crossfire, cardan | 16 +

eleven

"Jude?"

"Anastasia?"

We both look at each other, and I'm more startled than confused. Why is she here, exactly? Why hadn't she told me, and why doesn't her sudden appearance alarm Dain?

He must be well aware of the situation.

"How did you end up here?" She inquires, and I scoff, raising both eyebrows in surprise.

"You know, I could ask you the same thing," I say. She smiles and wipes the serious expression off her face, but I'm still behind.

"I see you've also decided to join the Court of Shadows, sister!"

"Oh no, I'm not—" Prince Dain cuts in before I can finish my sentence, most likely to save me from blowing the cover on our wedding.

"—Indeed, she is. I'm delighted you've already begun to welcome her. Where have The Bomb and The Roach vanished to?"

"Your highness, they should be here any second," says a dashing young guy. His hair is too black to be blond, yet not dark enough to be brown.

"Anastasia, this is The Ghost."

What kind of name is that, I mean seriously, Bomb? Roach? Ghost?

"What's up with these names?"

"You are not authorized to divulge your identities to one another, so we use code names like these." I quietly nod in regard to the Ghost's response.

A loud couple surges through the doors, one speaking over the other. They're clearly having a disagreement.

In no time, the room had grown raucous. In front of the door, a female with a white Afro and a...green-looking man with scarcely any hair chat.

I'm not sure what this is all about.

"Well, maybe if you just listened for a second you wouldn't have to—"

When Dain clears his throat, the entire room falls silent. For a brief while, the quiet was so deafening that I believed I'd lost my hearing.

"Oh, your Majesty! We're sorry, but we didn't notice you here..."

With a bright smile on his lips, he replies, "Don't worry, I'm simply here to present Anastasia to all of you."

"Hello," I say nervously, waving my hands towards them a couple of times.

"Oh, you must be the newcomer—"

"Yes, she is the new shadow member," Prince Dain says after clearing his throat with a cough.

"Welcome, as his highness Dain has most likely already mentioned, this is a small organization dedicated to the protection of the throne, particularly Prince Dain."

I'm wondering whether she's under some sort of happy magic spell because she's so lively and upbeat. But that's beside the point; it sounds absurd.

"Oh, I see...no one actually knows of this secret organization? Well, I mean other than you," I'm still trying to wrap my head around this, why would prince Dain need protection?

"Yes, precisely,", ignoring my question, she proceeds, her smile illuminating the room. "Anywho...training starts tomorrow at seven sharp, bring your preferred equipment with you if you please."

"Oh, alright then...I'll be there after lunch," I say as I begin to wave goodbye but she stops me with a giggle.

"Seven A.M sharp, my love, not P.M," she laughs.

"You have the luxury of waking up whenever you want, and you choose seven o'clock in the morning?" I grumble, but I suppose some training will do me justice. I haven't had the time to lay a finger on my sword in a while.

"It's routine, my love," the roach says, and I smile a little as Dain says his goodbyes and walks out the door, followed by me.

"Well...they're an unusual bunch," I say as we go down a short corridor, his hand in mine.

"I'm well aware of that," he chuckles, "but trust me, you'll grow to like them."

He comes to a halt at his office and lifts my hand to give it a small peck; he then looks up at me with a hearty smile painted across his prosperous face.

"I'm afraid today's voyage comes to a stop here," he laments, "I have a mountain of paperwork to complete, and I need to get started before the coronation. I really don't want to be responsible for my own ceremony."

"Ahh yes...the coronation, it's quite soon isn't it?" Nervously, I let out a sigh.

There's a lot to take in, maybe too much. Part of me just hopes this is an all-too-real hallucination.

"Don't be worried," he adds, placing his hand on my shoulder to reassure me. "You'll do wonderful reigning alongside me."

He moved inside his study after that and left me outdoors to make my way back to my room.

Questions and more questions As much as I sought answers, I don't think anyone else could give them except for me.

My lungs were practically collapsing in my chest as I let out a deep irritated groan.
Clearly, I'm as free as a bird in this house.
No one expects anything from me, and no one asks for anything from me; everything is so pleasant.

It's far too pleasant.

And there's always a follow-up request when there's pleasantry, and I'm curious how far behind that request is. is.

I found myself walking through a large glass door into an endless landscape of pure beauty and nature.

It was an absolutely breathtaking sight; I had never expected to see anything like it. My eyes drifted while my legs continued to walk without a conscious command from my head.

I strolled along the lovely cobblestone roads that led to a river flowing at the end of the path.

The scenery nearly makes this place seem like a serene paradise, but I suppose that's just a veneer.

My legs come to a standstill in front of the river, and I stare blankly at it, my thoughts layering one on top of the other, vying for attention after being neglected for so long.

My lips separate, and a reassuring sigh of relaxation escapes me.

"I see you're already basking in the privileges of being engaged to my brother."