Temple V : Free

We've found a room and the prince bangs it's door open. The room is large, with clothes scattered around, and looks like someone who lived here in the past. All we could hear in the dim room was the squeaking of rats and something dripping like water … Water ... Water!

I ran but was jerked back. I definitely forgot that I'm tied up to the prince like his slave, or some prisoner. 

I pulled him towards the rock in the end of the room where the water was dripping in a bowl and dipped my hands to drink but was jerked off.

"Get away from it, you don't know if it's good for drinking."

The prince stopped me holding me back.

"Well, I can't die with your gem in me right?"

I rolled my eyes quoting him.

"Then why drink, if you can't die?"

The prince replied.

"If I can't die, I can suffer, can't I"

I tried to pull forward but he stood firm, grabbing my waist pushing me to him. I can feel his breath fanning my hair,I stopped at his chest.

"Why won't you listen to me?"

He asked, looking down.

"Why would I listen to you?"

I asked him, with the same force he used looking straight into his eyes.

"Nyla, don't drink it yet. Let me check it first."

Luiz that was walking behind us spoke, making us stop our bickering, the prince glared at him up and down.

"Harritt, check out if it's okay for drinking."

The prince called the other guard that kidnapped me the one with the one eyebrow. And the man walked forward to check the bowl. 

Luiz followed him not minding what the prince would say and checked to see where the water was coming from. The water seeping out from between rock layers and into a bowl. It looks like the one that lived here put it there for his use.

"You can drink it, the water comes out from the rock and it's not contaminated."

Luiz looked at me explaining as he fetched some in a cup that was on the floor nearby.

"Master, the bowl is clean and the water does not stink."

The guard reported as he finished observing the bowl. The prince nodded his head in approval and I collected the cup from Luiz thanking him.

I drank emptying the cup wanting more, I finished two cups and poured some on me. I feel good now and suddenly my stomach rumbles with hunger.

"Oh not again."

I rubbed my tummy watching Mimi lick the water I've poured for her. Everyone but the prince drank the water so I decided to fetch some and hand it over to him. He sat down on a wooden chair next to me holding his head with both his hands.

"Want some?"

I asked my lips in a straight line, don't know how he'll react.He looked up and hit the cup making the water pour on my chest. I flinch, gasping, as I feel the cold water on my warm skin. I filled the cup again and emptied it on him with my hand on my hips.

"At least if you can't be nice to people, At least don't be rude to someone that's trying to be nice to you."

I'm scared of him but sometimes I don't feel scared at all. Maybe it's all because of the gem stone.

Baldy hurried up and came to clean his wet face but he raised his hand stopping him and his face looking down fuming in anger.

"If you are angry about something don't just ease it on people around you-"

I continued feeling good at it, someone had to get him in his senses. He pulled his hand and I came falling on him, he raised his head slowly, 

"The only thing that's making me not kill you is because you can't die. But I assure you, you'll be dead if I've got what's mine." 

He grabbed my shirt, grabbing me so close that his nose touched mine, burning my soul with his icy glares. I Gulped hard, afraid he could do it. If he sees that he's got his gem he can kill me because I'm of no use to him. 

"Who's hungry?"

Luiz called out, making us look in his direction as he approached with three big rats in his hand. I realized he went deeper inside the room. And he came out with rats. The prince let go of my shirt, making me hit my butt on the ground.

"Stand up, let's keep moving. We don't have time to eat."

"Then you'll need energy to walk, don't you hear her? She's hungry. She has not eaten for two days. Have some mercy would you."

Luiz yells at him not minding if he'll cut his throat. The prince looks at his guards and they all look tiresome and hungry. 

"Okay, make it fast."

The prince remarked, turning his head away.

" Hunt some of these."

 Luiz throws his stick at the guards, wiggling the rats and Baldy grap it making their way out.

"Nyla, help me make the fire."

Luiz turned his gaze to me.

