It takes great courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still to love it.-Oscar Wilde
Inside Zyran Palace, The floating kingdom of Zephyr, Northern Ardeneon.
April 15
Skai knew she should have seen this coming; it should have been so obvious to her; she didn't understand why she didn't see this coming.
Now here she is, bawling her eyes out with the woman that claims to be her mother comforting her. 'So, River isn't my twin?' That recurring thought is something she was trying to understand, her life was a lie, and she was starting to be okay with things not being what they seemed, she was able to take it, at least she tried her best.
But not River, she could take everything else being a lie, but River?
"Darling we-" she cuts her off
"You had no choice" Skai pushes the woman away from her, standing up from the bed "That's what all of you say" she points at her in frustration.
The sky begins to growl outside, through the window Skai could see the lightning and hear the thunder, she loved how the sky never ceases to share her emotions with her.
"Well, let me tell you 'Mom'" she places air quotes on 'mom' looking her straight in the eye. "You did have a choice!" she yells hysterically falling to the floor sobbing.
"You chose to lie" Skai whispers, she could sense the woman walking closer to her.
"Skai" she kneels next to Skai, wrapping her hands around her daughter and Skai pushes her off again.
"River is my twin brother" she whispers, every fiber of her body trembling in hurt. "I don't care what you say" her voice shakes, "I don't care what any of you say, River is my brother"
"Skai, River is your brother" she tries to console her daughter.
"Stop" she sobs "stop talking". She didn't want to continue the conversation, she couldn't continue the conversation, she needed River at that moment, she needed to speak to him.
The rain begins to hit the windows aggressively and Lethia sighs "Why don't you get some rest... we'll talk about the lightning bolt and rain tomorrow" she offers "I'll take you to your room"
"No" Skai haggardly stands to her feet "I'll go myself" she chokes out coldly leaving her room, she tried to stop crying but her emotions were too overwhelming for her.
"Down the first flight of stairs, one of the rooms will be vacant" she calls out to her to which Skai doesn't respond.
She follows her mother's instructions regardless and makes it to the floor she spoke of.
She walks to the second door on the right, she has a belief that the first doors were always occupied.
Opening the heavy door, she's faced with a sight that only hurts her more than the information that was previously revealed to her.
A shirtless Dexter and the girl who princess Lethia was speaking to, to give them a tour, Skai couldn't remember her name, but she had Dexter pinned on the bed, her lips on his.
Dexter pushes her away and his eyes meet hers "Skai it's not what it looks like!" he blurts out.
'Is it ever? I'm getting sick of things not being what they look like.' She wanted to respond but she kept it to herself
Tears prick her eyes and fall like they never stopped pouring "Sorry" she mutters "I shouldn't be here" quickly, she shuts the door and runs into the room that was opposite the one she just came out from. Entering the room, she sees Seraphinius sitting on the floor, drawing on a big paper with coal
"Skai!" he jumps up excitedly "Are you here to play with us?" he giggles, she wipes her tears immediately and put on a smile despite the heartache that was currently vibrating through her veins.
"Sure!" she smiles at him "what are we doing?"
"Rivvy" he looks at her adorably "is in the bathroom right now, he was showing me how to spell!" he giggles "It's a game we play together" he shrugs coolly.
"Oh, is that so?" Skai lifts a brow up. "Leave it to River to make learning seem fun." She laughs softly under her breath.
"Yes" he draws out "don't tell me you think I am not telling the truth?" his eyebrows scrunch up.
"Oh, I would never think that" emphasizing on 'never' she moves closer to him.
"You look terrible" the little boy informs her upon getting a closer look at her face, 'I guess he has learnt calling people out from River too' She thinks. Speak of the devil, just then River steps out of the bathroom. "Were you crying?" Seraphinius grabs her face, putting the coal down.
"You're going to get coal on my face" Skai whines avoiding his question, and he giggles and yawns.
"Hey Skai, you're back!" River smiles at her and she nods, this was all she needed, she didn't need to talk about what happened, she didn't need to think about Dexter and Nyxia, she just needed to talk to her brother, her twin brother.
All she needed at that moment was River.
"What are we doing?" she asks noticing the concern in River's eyes, she knew Seraphinius was right, she did look terrible, it didn't take a genius to point that out.
"You look terrible" River points out like the little boy had done earlier on. "Are you okay?" he asks, and she nods. "bs" he mutters.
"Bs?" Phinius repeats.
"No, no Phinius that's not meant for you" he turns to face Seraphinius. "Go run a bath and wait for me"
Seraphinius groans standing up "You guys never let me hear anything" he drags his feet to the bathroom.
"What's wrong?" River asks her as soon as the little child is gone, and she shakes her head again.
"It's okay" he mutters moving over to her, wrapping his arms around her "I'm here"
"She said we're not twins" the tears start flowing down again, he doesn't say anything... and right then she knew he knew.
"You knew" she says it more like it was a fact than the question she intended to ask.
"I only found out yesterday" he mutters
"You knew and didn't tell me" She pushes him away, staring at him in disbelief.
"Skai" he looks at her "I was only sure after you went to meet princess Lethia, I didn't want to bother you with what if's" a tear falls down his face.
"R-" he cuts her off
"I'm sorry Skai" he cries, and she wraps her arms around him, the tables turning. She couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for him shouldering the news alone.
