Neym's Story

Ashinaida's POV

"Nashin!" I run to Nashin. "I have something to tell you."

I took the drawing out of my pocket. I showed him the page with the drawing.

“Chimsy.. she's a Dauthinian, isn't she?" I whispered.

He took the drawing from my hand. He stared at it like he can’t believe it.

"It is from a drawing book that mom left behind." I pointed the drawing. "It will be the outcome of everything that will happen."

We just listen to the silence. I was about to speak but he said something.

"You're leaving? Shouldn't we at least have a meal with your friends?"

I look at Snashi.

She still doesn’t know who’s the daughter of the Dauthinian that I meant to kill me. She only knows the name. Maybe if she'll know..

"How did you know?" Nashin whispered.

"I met her mom. They locked her up in Guerreier and she's not in a good state. I tried helping her but she told me to help her daughter instead." I pointed the drawing. "She told me that this girl is her daughter. That her name is Krainarie Whittle."

"That's right. But Krain would never—"

"I know, Nash. I know she won’t hurt me. I don't trust the future teller who predicted that I'll die in a Dauthinian's hand."

He put his hand on my shoulders.

"Ashinaida, listen. No one should know that the Chimsy that we know is a Dauthinian. No one should know that she's Krainarie Whittle."

I suddenly remember Neym. "I'm sure Neym knows about this too."

"And no one else should know."

I agreed. "But I think we should tell our sister about this. She ordered Chiena to take Chimsy— I mean Krainarie. She probably failed since she never came back to Guerreier. If she knows, she'll probably help us in protecting Krainarie. She's fond of her and she knows Krainarie would never hurt me."

He was caught in deep thoughts. He must be considering what I said. He stared at me for some seconds and nodded. He walked, following the way that Snashi took.

"Sir Clinton, Miss Beni, thank you so much. I apologize for my sister’s attitude."

Miss Beni just smiled as Sir Clinton nodded.

I run after Nashin and finally caught up to them near the entrance of the academy.

"We still need to look for Chimsy. Bring her with you. I'll wait for you at the main gate."

"The Chimsy Morgan that we knew..." I started. Snashi stopped to face me. I look at Nashin to ask for his permission. He nodded so I talked. "She's not Chimsy."

Everything becomes clear to me the day I was imprisoned in Guerreier.

The Dauthinian woman said that her daughter is the one in the drawing with my brother. She said her name is Krainarie Whittle.

The face in the drawing is Chimsy. It is clearly drawn so it is impossible to mistaken it for someone else. And because two names came to surface, it means that is the problem. There should only be one identity. It could be one of the two known name or none of the two.

I did my best to recall the drawing in each page of the book.

Neym brought Chimsy to me and that’s where I met her for the first time. She was unconscious for an unknown reason. There’s a possibility that she fainted after facing the soldiers of Guerreier that’s why it took her days before waking up. After that, we went to Quintessence.

I could clearly remember that she wore a thick coat that time. Like the one in the drawing book. She’s also present in the acquaintance party, wearing the dress that I made. It is the same gown the faceless girl in the drawing wore. And the scene where she’s in the swing, that was the exact view I saw when I found her with Nashin.

And the last page of the drawing book, it has her face.

She was introduced to us as Chimsy but according to the Dauthinian woman, she’s Krainarie.

The Dauthinian wouldn't ask me a favor to help her instead if she’s not her daughter, would she?

And the friend that Chiena was pertaining too. Chiena have no other friend aside from Chimsy.

It means the Chimsy that we knew..

"The girl who died in the forest, she's the real Chimsy Morgan. Neym's real sister," I explained.

"She's.. dead?" Snashi asked in disbelief.

"The Chimsy that we met, the Chimsy that we knew, the Chimsy who became a friend.." Nashin said. "She's Krainarie Whittle. A Dauthinian."

She moved her eyes from me to Nashin.

"She hid her identity, that's why it was hard for us to look for her. She even managed to make us believe that she died," she whispered.

I hold her hand. "Snashi, we need to protect her," I pleaded. "If she's really meant to kill me, why don't we make a reason so she won’t do it? Let's give her a reason to not do what she did in the predictions."

If we gain her trust and made sure that we are on her side, then there's no reason for her to hurt me. I know her. She wouldn't do worst things like the one that the future seer claimed.

"No," she answered after a long silence. "What's fated will eventually happen. No one has ever changed the foreseen future."

She turned her back to us but stopped from leaving when a voice calls her.

"It's been a while, Snashi Laurel."

My head automatically bowed down upon recognizing the voice. A mist embraced us and Miss Xhora appeared.

"Yes, it's been a while. And it is not nice to meet you again," Snashi monotonously answered. She’s bravely looking back at Miss Xhora.

"I agree. It is not nice to meet you like this," Miss Xhora said, smiling gently. "Perhaps you could join me for lunch to make our meeting a little bit better? It would be rude if I just let the future Queen of Guerreier leave Quintessence without any warm treatment, wouldn't it?"

"Ashinaida and I have important matters to do. If you may excuse us," Nashin said, excusing us.

Miss Xhora nodded so we both leave the two of them.

"Now what?" I asked but Nashin remained. "Nash—"

"Don't say anything. Miss Xhora is a Dauthinian and she could hear us at this distance," I heard him speaking in my mind so I shut up.

"What will we do with Snashi? She now knows Krainarie."

"She wouldn't do anything. She's still in deep thoughts about what we said."

