The Cave

Chapter Two

"Please, Max. Can we talk about something else? I really can't deal with talking about this now." Ali said, while letting out a sigh. She had just forgotten about it all only to be reminded of it again. Max never had been very good at being careful over choosing his words.

Soon they were outside the training room and Ali knocked on the big wooden door which let out a loud echo. Soon the door opened with a creak and Jake Dey, Ali's trainer stood in the doorway.

"Ali, come in, come in!" He said, running his hands through his hair after giving her a small bow. Jake was surprisingly young for someone mother had hired to train Ali compared to the others, but he was still very good all the same. He had quite long blonde hair which flowed behind his ears and he had hazel eyes. As Ali walked further into the room she stopped midway as she realised who else was in there too.

Theodore.

"What is he doing in here?!" Ali asked Jake as she walked over to him.

"Ali, since Theodore is now living in the palace-"

"He's WHAT?!" Ali yelled as she walked over to Theodore. "Listen here, Theo. I will not, and when I say this I mean NOT marry you under any circumstances, not even if you were the last man on the Earth!" She stopped and looked up at Theodore as she realised he had a look of hurt and pain on his face and immediately Ali felt bad but instead of apologising she walked over to Jake. "So what is he actually doing here?" She said with her back to Theodore.

"Like I said, since he is staying in the palace he will be joining you in your training!" Jake said letting out an awkward chuckle, obviously trying to make it a good situation.

Ali sat up straighter and sighed. "That's fine," she managed to make out with clenched teeth. "What's your power?" She asked Theodore as she walked up to him judgementally.

"Water," he said as he reached up his hand and let out a little burst of water that shooted up like a fountain.

"Well that's fabby then because I'm fire," Ali said letting out a small burst of a flame out of her hand. All her rage of the past day suddenly burst up inside of her as she found herself shooting out a fire ball right at Theodore's head. "Watch ou-"

But before she could finish her sentence Theodore had put the fire out with a shot of water that got Ali wet at the same time. Theodore was standing only two metres ahead of her grinning to himself. Ali was about to return the shot but she turned around as she heard the sound of Jake's voice.

"Um guys can we save that for outside please? In case you haven't realised Ali, you have The Test in ten days and you have to pass the physical as well as the theory to be able to go with The Army."

"Yes, yes I kno-" As Ali turned around she felt a sudden shock as she was flung to the other side of the room, drenched in water. "That's it!" She yelled as she started to shoot simultaneous fire balls at Theodore but he held every single one back easily. Suddenly they both erupted into a frenzy of running, dodging and ducking as fire balls and water were thrown around the hall. They stopped running as they became even. Ali was shooting out a laser beam with full power as Theodore was shooing out a stream of water, putting out her fire with equal force. Everything around them was blocked out as Ali shot more of them, harder this time, taking Theodore by surprise but still he matched her, backing her gradually into the far wall. They paused for a minute as their eyes locked and Theodore leaned in, closing his eyes, puckering his lips but it was soon broken as Ali started to lose control and realised her certain defeat. She felt her blood pumping, heart racing as she tried to push further and harder knowing that she couldn't do it anymore and had reached her limit. Then suddenly everything went black as she felt a strong burn throughout her whole body.

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She woke up to find herself in a small, dark room lying on an extremely uncomfortable bed. The only splash of colour in the room was the green box with the Red Cross on it propped up on the table. Ali looked around as she soon realised that Theodore was sitting on a chair right next to her bed, looking at her eyes intently, then down to her lips.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I got too carried away, I should've stopped, I caused this to happen..."

Ali leaned up on the bed to speak but she felt a jolting rush of pain spread through her. She winced. "You'll be alright," he said, indicating her pain. "All I need to do is clean up your arm and then you're done." Ali looked to her right arm as she saw a long, red slash running from her elbow to her wrist. Theodore reached into his bag and got out a gauze and dipped it into some liquid. He then rubbed it up and down her arm. It hurt Ali, but she held in the pain. Theodore is the best of the best her mother had said. She just had to trust him. He then reached into his bag and pulled out a rather long, intimidating syringe.

"What the hell is that?!" Ali asked in concern as she moved away from the incoming needle.

"Anaesthetic, it will numb your arm whilst I do your stitches. It will only hurt a little," he said as he inserted it into her skin. Ali flinched back but he reached up with his other hand to grab her arm to hold it steadily in place as he proceeded. "There, not so bad after all huh?" He said, smiling up at her. Then after a moment once he had tied the last knot of the thread as he made his last stitch, he opened his mouth. "You know we're on the same boat here. We could try to become friends now, at least it will make things easier when we...you know." Marry, when we marry.

"I'm sorry," Ali said, realising that what he said was a good idea. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier, it's not your fault that you have to marry me and I guess I didn't really help the situation by attacking you with flames."

Theodore laughed. "How romantic!" It was then that Ali realised just how good looking he really was. His hair was so perfectly ruffled on top of his head, catching the light and making it shine and his grey eyes were so pure that she felt she could see through them. He was kind and generous and was at least trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Her eyes trailed down to his rosy lips but she was abruptly stopped as his lips smashed against hers causing her heart to beat ten times faster. His arms wrapped around the back of her waist as hers wrapped around his neck. She deepened the kiss without realising, getting carried away. I'm having my first kiss! Ali suddenly broke away as she realised. I'm having my first kiss, with Theodore, the man I am supposed to marry.
"Alison, I didn't mean...well I mean I did meant to but I didn't know...well I sort of did know but...oh boy," he said as he blushed and scratched the back of his head. With one swift movement, she raised her arm and made contact with his face harshly. And just like that, without looking at his face, she ran out the room.