Star Crossed Myth: A Lost Child

Chapter 23

My eyes weakly open. I groan, wincing at the painful sores and stings from the battle. My head throbbed like a beating drum. "Ughh...Where am I?"

Examining my surrounding with my unfocused eyes, I was in a cold cell made of stone bricks. No longer having my cuffs, thick black chains were cuffed onto my hands, preventing me from going anywhere or use my powers to get out. I was wrapped in bandages on my arms and stomach, covering my injuries when I was hit. I no longer had my jacket and was wearing a plain, old, tattered shirt.

The cell door was being guarded by two royal guards holding large halberds and long swords resting in their scabbards attached to their waistbelts. Both of them faced forward, staring blankly at the wall as if frozen solid like a living statue.

"Hey. Where am I?", I question, putting my hands on the cold metal bars of the cell door.

"You're in the prison under the palace," the one of my left says. "You aren't serving a sentence, but just being put on watch for safety purposes from that demon stuff. So you'll be down here a while, until further instructions from His Majesty."

I slump down into the corner, turning my back to the door. At least I got a pillow and blanket.

Being here, I feel like more of a danger to the heavens. All I have been doing here is causing problems. This demon is the biggest one yet. From the looks of it, the king may just disregard me like an empty water bottle. All he will see from me is a threat and kick me away as everyone else did. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens. It'd just give me more of a reason to die than to live. How many times have I said that I am nothing more than a waste of air? Everyone has agreed except the universe, the king, and the zodiac gods. When will be the day they open their eyes?

"Arf!"

"Bear?"

There at my door was him, dragging a water bottle in his mouth by the top. He drops it in my hand, then licks my fingertips as he squeezes through the small rectangle spaces in the bars. "Good boy," I whisper. He snuggles in my chest, licking up and down my cheeks and chin.

I don't care what anyone says; Bear isn't leaving me. He will never. I know he won't. He has been with me through rough times, and we won't fall until the end. Bear is my best friend, the only one who understands me most. He deserves happiness more than I do.

I lose track of time being down here. The guards would switch shifts with another pair of guards and come back later. Bear would leave often, but always come back with a water bottle or a snack and sometimes a message written a paper. Mostly from Ichthys. He'd right some jokes on a piece of paper or a prank stuffed in a tiny box and send them down.

I never said anything. Not to the royal guards. Not to Zyglavis who would ask me several questions. Not to the king who never even came down here. I saved my words. Haven't even heard from the universe. Who knows what else she's plotting to ruin my life?

  "Yo kid," One of the guards speak. "How did you even get possessed?"

  "I was shot by the Dark King's underlings," I mutter back.

  "Huh...Pretty unlucky for a squirt."

  "My whole life has been hell since Day 1. What'd you expect?"

  "But you live freely in the palace under the king. Do whatever you want. That's unlucky?"

  I sigh. "Every day of my life, happiness has slipped through my hands like melted butter. I won't even be surprised if he and the zodiacs begin to hate me so fast. As far as I care, they can just let me die peacefully."

  The guards instantly shut up, going back on patrol like before. Faint footsteps sound on the stone floor. "Excuse me, you two." It was the King, along with Bear at his feet. The guards bow to him before disappearing off down the hall.

  Keeping my face to the wall, I say nothing as he stands before my cell door.

  Neither of us says anything.

  "...Please do not be upset with me."

  "..."

  "...Chocolate? It's your favorite, isn't it?"

  "You can have it."

  He sighs quietly. "Princess, this is only to help resolve this demon situation."

  "Quit calling me Princess. It's annoying."

  "Summer, then...I am just trying to help you."

  I sit up against the wall, holding Bear in my lap. I still refuse to look him in the eyes. The king continues stands at the door, holding that stupid chocolate bar.

  "Why are you always against me?"

  "When will you learn that I know what to expect from my own life?"

  "Expect what?"

  "Meet someone and boom. They already hate me. Want me dead. Yata yata yata."

  "You believe I am going to leave you?"

  "Just waiting for it, so I can move on."

 
  His face grows a frown, unhappy with my response. "Summer, I love you too much to release you."

  "That's what they all said."

  "And I am the only one who is speaking the truth."

  He continues. "Just as you and Bear are always together, I would like us to continue being that way. But you disregard me, similar to what the humans did to you. You have grown addicted to your own misery."

  I pause, slowly processing his words into my head. I finally grow the guts to look him in the eye. He smiles, happy to get my attention. "I would like my precious princess to return to me. When she decides to come back, please tell her where I am."

  Before leaving, he tosses the chocolate bar through the bars and into my hands. That actually made me smile. And cry a bit.

  "Disgusting."

  What. A. Buzzkill.

  "What do you have to say about it time?", I roll my eyes to the demon's return.

  "I won't have to say anything until the truth hits you in the face. I am a spirit, and I can see a person's heart. If you still don't believe me, you're going to get hurt on impact. Better to prepare and prevent than repair and repent. All I am going to say."

  The war proceeds between my thoughts, but I'd rather be happy for once.