42. Being Apart

It was now a few days after I woke up from my paralyzing sleep, but still I haven’t seen Brock. I wasn’t able to get out of bed yet, as I lost a lot of weight and my muscles were all cramped up. I tried to eat more and move my muscles bit by bit, while staying in bed. By now I was able to lift myself with my arms so I could sit up. Anna and Cirilya kept trying to cheer me up as I was constantly sad and a bit mad because Brock didn’t want to see me.

They had asked a few times for him to get here, but every time he had an excuse for not having to. Why didn’t he want to see me? Is he mad at me? Couldn’t he bare to see me this weak and thin? I looked awful really, my face fallen in and my stomach empty. I didn’t even have the strong muscles in my arms and legs anymore and you could count the ribs on my chest.

Days went by where I didn’t have the urge to eat or to move. Not because I was hurt physically, but because Brock didn’t come to see me. I needed his embrace and positive words, hell I just needed one single kiss to know that he still loves me. But he wouldn’t come to visit and I felt miserable. I heard, that he went back and forward, switching between staying at the castle and here. Trying to find out who could have done this to me. But I guess he did that just because it was his duty to do, as a general, and not because he cared for me.

By now I could walk again but I didn’t leave the room, I didn’t want to confront him as I felt utterly disgraced by his no-show. What did I do wrong to receive such a treatment? I heard the door open but I didn’t look up, I was just staring outside through my window, watching towards the lake in the south. The sun and water looked so serene and it helped me a bit to calm my sadness.

“Honey, you shouldn’t torture yourself so much.” I heard my dad say and I turned around and walked over to him, and gave him a good hug. I haven’t seen him these days either. Not that I was angry about that at all. He is the King and he can’t just leave the castle unattended. He had heard about me from couriers and he knew I was safe, but I guess he also knew I haven’t left the room in over two weeks now. I cried, and tried to get him to tell me some answers as to why Brock hadn’t come to see me.

“You have to ask him that yourself honey. He is being a stubborn general at this moment and he won’t even tell me what is going on with him right now. You two need to work this out yourselves, talk with each other.” He said calmly and I knew he was right, but how am I going to get him to talk?

“I hate to see you like this, this frail, thin body of yours doesn’t suit you at all. Get outside now and find your will to get back in shape again.” He gave me a kiss and walked me outside.

I saw Anna and Cirilya smile to me, glad that I was no longer in my room. Some of the hunters greeted me and told me they were happy to see me again.

In the distance I saw Brock, training with some of the hunters like a rabid, feral bear. The young hunters looked all really exhausted and were sweating all over their bodies. But Brock just continued his rage towards them. He stood with his back towards me so he couldn’t see I was outside yet. I walked towards them and some hunters noticed me approaching. Brock turned his head when he saw the hunters being distracted. He told the hunters to take a break and then he walked towards the edge of the field, where a bucket of water was standing. The hunters were relieved to have this break and let themselves fall into the grass on the other side of the field.

“What do you want?” Brock finally said when he splashed his face with the cold water and turned his face towards me.

He said it with such an angry voice, I’ve never seen him act like this. I got angry and slapped him in the face.

“Is that how you talk to me, after all this time? How could you!” I yelled to him. The hunters left the fields when they realised that this wasn’t just some conversation.

“How could you just let me in that room, not even once coming to visit me, seeing if I was alright! WHY!?” I screamed and yelled at him. I kept firing him questions like that, but he just looked at me with his arms across his chest.

“Don’t you think that the torture of me being conscious in my mind all this time, but not being able to move, wasn’t enough for me? Then, when I was finally awake, you kept making up excuses to not have to visit me at all! Why did you do that to me!? TELL ME!” I yelled frantically towards him and he just closed his eyes and lowered his head.

“It would be better for both of us to stop what we had.” He said in a soft tone.

“FINE!” I yelled and walked away, back towards the room I have spent all these days already.

When I got there, I let myself drop on the bed and cried myself to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night, it was pitch black now but I couldn’t sleep anymore. I sat on the bed with my knees held up between my arms. I was so angry with him, and in so much pain of him hurting me like he did this morning. I needed to get away, away from everything. I didn’t want attention from anyone except myself. So, I got out of bed and changed my clothes.

My black leather leggings and leather vest were hanging in the closet, so I took them out and put them on. In the small dresser at the door was my red leather armor. It was a bit too big at the moment, as I lost a lot of weight so I just put them in a bag to take with me. Then I grabbed my bow and quiver, which stood next to the same dresser, and I went outside of the room. Luckily everyone was asleep, so I could sneak into the kitchen and grab some bread and cheese.

When I was outside, I couldn’t see Bastet but I guess she was near the lake with Nightwing, so I headed towards that direction.

After walking for twenty minutes I reached the lake and saw Nightwing and Bastet lying next to each other. I hated to take them apart but I needed her to take me far away for a while. At first, she was really happy to see me again, as we hadn’t seen each other for weeks. But when I told her that we had to leave, she tilted her head and looked at Nightwing.

“I’m sorry Nightwing, but I have to go away for a while. I’ll keep Bastet save, don’t worry.” I said to him while I jumped on Bastet’s back. They squeaked at each other before we turned around and flew into a direction I haven’t been before.

After flying continuously for an entire day with only taking a break to eat and pee, we reached a mountain with a cave half way up the rocky slope on the side. I had walked in the cave with my bow ready, to be able to attack instantly if something was in there. I wanted to make sure it was empty, and luckily it was.

Campfire was set and Bastet was close to me, as the cave was big enough to fit us both in. I fell asleep against her soft purple fur.