Zaila the last Aether, Chapter Two

Chapter 2
‘Oh, my head.’
I open my eyes everything is hazy, I put my hand to the back of my head. Dry blood, what happen? My cell door opens; the light makes the room even more unclear. When I get my vision back, I see Ingof. He looks around, and then has his eyes on me. I hate how he thinks this cell, and me are his. What does he want? What happened to me?
“I see you’re awake? You’ve been out for two days now. If that dark skin didn’t stop us…”
‘Dark skin? Anoka… what did he stop? What would have happened?
“What did he stop?” He didn’t answer, that arrogant man. Thinking he is powerful, well as soon as Malaki come into the room he turns into a mouse. But if I want answers… “What did he stop, sir?”
He smiles again, thinking he has won... “us, feeding you to the demon dogs. Any slave left behind or is killed, gets feed to the dogs, like dinner for them.“I look down, we are nothing but food? I look up and Ingof is in my face. Close enough that I could smell the alcohol and the evil on him. “… or in your case, dessert.” All I wanted to do was…kill him. ’Where did that come from. Could I kill him, the gods only know how many women he was taken over, but no I won’t let him take power over me. If I have to I will have the power. But could I kill a human or whatever he is? I meet his eyes and hold them to mine. He grabs me and unlocks my chains, knowing I won’t run.  I will find another way out. He leads me into the hall, I see the stain of blood from the man who was ripped apart. Is that how I am going to die? In pieces? ‘Come on Zaila, get it together. You are not going to die in pieces. No you will find out who you are, these men will not take you down. Stay strong.’ I start to look about, we have entered a different hall. A nicer one.
“Where are we going?”  Ingof turns to me, and stops.
“We are going to see, Malaki, he wants to see you, Zaila.”
‘Me? What did I do?’  He leads on. I am I going to die? We pass slaves. These are the cleaning slaves, and lover to the gauds. Thank the gods I didn’t get put in that level. Ingof stops at a big metal door, black and seven feet high. Ingof turns to me, looks me up and down.
“Sit there until I call for you. Don’t run, or he will stop you.” I look at who he means, tall and big, not fast. But I don’t feel like testing him. I look back at Ingof. “And when I say stop… I mean stop your life. Understand?”
“Yes…sir.” I sit and sit. I think he forgot me, and sit. I start to count to 100, then I look at my feet, I have forgotten what water feels like on your skin. Then I hear a noise, footsteps, I look up to meet green eyes, the same ones I have seen in my dreams…Demetri.
My lips go dry, I lose my voice. All I could do was look at him and he to me. 'Is it really him?' Ingof comes out, and looks from me to Demetri. I finally let me eyes look at him, he is dress nice, and has a gold ring on his finger with purple and green jewels. I look away when Demetri meets my eyes.
"Slave! Stand when the Crown Prince of Cavalla is in front of you!"
'What! Demetri is a prince, the crown prince.'
I feel Ingof's cold hands on the back of my neck, making me bow.
"Sorry, your highness. Slaves don't have many manners. This one has none to speak of."
I look up and give Ingof the most evil glare I could come up with. 'I have manners. I have so many manners that I could kick you in between the legs and make it look like I am a lady!'
“This will only take a few minutes then Malaki will speak to you again."
He pushes me inside; I fall to the stone floor. I look up, everything is dark, I see a desk and behind it is Malaki. I stand, hoping he would think I am not scared of him.
"It seems to me, dear, that you meet Prince Demetri." He walks about the room, never letting his eyes go to me, "How nice. I believe everyone should meet the prince." He makes his words go out longer, like a snake. ‘I feel cold, but there is a fire in the fireplace.' I see my breath, how is he doing this? "Now Zaila, have you any weird dreams?"
'Does he know about Demetri coming to me at night? I will not let him know.' I shake my head. I will not tell you the truth. No matter what. Malaki meets my eyes, and shakes his head, "Do you remember anything at all… yet?"
