Let us behold the story of a princess. The phoenix had rescued her from a life of imprisonment. That would be the second story of Sana Lightquiver and Asha Flamewalk.
Sana stared quietly into the mirror. Her newly popped fangs and bright yellow eyes glared back. They were like big and ugly sores. She wanted to but couldn't look away.
A knock at the door startled her. In walked the vision of hope herself, Asha. She wore a look of pure concern.
“How are you doing, as of currently?” Asha inquired. She was hoping that the answer wouldn't be so bleak. She did it so she wouldn't darken the poorly lit room more.
“Depends,” she looked on curiously but hardened. “What do you see standing before you?”
“You mean, do I see a beautiful, intelligent, traumatized girl barely older than I,” she paused and knelt to look at Sana as directly as possible. “Or do I see, in the same way, you may see, a terrifying monster” Tears filled each girl's eyes as Asha, with a heavy heart, softly whispered, “You know the answer to that,”
“Tell me anyway,” Sana whispered.
Seemingly avoiding the question, Asha posed another. “Do you want to talk about what happened at all?”
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The sunlight streamed in from the large open balcony doors. Sana blinked the sleep out of her eyes. She rolled over, stood up, and greeted the day like an old friend.
For it was after her time stuck in the tower. She thanked the day for Asha and well-placed choices. She also thanked the morning for her well-timed fate and, most certainly, for her freedom.
She wondered about her fiery rescuer, not for the first time since they last saw each other many weeks ago. Likewise, she was curious. Mostly she was worried about how exactly she was dealing with her current heartaches. The first thought was of her friend losing her mother and the second of not being there for her as she finally burnt out one last time.
Okay, enough of that, she commanded herself. If you want to know what's happened since that time, go and visit her.
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Asha awoke that morning like every morning from a nightmare. The same dream that she always had, every night since that day. One of a dragon, the princess's distressed face, and phoenix ashes, spilling on the ground. But that wasn't the worst of it. Because the last image she always saw before she woke up was the image of a wolf staring into her, piercing through her with its eyes.
She looked to see her father still asleep after his drunk escapades of the previous night. The house was a mess as usual since that day. The night of mourning that had taken place on the eve of her mother's passing had been rough going. Asha glared at the mess that was her current life and thought solemnly. So this is my reward. Hopefully, the princess is faring better than I have as of currently.
She didn’t know why but that last thought made her smile. She decided at that moment to see Sana again if at all possible.
So it was to her fortune that not long after said moment, there was a knock on her front door. Asha tripped over herself, racing to answer it. Quickly dusting herself off, Asha arose and answered the door. Sana’s face peered back at her.
“Asha, I understand that my father hasn’t allowed you back into the castle,” she paused, seeing the devastation of the tiny home behind her friend, “How are you doing.”
Asha looked perplexed, then after a moment, the realization dawned on her. She looked around at the home and her own ragged appearance. She let out a big outward sign.
“I suppose not very well.”...