The school bell rang, and I walked out of the classroom, saying goodbye to my teacher. I took a few turns, and walked down one of the hallways that was vacant, and most often not occupied by anyone. I liked taking this route out of school, because it allowed me to be away from most people, especially Austin. I knew that if he followed me on my way out of school, then he would insist on walking me home, which is weird. I know that it is a common courtesy for men to do in this kingdom, but I prefer to walk alone, and spend all of my time alone. 

The castle was in the center of the kingdom, and was surrounded by many extravagant homes that many of the girls and boys who attend my school live in. They all look generally the same, but the main difference between the homes and the castle is the size, and the security. I don't mind the security, because it is pretty light around the castle, but heavy around the borders of the center of the kingdom. Along with the annual night patrols. I have never had to leave the center of the kingdom, and I have never had to leave the castle either. But I do tend to sneak out sometimes through the tunnels that run under ground that were installed during the civil wars. My entire family knows about them, but don’t use them the way that I do. 

I was never told about the tunnels, but I found them on my own. 

≈≈≈

When I was younger, I never felt like I fit in with my family or the other girls and boys my age. I felt in a way like a bit of a misfit, and an outcast. I would spend a lot of time by myself sneaking around the castle to find what I called when I was younger “top secret rooms”. I was really observant as a child, and when I was walking around on my own, I saw that there were a few metal pieces along the side of one of the ancient paintings in the castle. I looked around to see if there was anyone around to see what I was about to do. The corridor was empty, so I tugged hard on the painting, and it swung open like a door, and revealed a steep winding staircase.

I walked down it, and came across a safe room, and the tunnels. I remember bringing my younger sister down there once, and playing with her when she was too young to remember, but I guess I stopped bringing her down, and she forgot about the times we had. 

I would bring her down sometime soon, but I don’t think that she would enjoy it like we used to. 

When I got home, I walked straight to the painting, and down the staircase. My parents were too busy to know where I was, my sister never bothered, and the servants never brought it up. Which I appreciate because I asked them to do so myself. I walked into the safe room, which thankfully was the exact same way that I left it. There were food and provisions neatly organized on multiple shelves on the walls, and I had some soft blankets laid out on the floor with some old toys that May and I would play with when we would go down here together. I never moved them, because if Malinda J came down here, then I would want things to be exactly the way it was when we used to play, hoping that it would jogg her memory, and she would remember the times we spent together. But I knew that would most likely never happen, because we don’t have much of a sisterly relationship anymore. 

I walked up to one of the blankets, and sat down against the wall, took off my shoes, and opened my sketchbook. Instead of turning to the drawing I was working on earlier, I turned to an empty page, and started a new one. I never thought of drawing this, but I wanted to try now. Maybe I would give it to Malinda J, and take her down here, and we would have fun again like we used to. 

I started drawing the outline of the two of us playing down here. I did not remember much of the moment that I was drawing, but I knew the picture. I closed my eyes to picture the image the way I would draw it. Then I got to work. 

A few hours have passed, and I have erased and started the drawing over and over again, to the point where the paper was warm, and close to the point of ripping. I looked at my wristwatch, and saw that it was starting to get a little late. I tucked my sketchbook into my bag, and walked up the spiral stairs. I paused at the painting to make sure that there wasn’t anyone there, opened the painting door, and walked through the corridor to my bedroom.

I walked through the door, and saw that everything was the way that I left it. I set my bag down on my chair, took out some comfortable clothes (a light blue dress and sandals). I let my hair out of the braid, and tied parts of it together so that it was out of my face. I sat down at my desk, and worked on my homework. I would often find myself looking out of a window, not longer than at least ten seconds. There was always this sense of longing in my heart, and it was at one of its strongest points now. 

≈≈≈

A young woman was running in the deepest darkest parts of the forest. Chased by a battalion of soldiers from Cete Grandia Caligo. They were riding on horseback, and she was on foot. And she was taking the lead. They saw her twirl her fingers, and saw the branches of the trees growing in their way, obstructing the path. 

The young woman looked back at the soldiers, and the face they saw looked similar to Princess Felicia, but with a birthmark on her cheek in the legendary shape of element twisters. 

“We have to return to the castle.” The leader of the battalion gasped. “The rumors are true.” 

≈≈≈

I put my things away, and looked out of my window, and started off at the sun set. I looked down, and saw the training grounds. I knew when they were open, and when they weren’t. I pushed the urge of sneaking out there out of my mind as I closed my bedroom door, and headed to dinner. 

As I walked down the long corridors, something felt off. It felt like there was enough tension in the air to cut it with a knife. I shrugged the thought of something being wrong out of my mind. But there was that suspicious activity going around the kingdom. I never tried to dwell on the what ifs. Only what was the most likely to be. But I was dwelling on the what ifs, and it didn’t feel right. 

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stick up. I whipped my head around, only to see the bottom of a dark skirt or cloak disappear behind a door. I stood my ground, and came to the conclusion that it was one of the servants. 

I broke into a light jog, and made it to the dining room in half the time. I stopped just outside of the door to slow my breathing, and walked in. I saw that some of the food on the three plates had already been partially eaten, so I knew that my family had already been there. 

I darted to the closest window, and saw that both my family and the fourth battalion were there. I squinted and saw the shocked looks on both of their faces. I gasped, and ran out of the dining room. 

I jumped down stairs and dogged candelabras and statues, and made it out to the courtyard. 

“What is going on?”