Chapter Twenty Two

We were woken to the commotion in the kitchen. I get up take a shower and get dressed. I leave to investigate while Xander gets ready in the bathroom. I walk to see everyone running around the kitchen.

"What's going on?" I say with a yawn.

"Nothing!" June pips up seeing me first, "you should go back to bed."

"I'm already up, I can help if you'd like."

"No, we're fine," Lillian says pointing me in the opposite direction of everyone.

"Ok?" I say.

"Go find Xander," she insists.

I look over her shoulder to see Erin whisper yelling at Leo, loud enough for me to hear.

"I can't believe you dropped that plate!" She says holding a dish cloth in one hand.

"Sorry!" he says running away.

"I hope you getting something to clean that up!"

She sees me looking at her and waves with one hand looking embarrassed. Right. I turn around to walk away, when Xander rounds the corner. At this point Lillian has turned back around.

"I found him."

I see her stiffen then turn around.

"What's going on?" he says to Lil, who is now visibly sweating.

Colin see Lillian and slides in the conversation. He whispers in her ear and she breathes out in relief. She runs back to the room. Colin walks forward placing his left hand on my shoulder and the right on Xander's.

"Let's take a walk"

He takes us outside to walk on the beach.

"So do you know when your going to get married?"

"I umm," I feel my face burn.

"Only a little," Xander answers.

"Well when you, do give me a ring, I'll try to clear my schedule for the week."

"A week?" I almost yell.

"Well ya, I plan on partying all week."

"Well," Xander cuts in before me, " I hope your staying in a hotel."

"Your going to kick me out," he pouts fake offence in his voice.

I giggle and Xan shakes his head. I see Lillian pop out from a corner, and we all walk over. Before we get there she sticks her thumbs up and runs off. Ok, now I'm officially confused. We walk back into the kitchen and everyone jumps out.

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

I see the cake on the table.

"Oh, guys," I say.

I walk over and read the writing on the cake in yellow frosting. The cake read " Congerlations!" I smile and look at Xan suppressing a laugh, he walks over. He reads it and starts laughing hard. Lillian walks over and looks at it.

"June!" She says frustrated.

Xander starts gripping his stomach, and gasping for air. I spy June behind the kitchen island shrink down, so that we can't see her.

"You literally had ONE job!" Lil yells.

"It's ok Lil," I say a giggle escaping, "it's actually pretty funny ."

Lillian turns to look at me. June's head pops up from behind the counter. When she sees that Lilian isn't looking, she runs behind Gary.

"But I wanted it to be perfect!" She says in protest.

"It's not too bad," Erin intervenes, " at least the penmanship isn't as bad as the spelling."

"So," Leon adds in, "how many grads did you say you finished June."

She angrily charges in his direction, but Gray holds her back from breaking his leg. I see Colin watching them like the rest of us.

"Wow," he comments, " did I miss out on the part where we planned live entertainment."

"Good goodness," Lillian mumbles, rubbing the bridge of the nose.

"What's going on here." I heard her voice cut through the pleasant atmosphere.

The smile leaves my face, and everyone stops going silent. Xander pulls me to his chest protectively. She walks in, she glares at June and the boys. They all break away from each other and bow. She dose the same in our direction. Xander reluctantly let go to join Lillian and Erin. She walks over to me grabbing my wrist roughly.

"We need to talk."

She shot a look at them all, pulling me behind her. I walk, suddenly there's a sharp pain in my foot. I yell and she throws me forward.

"Walk child!" She commands.

I stumble and almost fall over I use the wall for support. I see Xander try to run to me, and being held back by men. She pushes me to walk and I start to move. I can feel the blood run down my foot as I limp. I look back at Xander, as he struggles with the three men holding him. He looks back at me.

"I'll be ok." I say in a soft voice, tears running down my cheeks.

Momentarily shocked he slowed, the guards took the chance, and threw him in the room. They locked the doors, only one came to follow us. I could hear Xander yells and punch at the closed door. The guard seemed to notice my limping but before he could ask, my mother stepped in.

"Stay in line, you know you job."

I was familiar with this man in particular. He was the only one who new what happened in that room. I feel the fear fill me like a glass. I feel my heart start beating fast. No, who told her! No, no-. I was pushed to the floor by my mother. I grunt as I hit the hardwood.

"You know what to do," she says waving her hand.

The man picks me up and I try to struggle. I see it apoching. I thrash trying to make him let me go.

"No, Please!" I yell at him, " I only wanted to be happy again."

I hit his chest, his expression saddens. Tears drop down my cheeks.

