The Gem Wars

Chapter 10: Meanwhile

Kol had never been more annoyed by Annalise in his entire life. The walk back home seemed to take forever and a half. Annalise simply would not stop asking about Princess Kiara and it was honestly driving Kol up a wall.

"Kol, do you think she'll find her elements?" Annalise asks for the nth time since they left her.

"For the millionth time, I dunno, Annalise. You know you can't so much as mention the princess at home correct?" Kol asks stopping them both at once and looking his little sister in the eye.

"Why not?" Annalise says stomping her foot in protest.

"Because if you do, we'll be marked a traitor for not killing her! And then we'll all be in trouble! You'll get all three of us killed!" Kol snaps at her making Annalise flinch slightly.

"But I'm worried for her, Kol. I know you are too! You're just not letting yourself worry for her since she's the fairy princess!" Annalise shot back.

"I'm not hiding any feelings for her! She's the enemy!"

"That's not what you thought when she nearly died cracking her head open on the forest floor! or when you thought they were taking her to the morgue! Or when that Axil guy was talking so casually with her-" Kol stopped her by grabbing hold of her arm.

"Annalise you will stop these foolish thoughts at once! I have no feelings for Kiara! I just want to be rid of this stupid gem! Then the two kingdoms will never have contact again and we'll be on our happy way!" Kol yells his pent-up annoyance overflowing and making Annalise flinch in fear.

"I should've stayed with Kiara; you're turning into father much too much for my taste!" Annalise shouted back at him. Kol froze at her words and his annoyance gone all at once.

"Annalise, I'm sorry. I just don't want you hurt, okay? So please don't go off talking about Kiara," Kol said outstretching his arms to her.

"I love you," Kol says as Annalise runs into his arms.

"Now what do we say when they ask why we were gone for so long?" Kol says as they start walking again.

"We say the river carried us further from home than we'd thought it would and that we had to take down a few Fairy camps on our way back," Annalise repeats the practiced words.

"How many camps?" Kol asks.

"Three," Annalise says instantly.

"How many faires per camp?"

"Roughly 20."

"Where were they?"

"By the east river in which we fell in, another in the oak tree forest, and the last on the by the ruins of the eleven," Annalise says.

"Now what do we say when they ask about Princess Kiara?"

"I say that we woke up and the princess what nowhere in sight."

"Good," Kol praises. The two were a few miles from home and weren't thrilled to be back but put up a face of relief.

"Prince Kol! Princess Annalise!" A guard yelled from atop his post.

"Yes, 'tis us," Kol said putting on his prince voice.

"Kol, I'm nervous," Annalise says.

"Me too," Kol said, " But well get through this together." Annalise grabbed onto him and buried her face in his shirt. As the two approached the gates they opened without a second of hesitation.

The head of guard, Donivin came up to the two and gave a bow. "My prince and princess. I am delighted to see you come back home," Donivin said though his eyes looked annoyed that the two them showed up.