Fighting back the tears, I was the fool of fools, how could I have been so naïve to think that someone would just like me for my" sunny personality"? I nearly snort at that, well even if I had no one would ever want me. No one would look past my blue eyes and red hair; in their eyes, a devil's a devil.

I pull all the flowers out of my hair, lay the bracelet on the weathered, smooth floor of the branch, and fled. Jumping from branch to branch tears flowed down my face, I hit the ground silently. I found Madi in our favorite spot overlooking the forest, scarves in hand, he had a blue one to his nose, a faraway, longing look in his eyes. I stared at my right wrist, where I have tied one and found none. He must have taken it when he had the vise-like grip on my wrist. I turned my gaze on Madi. "That's a lot of scarves."

"I nearly thought that you won't show up?"  Madi said, voice hollow.

"I will never miss this for anything," I replied, equally hollow.

Madi let loose a growl when he takes a good look at my disheveled state, the scratches on my arms and legs." What happened to you, Kam? Did he do that to you? I swear on all of Bendula if he harmed a strand of red on your head, I will kill him." He growls, chest heaving. He stood up. I jumped in front of him, hands on his chest.

"He did no such thing; I 'm fine, Madi. Bekine is a scum-sucking, Reaper-eating asshole. Are you going to tell me who you pledged for?"

    "No, I have someone already."

"Really, is it Buma? Don't tell me yes, because I know you went off with her, but she came back in tears, so she's already ruled out. You just crushed her and her family's hope of getting back in power. Are you even sure that it's a good move?"

   "I don't love her, never have and never will, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. She mistook my friendliness for interest. I'm sure if her family wants power, they can wrestle it back in the right way. Let them challenge mine for the right to head the caucus, let them invoke the right of the Erul'e. "

I nod, what he was saying's right. If Buma's family wants to rule that badly, they can use the Erul'e to challenge. And the two can choose their champions to fight to the death, the winner ushers in a new era of reigning, using the same tenets of the founding settlers.

"All right, let's forget about political sabotages, no secrets between us, remember? Tell me who she is."

Beautiful Buma that I know has almost all the boys on their knees pledging for her; shes a goddess, with bronze skin, light-gold tinted eyes and flawless face, curves that are to die for. Every guy was clamoring for her attention and favor. My brow knitted, and I stared at him, dumbfounded as if he had sprouted another head. Why won't he be after Buma? She was the perfect match for him, a match made in heaven as the people love to gush about.
I stared out at Calla and Cleo, circling the perimeter, playing mock sentry patrol. While a guard eyed them warily, eyes set on Cleo. "Then who is it? You have to introduce us. Come on, spit it out, you know you can't keep secrets from your only friend, huh."

Slowly, reverently, he kissed me, it was my first kiss with a boy, a little hesitantly I kissed him back, it was something I never dreamed of. Awakening a strange kind of sweet-heat that I don't understand a tad bit, it coursed in my body, filling every pore and setting it on delicious, decadent fire. It was forbidden, and I knew it, somehow.

I have always wondered who would be my first kissed, just never dreamed that it would be my best friend who would, I pulled away and took a step back to create some space between us. Trying to ignore the charged, intense air, I swear that I could cut with my dagger if I had it with me right now.

Everything seemed too much to take in at once; I need some space to think of what I just allowed to happen. I already knew what this means. This changes everything. And all it took was only one kiss, one taste, leaving my body reeling, screaming for more, it intrigues and terrifies me, a thing that I already abhor because I know that it's already a forbidden fruit for me.

It would make me do stupid things, and I don't think that there is room in my life for silliness. Theres no room for that, it could get my family killed. I have Mama and Calla to think about, my promise to papa still held true, I wouldn't stray from my path just because I have someone who makes me go weak at the knees with just a kiss.

"You are my friend Madi."

"I pledge for you Kamili, I want to be yours, and you mine. Blood, bone, and flesh until the suns don't shine again until we cease to exist. My heart belongs to you and only you." He uttered the ancient words that have been with us for as long as my tribe can remember, looking at me like I was the world to him, and I knew that his words were real, it rang with candor. He slips a pair of silver Vambraces peppered with ruby stones on my arms. Just the exact that I had told him that I would sell Calla to get from the town smith.