Again I shake my head, Ingof comes forward and hits my ribs with the back of his sword; I fall to the floor, not making a noise. 'I will not let them think I am weak'
"Speak when spoken to, slave!"
"No." The pains, one of my ribs are broken, I am sure of it. Again he hits me, this time in the face, everything is blurry, when they come back into focus, I stare at them. "Nothing at all… sir." I stand, staking, but I am standing and not backing down.
"Well, that will be all, Zaila. Oh, one more thing." Ingof hits me again in the ribs. "Don't ever talk to the prince…ever!!" Ingof take me out into the hall. Demetri and the other men stand. I look over to Demetri. He walks to Ingof and makes him stop. 'Brave, stupid boy'
“What has this prisoner done?"
Ingof seem beside himself, now let’s see how quick he thinks?
"Well, what do you mean? She is just a slave. Not worthy for your eyes, my prince."
"I will say what is worthy of my eyes, sergeant. Now, I will ask again, what has she done to come out of that office like this?"
"She is a murder, and we have to keep her in her place."
Murder? Is that true? Did I kill? I look at Demetri, then at Ingof. Why am I letting him tell lies? I didn't kill anyone. I am tired of being push around. No more!
"I am not a murder!"
Ingof looks at me, “yes I can speak, you pig head.”
"Shut up slave!" he raises his hands to hit me again, and before anyone could move I grab his hand and twisted it behind his back and throw him into the wall. 'How did I do that?
Ingof looked at me, his eyes in shock… from both my attack and his arm.  I hear a door open, Malaki, hearing the attack. I look down at my hands, ‘what did I do?’ I look up to Malaki’s eyes, and his smile.  All I could do was fall to the wall, and sit.
“Please, my gauds will show you out.”
Malaki’s voice, he is letting them go. Demetri! He is leaving. I hear footsteps, through my hair I see those green eyes, and I never see them again.
“It is time, Zaila.”
I get up, my body taking over my own mind. He leads me into his offices.
“Ingof lets speak in the hall.” The door closes; I walk in the dark room to the window. I look out, I see for the first time the world. The moon light is all over the land, I see woods, dark trees. Then running through the shadows, wolves. A pack and somehow I knew the leader was female, a lone female in a pack of power hungry males. I case my eyes to a path, and I see Demetri getting into his carriage. My heart stops. ‘Save me my prince.’ The door to the office opens, they are back.
“Have a sit, my dear.”
I sit down, what else was there to do?
“It is time, Zaila. I will tell you all.”
All I could do was sit there, is this for real?
“You, my dear, are a killer. You were train to know the body and its weak points. I remember your first kill, three hits and he couldn‘t move, you had your dual swords and he never saw light again”
‘I am a killer.’
“But that’s not all. You have another gift, one that I have been waiting for years. Little spots I have seen you use it, rocks moving, air blowing, water flowing and fire dancing. You are Lone-Elemental, the one who can control all of the elements.” Malaki, walks around me, ‘what? What does he want? An elemental, the Lone one?’ “There are some who can control one of the elements. But there kingdoms are dying, and ours are coming into power, using their benders.” He is at the window now, his back to me, looking at Demetri’s carriage, I could guess, as it drove away “What I want from you is to… make sure nothing stands in the way of this kingdom.”
“I am a killer, your killer… am I right?”
He turns to me; a smile comes to his face. “Yes, and if you say yes right now, your freedom is yours, in a way.  Anything I want, you do, no matter what, Zaila. You will have your life, and your guard back. Happy Birthday.”
“My guard?”
“Anoka, that dark skin you are with. What is your answer?”
I think it over, what I have to lose? “Yes, I’ll do it.”
“Good. To make sure… my kingdom comes into power, one thing stands in my way…Your mission is to kill Prince Demetri.”
‘Demetri…I have to lose my prince.’
I look up through my dark hair, and my voice escapes my lips, “Consider it done.”