Disclaimers: The characters and story are mine. Please do not reproduce or duplicate without consent of AJMarks.
Resistance of Memories
by
AJ Marks
Part 3: Nightmares
Princess Kadti remained staring at her door in a state of shock after Ucro walked out of her temporary quarters. She shook her head in disbelief at Ucro's last statement and wondered what the small mystic meant.
Kadti looked around her small quarters with even more questions than before. She put on a small jacket to ward of the chill that she started to feel.
She walked out of her quarters and quickly glanced around for any guards that might be around. She did not feel like having company. Walking down the corridor she did not encounter anybody else, which slightly surprised her.
Rounding the corner she arrived at the viewing room. Kadti glanced around the room to see if anyone was there. To her relief she saw nobody. She sat down on the sofa so she could see the passing streaks that represented stars.
Kadti could still remember her parents. She knew that her father would do anything for her. Her mother would always scold him for allowing Kadti to get her way. She could remember how his eyes would always twinkle when he knew that they would be in trouble.
Kadti could remember that last time before she had left:
She had wanted to go to the market place. Some new traders had recently arrived with some exotic fashions.
"Please mother, please!" She pleaded trying to get her mother's permission to go shopping. Kadti jumped up and down hoping that her excitement would help convince her mother.
"I told you no, not today. Perhaps next week." He mother said with a sigh. Sometimes she wished her child was less excitable.
"Please." This time adding a pouting face hoping that would help.
"You're still grounded from last week when you ditch your guard and almost hurt yourself trying to climb that tree." Her mother responded.
"I'll take her dear." A male voice said from behind Kadti. She turned around to see her father standing there in the doorway. Kadti then turned her pleading eyes back on her mother.
A sigh escaped her mother's lips, then said that Kadti could go, but only if she obeyed her father. Kadti could hardly contain her excitement as she bobbed her head up and down.
"Just remember, no snacks before supper." Her mother told both of them before they had left the room.
Kadti was in awe by the fantastic and wonderful sights and sounds that came from the bizarre. She knew that she just had to try some of the exotic food from the other worlds. Her mother would never allow her to try them, but she knew that she could get her father to allow her to try some of the food.
Her father had allowed her some of the food and she ate too much. During dinner she had picked at food. Her mother noticed and commented on her daughter's lack of appetite.
Kadti could still remember the small argument that her parents had had over her. Her mother, however, could never stay mad at him. The arguments usually never lasted more than a few minutes. Kadti could tell that her parents loved each other very much, she hoped that she would be as lucky.
Kadti never realized it when she fell asleep.
Kadti could not remember how she ended up back home in her old room, but she was glad nonetheless. Perhaps now she could shake off he nightmare that she had just had. She quickly got dressed and practically ran
downstairs. What awaited her was beyond what she had imagined.
"Who are you?" Her father's voice billowed as she walked into the room. He seemed to be angry at her for some reason.
"I'm Kadti, your daughter, father." She replied a bit confused at the turn of events. "Don't you remember me?" She continued as she saw his confused face.
"I don't have a daughter." His statement cut right through her heart. She just could not believe what she had heard. "Well, speak up?" he continued when she made a small sound.
"I...I'm your daughter, Kadti." She repeated, her voice growing softer as she spoke, looking down at the floor unable to meet his eyes.
"You are not my daughter." He said standing up from his chair. He slowly walked over to where she was standing. He grasped her chin forcing her to look up at him. She flinched at the cold look in his eyes. "My daughter is not a coward who runs away and allows other to dictate her life. You are not that, therefore you are not my daughter."
Kadti still could not believe what she was hearing from her usually loving father, her eyes started to fill with tears as she looked at her father. "I don't understand, father?"
"What don't you understand, I thought that I made myself perfectly clear." He said to her still holding her chin forcing the eye contact.
"But...?" Was all that Kadti could say as she had no idea what was going on.
"Guards, take this imposter to the dungeon." Her father said as he looked over at the guards. Two of them stepped forward to take her away when she broke free and ran out the door.
Kadti ran down the hallway and quickly ran out of the palace. She had no idea of where to go or who to trust anymore.
Kadti bolted upright on the couch she had fallen asleep on. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and the tears on her cheeks. 'It was just a dream' she told herself. 'Father would ever have treated me that way, I know that much.' She glanced around and noticed that she had a blanket that someone had put over her and that she still had a death grip on it.
"Are you ok?" A young soldier asked her as he walked in. "I thought I heard some noise in here."
"No, I'm fine." She said giving him a smile, even though she did not feel like smiling. "Just a bad dream." She said reassuringly.
He nodded his head and walked back out the room leaving Kadti alone with her thoughts.
Kadti was more shaken by her dream than she would have admitted to anyone. She could never recall having such a bad dream, nightmare was more like it, in all her life. She really did not want to dwell on it so she stared out the window at the passing stars.
"I will make you proud Papa." She whispered to herself.
In the shadows Ucro nodded her head in agreement and smiled before leaving the room, having not been seen by either Kadti or the soldier. Her job for now was done.
End Part 3
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