Once my sister stormed out of the room, I sit down on the floor and place my head in between my knees. How could she think that? I didn't think she would actually SLEEP with Jonathan. I just don't understand how she could just ignore her feelings. My cheek throbs from the bruise she left me, and right now I won't even speak a single word to Arkadius for her. I know I stepped out of line when I kissed him. I shouldn't have, but just like her, it just happened. I forgot my worries.
The door opens slightly, allowing whoever it was to quietly enter. I glance up to find Jared looking down at me with worried eyes.
"Cadence, are you okay?" He asks as he sit next to me.
I sigh, "No, I'm not. I just don't understand. I don't mean to sound harsh to her, I just want her to be happy. That as much as I love Jonathan, for everything that he has done, I just cannot allow her and him to use each other. Like I know she loves Damien, just as much as he loves her, but she won't admit to it. She continues to fight against it. She wants to go back to the kingdom, and doing so with a heavy heart will not make everything better.
"Jonathan is a great guy, but he cannot expect to just change her heart, and I don't want him hurting when he realizes that it will not. I don't know what to do anymore." I finish.
Jared stays quiet for a moment, taking everything I said into consideration. Then finally he speaks, "Well, your sister is as bullheaded as you, so do not expect her to change so quickly. If she is determined to stay away from Damien, and to not admit her feelings, then that is her choice. One day, I promise you Cadence, she will cave into the need she has for him. It is not your duty to decide such things."
I nod. He is right; I just hate seeing Damien in so much pain. I owe him everything, from saving me when I was sixteen, and keep both Minani and I alive here in this world. "You do understand that I did not know that Damien will be there at the party. It wasn't even I who told him. I kept it a secret for her. I did not want her to be uncomfortable, I wanted her to have fun. I wonder..."
I glance up at Jared, who looked away instantly, avoiding my eyes. "Jared," I growl. "How did Damien find out about the party?"
"I-I have no idea," his voice shakes. "Maybe he overheard somehow you know? Maybe a little bird told him, he can be a wolf and talk to animals and stuff-"
"Jared!" I cut off his rambling. "Did you tell Damien we were going to the party?"
"Well look at the time!" He suddenly stands up. "I need to get going, I do have to make lunch for everyone-"
I yank him back down and I force him to look at me. "Jared you told him didn't you?"
He cracks under my gaze, "I'm sorry it slipped out! I truly did not mean to do so! He was asking about your whereabouts, and I told him that you guys were staying at a friends house then to a party."
"How did you know about the party anyhow?" I ask.
"Are you serious? Who stays at a friends house and doesn't go to a party? Plus I went through your emails." He shrugs.
My mouth drops open in shock. "How dare you intrude on my privacy!"
"He found your guys scent after that and went to the party."
"And why did you go through my laptop? That is personal privacy!"
"I'm sorry I'm not the one leaving things lying around!"
"It was in my room," I counter.
He smiles a small smile, "Maybe you should lock it next time." I glare at him, which only makes him smile wider. "Come on, I don't think we should-"
Just then a giant crash emits from the kitchen followed by Minani screaming something very incorherent. I rise to my feet instantly and rush out of the room and to the kitchen. Right before I enter something flies by my face; barely centimeters from my nose. My eyes follow the direction of the dish and watch Arkadius duck out the way just barely in time. I look to find Minani throwing the dishes.
"GET OUT!" Minani screams. Arkadius looks at me then back at Minani. I look back towards Minani to find her glaring at me then back to him. "Did you come out here to save your mutt?" Her voice has venom in it. Jonathan was holding her back, making sure she didn't do anything too drastic.
I look back at Arkadius feeling my eyes narrow into slits. "I told you not to come here," I growl. "Leave now."
"But Cadence-"
"I do not want to hear any of it Arkadius, I told you to not come here and I also said to not speak to neither Minani nor myself. Now, not another word. Leave"
His afternoon eyes sadden, and leaves sulking without another word.
I walk over to the wall where the plates hit. Just a little paint damage nothing that I can't fix. I look down to find my broken dishes completely shattered. A sigh escapes my lips. Picking up the broken plates, I glance in Minani's direction, and walk past her, throwing the pieces away. "I would rather you not throw plates, or anything breakable, around because my parents bought most of this stuff."
I don't even have to glance at her to know she rolled her eyes. "That is beyond the point. Why'd you send your precious mutt away?"
I was my hands in the sink, and begin grabbing frying pans to make breakfast. "He had no right to hit you, and since he did I am not speaking to him until he apologizes to you."
"Well, whatever I'm glad I don't have to see him," she mutters to herself. "We need to begin training. We can't sit here and do nothing!"
Her fists slammed down on my table, her anger rising. I rush over to the table and move her hand out of the way. "Please don't damage this, my parents chose this redwood in specifics."
