4

"I have been well, my queen, and I hope you are the same."

"I am, I am!" She laughed and then looked to Kairi, "Is that the vicious Wielder hiding behind you, Eva? She's so young!"

I nodded, "Kairi!" I hissed, "Be polite and introduce yourself!"

She poked her head out from the side of my arm, "H-hello." She whispered but yelped and suddenly latched onto my side with fear as I heard Meron laughing. "You're so mean, Meron!" She whined, "Eva, make him stop scaring me!"She begged as she hugged me.

"Meron, please act your age."

He smiled as he came to my other side, "Sorry, but she was just acting too cute so I couldn't resist teasing her."

Kairi stuck her tongue out at Meron who laughed again before walking away, "You will have to excuse Kairi's actions. She seems to be very shy today."

"Well she certainly is not shy towards you, Eva." Prince Asher said with a smile.

"Kairi, please get off of me," I groaned, "It is hot."

She got off of me but did not let go of my hand as she stood beside me, "Can we go look inside now, Eva?"

I lightly hit her head with my hand, "Did you not listen to a word I said earlier?" I growled and she pouted.

"She acts like a little puppy!" The king joked, but we all stopped when the soon-to-be princess stomped her foot very viciously on the brick ground.

"Have you all forgotten that this little girl is a vicious monster?" She yelled, "She has enough power to kill everyone in the city, yet she is not restrained and you are all being polite towards her."

Kairi let go of me for the first time since we got here and took a step towards the woman before bowing her head, "I'm sorry for what I did before and I won't do anything like that ever again!"

Everyone was shocked when the soon-to-be princess tried to slap Kairi across the face. But what startled the royal family members, Kairi, and everyone who watched was when they realized Kairi was not the person who was hit, I was. I could feel blood dripping down my face as I felt the scratches left by the rings on her hand, "Please don't act so violently towards such a young child." I whispered.

"Eva!" Kairi hollered but I quickly grabbed her arms as she tried to go after Asher's fiancé.

"Stop Kairi!"

"How dare you hit Eva!" Kairi hissed as she started to change form due to rage, but the changing stopped when I hugged her from behind and held her tightly against me.

"Calm down, Kairi! You shouldn't use your powers!"I begged but suddenly I felt weak and kneeled on the ground while trying to focus on breathing. Kairi whipped around and kneeled in front of me with horror on her face.

"What's wrong Eva?" She begged as she watched me.

I smiled, "I'm alright, Kairi. I just felt light headed," I looked up to the king, "Sir, I must get inside before other Wielders smell my blood or we will be attacked."

"Aric! Help Eva inside! Hurry!" He yelled but everyone was shocked when Prince Asher sprinted to my side and picked me up.

"I'll bring her inside," Asher stated as he rushed past his father and mother and Kairi followed right behind him. Asher brought me to the medical room, "Doctor, we must stop the blood."

The doctor I remember from when I lived here for five years came to the bed Asher set me on. I felt Kairi take my hand in hers as she kneeled beside the bed and Asher stood next to her. The doctor put bandages over my wounds, "Do you have a fever, Miss Eva? You seem very warm."

I looked to the ceiling, "I believe so."

"What could've caused it?"

"I believe I have an infection on a wound I received on the back of my neck."

I was asked to turn over and when I did the doctor examined my wound while Kairi told Asher how I received the wound in the first place.

"Then Eva just walked off with the Wielder and came back soon after."

"Did you kill the Wielder?"

"Of course." I replied but looked to Kairi when she started to cry.

"I've caused you so many problems Eva! I'm no better than the other Wielders who have hurt you!"

I smiled towards her, "You aren't like the other Wielders to me, Kairi. You're special." I replied but sat up when the doctor patted my shoulder.

"You do have an infection, so I will give you some herbs that will help with your fever."

"Thank you doctor," I said before standing and Kairi embraced me tightly as she cried, "It's alright, Kairi, calm down." I embraced her also. I felt Asher watching me so I looked up to him, "I'm sorry about this."

He shook his head, "The only reason you got injured was because you did a favor for me and brought Kairi here."

I shook my head, "It was because I didn't want your soldiers to see how vicious I could be."

"Regardless, you should go rest, Eva. Otherwise you will worry everyone." Asher whispered and I nodded.

"Can I go with you, Eva?"

I looked to Kairi, "Sure."

"I'll lead you to the room I had set up for you." Asher said before leading us to the largest of all the guest rooms that was across the hall from his room.

When Kairi and I went inside I lay down on the bed and Kairi quickly came to lay with me. I fell asleep with Kairi in my arms and slept soundly.

I got up late that night, but when Kairi tried to follow me I stopped her, "I want you to stay in this room Kairi. I need to talk to the king privately, but I don't want you to be where one of the soldiers might find you. Some of the soldiers here are very mean and hate all Wielders, so they may attack you. For precaution, I want you to lock the door to the room behind me when I leave and don't open it until I come back, alright? Can you promise me?"

She nodded, "I promise, but come back quickly. You shouldn't be moving too much because of your fever."

"I will,"I replied and when I left the room I heard Kairi shut and lock the door behind me. I made my way to the throne room to see that only Prince Asher and the King inhabited the room, with exception to the guards in the room, "Good evening, my king."

"Eva, are you sure it is alright for you to be up now? You still have a fever." I nodded, "There are some matters I must discuss with you as soon as possible, my King."

"Let us retire to the library so that we can relax," the King said before I followed the King and Prince Asher to the library. I sat in a soft, cushioned chair across from the King and Prince, "What is it that you needed to talk to me about, Eva?"

"First, I would like to ask that you keep any officers of the country away from any plans of trying to capture Kana."

"Alright, I will trust you on this matter. Is there anything else you want to discuss?"

I cleared my throat, "I also want to discuss what should be done with Kairi."

"Alright, what do you believe should be done with her?"

I looked to my hands that were in my lap, "I've only known Kairi for a few days, but I believe she should be sentenced to either protecting someone or becoming part of the royal soldiers. She could be a great soldier since she is a Wielder."

The King frowned, "She has killed people of your own town, Eva, but you want her to not be severely punished?"

I stared down the king with certainty, "I have nothing to base this on other than my own observations and intuition, sir, but I believe Kairi is different than the other Wielders. I don't fully understand it myself, but I feel Kairi could fight alongside the humans," I sighed, "Kairi is dangerous, I understand that, but by her actions I think she can become a civilized being if I stay by her side." I looked away with regret, "Of all people, I should hate all Wielders with every fiber of my being, but," I paused and held back tears, "B.. but Kairi is different. I don't know why, but she is special. When I am around her I feel at ease and I cannot bring myself to hate her. Please, my king, give Kairi a chance! I haven't found out why Kairi killed so many people but in my heart I know she must have had her own reasons for doing what she did to Lakes View! She's only a child and I believe I can save her from becoming an evil monster if I stay by her side."

The King pondered for a moment, "I will give you two days, Eva. In those two days you must prove to me that Kairi is not a vicious killer and can control her powers. Otherwise, she will be sentenced to death as planned."

"Thank you, my King!" I whispered before standing, "I need to get back. Kairi was worried because I was up even though I am sick. " I bowed to them before hurrying back to my room.