{TITLE} Pt. 3

Part Three.

              She lay on her side facing the small window on the back wall. The rays of gold that shone through crept along the floor and the warm patch of sun was only inches from her face. Keela desired the light to shine on her cheek, to see the sun for just one moment before she slept. But even when it did warm her and then continue across the room, Keela still did not sleep. Her eyelids became heavy and her eyes were as dry as her cracked lips but still she did not close them. Her throat begged for water as the dry air flowed in and out of her mouth only shriveling it up more with each passing breath. Keela's spine tingled and her skin was burning as if fire itself was raging upon her back.

         She didn't want to move. She didn't want to sleep. She simply felt like nothing, and nothing she was content with.

         A shrill creak and an echoing bang filled the room yet Keela did not flinch at the opening door. No one seemed to be coming for her, so she slowly turned her body just enough to see who had disturbed her silence. The skin on her back was screaming as she moved and once she saw who it was she instantly regretted turning around. Keela again faced the back wall and said in a raspy whisper, “Why are you here?”

         The door was shut and footsteps could be heard as they entered the cell. He spoke, “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

         Keela scoffed. “Of course your highness,” she mocked. “The Prince of the Kingdom, the boy I hate with every fiber in my being, wanted to check in on the poor prisoner.” She would have laughed but the movements hurt her wounds. “Why are you really here?” she asked, refusing to look at him.

         “I'm serious,” Rylan said, stepping closer to the wounded girl. “I came here to give you medicine and clean your burn.”

         Her curiosity peaked, Keela turned again to face him and sure enough in his hands were medicines, ointments, and bandages.

         “Why?” she asked, her brow furrowed.

         Rylan knelt down as he answered. “Because I think what they did to you—what Audivae ordered them to do—was unfair and terrible.” He frowned as his sister's name and that almost made Keela smile. He set down his supplies and continued, “I mean, it's not like you did anything to deserve it, right?”

         At his last words Keela was shocked—what kind of a question was that? Not entirely sure how to respond, Keela asked slowly, “You have no idea who I am, do you?”

         Rylan looked slightly confused and gently shook his head.

         She sighed and sat up, nice and easy, so that she could talk to him better. “Have you ever heard of The Loss at Vienna?” she asked, wincing with pain.

         Rylan thought it over for a moment before saying, “You mean when the Kingdom invaded Austria by air but before they could even land they were shot down?”

         Keela nodded.

         “Yea, my father told me about that. We lost over 85% of our airplanes and we never recovered.”

         She smiled at his words, remembering the day when she got such wonderful news. “That was me.”

         Rylan looked at her in shock, his mouth open and his eyes wide. “You...you?”

         She smirked. “Gave the Nation that info when I was eight. It was my first big hand-off.”

         He continued to stare and she continued with questions, “How about the Ellis Island Raid, the Caracas Bombing, Invasion of Africa, Conquer of Australia and LJ-Day?”

         He nodded slowly.

         “All the worst losses to the Kingdom and the best victories for the Nation; all me,” she said, sort of proud of the work she'd done.

         Rylan was still in awe and so she decided to spell it plain and clear in front of him. “I'm the worst spy in Shanmorc Kingdom history!” she shouted, bringing him out of his stunned trance. “I may not deserve the scars on my back from my perspective, but from your father's I do!”

         He continued to sit still, though he seemed to finally understand. Keela shook her head and slowly scoot back to the wall. She gently leaned against it, making sure her burn didn't touch the dirty metal.

         “So,” she said, situating herself, “you still wanna clean me up?”

         For a moment Rylan didn't say anything and so Keela curled up in the corner with her back to him. “I didn't think so,” she said, and she lay down in an attempt to sleep.

         For a while she didn't hear anything and she figured Rylan was still stunned and staring at her. Then she felt something cold touch her back and it stung ferociously. She sprang up in surprise but that only made her burn hurt more.

         “Ow!” she grunted, and Keela looked at Rylan who had a wet cotton ball in his outstretched hand. “What the hell is that?!” she shouted, wincing from her stinging back.

         “Hydrogen peroxide,” he said. “It cleans open wounds to prevent infection.”

         Keela didn't understand. “You're still on the whole Good Samaritan thing?”

         He nodded, almost innocently.

         She sighed, “Listen, you and I are natural born enemies. I take information from your father and give it to the Nation. In exchange they give me information that is very valuable to the Kingdom. ...It's in our nature to hate each other!” she said, slowly and loudly to get the message through. “So why would you want to help me?”

         Rylan said nothing for a moment. Then suddenly he lunged at Keela, grabbing her shoulders. She almost dodged him but she wasn't quick enough and was pulled down to the ground. Keela was forced on her stomach with Rylan keeping his weight on her so she couldn't sit up. In her weak state she wasn't about to struggle, though she did curse.

