Of Shadows & Light

ⅩⅠⅩ. Meredith 🗡

I woke up in the middle of the night to something clattering against the floor. I try not to move as much because I'm in Rodericks arms. And he's peacefully sleeping.

I look to the corner of the room and see a shadow, but I don't bother waking Roderick because it's not a monster. It's my father.

"Go." I whisper. It's loud but quiet at the same time. "Leave me alone," I'm clutching the blanket to me as the night breeze is cold.

"I want to work together," he whispers.

I shake my head. He clearly found me one day out of the castle. Because I haven't spoken to him in years. "How did you find me?"

"The garden."

I knew someone was watching us, but I couldn't tell who.

"You never told me you lived in the castle."

"I haven't spoken to you since my mother died." I snap.

Roderick's grip slightly tightens and he mumbles something I can't hear.

"You need to leave."

"Why? So you can continue your romance with the prince?" He takes a step forward and I see the nasty scar mother left on him before she died. Stretched across his face. "You should come with me. We can work together to bring down this wretched ca–"

"No." I feel my leg throbbing. It's the one night I've been here that I didn't have my herbs. It's obvious someone stole them and I can place down who did it. "I want to stay."

He comes closer, I'm lucky I was still in some sort of nightwear as Roderick suggested it. I gently got out of his grasp so my father couldn't come near him. But I underestimated how much my leg would let me stand and I tumbled over. Only for my father to catch my grasp and hold me near him.

I feel tears leave my eyes as I know I've lost. "Please" I beg.

I watch as my father leaves a note. He's clearly had this planned for a long time.

"Father please." I say again.

I can't shout. I know it'll cause more trouble for me than I'm already in. All I can do is go along with it and beg that he lets me go.

The next thing I know, shadows surround us and we're sucked into them and I'm no longer in the castle.

🗡🗡🗡

Roderick

🗡

I woke up the next day expecting Meredith to be by me. But instead I find a maid setting down my breakfast.

I look around confused. Where did she go?

Her side of the bed was cold and empty. I look at the nightstand next to my bed and see a note. Maybe she left early for crafting. I rub my eyes and reach for the note.

Opening it, I'm confused by the handwriting because it's not Merediths.

Meredith is safe. I'd like to thank you for making it easier for me to reunite with my daughter. Her and I will be doing wondrous things just to keep the shadow monsters alive.

My heart sinks. And I can feel it. She's not safe. And she's not crafting. I know she won't have much time because she has to go against him, so I know I'll have to find her by today or things will progressively worse.

I hurriedly got out of bed and frantically tried to find a shirt, when I did I ran out of my room. My first thought was to get her myself, but then I realized that her father had her, so I knew I had to get my group with me. Bringing too many people could cause a scene. So I knew I had few people to trust.