"Me, but I don't ... Okay"

I trailed, I don't know how to make fire, but agreed all I want is to stay far away from this devil.

"Untie me, I can help too."

I look at the prince, twitching my lips up. He put his hand forward for me to do it myself. 

I tried but couldn't unwrap the knot. I looked at his long hand thinking of what I'll do, pinched him, no bite him. And I bring my mouth close.

"Don't try biting me or you'll lose some of your teeth."

"Aargh, do it yourself then."

I fumed in anger stamping my feets  he untied grabbed my wrist ignoring me and I walked over to Luiz who was trying to make the fire.

"I don't know you can do all this."

I asked Luiz as he fetched some coal heading to the fireplace.

"There's many things you don't know about me."

He assured me and I nodded, it's been years that  we've been apart. We have to get to know each other again.

"Umm Agreed, they're many things you don't know about me too."

***

I watched Luiz fill a bottle he found with water and keep some roasted meat... Okay grilled rats in the bag.

He looks like an expert in this he makes the fire, opens the rats and roasts them and now it's ready to eat. The guards caught as many as they could to fill their tummy and they were busy munching on their delicious meat, gisting among themselves, the prince, well I think he can't eat them. Well me on the other hand is, I'm not afraid of them. It's just that I never think one day I'll eat rats and don't know where to start. I'm not into meat, I prefer veggies.

I stare at the grilling stick in my hand playing with it. And Luiz finished filling the bottle and came to sit next to me and picked a grilled stick in his hand.

"Can't eat?"

He asked, sitting down.

"I ... I ... It's just that."

I trailed, not knowing what to say.

"You think I'm a bad cook?"

Luiz makes a sad face pouting.

"No... No... Anyways, where did you learn all that?"

I asked, changing the topic.

Well, it's a long story … I went camping with my friend-"

He explained and I cut him off.

"Lemme guess Dr Yiv is among them?"

"Yes,"

He smiled, heaving a deep breath and continued, thinking about it.

"But it turns out to be a bad one."

He added.

"Aww."

 I made a pitiful face.

"Yeah, we were out of food and got injured too, that's where I learned how to stitch your head."

He explained pointing at my forehead.

"Ohh, I see."

I nod my head.

"Are you not gonna eat? And then later on come complaining?"

He asked and I shook my head in a no but he pushed his stick to me.

"Eat."

I turned my head to the other side not wanting to eat his.

"Hey, I can eat on my own ... See."

I rolled my eyes at him, cutting a bit from my stick and he stared at me waiting for my feedback.

"Mhmmm ... Oh Lord, it's actually not that bad, Luiz."

I closed my eyes as I swallowed and dug in. These rats are a special race. I think not all rats are as sweet as these.

"Tell ya."

He said standing up and leaving when he saw me eating, he handed me more sticks of his yummy roasted rats.

He goes to the guards and they talk about something I don't know and I don't mind what they're talking about. I have an empty stomach to fill.

Mimi's eaten more than ten. I guessed she's been eating since. She must be so hungry, and turn to look at the prince eating his own. I scoffed. Seriously.

I rubbed my tummy feeling satisfied now and I went to drink some more water. And I saw something pass near the rock. I looked closely and saw a shadow of a man. He picked a cup and drank water from the bowl.

He then kept it and passed the rock and I followed him observing what he was doing. He stopped by the wall and touched the wall and it open up and he went into the dark, and I no longer see him

"There's a door here."

I announced and they all came. 

'Where?" 

"Here, right here. A man lived here once."

I said, squinting my eyes, finding the place he touched, I did as he did and it opened to a door. We walked through the tunnel for like 20 minutes and we reached the end.

I saw the man again and stared at where he touched to open the wall. I copied his moves and it opened up and we walked into freedom. 

The feeling of being free, it's been almost like feeling the free air and feeling the sun on my skin. We were finally out of the temple but the surroundings were completely different. The dessert is completely brown not like that one we come in that has touches of white in it.