t w o

I have to run far away from here.

I turn my eyes to my left and study Yami's face as he runs with me.

If my father finds him with me, he may kill him... I cannot have that. Then he will start a war... All because of me...

Yami's stopping next to me forces me out of my thoughts. I look around us and notice we have run far enough that we are in the part of the forest with the large lake in the center. We are far enough out of the snow covered parts and are now in the sections with green showing through.

Yami is my best friend. I cannot let him come with me.

I feel a tug on my arm as I am dragged from my thoughts once again. Yami is watching me intently. "Nyru, what's wrong?" A sadness flashes in my eyes as I look back at him. After a moment, I shake my head.

"Yami, I can't stay here," My loose bangs fall onto my face and cover my eyes. I cannot stop the tears as they begin to fall once again.

"But... Nyru..." Yami's voice came out soft, almost hurt. I shake my head again.

I cannot let my father find you with me, Yami.

"No, if my father finds you with me, he will kill you, Yami," I say as sternly as possible considering my voice was struggling against cracking. I see Yami's expression become more serious and he shakes his head back at me.

No, Yami, please.

"I don't care! Please, Nyru!" He finds my gaze without me realizing he had.

Maybe if we are quick enough, my father will never find us. I have no time now to think about it. Just let him come, Nyru, so we can get back to running.

After a moment, I close my eyes and give a short nod. "Okay, you can come with me,"

I better not regret this.

I turn to look behind me.

I hear something.

Footsteps, angry footsteps.

No! Not now!

I turn, grab Yami's hand and leap into a nearby row of bushes surrounding the shining lake that was shimmering silver. "It's my father..." I say softly.

Silence fills the area for a moment. The next moment is filled with sounds of crunching snow and the snapping of twigs as the footsteps grow louder.

"Distract him, Yami, so I can sneak away. If he finds you alone, he will not bother you," I see Yami turn to me from the corner of my eye. "Nyru..."

"Please, Yami," I croak through my sobs. I force myself to calm them so my father would not hear me.

After a moment of him staring at me, he finally sighs softly. "Alright..." He says, gently. After he glances to me one more time, he shuffles out from within the bushes, leaving me alone. He wanders by my father and gets his attention.

I hear his heavy voice spilling with anger, "I knew you were here! Where is Nyru? TELL ME!"

Before anything else happens, I leap from the bush's backside and run as fast as I can back to my Castle.

I hope Yami will be alright...

The needle-leaf trees whisk one by one as I run. Slowly, the trees begin to get more and more snow on them as I approach the Castle. I enter the Castle, with tears streaming down my face, leaving their mark on me.

I find my mother in the kitchen. Once she sees me, she rushes over and takes me in her arms. "What is wrong sweetheart? What happened?" Her voice is soft and caring. My mother takes me to my room quickly, and shuts the door behind us. My emotions feel as though they will explode out of me once I tell her.

"My father, mother," I say, as my tears freely fall on my face. My mother embraces me and I hide my face into her shoulder. "I snuck away with Yami and father came looking for me. If he finds Yami with me, he will kill him, mother, so I had to sneak away, not knowing if he is okay..." I trail off, not able to speak anymore through my sobbing. My mother continues to comfort me for a moment. "Mother, what if my father killed him?" I burst out unwillingly.

"Why does he treat me like this?" Then my door slams open with my father standing there aggressively and intimidatingly. I let out a gasp from my lips and jerk my head up. My mother stands up and hides me behind her, holding her arm close to me.

"Nyru! I've had enough of you escaping this room! I shall have you thrown into a chamber if it's the last thing I ever do!" I wince as his voice reverberates through my small bedroom. The walls shake slightly as a shiver runs through me.

He walks quickly towards me and tries to grab my arm. I quickly move my arm away, not letting him grab me. I almost hit my father, but my mother steps between us, saving me from his clutches. My mother stands tall, looking sternly at my father. The expression plastered across her face shows everything she is feeling and thinking at this moment.

"No you don't! I have as much power as you. As your queen, you should treat your daughter the same as you treat me! Why do you treat Nyru this way? Look at her! She's banged up and crying her eyes out because of you! Please leave, I will not endure your actions!"

"Humph! Do I see what you do not? How can you be so blind to this?"

"I see all that I need right here!"

Their voices were being raised a level higher as each one spoke. My mother's long light blue robes drape from her arms as she raises them from her sides while she spoke. She was holding her scepter, the same one that was matching my father's, just was a slightly different light blue jewel shape on the top. As she speaks, she thrusts the scepter onto the floor, causing loud noises to echo throughout the Castle walls. On the other hand, my father is doing similar things with his long light blue robe and scepter. However, he was brandishing his around violently from his anger.

My mother manages to get him to leave, for now. He mumbles to himself angrily and then slams the door shut where the walls vibrate and shake violently once again. I cannot stop the constant shivers rolling up and down my spine along with the terrified emotions bubbling up onto my face. My mother turns around and kneels before me. "Are you okay, Nyru?"

I shake my head to her. "No," I said, between soft sobs.

I wish I was, mother.

"Nyru," I hear from behind me. I turn and peer out my window. Yami peeks at me from behind the glass. A small smile etches itself onto my face when I realize who it is and figure out what is happening.

Yami, thank goodness. I was about to breakdown uncontrollably in front of my mother if you were not there.

"Yami! You are okay!" As he enters my bedroom window, I quickly approach him and he pulls me into an embrace, holding me firmly. He was warm to the touch, soothing the aches and pains that were spreading throughout my body. The aches are slowly disappearing the longer he holds me. My mother approaches us slowly, smiling down to me.

After a short moment, "You are the Fire Prince, correct?" I feel Yami nod. "Yes,"

"Yami, was it?" I feel him nod once more. "Yes,"

My mother pauses for another moment. "Nyru..." I look up to her.

"If you wish, I will allow you to do whatever you want with Yami, knowing I will be punished by your father. What makes you happy makes me happy. I want you to come to a decision, but do it quickly. Your father may come back soon. Maybe even sooner than I expect,"

My eyes widened at the thought, then I lowered my gaze to focus on the floor before me. What? Anything I want... like run away?

I pause for a moment, my face expression changing.

But then... he will surely come looking for me. Or worse even...

My expression changes once again.

Not to mention, he will punish my mother instead of me.

Then I look back up to my mother, with a worried look in my eye. "But... I do not want father to punish you..." I whisper.

My mother would never let my father punish her. She's much stronger than I am. If I get away though, she might be able to change him... he won't be able to hurt me anymore.

I look up once more and made up my mind. A small smile appears onto my face. "Thank you, mother, I love you," I turn to Yami and he smiles at me.

Running away with you was what I was trying to do earlier anyway.

I take his hand and he leads me through of the window. Once I climb down the side of the Castle, I look up and see my smiling mother's face once more before she disappears into the night as I vanish within the forest. The very last second I am able to see her face, it changes from smiling to passion and determination.

Thank you, mother, for everything you are about to sacrifice for me, just so I can be happy in this world.

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Do you guys even like this story?

I know it is not as good as my others, but I am leaving the story how I wrote it those many years ago.

Feel free to leave a vote and comment!

See you in the next part!

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Copyright © 2016 by qstarfire.

All rights reserved.

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