"Please! Please." My voice cracks at the end and I swallow down the tears.

He ties me to the post. I couldn't escape this trap, I had tried so many times. Only someone tall enough could take me off it. The man walks away to the corner turning around. I see his back as he waits for my mother to finish, so he could leave. She walks over opening the draw in the desk. She pulls out a letter whip. My blood pools on the floor under my foot. I remove my ring clenching it between my hands, fingers waved together. She delivers a hard hit to my back. I scream in pain.

"Your belong to me, not that, boy."

I had only done this four times before. One of those times was for my tattoo. She delivers another on my thigh. I scream, as it hits bear skin. After a moment the spot dulls to a pricking pain, I feel a streak of blood trail down my leg.

"I love him!" I yell.

She then strikes my already injured foot. I start to feel my body wants to pass out from pain. I push through it, knowing the punishment for sleeping.

"That doesn't mader, you dim witted girl. He doesn't have enough importance."

I stay quiet as tears fall down my cheeks. I had learned to stop the sobs a long time ago, but I can never seem to stop the tears.

"He's just trying to use you to get rich."

"No." I say coldly.

"Excuse me?"

I yell out, knowing that I would regret it, but she was wrong. I knew it.

"Xander loves me!"

I stay there exhausted and voice scratchy. Hours later the man comes in. He places a box on the table, he opens it and I see medical supplies.

"Can I?" He asks.

I go to say something, and starchy sound escapes. I nod my head answering his question. He disinfects the open injuries. I clench my teeth. He wraps the one that have blood. He stitches the larger ones.

"So," he asks starting.

I open my eyes to look down at him, I see him look at me. I close my eyes again.

"What did you do this time?"

I smile and feel tears run down from my eyes again.

"All I wanted was someone to love again," I wisper.

I see him look back up at me.

"He beat me to the punch."

I unclench my hands to show the ring. He sees it and gasps.

"Well it makes sense that this would make her angry," he comments going back to removing the ceramic piece from out of my foot.

I force myself to stay still, as he fixes it up.

"If you don't cooperate, she'll probably make you forcefully."

I feel the fire light in me, the anger I felt towards her force the fear out.

"I will fight her till the day I die. She will never take me from what I love again."

I clench my hands on the ropes. She's a manipulator, a slimy, sickening excuse for a human. He wraps my foot in a white bandage, after finishing. He stands up.

"Wait!" I call to him.

He turns and looks at me sadness in his eyes.

"How much longer?"

He looks at the watch on his hand.

"Long enough for you to sleep your way through."

"Thank you," I say as he leaves the room.

I close my eyes adjusting my head to sleep. Eventough I try, I couldn't seem to catch a wink of sleep. I close me eyes and start to feel sleepy, as I hear the door unlock. The sound of the door opening snaps my eyes open. I watch as I see the man walk in.

"Is it time?"

He nods his head, and walks over. He undoes my restraints, and I fall hitting him. I yelp when my foot hits the floor. He takes a soft blanket out wrapping me up like a burrito. He picks me up and takes me out of the room. It's still dark out when we enter the hallway. I look up at him.

"Are you talking me out early?"

He simply nods, "it's only 1:47."

He walks me to the kitchen and passes the guards. He takes me into the room and I see everyone asleep. I'm sorry for this to happen to you all, it's all because of me. I turn my head to see Xander on the floor staring at the tiles. He lifts his eye and sees me. He stands and runs over.

"What happened to you," he says holding my head in one of his hands.

I close my eye, I don't answer knowing my voice would make him worry. The man answers.

"Maybe you should wait to ask thought questions, come let's put her down somewhere."

The man passes me to Xander, who kisses me on the forehead. He brushes my hair with his fingers, looking at me. He selts me down carefully, resting my head on the wall while I lay on him. He strokes my hair, while talking with the man. The man doesn't answer any of his questions, but does instruct him on how to treat my wounds.

"Wounds?" Xan questions.

The man looks down at me, Xander then moves the blanket. He gasps when he sees the bandages across my body. Xander looks back up at the man who frowns.

"Anyway, the bandages need to be changed when they are soaked through."

He passes Xander a bag full of antibiotics and fresh bandages. The man leaves the room, I look back up at Xander. He kisses my cheeks wrapping the blanket back over my body. I feel myself start to slip into sleep.

Before I lose my mind to sleep I mumble out in a scratchy voice, "someone told her."

I fall into darkness. My mind floats in the dark for a moment before an image appears in my mind. A bright light opens in the center of my vision. I can't make out anything from the brightness, so I cover my eyes. I move them away when the space returns to its dark color. I see my father footing, a white glow radiating from around him. He smiles when he sees me.