"What they say doesn't matter" She takes his face in her hands wiping the tears off, but they just kept flowing, so did hers. He could have been strong enough for anything, but not this, this broke him, it broke her, but they couldn't let it break them.
"It won't break us?" he asks like he needed assurance.
"Never" Skai sticks her pinky out needing the assurance just as much as he did, he locks his in and their thumbs touch. He hugs her again, both of them holding a secret conversation only they could understand through the hug.
"We're going to be okay" he tells her.
"We're going to be okay" She repeats.
Seraphinius yells from the bathroom "The bath is ready Rivvy!"
"I should go help him" River tells her, wiping his tears "By the way your room is the one next to mine, on your right" he informs her before striding towards the bathroom.
Skai walks out of Rivers room and immediately she spots Dexter, he is sitting on the floor leaning on the door. She really didn't need this right now.
'I mean I was literally the one that pushed him away but doesn't mean it didn't hurt.' She couldn't help but think.
"Skai" he stands up looking at her. She diverts her eyes from him and walks into the room River said was left unoccupied for her.
Immediately she shuts the door behind her, Dexter opens it, shutting it behind them. "Let me explain" he desperately pleads.
"You don't have to" she sighs, knowing he actually doesn't, she'd done nothing but give him mixed signals and hurt him. "You have a thing for Nalia, I mean it's been one day but do you Dex" she shrugs in pretense, acting like it didn't bother her. It did.
"Skai, I don't" he tells her firmly "I promise you I don't"
"You don't have to promise me anything" she smiles at him walking over to the bed, but he follows her.
"Skai" he holds her hand.
Skai didn't have the energy to fight him off. She was exasperated. Physically, mentally and emotionally. She didn't have the energy to cry anymore, she wished he would just leave, because she would be crying if he stays any longer.
"Dexter, please "She tries to sound firm but her voice cracks, he doesn't even bother to say anything after that, he just pulls her into a hug.
"I'm sorry" he whispers, she couldn't tell why he was even apologizing. "I'm sorry for everything Skai"
"You didn't do anything" she mumbles into his chest, he really didn't, she had no right over him, so technically he can be with whoever he wants. This she knew.
"I'm not apologizing on behalf of myself alone, I am apologizing on behalf of the world, on behalf of everyone that hurt you" he rubs her back comfortingly "I'm apologizing because you didn't deserve whatever happened"
"Neither did you" she whispers, he doesn't say anything, he just holds her, she knew she didn't deserve him and that hurt.
He lets go and stares into her eyes "Can I stay?" he asks worry etched all over his face.
She knew If he stays then she wouldn't be lost in thought all night, she also knew that she could always go meet River, but- "Yes please" it comes out of her mouth before her thoughts could finish processing.
"But can you give me a second?" she asks "I need to get ready for bed"
He nods "Of course, take your time, I'll come check in about 30 minutes" he walks towards the door.
"45" she tells him, and he nods shutting the door behind him.
.....
After her much-needed bath, she struts into the walk-in closet, remembering seeing the one in River's room having some clothes. Just as she expected it was full of clothes, all kinds at that, male, female even children's clothes, "they must be rich rich."
'They're royalty Skai, of course they're rich.'
"Wait, if they're royalty, and I'm the daughter of the princess, does that make me royalty?" Skai says to herself "Woah! That's crazy!"
A knock at the door breaks her away from her soliloquizing.
"Skai?" Dexter walks in "Are you decent? I'm walking in"
"No, but you can wait on the bed" she calls out quickly putting on a random dress and shorts.
Growing up she used to think fantasy worlds dressed way differently from people on earth, it is a little different, but they have a lot of similar pieces of clothing. It's kind of like a mix.
After getting dressed, she walks back into the room, watching Dexter stare out the window.
"I can't grow plants from up here" he sighs without looking at her, his eyes trained on the garden trying to grow a flower for her.
"You can, you just need to put more grease into it" she chuckles jokingly but deep down she knew he could do it. He turns around smiling at her.
"Skai, I didn't kiss Nyxia" he tells her.
"So that's her name" Skai says to herself as she plants herself on the bed, crossing her legs.
Criss cross apple sauce!
"She forced herself on to me I swear Skai" he leaves the windowpane and walks toward the bed.
"And you were shirtless?" she chuckles
"I was getting dressed when she walked in" he explains
"it's okay if you're into her, really" Skai shrugs
"No, it's not" he sits facing her, in the center of the humongous bed. "I'd be crazy to fall for her, when I have you in arms reach"
"D-" he hushes her cutting her off.
"I don't want anything more, I'm not asking for anything more, just let me be by your side" he pleads, sincerity evident in his eyes "just let me be there for you, that's enough."
She stares at him as if he was the craziest guy in the whole universe, he didn't care that she has problems, he didn't care that she'd been indecisive, he just wants her to be okay. Skai didn't understand why, but she understood that he was too good for her, and she had been so selfish.
"Okay" she nods, not knowing what else to say.
"Okay?" his eyes widen happily.
"Yes" she smiles then she looks down "I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you" she frowns.
"Hey" he lifts her chin up looking her in the eye "You were confused, it happens to all of us"
"I was a total bi-" she deadpans, and he cuts her off.
"I forgive you" he smiles, and she climbs onto him wrapping her legs around his waist. "Skai, I don't want you to avoid me for another two days again" he frowns.
"I won't, and we're not even doing anything" she assures him. "I just like life better in your arms"