[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: HERO ~ ALAN WALKER FEAT SASHA ALEX SLOAN]
All her ear could grasp were birds chirping and the pleasant aroma of something cooking. She slowly opened her eyes. 'is this the other word?' Kitanna thought. She tried to accustom her eyes to the bright light.
"She is awake!" a strange looking woman shouted.
Kitanna tried to sit up but failed and then she winced in pain, it was as if her whole body was crushed with something heavy. She looked at her hands it was covered in pins.
What is this? Where is this? Who are these people? What is this accent? Why am I here? Is this the evil world? Kitanna asked so many questions in her head. When she felt she could not stand up or move her body, tears started rolling from her eyes. She was tired of being strong, she sobbed silently on the bed, with her eyes scanning the room.
"You awake Lady?" An elderly man walked closer to her and sat beside her. He had gray beards and long hair, but his body still had strength, and his hands were very large.
"Yes, sir. Please, where am I? Who are you? What am I doing here?" Kitanna questioned. She was relieved to hear someone speak to her and the man's accent was not as thick as the woman that left the room earlier.
"Easy lad, I speak small, I don't hear all. Here Wahel. Old great kankura Wahels," the old man said calmly.
"Ohhh, Wahels. I know Wahels... ummm, thank you so much for saving my life," Kitanna said with a smile.
"mmmhmm, you thank white lord... he brings you... we treat, he fight," the old man tried to speak in a way the girl could understand. It was evident that he was not used to the language. He noticed Kitanna's discomfort with the pins, he gently started removing the pins and herbs from her body.
Kitanna winced when each pin was removed from her body, it was a gentle process but she still felt it sting. When the man was done, he move his hand to her back helping her to sit up.
"Ok, thank you, white lord... I thank him," Kitanna bowed. Her mind wandered to the white lord the man mentioned. Was it maybe someone close to her family?
When Kitanna was able to move her joints after the pins were removed. The old man led her outside of the tent and introduced her to the natives. Everyone bowed upon seeing the old man, so Kitanna assumed he was the Chief.
The villagers went about their business after greeting the man. Nobody stood at the side to talk. They villagers were either mashing herbs or drawing water from their well. Everyone seemed to mind their own affairs.
Kitanna continued to walk with the old man, she felt like there was something she was forgetting but the image was blur in her memory.
"Good Sir, what is your name?" She decided to engage in a conversation with the man so she could stop thinking.
"I, Chief Maleek," the old man replied walking slowly to keep up with the girl's weak pace.
Kitanna noticed how it was difficult for the man to speak properly so she refrained from speaking. The man was also trying to walk slowly because her legs were still weak. Kitanna did not understand why he was being nice to her, but she decided to act along.
They came to an area where boys and men were training with swords and arrows. Suddenly, an image struck Kitanna's head, and she had a splitting headache that made her fall again.
When she woke up, she found herself back in the bed she had left earlier. She did not understand the language the villagers spoke, but she still listened to their voices. Then, a figure entered the room.
Silver hair... silver hair...I know this body and hair.. Kitanna thought to herself.
"Princess Kitanna," Nix bowed.
"Mute boulder guard??" Kitanna exclaimed. Finally, a familiar face. She was so happy that she rushed to Nix without thinking, wrapping her arms around him and sobbing.
Nix was shocked by this sudden act but gently moved her, looking into her eyes and holding her under his control.
"Princess, do you remember anything about how you got here?" he asked to be sure.
"No, I was just in the carriage, and then... and then..." Kitanna tried to remember, but everything was fuzzy.
"Sit," Nix commanded gently.
Kitanna obeyed and sat down, looking at the guard with joy. All these while she thought she was no longer in her world but seeing a familiar face, despite everything, made her relax. Now she can go back to the palace, to her brother Khelan, to Clephas. She thought she would not be seeing them anymore.
"When are we going back to the palace? Did the royal family send you? Can we go today? Now?" She asked gleefully.
Nix raised his eyebrows and looked at the innocent girl in front of him. She always had a lot of questions to ask. Nobody would ever believe this naive girl was Kitanna, Princess of Morado, now presumed dead.
"Princess Kitanna, we will return when you regain your memory. The physician said I should give you a day or two," he explained. He wanted to give her a chance to regain her memory. Sending her back to the palace without her memory was like sending her to the enemy's camp unarmed.
"Okay! What is your name?" Kitanna asked, her eyes still glued to the man's face. She couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Nix raised his brow again in annoyance. Did she just hug a man without knowing his name. And she asked of his name before she left the palace. Did she also forget that. He sighed and replied "Nix"
"Nix... okay, Nix," Kitanna said, calling the name twice as it rolled from her lips. She felt herself being comfortable with the name. It was as if she was always used to calling his name but that was the first time she heard the name. She thought.
The old man walked in and bowed to Nix, whispering to his ear. Nix moved away from Kitanna and spoke to the old man in hushed words. The man looked at Kitanna and bowed.
"You can speak their language, Nix?" Kitanna asked.
"Shhhhhhh, white lord, no ordinary man..." The old man tried to shush Kitanna, who looked totally confused.
Nix stopped the man from talking further by raising his hand. The man glanced at Kitanna and bowed, before leaving just the two of them.
Kitanna was confused, the old man has been nice to her since she woke up, why was he angry when she mentioned Nix?. She felt really bad because apart from Nix, the chief was someone she felt she could relate to. She turned to look at Nix who was still staring at her.
"I will give you few days to regain your memory, if you don't I will send you back to the palace" Nix concluded. He was talking to not just the princess but also to himself. There was no use keeping her around if she does not remember who tried to kill her.
He noticed her bit her lower lips in frustration, his expression became dark. He glared at her, when she raised her eyes to look at him. Nix stood up and left the room.
Kitanna weaved her hands through her hair in frustration. Why was everyone angry with her?