𝕱𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕿𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖓𝖘

Chapter Four

     As I run through the castle, I can still hear their screams. Or maybe that's just an echo in my ears. Tears fall from my face, and creates a trail of petals. It's going to get me killed. I just killed. I killed my father, I killed multiple people, people that are important to this country. People, who we needed. The vines and roses still followed me, quickly, like snakes reaching for the killing strike. Glass shattered, and the floor cracked. This once beautiful castle was turning into a nightmare. My feet tripped over my dress and the vines sprouting from the floor, I heard the thunder and lightning from outside. Just like the tales. Perfect timing storm. I ran forward, ignoring the shouts from the maids, and hearing the guards stomping in the metal armor.

If I turned around, they would catch me. My heart burned even more, and breath came fast. I ran around the corner, every hall looking the same. Candles flickered, and I ran until I saw the wood door that opened up into the large garden. I ran down and flung it open, my heels clicking on the stone floor. I saw the outside door, and opened it, immediately being greeted by a storm of rain and lightning. Wind blew my dress and hair, and as I stepped out, I was soaked. But that didn't matter. I still ran across the grass, branches and flower petals getting flung at me. I dodged them, still running for the golden gate.

I'm almost there. I'm almost there. I'm gonna be safe. I'll be safe. I scream as an arrow flies past my head, stumbling backwards, I whip around to see guards arrows pointed at me. I can hear the shouts to fire. No! I'm so close! I keep running for it. Running faster than I ever think I have. I reach the gate, and shake it. Its locked. I glance behind me, guards are running towards me. I scream at it to open in the rain. It's not going to do anything. This is when I die. Trees surround me, and flower bushes, vines still crawl towards me. Maybe...

I thrust my arm out towards one of the guards and it takes a few seconds that I think nothing will happen, but then vines gather and thorns grow, and they crawl towards the guard faster than I can see, and in a moment he's being strangled by the vines, until his body goes still and blood covers the grass. I gasp covering my mouth with my hand, trying to stop the power rushing through me. "STOP!" I scream at the vines. Nothing happens, more guards go down, and then the flowers and vines start calming down. They climb up my dress and twist around my waist, not too the suffocating point, roses sprout and climb up my arms and make a circlet in my hair. I shake my head, "this is wrong," I whisper, my eyes widening. I have to get out of here. My breath comes faster as I try to climb the vines, the vines grow in my presence, creating stairs that I climb up on, it holds my weight, but I still have to climb a bit. Yelping as I fall over the gate and land in the mud. I stand up and stare at my home. No. My old home. A place of murder now. I blink. Veryz will be king now, and maybe even Emmalee will be queen. I wipe the mud off my face, but just end up smearing it. My chin quivers. What have I done?

You did what's right, my child.

My eyes widen, what the heck is in my head.

Not what, who. Child, do you know who is speaking to you?

Get out! It try to tell it. This is not me, this is another thing...Being.

Aiyana, your family has done you wrong. This gift is being treated as a curse, a disease. The world doesn't know you. But they should. Your power deserves to be worshiped.

I shake my head, my hands pressing against my temples, "get out!" I scream, running towards the Bridgeberry Woods. I struggle, falling backwards, the voice echoing in my mind. I'm going mad!

The voice is gone now, as if it had been scared off. I look around, the shadows from the trees and thickets creating monsters. My dress is in shreds and I start bawling and I slump down on a tree. Bringing my knees to my chest. What have I done? I killed the Empress and the Emperor, I killed my father. I killed my mother. I'm a fugitive. I don't know where I am, the voice made me loose any sort of sane I had left, so I screamed and ran. Trying to escape from something in my head. Maybe it was me. I hear the Midnight Pixies beginning to wake for hunting. I'll probably be eaten alive by tomorrow morning. The buzzing from there wings helping the headache in my head soothe a bit. I feel the crawl of vines and roses crawl up my body. They're still following me. The buzzing is louder, and I hear squeaks. I ignore it. But they become more rapid, getting angrier, almost. I peek through my cocoon and see a pixie flying in front of me. Its large bug eyes staring at me, with its gray skin, and blue short hair. The antennas are different from the ones I've seen at the castle grounds. They fall low beneath their collarbones, and curl at the ends. White vampire flowers act as a dress on this pixie, and the wings look like stars. It's very beautiful, but will probably begin to feed soon, and then the others will join and nothing but my skeleton will be left. I wait for it to begin. It doesn't. I tilt my head, and hold out my hand, vines are still crawling down, and wrapping around my arm. The pixie lowers itself, and sits in a comfortable position. I smile. But it feels weird. I can't remember the last time I smiled. It nuzzles my thumb, and the squeaks continue. I tilt my head and decide to say, "I can't understand you." My voice is cracked and thick with tears. I see the pixie roll its eyes and it flies up to my ear and whispers, "Hi. I'm Ceilyn, are you the princess? I've seen you around, but I mainly stay here in the forest, but you seem sad whats wrong?" Her voice is soft, and high pitched, but she says it with such sympathy I confide. "I-I killed my father, and my mother. And even the Empress and Emperor. I ended their lives. I made them stop breathing." My voice cracks, and the burn in my heart intensifies. "Why aren't you eating me?" I ask out of nowhere needing to change the subject. Ceilyn shrugs, "Your a daughter of nature. A sister. I can't eat you, you'd taste too much of home." That just makes me cry even more. I feel her soft hand pat my shoulder softly, it tickles. She pauses for a moment and flies up into the tree again. Where is she going?