Royal Blood

Chapter Thirty One

Currently, I am swimming in darkness, my eyes are open but everything is black. Squeezing them tightly shut, I hope that it will change what I see. Maybe my eyes have just gone funny for a couple of minutes and when I open them I'll be able to see once again.

I quickly open my eyes but not to my surprise, everything is still black. There is no way out of this void. I try banging on what looks like a wall but instead I feel nothing. I am completely trapped and no matter how much I try, there is no way out.

Screaming in frustration, I try and think of something. Surely I cannot be tapped here for the rest of my life? Concentrate Alexandria... just concentrate. Picture another scene, think of the forest, the greenery of the trees and plants, the sounds of the birds tweeting in the trees above, the rays of sun which peep through the branches in the trees.

The next thing I know, the scene has transformed once again to the forest. Well at least I am no longer in the black void. If I tell myself that I can escape then maybe I can. Now I just have to figure out which chapter forest I am in, I have travelled through many on this journey. Walking around, I keep my eyes peeled on the path ahead, keeping a look out for anyone who is after me. All that I come across though are innocent animals who are doing nothing but enjoying their day.

I keep walking until eventually I come across a hole which looks very familiar. Suddenly I remember that it is the one that Jasper and I crawled in, not long after we first met. That means I am not too far from the palace. Maybe this is a chance to relive my life? Did I do something that I should not have done and now it needs changing? Will life be better for people if I go back to the palace right now? I honestly do not know.

"Come back to me Alexandria, I am your mother after all." A voice booms, sounding like it is coming from the sky.

"Mum?" I quickly turn around on the spot where I am stood, searching for where the voice is coming from.

"Yes, it is me. You can stop all this if you just come back to me." The voice booms once again.

Going back to the palace does seem like the best thing to do. I will have my own bed, be able to shower every night, people will cook for me. Why did I ever leave in the first place? A life of luxury, that is what I want.

"She can't come with your majesty, I'm afraid. Alexandria is mine for the time being. After all, you suffocate her." A second voice booms. Again I look around but find nothing.

The voice sounds familiar and wakes something in me up. My mother was suffocating me, now I remember but still, I could shower every night! Why would I ever leave that? Something inside my head is saying I did it to save other people...

It all comes flooding back, the attacks which led me to leave, the unspeakable disease, homelessness. All of that needs sorting out and I know my mother will not do it.

"She will be back with me, eventually." I hear my mothers voice say.

I want to go back now and tell her everything about my journey. Maybe then she will listen to what I have to say in meetings.

"I don't think that is going to be anytime soon." The second voice says and I realise that it belong to Crow!

Oh I am not actually in the woods near the palace, I will not see my mother soon. The last thing I remember is being in the bunker, so where am I now?

Suddenly, I open my eyes and immediately close them again. My head is pounding and for a minute I cannot remember why. Did I fall over and hit it? I do not think I did. Wait, I think I got hot over the head with something. That sounds about right.