Semaj

by Amari A

Chapter 13

  I lead Onyx through the back of the castle door and down a long path to where the gardens are. There are all different types of bushes and flowers planted there, thanks to my mom, and it’s beautiful. I mostly came here by myself, but since I couldn’t leave castle grounds it was a good place to talk to Onyx. There was a stone bench and a small pond in the middle that made it seem even more serene. I take a seat on the bench and he sits beside me. My heart starts to quicken a little, but I brush it off to not being around a handsome guy on a regular basis.

  “So, Onyx, if we’re going to have to be around each other all the time, I think that it’s only fair that I get to know you and possibly pick your brain,” I say.

  He laughs. “Okay, go ahead. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

  “Okay, so you left your kingdom and your friends to come babysit me?”

  “I didn’t really have any friends. I’m kind of a loner. People in that kingdom were just stuck in their ways and I needed a new way of life.”

  “So a guy like you has absolutely no friends?”

  “I had one friend but I lost him.”

  “How? I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

  “It’s okay. About a year ago, in our last year of dragon training, we were learning how to split away from our human form and something went wrong. Everything happened so fast that I don’t even really know what happened. There was a bright light with some eyes staring at us and it slammed us both into the wall hard. I ended up with this scar on my face but he ultimately lost his life. It was hard on me and, well, I have just been wanting to get away.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Must’ve been hard for you.”

  “Harder than you can imagine. I told him everything and he was there for me throughout anything and then, well, he was gone.”

  I take in what he said and then something in my mind clicks. “Did you say that you were practicing splitting away from your human form?”

  “Yes, you’ll learn it in intense dragon training.”

  I shake my head. “Not here. My dad doesn’t want us away from our human form for any period of time.”

  “It’s a cool skill to learn. You will always be in your dragon form, but you will also be able to control your human form. You’re still as one, but it’s different.”

  “I never even knew that you could split away from your human form. Like, does it have to follow you everywhere?”

  “Yes, it does. It’s the only way that you’ll be able to control it. Why do you ask?”

  “I was just thinking of something that’s all. What will happen if someone destroys your human form once it splits from you?”

  “You will become significantly weaker. It’s literally a part of you, so getting to that will make you more vulnerable.”

  “Hmm, well that’s good to know.”

  “Why do I have a feeling that you just used me to help you do something?”

  “I can’t say that you have or haven’t because I don’t even know if this particular dragon has even split from his human form. But if he has, then it will be a good thing to know when I go up against him again.”

  “Up against who?”

  I sigh. “When I went on my quest to save the dragon world, I ran into this golden dragon and a weird guy in the forest. But the guy never spoke, just followed the golden dragon around like a puppy. He said that the guy was his servant, so I really didn’t think much of it, you know?”

  “Did you say golden dragon?” he asks.

  “Yes, why?” I ask him curiously.

  “Just before I came here, there was this golden dragon that came to the kingdom with a creepy old guy dressed in old clothes. The dragon didn’t speak to anyone but the guy who makes all of the healing potions and things like that and then he just disappeared. I wonder if it’s the same dragon.”

  “Has to be. I mean, how many golden dragons can be walking around with a weird guy following them?”

  “Well what do you know about him?”

  “Other than that he was cursed and he now wants to kill me, I don’t know much about him.”

  “Did you study legends and things like that yet?”

  “Yes, but I have a feeling what I’m looking for I’m going to have to discover outside of the books.”

  “Maybe you’re right about that. So, I told you something about me, now tell me about you.”

  “Are you trying to change the subject?”

  “Yeah. Can’t be business all the time. Plus, I would like to know a little more about the princess I’m supposed to be guarding.”

  “Well there’s not much to know. I mean, I’m a loner. I’m kind of clumsy. I’m destined to save my kingdom from all evil and bring it into a new era. I’m very sarcastic and I have lived in almost every realm there is to get knowledge of other worlds.”

  “Sounds pretty cool. You seem like my type of Princess.”

  “What was your princess like?”

  He shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t really know. I assume she was the royal type because she lived for showing off. You just seem more humble.”

  “Well, thanks, I really appreciate it.”

