Ricardiana

five

I wake up in all to familiar place. I'm on the ground, large and leafy trees are surrounding me. The sky is a gray colour and the ground beneath me is wet. It's a cool temperature in the air. I spread out and stretch my body.

I'm in a forest it seems like. I get up and follow the sound of a streaming river. I've seen it before, but I can't place it. It was like I'm living in a state of déjà vu. I rub my head and walk towards the river, and I see a hut in the distance.

I begin to shake as I walk towards it. I knock on the door and it opens on its own.

"Hello?" I ask before stepping in.

It's quiet, but it's not empty. I can hear music from a few feet back. A man walks by. His face familiar, his blue eyes hard yet warm.

"Who are you and why are you in my house?" He asks.

"M-my name is Diana... I woke up across the stream..." I respond.

"That stream over there?" He asks, pointing to the stream I was referring to earlier.

"Yes sir."

"Now, what would a girl like you be doing crossing that stream?" He asks, his eyebrow raising.

"I'm not quiet sure. Where exactly am I?" I ask, scratching my head.

"You mean, you don't know?"

"No sir, I'm afraid I don't."

"Princess Diana..."

"I can assure you I'm not a princess." I say.

The man chuckles. "The kingdom was renamed after you were born. Ricardiana... Diana... You mean you really don't know?"

"You mean I'm actually in Ricardiana as we speak?"

"Princess, are you alright?"

"I'm not a princess! My name is just Diana." I state.

The man looks at me. "Okay, Diana. But you should really let me take you home."

I nod. I did want to go home. Back where Delaney and my parents and Liam were. I shook my head and tried to remember the last thing I was doing. Walking. I was walking home after theatre because I didn't want to go to science class and it was raining heavily.

I looked at the boy, and I wanted to say his name, but I didn't really know it. I had seen him before. We get on his horse and I climb on behind him, wrapping my harms around his waist as the horse takes off.

The wind blows my hair back as we ride for what feels like miles. We stop eventually and there is a large castle in front of us. He steps off the horse and helps me down, his hands on my waist and my hands on his shoulders.

I look down and notice I'm wearing a blue dress that Lizzie would've worn in Pride and Prejudice. I shake my head and take the mans arm as we walk towards the gate.

"This is my home?" I ask, eyes wide.

"Yes. I told you that you were a princess." He says.

I nod as we walk closer to the gate. The guards open it and we walk in. I look behind the man and I and suddenly stop in my tracks.

"Are you alright, Princess?"

"I never got your name..."

"Bartholomew, your highness." He says, bowing with a smile.

"Cyrus!" I exclaim.

He gives me a confused look. "How did you-"

"I don't know! I'm sorry, Bartholomew. Please forgive me." I respond.