         “You bastard!” she grunted and she felt a sharp poke in her upper right arm. “What are you doing?” she asked, struggling a little to breathe with Rylan's weight. Almost instantly her tense muscles became loose, her sharp breaths were soft and steady and she overall felt as though she was in a dream.

         “What...” she said softly, having just enough energy to talk and keep her eyes barely open, “what did you do...to me?”

         Rylan's weight came off of her, yet she couldn't move—her body wouldn't let her.

         He sighed. “I injected you with a small dose of a strong and quick muscle relaxant; I had a feeling you would be less than willing to let me clean your burn.”

         Keela had trouble keeping her eyes open, “I still don't...understand...why...you want to...do this...” she said slowly.

         “Well you said it yourself,” the prince stated. “You have information that is valuable to the Kingdom—why shouldn't I keep you alive?” His tone was suddenly less innocent.

         “Because death...is a better option at this point...and I would never tell you or your...twisted sister...anything,” she said, her words slightly slurred.

         Keela could barely see him out of the corner of her eye, though she did notice him shrug. Rylan then took out a small white cloth and dripped liquid from a brown bottle on it. She tried to tense her muscles and prepare for the pain but she simply couldn't. When the cloth touched her burn it stung worse than before and Keela couldn't help but wince. It took all her energy—what little of it she had—not to cry out in agony. Soon the intense pain subsided as she got used to the liquid and Keela lay on the floor, motionless as her complete enemy cleaned her wounds.

         “So why did you go against the Kingdom in the first place?” Rylan asked, breaking the silence in the room.

         Keela was a little drowsy but she wasn't about to discuss her past in front of the prince, so she made something up

         “I wasn't...happy with the reasoning...behind the war...and so I...tried to stop it....It was...the least I could do....”

         “But why? Lots of people aren't that happy with the war, but they don't trade secrets to the Yomcecrad Nation. What did the Kingdom ever do to you?”

         “You have no idea...” she muttered and with that the conversation was over.

         It wasn't long before Rylan was done with the cloth and Keela could actually start to move. She clenched and unclenched her fists as the feeling in her limbs was returning to her. Rylan set the cloth down and took out a large bandage. He dabbed a little ointment on it before sticking it over her burn. Then he helped Keela sit up and lean against the wall.

         “Just keep that bandage on for a while and it should heal okay,” Rylan said, gathering his supplies.

         She looked at him, spite in her eyes. “So the only reason you decided to help me was because of the things I know about the Nation?”

         He stood and headed for the door as he said, “For the most part.”

         As he opened the door and placed the ointments and bottles out in the hall Keela slowly stood up as well, her legs a little wobbly and rage in her heart. “You're just a typical Shanmorc, aren't you?” she said softly. “Never caring about someone's life unless it's valuable to you in some way; it's cruel and pathetic.”

         He slammed the door shut—comparing him to his family seemed to trigger something in Rylan and he came forward threateningly. Keela started to limply push him away but he quickly grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the wall, her hands above her head. He leaned in close and in a venomous whisper said, “Let's get a few things straight. First off, I'm nothing like a typical Shanmorc; my father and sister are close to hating me and I'm considered the oddball in the family.”

         “Oh, I'm completely sure that's the case,” Keela said, her teeth clenched tight. Rylan pushed harder on her wrists. They would probably bruise but he otherwise continued as if she hadn't said anything.

         “Second, even though my father may not care for me much, he cares for his people. That's why we're still in this war—so we can get that cure for the CA virus.”

         “Oh please,” she scoffed, “do you honestly think the war started because of the CA virus?” Rylan squeezed harder yet again, but Keela kept talking. “The only reason we're still fighting is because your father can't handle the Yomcecrad Nation having something he doesn't.”

         “And what's that?” he asked sharply.

         “Brain! Allies!” she spat back. “People who actually give a damn about the war, and support its cause! An actual shot at winning!”

         Rylan pushed off of the wall and headed towards the door, his anger reflected in his stride. Keela, whose weight was only being supported by Rylan's grasp, slid down the wall and sat in a weak heap on the floor. Her wrists were throbbing and her breathing was heavy from standing up with such little energy.

         Rylan paused before he opened the door. “And third,” he said quietly, “the fact that the information you hold is valuable to me is not the only reason I treated your burn.”

         Keela looked up at him hatefully, not believing a single word he said.

         “I came because—unlike my sister—I think everyone deserves a chance to live. Spy or no spy, your life should be valued.”

         Keela stared at him and said softly, “Life is never valued.”

         Rylan returned her gaze and after a moment he lightly shrugged. Then he opened the creaking metal door again and left, leaving Keela to sit in the corner alone, massaging her wrists.