of that crap," he muttered. He gulped and finished by saying, "I know what your thinking."

"Then what am I thinking about?"

"Your parents," Monta blurted.

Monta's words made Tapalla stop in her tracks. Monta waited for her to take a breather before she started walking again.

Tapalla took a shaky breath and said, "I don't want to talk about them."

"I don't want to talk about them either. I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened to them."

Tapalla didn't say anything. She didn't want to say anything. She just wanted silence, but she couldn't have it. As they walked, she kept coming back to Monta's question when they had first entered the tunnels: Can I trust you?

His question wasn't exactly along those lines, but she knew that's what he meant. If she told him all her secrets, that meant she would have to reveal Jadon. She didn't know if she was ready for that, but she would have to be. This seemed like the right time to tell him.

"You wanted to know all my secrets, right Charmer?" Tapalla asked him.

Monta nodded his head. "If you're ready."

"I am," she gulped. "At least I think I am." Tapalla paused before she said, "You know I came to Gazar at age ten, right?"

Monta rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course. We're birthday buddies."

Tapalla laughed. At least he was lightening up her day. "Well, before that, I... I was the princess of Lotna. Crown and all, and you could say I had my own prince charming."

A frown formed on Monta's face. "But you were younger than ten, right. So it didn't mean anything. Did it? Does it?"

Tapalla shook her head. "At least I don't think it does. I don't love him or anything, but I do miss him. He was my best friend and we shared so many special moments that I will never forget. His name was Jadon Mackel, like I told you, and his father was my father's advisor. He had his own room in the castle where I would call for him in the night to protect me from my bad dreams. I know it sounds silly."

Tapalla was surprised when Monta shook his head. She thought he would be jealous, but he wasn't. Monta was being sympathetic. It was just like him to charm her and steal her heart.