He stopped walking and faced me.

"For now, we'll look for Krain and make sure she's safe."

My sight went pass my brother when I saw a shadow from there. Before my brother could do something as precaution, I stopped his hand and shook my head.

"It's just Neym. I'll just talk to him."

He nodded and left. I looked at my brother’s back until he completely disappeared from my sight.

"Why are you hiding there?"

"Why are you looking for Krain?"

I faced him. "So you really knew that she's Krain, a Dauthinian," I whispered, enough for him to hear.

He looked away.

"You knew she’s a Dauthinian. Is that why you let her pretend to be your sister? To protect her real identity.”

"Can I trust you?" He asked instead of answering my question. He looked at me for seconds before walking to the village.

I silently followed him until we arrived at his house. He took a book from his room and handed it to me. I flipped it open and saw a picture.

"Miss Xhora Chambers, Queen Natalie Laurel, Fenanie Rodrigo, Cynthia Laurel, and.." she pointed at the unfamiliar woman in the picture. "And my mom."

His mom? So our parents are already acquainted. But I never heard of stories about his mom. He never talked about it.

"When Chimsy was born, our house was intruded."

"By thieves?"

"I wish I could call them thieves but no. Their goal was to kill my family." He took a deep breath. "Chimsy and I were saved with the help of Miss Xhora and Miss Fenanie. They arrived a minute late so my parents died.”

He sits on the sofa so I took a sit on the opposite chair.

"I asked Miss Fenanie to let me and my sister live with them so I could guard them and return the favor to her family. She refused. She said it would be risky for me and Chimsy. From then on, I didn’t see Miss Fenanie but they provided everything that we need. Until Miss Xhora came to us, telling me to go to Quintessence.”

So he had known them since a long time ago. But he never mentioned it to anyone

"I visited Miss Cynthia Laurel to ask about my future. She's the only future seer in Capitel and she knows my parents so I trusted her. I know Miss Fenanie’s house will be attacked so my sister and I intentionally waited in the river. To help them. I also know that my sister will die that day but Krain changed it. She saved Chimsy. But before the day ended, my sister still died. So I brought Krain here.”

I was ashamed with what I heard. It was Guerreier who ordered to kill Krain, they are the reason why Chimsy died. And the reason behind their attacks towards Krain is... me. It was to protect me.

"I promised to protect her with my life if I had to."

I could feel his eyes on me so I look up at him.

"Ashinaida, please stay away from everything," he asked a favor. "I am aware that Guerreier caused all this chaos. Please don't join force with them. Fighting with you is the last thing I want to do."

I smiled sadly. I hold his hands tightly.

"I wouldn't. I know what's right and wrong so I'll stay neutral, I promise."

I said insincerely. I know I can't keep this promise. Guerreier is my home. If I can't stop them, then I have no choice but to...

I sighed silently. I promised to protect Krain. I'm on their side. But I don't know for how long. Because if betraying a friend is hard, betraying my family and district will be harder.

"I'm on Krain's side. Always."

He smiled with my assurance. I stood up to take my leave.

"Have you seen Krain? I need to talk to her."

He shook his head so I left the place.

For now, I'll have to protect Krain. At all cost.

.

Snashi's POV

"I know what Guerreier is plotting."

I stared at her blankly. Of course, she'll know everything. She's a Dauthinian after all.

"I know you are against it, Snashi," she said, almost whispering. "Come back here in Quintessence and help us stop the upcoming war."

"I am not the teenager Snashi who've always dreamed of doing what's right. I don't daydream of something that is impossible to happen. I'm not the Snashi that you used to teach one-on-one."

Before she could even start reminiscing, I turned my back at her.

"If Nathalie is still alive..." she said which makes me stop. "She would want you to do what's right for your people."

"If mom is still alive..." I looked back at her. "She would understand why I am doing this."

Because I am doing this for my sister. I'm sure mom would do the same if she's alive.

I walk my way to the entrance of Quintessence. Without second thoughts, I went inside our van and asked the driver to leave right away.

"Your highness, Miss Ashinaida is not here yet."

I sighed. "Let her be. I am giving her the permission to stay in Quintessence."

The servant bowed before closing the door of the van. I closed my eyes and and silently waited for our arrival in Guerreier.

‘If Nathalie is still alive..’

‘She would want you to do what's right for your people.’

I am doing what's right for my sister. Because before anyone else, my siblings come first.

But if Nashin would choose Krain over us, then I'll choose our people before him. He could handle his self anyway. As long as he remains alive.

I opened my eyes and went directly to dad's office to report.

"Your siblings?" He asked when he saw me with no one.

"They have duties to fulfill in Quintessence. I gave them permission to stay there."

He nodded. "Any information from there?"

I looked at his eyes. Those cold eyes that stared at me as if I am one of those lowly servants he has.

Information? Miss Xhora, knowing that Guerreier is preparing for a war against the all the districts of Epiliar. Krainarie, being the girl whom we trusted. My siblings, deciding to protect Krainarie instead of killing her.

I bowed a little.

"I have gathered no information," I said with finality.

I felt him nodding. "You may take your leave."

I bowed once again and head to the door when he speaks again.

"The last person I expect to betray Guerreier… " He trailed off. He took a deep breath. "Is you, Snashi. Always remember that."

I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat. I continued walking out of his office while holding my breath.

I'm in deep confusion.

I'm sorry, dad.

...