The Two Sides of a Sword

Chapter Seven

The guard's eyes widened a little as he stared at her, shifting slightly so he blocked the doorway. He was probably disturbed at the sight of his savioress looking like she just came from a crazy party. "My apologies, Savioress. I was ordered to stand guard and not allow anyone in or out."

"What does that have to do with not answering me?"

Caif cleared his throat. "I believe he was trying to say that he was instructed to only do his job, nothing else. Why don't you have your morning meal, Savioress? It doesn't look like you've eaten much since your arrival." He nodded at the tray in his hands.

"I don't want to eat!" she snarled. "I want to know why I'm stuck in here and nobody is listening to me."

Caif shifted the tray to one hand, holding out his other one peacefully. "I understand. This has been a difficult transition. General Xinn ordered that you should stay in this room because it is our most secure location. We don't want the valicara to take you away if they try to launch an attack on us. Please, tell me what you need, and I will do my best to provide it for you."

"I need out so I can find my sister and take her home," Aley seethed, glaring at him.

He winced. "Savioress, please understand... I can't let you leave without approval from the general. Is there anything I can do to make your time here more comfortable?"

Her lips tugged down angrily, eyes snapping over to the guard in the doorway. She squared her shoulders, clenching her fists. "Get out of my way."

The soldier looked at Caif.

"Savioress, please," the blue-haired sariun started.

She spun to face him. "You keep calling me that, but it doesn't feel like it means anything. If you really think I'm the savioress and I'm destined to save your people, shouldn't I have some sort of power around here? You're treating me like I'm a little kid who can't make her own decisions!"

His posture was a lot more tense than it was when he entered. "Our biggest priority is keeping you safe," he said, edging around her and closer towards the door. "General Xinn is doing his best to ensure that."

"Well, he's doing a crap job because I sure as heck don't feel safe here!" Aley took a step back, not wanting the alien any closer to her than he had to be. Too late she realized she had just given up her best position to escape because now Caif was standing in front of the door, shooing the guard back.

"I'll express your concern to the general," he said politely. "I'm sure he'll visit later, so you can talk with him then. Enjoy your meal, Savioress." He bowed his head, then swiftly stepped back and pulled the door closed.

"No, wait—hey!" Aley growled when the lock slid into place despite her immediate attempt to open the door. "Freakin'..." She kicked the door, then spun around, and glared at the room. "That's the third time I've been left in here. Now what?"

Her eyes landed on the tray she had set aside, specifically on the washcloth left behind. She sighed, stepping over to it. It was slightly damp—thank goodness because she wasn't sure if her day-old makeup was coming off without a little help.

She sat down on the bed and began scrubbing at her face. "That guy is going to get a mouthful from me if I ever see him again," she muttered. "Xinn better get over here fast. I am so done with this place. I want to go home." She stopped, pain striking her heart. "But Rocki..." She huffed, tightening her lips. "I guess I'll have to figure something out."

She rubbed her face with the cloth until her skin felt raw, but it was better than thinking about her situation. Honestly, right now, anything was better than trying to puzzle through everything that was happening. It made her head hurt.

"They couldn't have provided a hairbrush and stuff," she muttered. "Because that would be too convenient for me. The universe hates me."

There seemed to be time to spare, so she took a good long while to sit down and stare at her wings, trying to familiarize herself with how to move them. Everything seemed mostly based on instinct and natural movement, so it wasn't difficult to figure out. With the examination of her wings came the realization she should be able to fly, which was both exciting and terrifying.

A part of her wanted to try to learn how to throw a blade like she had done yesterday, but she was also a little afraid to, so she couldn't bring herself to do it. She kept it in her mind to potentially ask someone about it later.

All the wonderings about the new parts of her led Aley to think about what she was. Really. Because she apparently wasn't a human anymore. She was an alien. A hybrid. A savioress.

They think I'm going to be able to win the war for them. Ha. That's a laugh—the most I know about war is from playing Risk with Dad. I don't know the first thing about battle tactics and strategies and fighting. Rocki doesn't either. What do they think we're going to do? If a big dude like Xinn can't win the war, what is a person like me supposed to do? I think they've got all their hopes hinging on the wrong girls.

She sighed lightly, curling on up on her side. If I'm an alien, which I guess I am, that means my parents are aliens. She bolted back up immediately. "Wait." My parents... I stopped thinking about them forever ago. Are they still alive? Are they here?

It had never been a conceivable notion that she would get to know her real parents. She had been dropped off with Rocki at an orphanage when they were babies with no way to trace the parents. When Roy and Marianne adopted them, they did DNA testing, but there was no connection to anyone. It wasn't much of an issue, Aley preferred the parents who chose her over the ones who abandoned her, but every once in a while she would get an itch in her brain to solve the mystery. Maybe now she would finally be able to.

That is, if Xinn ever came back to answer more questions.

The following hours were mainly spent wandering listlessly around the room, reciting old lines and songs, hoping she was making enough noise to bother the guard standing outside her door. If he wasn't going to be helpful, he deserved to be bothered.

She tried a few of the foods Caif had left her—hunger was beginning to kick in after not eating all night. A few of them were all right, but an equal amount was still horrible. Where was all the decent food in this place?

More important than food was the shower she wished she could have. She still felt like a mess, even after rubbing down her face and exposed body parts. She had even painstakingly finger-combed her hair until it felt less like a tangled bush. A shower sounded heavenly—nothing was as relaxing a standing under steaming hot water, letting it wash away everything outside the curtain...

Aley shook her head. "Well, you're not getting a shower, so better buck up and figure something else out."

There were footsteps in the hall outside.

Probably another person passing by. She cracked her knuckles. But if they're coming in... that's my best chance at getting out. The last few times I've been visited, they always guard the door carefully at the end, but maybe if I hit them at the beginning I'll be able to get myself out. If I get myself out, I can get to Rocki and get us home! She sprang over to the door and tensed, waiting. Please be coming in here.

The footsteps stopped in front of her door. Someone rapped on it.

"Come in!" She called, lowering her body just a touch.

As soon as the door was wide enough, she barreled forward, realizing her mistake after it had been made.

Xinn was standing on the other side, filling in the doorway with his muscular body.