She rolls her eyes once again, irritated with the way I am treating the situation. "Oh get over it, we need to start training. Remember a certain kingdom we need to go back to? Certain parents that are waiting for us? Or citizens that are being tormented by a certain kingdom that took over our kingdom?"
I ignore her going back to making breakfast for the people occupying my current household. "Do you guys prefer scrambled? Or over-easy?"
"Aren't you listening to a word I'm saying? Do you even care?" Her anger was boiling over once more, but right before she could slam her fist on the table again, a hand catches hers.
"Really, please don't hit the table," Jared says coolly. "As Cadence was saying before, our parents did choose this wood in specifics, I would really hate to see this damaged."
"They weren't even your real parents, they were just doing their jobs," she hisses at him. "Besides that, we need to start training Jared."
The pans were sizzling in front of me, cooking sausage and potatoes. I turn around just to watch what's going to happen between the two.
Jared has his happy -go-lucky grin that he always has. Minani on the other-hand looks pretty frustrated.
"Well Princess Minani, I'm sorry we can't train yet. Not because we're evil people and hate our kingdom, but because if we start training now before all of your memories return, we can pretty much destroy this realm. So..." just then Jared decides to do the most immature thing I have ever seen him do. He turned his back towards the hallway, and began to flip off Minani and back away. "Sucks-to-suck."
I stifle back a giggle, and try to keep a straight face. My sister on the other hand isn't very amused. "Ha-Ha Jared, now let's be serious."
Jared chuckles from down the hall, and makes a reappearance. "What makes you think I am joking Princess? Only because I am trying to lighten the mood doesn't mean I'm not one-hundred percent serious," he replies. "We truly cannot do anything about the training until the rest of your soul awakens."
"Then what are we supposed to do? Wait?"
"Why of course! Have fun while there is still time." Jared shrugs and heads over my way.
I turn back around and continue to cook. I smile as I feel Jared brush past me to start on some pancakes. A door shuts somewhere in the distance, and I just know that Minani went to her room obviously frustrated.
"I wish you guys would take it easy on her," Jonathan sighs.
I nod my head in agreement. "I know, but I don't think she would like that. You of all people should know she doesn't like to be treated as if she is weak. Anyways, how would you like your eggs?"
'Stop talking as if I cannot hear you,' Minani says in my head.
'But you know what I say is true,' I reply. 'Any-who, how would you like your eggs?'
'Not hungry.'
'I'll make you scrambled and leave them outside your door.'
She doesn't answer me, but I know she heard me. I continue to finish making breakfast with Jared by my side. Once we finish I make Minani her plate and place it outside her room. I make another plate and place it outside on the porch knowing Arkadius is waiting out there. He turns so quickly once the door opens.
"Cadence! I need you to listen to me!" He begs.
I shake my head no, knowing that all he is going to do is apologize over and over. "I made breakfast, you better eat something, especially if you are planning to stay out here all day."
I turn back around to head inside, but he catches my hand before I can leave. "Cadence please don't ignore me."
"Let go," I growl.
He does as he is told, and I continue to go inside. I look down the hallway to find that Minani has yet to have touched her food. I feel a fuse go off in me as I storm towards her door. Picking up the food I kick in her door.
"Why haven't you touched your food?!" I growl.
She looks up from her bed surprised. "What the heck? I'm doing homework dimwit."
I actually look at her to find books and sheets of paper sprawled across her bed. I narrow my eyes and place her food on her dress hard. "Eat."
"Fine, Mootherr," she drags out the mother part. "But you have to fix my door now."
I look over at her door to realize that it's hanging on the hinge. I shrug and turn to leave. "Jared will fix it. I'm not very fond of tools."
"What?" Jared says, looking at me from the end of the hall.
I smile at him as sweetly as I could. "You need to fix Minani's door, I sort of broke it when I broke into her room."
He lets out a long groan, "Why did you go and do that?"
"I have my reasons and that is all you need to know brother."
I realize he's carrying clothes, and as he gets closer to inspect the door, he hands them to Minani. "Here these are yours, I'll fix your door tomorrow for the fact that I will need a NEW door."
I smile, "See problem solved."
I skip away to find Damien waking through the back patio door. He looks restless, as if his bags got bags. Nevertheless, I run to him embracing him deeply in my arms. "DAMIEN."
He chuckles, "I thought the hugs would stop once you started to recall your memories," he sighs into the top of my hair.
I let out a breathy laugh and step away from him. "Well you thought wrong, the hugs will never go away." A thought then rushes to my head that causes my hand to make a swift motion to his cheeks, leaving nothing but my handprint.
"What the hell?!" his eyes turn black for a moment but he snaps back quickly.
"How dare you go to a party you were not invited to and more so invading my privacy!" I scold. "For that I am leaving for the day."
