Chapter Twenty-Three

A Chapter by firabelle

It's good- the next will be better, but this is still good.

hey, guys! Sorry, this chapter took so long; I’m rushing to get summer homework done at the last second. Also- this is mainly a bridge chapter, which I’m more likely than not going to merge with the previous upon publishing.

Melinda and I walked to the training ring side by side. I mulled over what she had blurted out; ‘Why would you say that about my boyfriend?’

Boyfriend.

BOYFRIEND!

Just as I was falling for the guy, too. Damn it all to hell! All of it, at his point...

“So. Zeke,” I offered.

Melinda giggled. “Yeah, we’re dating, have been dating for about a year now. We were both children of two original Tales, and when he decided to fulfill Peter Pan’s tale, he also decided to ally the lost boys with the Legends. I followed; after all, according to the Peter Pan Tale, I was his Wendy. I’d follow him anywhere because I’m the first female Lost Boy.”

I paused. “But what about… Never mind. I’m glad that worked out for you guys. Just promise me one thing,” I requested seriously.

“Of course, Stella. What is it?”

I tried to keep a straight, somber face. “That I’m your maid of honor at the wedding.”

Melinda paled, and I laughed out loud. “We are NOT getting married anytime soon!”

“Well, it was worth a shot. Also, you talk as if the Tales are prophecies that need to be fulfilled.”

Melinda finally loosened up and chuckled a little. “We’re never getting married. Ever. Neither of us wants a Happily Ever After, and since that requires us getting married… As to your question, it’s similar to the Legend seats, except that we also include newer stories. There're a few insiders of theirs’ in Disney. They make the Ever-Afters, and Disney makes it into pure profit.”

My question answered to my satisfaction, I shrugged and moved on, storing the information for later use. “Whatever floats your boat. Out of curiosity, which Tales did you and Zeke come from?”

“I’m the child of Cinderella and Prince Kit. Zeke’s parents are Princess Jasmine and Aladdin.”

My brow scrunched in confusion. “Why would you leave, then?”

She scoffed. “You have no idea what it’s like to be a part of a royal family. The pressure is just… immense. Imperfection just isn’t an option.”

“Better than working when you’re twelve and getting paid under the table so you and your deaf father can have something to eat, patching clothes up for years before you are forced to get more, and even then they’re from one charity organization or another. The kids at school point and laugh, and as a kid, you’re ashamed. You don’t think that you’re aren’t as good as the other kids; you know. So please, don’t whine about the pressures about being part of a royal family; it’s nothing compared to being poor in Dublin.”

“Well, aren’t you full of it,” muttered Melinda.

“Oh, and being pissed off at some rich kid because they have the audacity to whine about their childhood, which may not have been all that pleasant, but was at the very least provided a steady supply of food, water, and a roof over your head, all of a sudden counts as being full of it.” I snorted, rolling my eyes at the nerve of her.

“Good to know that you’re the kind of poor kid that holds it over everyone else’s head.”

She walked away a few moments later.

The rest of the training day was spent in a frosty haze, only paying attention to the lessons I was given by various trainers. Slash like this, hold your blades like that, dodge faster, be better.

For some reason, Melinda had really gotten to me, in a fiercely intimate way. I felt guilty; was I really that kind of person? Doubt gnawed at my limbs momentarily and was replaced by frigid anger and concentration.

Do better? Please.

I’d be the best.

***

As I returned to my sterile white room, I looked at the walls for a moment and sneered in disgust. No way I could live with that for who knew how long. I immediately grabbed a silvery cloak, and walked out of my room, right past Melinda. Thankfully, these hallways were bigger than the ones that Da and I had before we found the cottage.

She looked at me coolly. “I think you owe me an apology,” she said smoothly, narrowing her eyes. The meaning of her name came to me in an instant, and I snickered.

“What’s so funny, Mick?”

“Do you know the meaning of your name?” I asked out of the blue.

This gave her pause. “No.”

“Dark and or black. Seems like a good fit for your personality, doesn’t it?”

Nothing but icy daggers from her, and a cheeky grin from me. “Top ‘O the Morning! Or, I guess it should be evening. But does it really matter?”

She only scowled at me. “Watch it, Lyra.”

“I’m not the kid of a Tale; I don’t have to, especially if my competition is you. Besides, I think I could do just fine without a boy. Even after you decided to leave the Tales behind for good, you still need a prince to survive. Maybe they should have named you Ahora… Pity, in case you didn’t know.” I didn’t stick around to see her reaction; I had more pressing matters.

I proceeded to find a Trail manager. T’was a pity; Feidlimid would probably know where to find one, being as old as she was. Although, I don’t suppose that they would be terribly pleased with what I was doing, or planning on doing… I rushed through the halls, basically wandering until I was exhausted. I wasn’t going to give up until I had accomplished what I had set out to do; no way I was going back to blank, glaring white walls.

I had that mindset for the first hour. After that, I felt like crying out in frustration. As I slowed down, I passed a small archway. I peered inside slowly; complete darkness. My heart quickened a bit at the promise of adventure; so far, life in the Trials had seemed pretty boring outside of the fantasy mean girls segment I seemed to be having with two particular girls.

No one was coming down either side of the hallway.

Naturally, I crossed into the darkness as quickly as possible, forgetting about any and all danger that may await me on the other side. After all, what is life without a little bit of danger, uncertainty, and adventuring?

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