  “No problem, princess.”

  “You can call me Semaj.”

  “So I’m back on first name basis?”

  “Yeah, you don’t seem like you’ll be a pain like all of the other guards.”

  He laughs. “Well that’s good to know because I don’t plan on being a pain.”

  I smile at him. “Well, that’s good to know. Very good to know.”

  “Well, we might want to get back in the castle before they think that I let you go rogue.”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble your first official day on the job.”

  “Yeah, it would kind of suck.”

  We stand up and walk back towards the castle. We walk through the back door and see Simon sitting at a table eating what looks like a goat sandwich and stop in our tracks.

  “You didn’t leave the castle grounds did you Semaj?” he asks.

  “No, we were in the gardens. Had to get to know the guy who’s going to be around me all the time,” I say.

  He nods his head. “Very well.”

  We walk past him and head back up the stairs to where my room is and the medical ward.

  “What’s the deal with that guy, Simon? He gives me the creeps,” says Onyx

  I laugh. “He’s always like that, but he’s harmless. Just void of any emotion, my dad says.”

  “And he doesn’t find that suspicious?”

  “I guess not. Before I go back to my room, I want to stop in and visit my friend.”

  “Okay, no problem. I’ll be standing outside the door waiting for you.”

  “Okay, thanks,” I say as I push open the doors to the medical ward. I look over to where Brenden’s bed is and see a girl I have never seen before talking with him. I clear my throat and they both turn and look at me. “Sooo, who is this?”

  Brenden looks as if he has just seen a ghost and the girl has a smug look on her face that I wish that I can slap off. “My name is Soria. I’m Brenden’s girlfriend,” she says.

  I look at him and he looks away. I can’t believe it! He has a girlfriend and didn’t tell me? It’s not like I cared or anything, but we were best friends and we were supposed to tell each other everything. I feel so betrayed. “So, Brenden why haven’t you told me that you have a girlfriend? We’re friends. Best friends. You’re supposed to tell me these types of things.”

  “He wasn’t sure if you could handle it,” says Soria.

  “Uh excuse me, but I was talking to Brenden not you,” I say still looking at Brenden who has yet to turn and look at me.

  “Well I was just letting you know what he said,” she says.

  “Well I’m pretty sure he can tell me himself, considering that he has a mouth and can talk,” I say fighting back my frustration. I didn’t know who this girl thought she was but she wa
s messing with the wrong princess.

  “You know you’re very rude,” she says as she rolls her eyes.

  “So I’ve been told,” I say. “So Brenden are you going to say anything or are you just going to sit there like a log?”

  I stare at him for a few more moments and he still doesn’t say anything. I shake my head and storm out of the medical ward. I couldn’t believe this. Not only did he have a girlfriend but one that likes to talk for him, which was the worst kind to have. Onyx looks at me and I just shake my head and start to walk back to my room.

  “So did something happen to your friend? Is that why you stormed out there?” he asks.

  “No, he’s okay. He just has a girlfriend that I knew nothing about,” I say frustrated.

  “Oh did you want to be his girlfriend? Is that why you’re so mad?” he asks.

  I stop and look at him. “No! He’s my best friend. I tell him everything and I thought that he did the same. I’m mad because he didn’t feel the need to tell me what was going on in his life. I mean, what does that say about our friendship?” I start walking back to my room, even more frustrated.

  “Well, you know, guys are bad at revealing stuff to girls, maybe he didn’t do it intentionally. What’d he say to you?”

  “He didn’t say anything. Just laid there and said nothing but his little girlfriend said a lot.”

  “One of those girlfriends, huh?”

  “Yep. I wanted to slap the smile off of her face.”

  “Jealous?”

  “Annoyed.”

  We walk the rest of the way to my room in silence and when we get there I just nod my head at Onyx and go in. I lie across my bed and start to think about Brenden and why he felt that he couldn’t tell me about this part of his life. Were we not as good a friends as I thought? Was the friendship one-sided and he really didn’t want to be my friend at all? This is just all too much for me to bear and it sucks. I want to go back into that medical ward and demand him to talk to me but I don’t think it will make much difference. Besides, I really don’t want to see him right now, anyway. Not until I figure out if he wants to be my friend for real or not. There is a soft knock on my door and then the door pushes open. My mom walks in and a smile crosses my face. I haven’t seen her since I left home and she is just who I need to see right now.