"Rayray baby," he says arms open.

I feel myself travel to him, until I'm swept into his embrace. He runs his hands through my long hair. He pulls back slightly and kisses my forehead. He feels warm and smell the way I remember, I tear up and feel my heart twist. I hug him to me again tightly, grappling fistfuls of fabric.

"Daddy," I cry.

"It's ok my sweet princess, daddy's here."

I cry, my heart not able to take it. He waites holding me, letting my tears stop. He pulls back whipping the tears away from my eyes.

"Your so grown up my little foal. Your such a beautiful young lady."

I look up into his teal eyes. He looks to the side pointing my head with his. I turn to see myself asleep leaning on Xander, who stays awake looking down at my face. I turn my head to look at my Dad.

"You did a good job Ray," he says watching the image, " I'm proud that you found the one for you."

"Ya," I say eyes glued to Xander.

"I wish I could be there for your day," Dad says studying the image.

"I know Dad," I wipe the tears from my eyes.

I had thought about us being married now, and it pained me to not being able to have my father there.

"I miss you so much."

"I know baby."

He turns to me, "I will do all that I can to keep you together, but your mother will be a problem."

I nod my head at his statement. He skips the subject to something else.

"Because of this your mother has been keeping things from you."

I look back to where the image was to see the borders of our kingdom. People on the other side trying to pass through.

"They attempted to rebel and failed horribly. The king is infuriated and is thinking to attack again, this time with the help of his son. He is probably one of the only men your mother couldn't get her claws on. He knows about what your mother if offering with you."

He turns to look at me, " She's was going to send you to them for his son to marry, so that they could just take our kingdom without violence. Since your engaged, she can no longer to do that."

The image switches to the king and his son. I instinctively recognize the face of the king, and I recognize him. I jump back flinching, when I make the connection. The man from my nightmare, it was him. My father looks back at me and wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"It's ok, I will never let that man close to you."

He says looking angry at the image.

" but little foal, you need to find out what to do."

He backs up, and the images disappear. He gives me a little squeeze.

"I know you can do it Rayanna. I'm so proud of you little foal."

A bright light accompanied with talking rings in my head and I start to wake.

"Hey Ray," Xander's says cupping my face, " I think it's time we change bandages."

He lifts me up, letting the blanket lay on the floor. He sits my on the counter, as he takes out the fresh supplies. He starts with the bandage on my arm and makes his way down. After finishing the others he reaches my foot, that was cut by a piece of a plate that had broken on the floor. He unwrapped it trying to be gentle, as he undid the last wrap of the old bandage, I hiss in air through my teeth. He looked back up at me worried, I nod my head. He cleans it with disinfectant, trying not to touch it with his hands. He wraps it back up and looks at me.

"Can you walk?"

I shake my head. He lifts me up walking me to the table where everyone was eating. Xander told me he was going to get something to help my voice as he goes back into the kitchen.

"Rayanna!" Lillian says when she sees me.

Everyone stops talking when they see me.

"What happened?" Erin asks after her.

I look to the side, my voice could make small sounds, but not words. I whistle and see Xander pop out. He looked at me confused, I point my head at them and he looks at them. He looks back to me.

"What?"

I put my hands on my throat and point at them all, then shrug.

"Oh," he sighs, "she lost her voice," he says slipping back into the kitchen.

"Oh Ray, I'm so sorry." Lillian says coming over for a hug.

I put my hand out in front of me. She stops startled. I slip the blanket down my shoulders to show the bandages. My face and neck hadn't been touched, but I couldn't say the same for the rest of me. I can here about half of them take a sharp breath. June's eyes open wide, I turn my head away and shut my eyes.

"I knew it." I here June say under her breath, flowed by a slap from Erin.

"June," she says.

The boys where quiet, until Gray piped up.

"She did that to you."

I turn my head back to stare at him. He stops at my look, I was furious. That woman was going to get it one day. I could tell they all felt the deadly energy seep from me at the mention of her. They switched the subject quickly. I look down at my hand. I tap the ring on my finger against the table. Colin looked at me from the sound.

"Was it because he proposed?" He tried to say quietly sadness in his voice.

I look up at him and tears fell from my sore eyes. He put his hand on mine.

"I'm sure things will work out."

He takes his hand away and Xander walks in with a cup full of hot liquid. I look up at him and raise an eyebrow.

"It's fine trust me, my sister hurts her voice all the time, so I picked up some tricks. I mean it doesn't help that she yells orders all day."

