With A Broken Wing

IV: For The Good

I quickly stepped away from him, trying to look anywhere BUT at him.

"Hello," I said curtly.

"Have I come at a bad time? I can come back later," said the general, face red and struggling for words. He obviously knew I knew he liked me.

"Yeah," said I. "I was just about to go....check the maps,"

I pushed past him, and when he didn't follow, I kept walking out of the clearing and into the forest. Amara had to run to keep up with my fast pace.

"Check the maps?" Amara mocked me. "Uh, hello? What kind of excuse is that? You like him back, don't you?"

"No!" I said, not looking at her. I didn't stop until I made it back to my horse.

"You like him!" Amara smiled.

"Sh!" I hushed her, as some of the soldiers looked up to hear our conversation.

"You like him!" Amara repeated in a whisper-yell tone.

"No I do not," I whisper-yelled back, my tone urgent. "Amara, he is my general! He works under my rule! It's just weird! And I had no idea he liked me until you told me a half a minute ago. I have no feelings towards him. Our relationship is strictly business,"

"Fine. I guess maybe I thought you'd finally find love," she said.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"What I meant was that you haven't even had a crush! You've been sheltered by your controling father for so long, you probably don't even know what love is!" Amara explained.

"I-" I paused.

"I knew it! You don't know what love feels like!" Amara threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Okay, so what if I don't know what love feels like. Maybe then I won't go off into a relationship that will only leave me heartbroken! Tell me at least one of your 'crushes' that actually worked out in a real relationship," I snapped at her, getting quite annoyed with her. All I wanted was to get my saddlebags packed so we could head out again.

Amara thought for a moment. "Well.....no, none of them actually worked out, but-"

"Then there's no reason for you to be hovering over me all the time! I don't need a relationship coach!" I finally exploded.

Amara just stared at me, a hurt expression on her face that instantly made me feel bad.

"I'm sorry," said I. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just stressed out,"

"No," she waved a hand at me, smiling again. "I understand. If I were you, I would be stressed out too, with a whole army you have to march into war that you may not win, and a best friend who cares SO MUCH about you, and a guy who also cares so much about you....wow. Such a stressful life,"

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll talk to him," I finally gave in.

"Well, if you put it that way," said Amara grudgingly, even though I could tell that she wanted that all along. "Sure! I'll bring him right here,"

"Wait, no! Not now!" I shouted after her, but she was already gone, skipping away to get Saevel.

I sighed and finished packing my saddlebags.

Amara found me again, her face lit up like a firefly. She ran over to me, her eyes shining.

"I found him. He's in that direction, just walk in the direction I came from and you'll find him. Oh, this is so exciting!" Amara smiled.