Chapter 12

“Ashta?” Called Lashanna. 

Roman couldn’t believe what he had just seen. She was really the missing princess, and her actions that she just did confirmed it in his mind. Ashta had shown him merely a taste of her power in the arena, but he thought it was just tricks and not really magic.Suddenly, he felt a twinge in his heart that threw him off guard. Roman shook his head for a moment and then looked over at Ashta. 

What was that? he wondered, as he felt a small part of him wanting to get to know more about the girl that was lying on the cell floor across from him.

“Excuse me, Mr. Roman, are you still here?” asked Lashanna quietly.

“Yes,” he stuttered, as he continued to stare wide-eyed.

“Where is Ashta?”

“She is on the floor of her cell. She fainted,” he said in disbelief, and he swallowed hard, as he heard the girl gasp.

“Why did she go after that guard like that?” Roman asked, as he studied Ashta’s peaceful, sleeping face.

“That man was not a nice man. He used me as a plaything with his friends,” Lashanna said sadly.

“What?” Roman said in disbelief out loud. 

He couldn’t believe that Kralom would do such a thing. Then again, he really didn’t care to get to know his cousin. Lashanna sniffed, and he could hear her pain in her voice when she spoke. He had no reason not to believe her.

Suddenly, the dungeon door slammed again and two guards, including the young, handsome one that liked Ashta, came through carrying three boxes of food. The young guard stopped in front of Ashta’s cell and looked at her in alarm.

“What happened to her?” he asked, as he turned to Roman, and he shrugged his shoulders at the guard.

“I think she fell asleep,” Roman said quickly, and the guard nodded as he opened Ashta’s cell door. 

Roman watched as the guard gently scooped Ashta up in his arms, and he gently laid her on the bed. Suddenly, he felt a small twinge of jealousy come over him, and he shook it off. He didn't understand what he was feeling. As the young guard looked Ashta over, he noticed a glowing coming from her shoulder, so he turned her on her side and saw five glowing circles across her shoulders.

“She’s glowing!” The guard exclaimed, and looked at Roman. 

However, he didn’t say anything, and the guard left Ashta on her bed, put her box on the floor, and walked out of the cell as he closed the door behind him. The other guard opened Roman and Lashanna's cells, slid their boxes inside, and then he closed the doors quickly.

“There sir, that should tide you over until you leave in the morning,” said one of the guards.

“Thank you,” he said, and the guard looked at him in shock.

“What?” asked Roman in confusion.

“You just said thank you,” the guard said in shock.

Roman smiled and looked at the guard thoughtfully.

“I guess I did, shsh, don’t tell anybody,” he said, as he put his finger to his lips, and he smirked at the guard.

The guy smiled and nodded. After that, the guards left the dungeon, and Roman grabbed onto the bars of his door, and he heavily sighed.

“Ashta, please come back to us,” he said softly. 

Thoughtfully, he wondered why he wanted her to wake up. He should be furious with her. After all, he was supposed to end her life, and because he didn’t, he was stuck in this disgusting dungeon for the night. Roman sighed heavily again as he sat down on his bed.

*************************

Suddenly, Ashta opened her eyes and looked around. Noticeably, she was in a field of green grass as far as the eye could see, and the sky lit up with a warm yellow sun shining brightly.

“Hello?” she called.

“My dear princess,” said a woman’s voice. 

Ashta spun around in a circle and saw no one around her.

“Where are you?” asked Ashta, and she heard a soft giggle.

“I am all around you. I am the sun goddess,” said the woman’s voice. 

The voice sounded happy and content.

“You are special to all of us across the realms and the land, and you have been chosen to bring our kingdoms back together,” explained the sun goddess. 

Ashta sighed a heavy sigh as she looked up at the sky.

“I don’t think I can convince the queen, she hates me,” she stated.

“No, my dear, she fears you and what you can do. You will see that many will come to fear you, but you have the strength and power to win their hearts over. You will figure out your task soon enough. Keep the prince on your good side. He is very important to all of this as well. That is all for now, young one,” the sun goddess said.

“Ashta, please come back to us.” 

Surprisingly, Ashta heard Roman’s voice, and the green field of grass began to fade away.

“Wait!” Ashta called, but it was too late. 

Slowly, Ashta opened her eyes, and she stared at the cell wall. 

Why weren’t these spirit gods giving her any answers? Keep the prince on my good side? What does that even mean? she asked herself, as she scowled and sighed.