I dashed away tears and fled. Leaving a confused Madi shouting my name, my feelings jumbled, warring within me. My world shaken from its very roots. I ran until I couldn't feel my legs anymore until my eyes ached. My breath came out in short, choppy sobs, I came to a complete halt when I spotted figures.

I slid behind a rock. Looking at my surroundings, I noticed that I was in the southern part of the town on the road going to the sea. Council elder Eldres and three people I have never seen before stood talking. I should turn back and not let anyone know that I have seen this. No one was to come this way at night, it was forbidden. Made clear to all that we shouldn't meddle in council matters, but some part of me refused to budge.

A rebellious voice whispers to me to stay. He was handed a suitcase, an image of a hand holding a flaming torch stamp on it, I watched the two shake hands. This is illegal. The muffled cries of someone in distress triggered my huntress instincts to protect, had me moving into action even before I could think of what I was doing. It was part of being a protector; we have been trained to protect the weak and in distress no matter what.

A sound had me whirl round, just as a fist slammed into my face hard. I reel back, vision blurry, Jagne stood before me beaming triumphantly. A kick from him, had me groan in pain, a hand grasps my ribs the other my nose. Trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Nosy, aren't we."

"Dont you have a Reaper to hump Jagne?" I was in no mood for his games, his cruel theatrics. Trying to jab at me every time he got. He snickered, lifting me up, his gaze scoured my body. "Someone's got a potty mouth on her. Well! Well, a little dressy, aren't we princess? Where is prince charming?

   "Not your business,"

   "Well, as far as I can see is that you are the one who is not minding her little business, don't you have things to do? Like babysitting your fiend of a Mama?" I struck out at him, breaking his hold. The punch was like a whip crack. He tests his jaw to see if its broken, then slams his fist in mine. I reel back, he attacks again. I dodged his next punch and smashed some of my punches home.

He groaned, savage satisfaction coursed in my veins, I was mad at the world, at karma for making me want to feel things for my best friend. Stuff I shouldn't feel; I was seething, livid at Jagne for the asshole he was. For Bekine making a complete idiot out of me.

Heat surged in me, and I stood on the balls of my feet, muscles tensed, waiting for his next move. He smirked and lunged at me. I dodged most of his punches but missed some.

It hurt, but I wasn't ready to feel anything. Right now, my body is closed off from any kind of stimulus. I was in a kill mode, I caught his punch with an open palm, I gripped his hand in mine hard, so hard I heard his bones break. His scream rang out, filling the air with a frightening cadence, I whip out my leg at his torso, and he doubled over. I grasp the back of his neck and furiously slam my knee up in his face, he cursed and went down. I jump him in an instant, straddling him, I shower punches on him, not caring that he wasn't fighting back, I just rained my ire.

Pain blooms in my shoulder and I slumped on the ground, clutching my head, Eldres sneered up at me, in his hand was a sword, its heavy hilt coated red with my blood." Do you always have to be a nosy wretch? I guess that blood is just blood, like mother like daughter, huh! "he knelt down checking Jagne's pulse, he groaned and let Eldres help him up, he stood favoring his broken wrist.

My vision was failing every second that passed by; everything seemed sketchy and out of focus, strength fading, a heavy boot slammed into my mid-section, and I curved my body into a fetal position, trying to shield my body as best as I could. But it was ineffective.

"You bitch! You will pay for that and more." He screamed, landing another batch of painful, savage kicks that made me grunt in pain. Another kick made something snap within me, something has broken in my body. I shrieked in agony, clutching my side.

"That is enough, I don't want her dead." Eldres snapped. Jagne stopped in mid-kick and turned to me, eyes stormy and furious, a lethal promise." This is not over." He hissed vehemently, the last thing I saw was his boot slam on my face.

PLEASE VOTE & COMMENT , HELP KAMILI IN HER NEXT CHALLENGE.