Chapter 14 Stay with Me

• I was thankful when the beast fell into my hands, sleeping.
• His hair, dangerously covering a part of his forehead. Chiseled jaw and a smooth face, which had some beard around his chin. He reminded me of the way an Adonis was described, in one of the books I read back at home.
• Home.
• I missed home.
• I found myself drifting back to reality, and giggling a bit at the way he snored while he slept.
• For someone as powerful and good looking, he was a disaster in bed.
• What are you doing, Ava?
• You should be making your way out instead of admiring him…
• “I need to go,”
• I whispered, pushing him off my body with all my strength and rolling him over. The girls would soon wake up, and I wouldn’t want any mixed feelings about this.
• “Stay.”
• His hands suddenly tightened around my hands saying.
• “W-what, I have to—”
• “Please stay…don’t leave.”
• He trailed out sleepily, with his eyes closed. There were beads of sweat on his forehead. And his lips were slightly parted, like in distress.
• I wondered if he was having a bad dream.
• “They all want power.”
• “They all want it,”
• “But…I don’t care.”
• “I want love. I want to recover. I want to improve... if you would give me a chance to.”
• Caspian shuddered as he said those words, trembling with tears going sideways as he slept.
• “Please don’t leave. Don’t hate me, like the others. Don’t be fake too?”
• “I can’t control my monster but I didn’t mean harm. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, I promise.”
• “Please stay...”
• “Stay.”
• At his every word, I cringed my eyes in hurt. I sat on my spot, with tears coming down my eyes at how he presently looked.
• It seemed he was traumatized from something that happened in the past.
• From an incident, from someone. And I wanted to help him. I wished I could save him. If he had an explanation for all this dystopia, like he drunkenly said.
• Then I wanted to be his redemption.
• His mate.
• “I will stay,”
• I muttered, placing my other hand on his which covered his large palms.
• “I won’t leave, I promise.”
• My hands tightened around his hands, saying.
• Didn’t know if felt like I meant those words.
• …
• I didn’t get to eat breakfast.
• I had missed it, since the beast summoned me to his chambers. Thus, I wore my cloth, taking a hold of my sword and my sheath.
• I walked to the training ground, only to meet them assembled.
• Thankfully, they hadn’t started yet.
• Still quite shaken from what I had witnessed, I had a hard time focusing on reality. Thinking of the sight of Caspian at his most vulnerable moment, made me rethink everything else I had thought of him to be.
• “Take position!”
• Elder Zu shouted, in command.
• I raised the sword just like others did. Like always, I was partnered with Emily.
• “Are you okay?” she whispered.
• “You weren’t at breakfast today. What’s wrong?”
• “Nothing.”
• I answered, with a dismissive expression.
• I wished I could shut everything out. That I didn’t have to fight to survive. That it was all okay.
• “Okay, let’s get to work then” she said, eyeing me suspiciously before returning to focus on Elder Zu’s words.
• “Today, we are learning a breathing technique. Every warrior should master a few healing techniques, in case of casualty.”
• He said.
• We immediately commenced practicing and doing as he said. Elder Zu added sword techniques too. He made us believe that everyone had a chakra— which was an energy.
• That when discovered, your fighting energy is improved.
• “To discover, get peace with your soul, mind and body.”
• I didn’t even pay attention. My mind was drifted on the reveal from the beast of what was really going on in this castle.
• “Ava, what are you doing? I feel like I’m fighting with an infant. Can you put more effort?!”
• Emily yelled at me.
• “I’m trying.”
• I stated.
• “Really? Cause you seemed a little off today. You disappeared and literally came out of nowhere.”
• “When I asked what was wrong, you told me it was nothing.”
• She answered, stopping in her tracks.
• “Cause nothing is wrong, can we continue now?”
• “Are you sure? You can talk to me, you know. If someone abused or touched you, you can tell me…”
• “What?” I cringed my nose saying.
• My eyes roamed around her, to find signs that it was a joke. But when she didn’t bulge, I knew she was serious.
• “Yes, you can…you know.”
• She enclosed the space between us, saying, reaching for my arm. Her face had a supportive look, but it irritated me. I needed space.
• My body had a withheld fury, that needed to be out.
• “Get your hands off me! Not everyone is like you, Emily.”
• I sneered, without even thinking.
• I realized what I said, widening my eyes with an apologetic expression.
• “W-what?”
• Tears immediately surrounded her eyes. Her entire body trembled, and the effect made her drop the sword.
• “When I told you that… I never expected you to use it against me, Ava.”
• “I’m um—”
• “I thought we were friends.” she stated.
• “Friends don’t use past scars against each other…”
• A look of betrayal was written all over on her face.
• “I’m sorry.”
• I stated immediately. “I’m really sorry, Emily.”
• “Please…”
• “I’m just really frustrated. I discovered nothing we see here, is really the truth.”
• “I found out--"
• “It’s okay.”
• “Really?”
• “Yeah, you could tell me that later.” she remarked.
• “But this isn’t the same girl that pulled me out of the sack and comforted me. This isn’t the same girl that gave me her clothes, when I needed it the most.”
• Emily added, in a husky tone.
• “I feel annoyed too. In fact, I’m frustrated and scared.”
• “But we only have each other, you know. Perhaps with Piper, but she’s in the kitchen section.”
• She added, reminding me.
• That was indeed true.
• “We shouldn’t fight. All this…we would soon be free someday.”
• “Either by winning, or by death.”