I kiss him on the cheek, he rubs my hair, which was already a mess. I pick the drink up and sip it. I put my hand over my mouth and cough, which sounds like actual death.

"Oh, right I probably should have told you it has alcohol."

Uh, You think? I say in my mind, not being able to speak well I roll my eyes.

I sip it again, the mixture was hot, which made the experience better. The mix was, what I could tell, red wine with different spices, like cinnamon.

An hour later the men come in escorting us to a plane. We all get in as we fly back home. This time when we got high enough we all sat together, until we landed. We got off the plane. I look to Xander to see his sword. Knowing the guards would take it if they saw him with it, I hold his shoulder to make his stop. He turns to look at me confused. I grab his belt and undo it taking the sword that was attached. I put it on myself.

"What are you doing?"

I look up at him, I place my hands on his chest and press my forehead on him.

"Trust me," I push out.

He looks back at me and nods his head. We walk out of the plane. I walk on my own, not to show weakness to the guards outside the plane. I wear a long cloak, so they can't see my limp. I walk forward. A commander standing to the end of the line starts to speak, probably at the sight of the weapon in my posession.

"Excuse me princess but-"

I give him a stern look and he goes back into silence. I walk into the city. I see my maid that I had asked for with Cleo. I grab Xander and lead us over. He sees her, and takes Cleo from the girl.

"Thank you miss."

She bows and makes her way. Xander looks at me.

"Did you do this?"

I shrug sarcastically, he lets out a deep chuckle. He jumps up then takes my, "better arm", and lifts me up to. He holds me in front of him. We make our way up the streets, when we hit a corner I tug on the reins to tell him the direction. I was wearing long baggy pants and a sweater along with my cloak. It was december and was quite cold.

The streets were full of people walking around, some stopped to look at use before getting pushed by the crowd to keep moving. I smiled and waved at little kids that saw me. Our town is so lovely, but it's a shame I never get to see it. The citations seem to like me, everytime I appear there's a positive reaction. I'm sure Xander and I will make it on the paper, things like this, the people eat it up. Not to mention he's second in line. His sister is queen, but she hasn't had the time to settle down and have children. I hope I get to meet her one day, I always asked my father for sippings but it never happened. In a way I think I was hoping to find someone to teach, to spend time with. How different would it be if I had a sibling? Honestly I think that's why I spend so much time with Cisco, he was something I could focus on instead of the endless amounts of work.I couldn't dineye that I felt better today, happier? It could be form the alcohol though, what ever it is I hope it lasts.

We arrive at the gates before the rest of them. The location of our capital was in my fathers old kingdom, so my mother had no sense of direction here, unlike myself. It's true I never left the castle, but my father used to show me maps of the capital, telling me the emportance of each section. Our capital was divided into five sections farming and animal production, housing, manufacturing, entertainment and other things like hospitals and restaurants, and lastly the royal section, witch the cherry blossoms around the castle mark the line between it and the other four. The royal section is on the top of the mountain, while the rest are at the bottom, this way we can look out at the capital to see all of it. It was like being in an air plane, though, these days only royalty use them, and they are all powered electricity. Enugh with my babiling were was I? Oh yes, the other sections are divided into a square. Looking at the castle from the front, the houses are in the top right next to the farms on the top left, under the farm is manufacturing, and to the right of that, and under housing, is the entertainment and consumer section. In the center the all meet at the town square, which is funny because it is actually a circle. There is were my father used to take me.

We stop infront of the gate, I look at the gards. I hop off the horse, and walk over to the security box. Because Xander and I didn't arrive with my mother I had to activate the gate. I brush my hair back and look into the camera.

"Good morning Princess," the computer says, "please enter the password."

I grab the suction cups and attach them to my temples. I say the password in my mind and the gate opens.

"Have a good day princess," the computer says.

Xander trots over to pull me back up on Cleo.

"Are we all good?"

I nod and we trot past the gate then walk, as we get inside. The gards on post bow as we pass by.

"What to canter up?" Xander asks with a smile.

I smirk and nod my head. I feel him move his legs, and we go from a walk to a canter. He moves his hand so that his arms hold my hips to keep me from falling. We skit to a stop at the front courtyard. We dismount and hand Cleo of to a stable keeper. We walk into the castle and I take a deep breath of the lovely, fresh mountain air.

"Welcome home princess," the gards on post say.

"Princess!"

I shoot my head up to see a man round the corner at full speed. He falls to a knee in front of me.

"Your highness, you presence is needed emedeatly at the planing room, at the request of the general."