I turn around and head up the staircase to my room. Closing the door behind me, sliding down the door. For it being a Sunday, it's been pretty eventful; especially since it's barely the afternoon. I just don't know what to do anymore. I want to go back to my own kingdom, but knowing that right now it would be impossible.
Our Kingdom... the people...
A tear slips down my cheek, feeling everything that I've lost once again. How am I to be strong if I cannot even have everyone be on the same side. My heart drops to my stomach as I realize that Jared is the only neutral party I have. How are we supposed to save a kingdom if they cannot even cooperate with one another?!
A small sob breaks through me as tears begin to roll faster down my cheeks. Next thing I know a small tap on my balcony door shakes me from my thoughts. A figure stands outside my door, and I don't move a muscle. Another knock, but I still don't budge. What do I do? Should I call for help? I shake my head no answering my own idiotic question.
I get up from my bedroom floor and walk across the room to my closet. I take out my baseball bat and hold it over my head. Slowly opening up the door, I prepare myself to swing.
To my relief it was only Arkadius. Of course it would only be him.
He knows no boundaries.
He has a worried look across his face, and instantly grabs me. He begins searching my body.
"What are you doing?!" I say as I push him away. He doesn't let go forcing me to push harder. "I DEMAND THAT YOU UNHAND ME NOW." I growl.
A force radiates off my body, sending him flying across the room. He ends up knocking into my nightstand, almost causing my lamp to fall and shatter.
"Ow, what was that for?" he says as he rubs his head.
I look at him with daggers in my eyes. "Arkadius, how dare come into my room! How dare you lay your hands on me without permission!"
With a frightened look he gets up, hands out in front of him. "Now Cadence, calm down. I was only checking on you-"
"OUT!" the house shakes with my thunderous voice.
He doesn't say another word and disappears back out the window. I calmly get up, locking the patio door and proceed to change my clothes. A knock comes from my bedroom door.
"Cadence, is everything okay?" A concerned Jared asks.
"Of course just changing brother," I reply.
I finish changing, and open the door for Jared. He smiles at me and offers his arm to me. "Where is my beautiful sister heading off to now?"
I take his arm into mine, closing the door behind us, and head down the stairs. Amazingly enough, i remember the way a princess should walk. Graceful, not a step to be missed. I am noting like i was before.
"I'm heading out due to the fact that you invaded my privacy." I shoot a sharp look at him. "So I will be out until dinner. By then I should be back, just keep an eye on everyone while I am out."
We reach the bottom of the staircase, and I turn in one swift motion towards him. "And you will not let Arkadius follow me, is that understood?"
He nods, "Anything to make it up to you."
I smile and catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My black leggings, my black running shoes, and my gray muscle shirt, all seem very suspicious looking. I let out a small chuckle, as if I would do something so suspicious.
"Alright then, I'll be heading out now."
I turn my back to him and head out the door. I begin to run down the sidewalk, ignoring the calls from Arkadius. I keep running until I hit the forest trail. I look around me, making sure the coast is clear. Doesn't seem like anything is wrong.
I shrug, and continue running. I keep running until I can no longer catch my breath. Pressing my back against one of the trees, I slide down to the forest floor. I smile as I feel the smallest thump, of the earth beneath me. As if on cue, the forest beneath me begins to grow, as my tears hit the floor. I let out a laugh; a laugh that sounds more like a sob. Thoughts begin to rush through my mind.
How am we supposed to help a Kingdom that has been at war for years now? How do we come into play? How am I supposed to shape-shift if I cannot even remember?! How am I supposed to be stronger?
Suddenly I am up on my feet, feeling more determined than ever before. I will shape-shift.
I concentrate with all my might, trying to shapeshift into anything. A bird, a deep, a squirrel, anything to become useful again. ANYTHING. PLEASE.
"You're going to destroy this realm."
I stop and look up to find mirage Minani. She stares at me with wide curious eyes, looking at me as if I'm going crazy.
"You need to stop what you're doing. You are going to destroy this realm!" she yells. "Is that what you want?"
I stare at her with wide teary eyes. "I-I need to do this for my Kingdom."
"So you're willing to destroy this whole realm?" She lets out a sigh. "You're such an idiot you know. You do realize that you're in this realm as well?"
My heart stops. I am an idiot. I am the biggest idiot there is.
"Well I am glad you realize that too. Now hurry up-"
A stick cracks in the forest catching out attention. I stand up straight, holding my ground.
"Who's there?" I call.
A deep chuckle rings out of the forest, "My, my, nothing ever gets past you," a man steps out of the forests shadow. He smiles an evil smile towards me.
"Cadence," Minani whispers. "You need to get out of here. Now."
A man with a devilish grin, and eyes as black as night steps towards me. "Now, Princess Candence, why don't you be a good girl and come with me?"