(16) A Dim Hope in Darkening Times

Alex woke when she heard guards laughing outside her cell.

I must've been dreaming about when we met. She thought quietly. Her wrists burned and screamed for mercy. She made a weak attempt to reach the floor but couldn't. She softly sighed and gave up, hanging from her arms like a corpse, without a will to live.

She felt something hit her head, but she didn't look up.

Despite the third time feeling something hitting her head she still sulked, she had given up.

Then a flash of light peered at her. Her eyes squinted at the sudden burst of light. A hand reached out to touch Alex's face; Alex flinched at the sudden contact. A gasp erupted from the person they had felt the rough edges of a beating. Alex fought the urge with all her might, she fought to ask, fought to say.

"cathrine?" She asked softly, not waiting it to be her and wanting to see her face. The light flashed and Alex looked at its direction.

"anton," she gently said as she recognized the freckled face of Wigget's partner. They furrowed their brows and waved their arms

'Getting you out,' they signed as they began to to fumble through the chains looking for a way to break it.

"don't bother," Alex said closing her eyes in defeat.

Anton stopped and looked at Alex confused.

'What's wrong with you? There's chaos out there and you're here hopeless?' They signed frustrated. Alex scoffed and closed her eyes.

She felt a knock on her head and opened her eyes to see Anton crossing their arms.

'Have you lost your goddamn mind? What about Cathrine? She's worried sick!'

Alex's shoulders tensed at the mention of Cathrine. As if she had stopped thinking of her but yet it hurt. Like salt to a wound. Alex boiled and snapped

"Cathrine is the enemy of this country Anton! Don't be a dumbass She's a de- she's one of them. It doesn't matter anymore!" Alex shut her eyes tightly as if she pretended hard enough Cathrine would stop haunting every single breath she took. "Nothing matters. Just leave me here to die," she finished softly.

Anton stopped. They couldn't believe it, but if Alex was fully convinced that the love of her life was a demon than how couldn't it be true? They clapped their hands and Alex glanced at them.

'Does that matter? She's still the person you love,'

"You don't get it. She lied to me all our lives. What else has she been lying about?" She replied.

'So what if she lied about that? it's not like haven't lied about yourself,'

"Not even I've never done that," Anton rolled their eyes and huffed.

'Wigget told me you got really sick when you were a child. Even on the verge of death,'

"That? I was a child. It was mino-,"

'And that it might return any moment. And finish you this time because of your connection to the spirits. It makes your life line is more fragile than other people,'

"Asshole. He's such a blabber mouth. Fine. Cathrine doesn't know about that,"

'How is it any different than her being a demon?' Anton sat using a chair they bended from the dirt.

"Wha- you're seriously not comparing an illness to an entire genetic identity!"

'She hid it because if anyone had known they would've killed her. Plus, demons aren't your enemy Alex. Just because Kauldrin is fighting them doesn't mean they're the enemy. We're in the wrong.'

"I wouldn't have killed her. I wou-"

'Condemned her to death. Alex you were different when you and her met. A weapon of the state,'

"I know they're not the enemy. But I was going to marry her and I didn't even know she was- she is a you know,"

'A demon. Accept it Alex. The love of your life is a different species as you, there's nothing you can do to change that. If anything you should love her more to have learned something new to love about her. Just like how you learned and loved that she had freckles and curly hair, nothing changed," they sat waiting for their friend to realize their stupid mistake. Alex sighed and shed her tears. It was going to take time to accept it but Anton was right, what about Cathrine had changed?

I mean if I was okay fighting for demons when I had heard what my country had done to them, why wouldn't I be okay with her being a demon? She's still the kind, loving, beautiful, sweet, forgiving, talented, goofy and good girl I met in the garden all those years ago. I love her more than anything and I'd do anything for her. Cathrine I'm- I'm coming! Alex gripped her fists and looked up determined.

"Anton step back," she said firmly. They stepped as far as they could. "Okay haven't done this in a while..." Alex whispered to herself as she began to heat up her hands and swung her legs to gain momentum. "This is gonna hurt,"

She twisted and the hand cuffs and chains snapped and Alex fell to the ground. Anton ran to her side and began to help her up.

"Sorry I guess my legs have forgotten how to walk," Alex joked quietly as she struggled to find her grounding.

'We gotta go, no doubt the guards heard that,' Anton picked her up and ran to the tunnel they made, bending the dirt back together to conceal their escape.

"I know I'm tiny but please a little respect next time,"

Anton scoffed and kept running.

...

After a while of dark tunnels Anton let Alex down on the floor. Alex was still healing from hanging from her arms, the numbness of her legs and the beating the guards gave her. She squinted as Anton's flashlight hit her in the face.

'Are you ready?' Anton signed.

"For fighting the corrupt monarch that's my mother? ...or facing the woman I love? Because honestly the second sounds more frighting," Alex said using the wall to hold her standing. Anton smiled and pat her on the shoulder.

'It was a lapse in judgement, tho I suggest addressing the matter after we defeat the corrupt monarch that is your mother,' Anton signed patting Alex on the shoulder and moving to the end of the tunnel. There they found a small ladder hidden and began to climb, Alex followed them timidly.

They entered an abandoned warehouse filled with cobwebs and layers of dust. Alex sneezed violently as she was brutally reminded of her allergies.  Anton   shot her a grin and a belly chuckle while they lead the way to a stairway that led to the higher floors.

They stopped once they hit the 3rd floor door.

'Are you ready?' They signed pausing to give time for Alex to prepare herself.

"As ready as I'll ever be'" Alex responded wiping her palms profusely on her pants then running her hands through her hair. Anton nodded and opened the door revealing small groups of soldiers resting on the group. They stepped forward and into the large room. They began to head to a second room much smaller than the one they were in. Stares pricked at Alex as she watched closely behind Anton.

When Anton knocked on the door, Wigget opened it. He looked at Alex and gasped.

"What happened to you?" He asked reaching out to embrace her

"The thing with my mom backfired and she sent guards to beat me up," Alex said quietly trying to find a way to say it humorously,

"Cathrine's been worried sick. She's in our barrack, I sent her to rest," he said rushed but calm as he greeted Anton with a kiss.

'We managed to leave before Guards saw me,' Anton reported and Wigget nodded satisfied, touching his stubbled chin.

"Good good," he mumbled

"I should go check in with Cathrine before she thinks I'm dead," Alex said tugging on a seam of her shirt.

"Let me just fill you in," he said entering the room. Alex saw Squadron Leader Remari pointing to a large map of Kauldrin.

As they entered the room Remari glanced and stood immediately.

"Crown Princess Alex," she said diligently raising her hand to salute her. Alex shook her head and raised her hand in defense,

"Please I was arrested and declared a traitor to the nation, I don't deserve that title nor do I want it. Please-" she looked at the people in the room, "just call me Alex." Everyone nodded and looked down unaware on what to say.

"Alex," Wigget began.

...

"Last yellow door on the left," Alex murmured as she navigated through the countless hallways and colored doors all meaning different things.

Finally she found a pink door with a sign that said:

LOFT

BELMI

VANIDESTINE

HALIFAX

Cathrine must be in this one Alex thought as she opened the door to be greeted by a dark room.

—

-Aegean✨