The One after my Heart

As Nisa and Kyra stood there with their belly full of anger at the clearing of the forest, a dewy mist formed all around them as dawn was just beginning to creep in.

Kyra hesitantly tried to feel the wound on her neck with nervous fingers. Who knew if the man had opened the cut once more that would heal naturally and slowly on its own. But as she was prepared to flich in pain surprisingly she felt nothing and was perplexed since she could'nt feel anything. Her eyes surprised, she felt for the scar with her nimble fingers.

Upon noticing Kyra's actions, Nisa felt amused and then comforted Kyra in a gentle tone ,"Stop it. There's no scar or any wound there. Don't worry, that damn Blackie must've healed you just now. Though he could've done it by just holding your hands. Hmmph!"

Such a thing was truly possible? Kyra was amazed at first, though then was annoyed upon hearing the latter half of Nisa's statement.

"Don't worry sister Kyra. One day, I'll show that annoying guy what this princess is capable of doing. Hmmph!" said Nisa with a harrumph and a displeased tone.

Kyra nodded as she inwardly vowed she'd personally get back at the man who'd taken advantage of her tonight. 'Wait a minute . Why does it sound like I want him to meet him again?' she wondered baffled at her own train of thoughts. No! She shook her head.

It would be for revenge, to get back at him. Yes, that's precisely and exactly what this was all about.

"Why don't we rest a little while before we move from here. Besides it's safer here now compared to the rest of the forest. The sun's going to come up soon anyways", the blonde-haired teenage girl counselled from the side breaking up the former's thoughts.

Upon hearing Nisa's suggestion, Kyra thought it made sense and immediately agreed.

It was then that something flashed across her mind recalling her neighbours' words. Kyra turned towards the teenager with a wry expression on her face. "Nisa, you're really not some sort of a princess from a kingdom, are you?"

"Of-of course...." But then Nisa's face turned a little red in embarrassment, and she let out an awkward laugh as she sheepishly replied ,"No, but...you see-"

"Nihaiya Greenwood, our mother is the current leader of the Witch Alliance in Spratian domain", Nisa said with a proud expression on her face.

Kyra was perplexed. But the way Nisa said it out loud, it sounded like an important title somehow. She voiced her thoughts out aloud. "It really does sound like your mother is someone important. If so, then shouldn't you be protected by guards or someone? Just how were you kidnapped?"

Kyra's question struck right on the nail, and Nisa's fair face turned beetroot red. She shifted her blonde head a little towards the side guiltily.

Upon Kyra's continued questioning glare, Nisa's lips quivered, and she finally couldn't take it anymore, and she ran into Kyra's embrace. "Alright, it was my fault. I couldn't take any more of the boring lessons from that crazy old bat, so I sneaked out with Maya to have a little fun. Uwaahh---" The teenage girl who was strong all the while until now finally broke down in tears.

As Kyra consoled and cajoled the weeping girl along with the sleeping Maya in her arms, she figured out what had happened to them as Nisa revealed her part of the story between sobs and tears.

It turns out it was a typical kidnap plot. The teenage girl ran away from her home to escape from her strict Governess, who, according to the exaggerated claims of Nisa, was the reincarnation of the devil himself. Therefore, as she slipped away, she tagged her young inseparable sister along for a bit of fun.

With the girl's identities, they weren't stopped or barred anywhere since almost everyone recognised and loved them. Besides, who would dare to offend the leader of the Spirit witches? Especially while they were right there at the capital?

It was then that an old disguised lady had approached and greeted them.

That old lady was precisely the same dark witch Barlow who'd come across them accidentally in the capital. She had long set her eyes on capturing a spirit witch someone as she disguised her identity with great difficulty bidding her time. She couldn't take action under the witch guardians' watchful eyes in the city, hence had to resort to other methods.

The kind old lady spoke to the girls and 'accidentally spoke out the rumours of a bright orange-coloured tasty fruit called 'Kitthale' being spotted just outside the borders of their city. Apparently, this rare fruit was some sort of magical fruit that was not only beneficial to witches but was also an essential ingredient in making certain magical potions.

Upon hearing the old witches words, the teenage girl's eyes lit up with thoughts of an adventure. She'd long walked on the streets of the capital city and had gotten bored. This was something new to her. Since it was just at the borders, how far could it be, the teenage girl thought to herself. Surely, they'd make it back home by dark anyways. Plus, who would dare to have thoughts of hurting them in the capital city of Spratia? And if their mother was furious or the governess had tattled on them, all they'd to do was to hand over the Kitthale fruit with a smug expression.

Upon noticing the girl's enthusiasm, the old lady was even 'kind' enough to hand out a leather water skin bag filled with herbal water that would ease them of thirst and rejuvenate on their small adventure. Thanking the kind witch for her thoughtfulness, the teenage girl set out with her sister in tow in smiles.

The two sisters ventured outside the borders searching for the fruit in vain and had even drunk the 'herbal water' unsuspectingly at one point, making them feel drowsy and forcing them to take a break. Little did they realise that they were being followed by few stragglers on their trail. The stragglers conveniently found their prey unconscious and knocked out after a while along the way and had successfully kidnapped them for their generous client.

The rest that happened was just as Kyra found herself in chains when she woke up. One could imagine the young girl's plight. She was just a young child, after all.

With Kyra's gentle consoling and words of comfort, the teenage girl finally managed to vent out her pain and emotions. Kyra wondered how the girl had managed to stay strong so far despite being so terrified. As a crying Nisa shed her tears and snot on Kyra's left shoulder, on the other side, Maya woke up. She slowly stretched out her fingers to wipe her sister's wet eyes. Kyra had a beaming smile on her face when she saw the little one awake.

Upon seeing Maya wake up, Nisa paused for a moment and then hugged her sister tightly, bawling out even louder.

To Kyra's muse, it was oddly heartwarming to see the little one pat the older teen's back with a serious look and comfort her by nodding now and then on Nisa's shoulder. It was then that Kyra realised that she'd genuinely grown fond of these girls in just a single night.

Soon the darkness of the forest started receding as a faint light arose all around. The sound of birds chirping echoed around them. There really was something about the early morning's twilight when the sun decided to rise up on the horizon.

The trio sitting on the stone bed could finally see the leaves' dark green colours on the trees around them. Of course, the three ignored and darted their eyes away from the three corpses and one decapitated head at a distance.

Kyra immediately took off her jacket and put it over the adorable little girl when she lightly shivered in the morning air. With Kyra's red plush jacket on Maya that almost came up to the latter's ankles., it was funny to look at the little girl now in smiles twirling around on the forest floor

'I like the colour you're wearing.' Kyra subconsciously remembered that blasted person's words and was annoyed that she ended up thinking about him.

'Hmmph! He better not show up in front of me again. If it's really true that I'm a witch, I'll find a way to get back at him!', she wildly thought to herself.

"Alright. It's time we left this awful place.", spoke Nisa as she stood up and dusted her clothes.

"According to what Bree had said- if this should be Kethran mountain that's quite close to the borders of Dartwood city, then the city itself shouldn't be too far from here. Let us head there and then we'll ask for help in hitching a ride."

Kyra nodded along with whatever the teenage girl said. For now, she would just go with the flow. Better anywhere than here.

With Maya walking between them, and her tiny hands held in each of their palms, the three of them started walking away from the place that'd undoubtedly made an unforgettable memory for any of them.

As Kyra held Maya's right hand in her left palm, she turned backwards to cast one final glance at the forest's clearing briefly.