  “Hi sweetheart! I’m glad to see that you are okay,” she says with a smile.

  “Yeah, well, it depends on what you define as okay,” I say.

  “Dad being tough on you?”

  “That, but there’s other things going on as well.”

  “Does it have anything to do with that handsome boy standing outside of your door?” she asks as she sits on the edge of my bed.

  “No, he actually seems kind of normal. Other than the fact that he’s babysitting me for dad. It’s actually Brenden,” I say.

  “How’s he doing?”

  “He’s doing okay. He’s healing fine and everything, but he has a girlfriend.”

  “Oh sweetie, did you have a crush on him and that’s why it’s bothering you?”

  “It’s not that! Why does everyone keep asking me that? It’s just that he didn’t tell me. We’re supposed to be best friends. This means that we have to tell each other everything, but he felt the need to hide this from me.”

  “Did he say why he hid it from you?”

  “No, he didn’t say anything which only made it worse. I mean I went to go see him and there she was. Just sitting there fussing over him and then when I came in it was if he had seen a ghost. He knows that I come see him twice a day so he had to know it was possible I would bump into his girlfriend.”

  “I hate to tell you this sweetheart, but boys are dumb. It’s just a case of nature. He probably thought that he could hide his girlfriend a lot longer than he actually did that way he didn’t have to tell you.”

  “So I shouldn’t be offended?”

  “No, you should be very offended you just shouldn’t hold it against him. He’s a guy.”

  I sigh. “I guess.”

  “I take it that you’re still going to hold it against him then,” she says.

  “And you would be correct. He’s supposed to be my friend, mom. You wouldn’t understand unless you actually knew the extent of how close we actually are. Him hiding this just makes me question everything.”

  “Okay, sweetheart. I can’t tell you what to do. Oh, you’re going to be fifteen tomorrow. Are you excited?”

  “I would be if I wasn’t grounded and actually got to do something.”

  “I’ll talk to your dad about loosening the reins on you a little for your birthday. Maybe we can do something together.”

  “Maybe. Are you back in the dragon realm for good too, mom?”

  “Yes sweetie, we all are going to be here full-time so that you can get the training you need and so that we will be a full family unit again.”

  I smile. “Good.”

  “Well, I’ll leave you alone now. I’m going to find your dad. The kingdom is buzzing about him putting a ban on river water. You know what that’s about?”

  I nod my head. “Yeah, it’s poisoned.”

  “Poisoned?”

  “Yes, you might want to talk to dad about it though. I’m not really in the mood to rehash the details.”

  She nods her head and walks out of the room. I get off of my bed and sit on the seat by my window. I look own at the kingdom and everyone looks so small. Like little ants. They all seem to have a purpose and are doing something. I, on the other hand, am stuck in my room with a backstabbing friend and a guard who was more interesting to me than he should be.

  “Semaj can you hear me?” asks a voice that I immediately recognize as Brenden’s.

  “What do you want? We’re not in battle so I don’t appreciate you invading my mind,” I say to him.

  “Look, about Soria, I wanted to tell you but…”

  “If you wanted to tell me you would’ve told me Brenden, so save that for someone else.”

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “I’m beyond mad at you. We’re supposed to be best friends but apparently only one of us was willing to open up about everything that goes on with us.”

  “Just because we’re best friends doesn’t mean that I have to tell you everything, Semaj.

  “You’re right, you don’t have to tell me anything at all because I know that I’m not.”

  “Semaj.”

  “Bye Brenden.”

  I push him out of my mind and end the connection with hopes that we wouldn’t be able to reconnect again. I have no idea why this is bothering me so much but because it is, I felt that it is best for me to keep my distance away from Brenden before I say something to him that I will regret later. I look back out of the window and see that it’s getting dark in the kingdom which meant that I needed to head down to the dinner hall to eat with my family. It was sure to be interesting since me, my mom, and dad haven’t eaten a meal together since I was really small.