The heir

Chapter 4

Sarah opened her eyes again. Before she even remembered what happened or realized where she was, she could clearly hear Nuriel's voice: "Told you." The princess looked around. She was in some kind of old hut. Her head hurt. She wanted to feel for a possible bump as she got aware of her hands being tied together. That's when all her senses started to operate at full speed. She sat up as much as she could and tried to focus on every detail possibly being of help. Her feet were tied too, she now realized. As her eyes found Nuriel, she grimaced. The poor little creature sat in a glass, sulking, only able to breath due to some airholes in the lid. She had a red mark on her forehead. "Good job, princess", she deadpanned. "I am sorry", Sarah mumbled remorseful. "Talk to me again if you know how to get us out of here", Nuriel simply gave back and turned around.

The princess looked around again. Nuriel's power wouldn't be of any help. Before she could even crack the glass, she would already melt from the heat needed. The lid was made of steel. Probably fireproof too. Other than an old couch, a table and a chair, there wasn't much furniture in here. She could see three doors. Barely anything proved of this hut being inhabited. The dagger. Sarah tried to shift to see if it was still there. Of course not. Dang. Okay, another idea was needed. Sarah tried to touch and feel her shackles. Those were ropes. With enough strength and a good counterpart she could make them snap. She had to try at least.

After what felt like an eternity, she heard a small noise, followed by the ropes behind her falling to the ground. Nuriel must have heard it too as she turned around, looking at the princess. This one held up her hands triumphantly. "Good for you", the fairy sulked. "Be right there", Sarah promised and untied her feet before jumping up and hurrying over to the glass jar. "What happened to you?", she asked as she took off the lid and pointed to Nuriel's forehead. "For your information, princess", this one snapped back, "If one gets stuffed into a glass jar which then gets shaken around carelessly, one inevitably bumps one's head at one point. Easy physics." Sarah tried a smile: "That just might be the first thing about you that obeys the laws of physics." "Haha, very funny", the fairy gave back as she climbed out of the jar, "Let's stop making bad jokes and get out of here."

Sarah followed Nuriel to one of the windows and they peeked outside. "Geez, there are so many people", the princess whispered hopelessly. "I would have a solution", her friend shrugged. "Thank goodness", Sarah sighed. "It involves fire", the fairy added. "No, Nuriel. Absolutely not", the princess now gasped. "What? They put me into a glass jar. That's the most belittling thing to a fairy. They deserve to have their camp burnt down", Nuriel announced. "We will not endanger anyone's life. Even if they treated us wrong, doesn't mean we have to do the same to them. My father always said that the stronger one is the one standing above it", Sarah said firmly. "Ha, what oh-so-wise words. Look at me. I can easily stand above things. I can FLY, Sarah. That doesn't mean I am stronger. You guys can still put me in a jar", Nuriel snapped. Sarah nodded slowly before answering: "Good argument. Though it might be a bit off the point... Okay, here's a compromise. This building over there, the one that's basically a ruin. You can set that on fire and while they try to put it out, we'll sneak out and run. It's close enough to other houses to become dangerous but far enough to really be life-threatening." Then she suddenly remembered something. "Have you seen where they lead Jaro to?", she asked. Nuriel shook her head. "And now move aside, I have to aim", she mumbled.

And then it all went too fast to really grasp a situation before the next one started. The hut started to burn, people started shouting, running and bringing buckets full of water. Sarah and Nuriel sneaked out, dove into the bushes behind the hut they have been in and started to run, leaving the shouts and the whole camp behind them.

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"This is all your fault!" Jacob flinched scared upon his father's anger. "But dad, I-", he started out but immediately got interrupted: "I don't want to hear a single word from you! It was your hut that burned down! You can't tell me you helped them to escape! For once, I thought you could become a worthy son of mine, but I have to face it – You're a disgrace to this family! To the whole camp! You're a disgrace to this world!" The screams of his father grew louder and louder and Jacob didn't know if he wanted to cry, to hide or to punch his father. Or all of it at the same time. And then suddenly something inside him snapped, something he hadn't even been aware of. "Shut up!", he screamed so loudly that everyone in the court hall looked at him shocked. "Whatever you are biologically", Jacob then continued scornful, "You surely aren't what one could call father. And you, mother." He spit out those words. "You surely aren't either. You guys may be whatever you want to be, but I don't even want you as my parents. You could be anyone out on the street and you would be just as indifferent to me. Your camp was my camp so long and I really tried, but as you just said yourself – I don't fit in here. And I never will. So, that's it. You managed to get rid of the disgrace your son was. I'll leave."

His parents looked at him shocked. The camp's heads did too. No one seemed to protest as he turned around and attempted to leave. Until... "Stay right there, Jacob. I order you to." His father's voice was seemingly calm again, but anyone could hear the anger boiling inside of it. "I don't think so", Jacob scoffed and defiantly took another step. He heard a noise behind him and saw his father jolting up, dashing towards him. Jacob turned towards the door and started running.