“STTPH TKKNGG BGHHT MHHPH! Mmm rghhh hhrrrr!!” Redana squirms in the chains wrapped around her, trying to work free, and Bella effortlessly shifts her in her arms and presses her tighter against her chest[1]. Claws dig ungently into her shoulder, saying: stay down, Princess. When did Bella get so strong? She always used to go so red in the face just thinking about helping with Olympic training. Oh, no, Dany, I can’t get sweaaatttyyy! Noooo, Dany, don’t put me in a headlock!! Noooooo, Dany, I don’t want to race even if I take off my high heels!!! How did she get this strong? She glares helplessly over her shoulder (and Bella’s firm, flexed arm) at Alexa. Bella doesn’t believe in her. Mynx doesn’t believe in her. And not even Alexa, the brave and beautiful statue, believes in her. Instead, they all think she’s a silly little girl. Keep her quiet, talk over her muffled protests, ignore every time she’s told them all about her hope for mankind... She can feel the hot, treacherous pressure in her eyes. Stop! Stop it! She’s not a naughty child getting lectured for sneaking out into the city, she is an adult who knows exactly what she’s getting herself into! Stop, no, stop crying, stop it, stop it... *** [i]”Mistress?” Redana awkwardly shuffles deeper into the closet and takes a deep, sniffly breath through her nose. There’s nothing Bella can say that would make it any better. She hurts inside like Professor Mekhan took a hammer to her chest. Stupid, stupid, stupid! She’s so stupid! The names of battles and dominions and scientists boiled under her stylus, and now here she is. In the dark, where she can hurt as long as she wants. Bella headbutts her shoulder with a shuffle of laces on all fours, gently purring. Redana helplessly wraps an arm around her and pulls her in close. Bella is hot and soft and the sound of her purring fills the world, louder than the unbecoming sniffles and gasps of her princess. “When I’m sad, I know just what to do,” Bella sings, and it’s so pretty. Dany closes her throbbing eyes to listen to that famous soldiers’ song. “I take all of my pride and tell it to stand true! I set my feet and don’t retreat and make my heart stand strong; against me break the feeble waves...” “...of that inconstant throng,” Redana finishes, her voice scratchy and not pretty at all. Not like Bella’s. Bella rubs her cheek against her Dany’s shoulder and purrs even louder. “You can do anything,” Bella says, placing one hand on Dany’s. They’re both so hot, burning up together. “Just gather all your spirit in your chest and let it be your strength.” “You’ve got more room for the spirit,” Redana weakly jokes, and starts giggling at Bella’s flustered sputter. Bella’s an early bloomer, but one day, Dany’s going to be just as impressive as her mother, she just knows it...[/i] *** Redana closes her wet eyes and gathers up all of her spirit in her chest. She compresses it, makes it as hard and steady as stone. Against her break the waves of doubt and disbelief; she believes in herself, and that’s all that matters. “Y’rrr nghht,” she says proudly and incomprehensibly. “W’rrrr gnnnph tmmph ffffnnn’ Ghhhh fffhhhhrrr huuuuh lkkkkttt hhrrr nnnn’!” She pushes herself back up, and Bella pulls her right back down, and she defiantly kicks her legs in the air. She’s not giving up! She is [i]never[/i] giving up, Bella! And if you want to learn who taught her that, go look in a mirror!! *** [1]: [i]Oh blessed Muse, give me leave to one day retire to that sweet-scented valley, that cleft in the blessed mountains; there I will let my heart rest from its torments and lay down my wearied bones.[/i] — Noa Nox, Sibyl-Poetess of Dramatta.