Her Dawning Empire: The Prophecy

Chapter 53

I opened my eyes with a heavy sigh when I felt the tap against my arm. Looking to the left, I saw Ayla sitting up, her tired gaze on me.

"Time to get up." She mumbled and I nodded before sitting myself up.

It had been two days since we had arrived and we knew by now that if we weren't up early enough, we would miss breakfast. Bomani was not a patient man.

"Meet you in the washroom." She mumbled, putting her shoes on and making her way to the entrance. I brushed through my hair with my fingers as I looked around. Maya had already left as did the boys, judging by their made beds.

Demir's bed was back alongside Emut's bed and I had noticed this for the third time. He must have moved it back as soon as daylight hit.

I stood up, feeling the heat make me slightly dizzy as I made my way to the washroom. There, Ayla was already in the shower stall and I grabbed my toothbrush from the stand and applied toothpaste, getting ready for the day ahead.

*****************

"Finally up?" Emut questioned as Ayla and I entered into the dining room. Ayla grumbled somewhat of a sleepy response before grabbing an apple and biting into it viciously.

"It's too early for this." She mumbled after a bite and Emut let out a laugh.

"It's a few hours after sunrise, Ayla." He told her to which she dismissed him with a wave of her hand. I made my way to sit down, grabbing some grapes as she spoke.

"Back with my parents, I hardly ever got up early. I'd sleep till noon." She recounted with a small smile as she put some water in for herself.

"Well, one more hour and you'd both have missed breakfast again." Maya retorted, her eyes on her plate as she ate. Abrax let out a sound of agreement.

"You'll need food for strength." He added with a kind smile.

"I recall, Arun not having eaten anything one morning and vomiting profusely after taking one jog." Abrax continued with a nostalgic smile and Maya let out a laugh, clapping her hands.

"All over his clothes too. He was drenched in liquid and bits." She exclaimed with laughter and Demir let out a huff of breath.

"I'm trying to eat, Maya, could the vomit talk wait until after?" He said dully, his head resting against his palm as he regarded her. She raised an eyebrow at this, putting a finger to her chin.

"Oh, so the brutal Demir is afraid of vomit?" She said smugly to which he let out a sigh.

"Since when was 'afraid' synonymous with disgusted?" He asked almost rhetorically before turning back to eat.

Emut let out a small laugh before turning to look at us.

"Maya and Hanna- now you at least know what subject to bring up if Demir is irritating you." He advised before nudging Demir's arm.

My eyebrows furrowed at his words as I picked up a orange.

"And why specifically Maya and I?" I pointed out to which Maya let out a laugh, pulling me in by the shoulder.

"Oh, wonderful, I now have someone with me to help give Demir a hard time!" She cheered to which I frowned, making Demir smile as he raised an eyebrow.

"Do you give me a hard time, Hanna?" He asked, leaning back onto his palm and I rolled my eyes at his words.

"Not as hard a time as you give me." I retorted, peeling the skin of the orange and Demir scoffed, turning his silver gaze to me.

"Enlighten me." He said simply, making me roll my eyes before I leaned in challengingly.

"You called me useless." I stated and he raised an eyebrow.

"You called me a pig." He retorted blanky to which I smiled at the memory, before shaking my head.

"You said you'd like to throw me off a terrace." I answered back, making him scoff as he levelled his gaze with mine.

"You called me a brainless cretin; said I have a great deal of faults I need to mask, called me repulsive and told Emut you want to gouge my eyes out." He listed blankly, a dull look in his eyes and I faltered slightly as Abrax choked on his water at my words. Maya only held me closer, almost as though she was proud and Ayla let out a giggle.

I smiled at this sheepishly before shrugging.

"Oh well, you must irritate me a lot then." I reasoned to which Demir rolled his eyes and Emut put an arm around him, in comfort.

"Breakfast hasn't even ended, Hanna, and you've already given him such a hard time." He joked with a laugh, making Demir smile and I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Perhaps, I'll pick another victim then. How about Emut, Maya?" I asked thoughtfully to which Maya chuckled into her food.

"He gives in too easy." She said simply, making me laugh in agreement before I switched my gaze to Abrax.

"Perhaps Abrax then?" I pondered, making him smile and Maya shook her head.

"Too nice." She muffled through a full mouth and I nodded again in agreement before shrugging shoulders, turning to Demir.

"Oh well, I guess that makes you the perfect candidate." I finalised to which Demir let out a laugh before standing up, seemingly finished with his food.

"Well, I can't argue with Hanna calling me perfect." He said simply with a shrug before making his way out of the room, bending as he exited the small door. Emut laughed at this before getting up and following Demir as did Abrax, making me seethe.

Now, I really wish I could gouge all their eyes out.

*****************

"What do you mean 'different', Ustaaz?" I asked as we walked along the hallway. I had just finished breakfast when Bomani had called me for my ability training. Yet, he said it was going to be different to my 3 hour sessions by the palm trees.

I looked on hopefully as Bomani nodded.

"I've decided to ramp it up slightly. I believe you are ready for the next step." He decided and I smiled, glad that I had made progress.

We halted outside the storage room where we had put our bags and I looked to Bomani in confusion as he ushered me in. Nevertheless, I moved into the hot stuffy room, looking to him when I stood in the centre. He gestured around the room as he spoke.

"For the next hour, this will be your training ground. Be seated." He instructed and I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't have to stand anymore.

I sat down, cross-legged, turning to him and he kneeled down, his eyes on mine.

"You've imagined this door with all its details and you've imagined how to keep it in your control. Now, I wish for you to imagine the power lurking behind the door. It needs to be how you feel as though your powers will look." He stated and, without complaining, I closed my eyes and began imagining. I had already begun to realise that complaining only increased my time.

I heard a chuckle at my eagerness before he moved out, shutting the door behind him and breathed in sharply.

After all, what harm would an hour do?