“Ashta? Are you awake?” Roman’s voice was soothing to her, and she couldn't help but smile gently. 

His voice did sound like music to her ears.

“Yes,” she said, but she didn’t get up from her bed.

“Are you alright?” he asked softly.

Confused, Ashta wondered why Roman was suddenly concerned about her wellbeing. She believed that he was not too fond of her.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” Ashta finally said.

“Ashta?” called Lashanna.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” she said, and Ashta smiled.

“Anytime, my friend, anytime.”

“So, you aren’t as evil as the stories say you are,” Roman said out of the blue, and Ashta stared at the wall.

“No, I don’t think I am. Matter of fact, I just found out myself that I am the missing princess,” she explained.

“Really?” asked Roman, sincerely.

Evidently, Ashta got off of her bed and sat down at her cell door. She explained to Roman about how Yinlin raised her since she was born, and that he taught her to be good to others, and to be kind. He listened quietly as she told him about how she met Lashanna and then one day she heard a calling in the wind, and then that was when the truth was revealed to her. 

As she went on, she told him about how Kralom and Daven had come out of the forest and killed Yinlin, her journey through the forest, and how she killed Daven as Kralom kidn*pped Lashanna. During her journey she had found a loving family who let her stay, and then the Selvempt guards showed up and arrested her.

“Wow, I had no idea,” said Roman, thoughtfully. 

In return, Roman explained to her how the stories told of an evil being that was born and if she wasn't destroyed, she would destroy the entire land.

“Yeah, that sounds just like me!” Ashta chimed, sarcastically, and rolled her eyes. 

Roman and Lashanna laughed, and they spent the rest of their evening snacking and talking.

********************

Riah arranged for her kids to stay at home with her sister. She had found out that her brother was the one who got word to the queen that Ashta was at their house. She had watched the fight show on TV until the broadcast cut out. 

Seemingly, Riah was concerned about Ashta, but she knew the king was much kinder than the queen, and maybe if she told King Gale his niece was alive, and that she had finally come home searching for answers, he would do everything in his power to save Ashta. Carefully, Riah traveled to Nemiph, the kingdom of the Oligarchy Slayers.

********************

“Ah, my dearest Riah, what brings you to my neck of the woods?” asked King Gale, as she reached the throne room.

Did you see the fight?” she asked, and the king shook his head.

“No, I don’t watch that monster of a prince destroy other creatures. Why?” he asked, intrigued.

Urgently, Riah explained to him about Ashta, and at that moment, tears pooled in his eyes.

“Where is she?” he asked, and Riah shrugged her shoulders, as she explained to him that the broadcast cut out before the fight had finished.

“We must bring her here! Guards!” he said, abruptly, and Riah stepped to the side as she let one of the guards pass her.

“Do whatever it takes and bring the girl to me,” the king ordered, and the guard looked at him oddly.

“Girl, sir?” he asked.

“The girl that fought in the fight today!” Gale snarled, and the guard straightened. 

Without another word, the guard nodded and left.

“Why didn’t she come here first?” Gale asked with a sigh.

“Well, that was her plan to begin with,” said Riah, and Gale looked at her.

"So, you have spoken to her?" he asked in awe, and Riah nodded her head. 

"Yes, sir. I found her after she came from the swamp. Poor thing was scared, tired, and I let her into my home, but the Selvempt guards showed up and took her,” explained Riah, as she looked at Gale with wholesome eyes. 

Gale looked at her with worry in his eyes and nodded.

“Thank you Riah, whatever you need for you and your family, it is yours,” he said, and Riah bowed her head, then she left. 

The king would forever be in her debt. Not only did she keep the land safe from outsiders if they were to get through the forest, but she was the one who told him where his missing niece was, and she helped her without any prejudice. Riah slipped her hood over her head and began her journey back home.

*****************************

The next morning, Ashta woke up to the dungeon door banging.

“Hey buddy, are you ready to get out of this crap hole?” asked a guard, as he approached Roman’s cell.

“You know it!” Ashta heard Roman say happily. 

She heard the cell door open, and she peered out of her own door as Roman left with the guard. 

He didn’t even say goodbye! Ashta thought sadly.

“Ashta?” called Lashanna.

“Yeah?”

“What’s going to happen to us?” she asked sadly.

“I don’t know,” Ashta sighed, hopelessly, as she stared up at the ceiling. 

She really thought she had made some progress with the prince the night before, but she felt as though she was wrong. Without another sound, Ashta drifted back off to sleep.