Diamond Hearts: A Diamond Castle Fanfiction

6 Separate Paths

This forest seemed to stretch on forever.

"I can't do it anymore, Liana. We've been walking for hours," said Alexa, coming to a stop.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Do we have any water?"

"We ran out. About an hour after we ran out of food."

"Oh," she said faintly.

"I know."

Sparkles poked her head out of my basket, whimpering. I pet her and tried to take in our surroundings. They looked the same as any other part of the woods, except--

"Alexa, I see smoke! And it's not that far."

With newfound haste, we followed the trail to a clearing with a red-roofed mansion with tall windows and vines growing on one of the walls. Behind an iron wrought gate lay a paved path twisting up to the door, lined with roses.

"It's beautiful," Alexa said in awe. "I wonder if someone royal lives here."

"Hopefully someone generous and royal. Who can spare a bed and some food."

I knocked, then we quickly smoothed our skirts and tried to look like we hadn't been walking in the woods all day.

A tall man in a red coat opened the door, his slicked dark ponytail and spectacles catching the golden light outside. "You've come at last," he greeted.

The door opened further to reveal a woman standing next to him. She wore a plum gown and her black hair was in a bun. The couple looked royalty, or like they were about to attend a ball.

"Welcome. Welcome, miladies," said the woman in a faint Scottish accent.

Before either of us could respond, Sparkles pushed past the couple and ran into the mansion.

"Sparkles, no!"

The four of us followed the Cocker Spaniel down the hall and into a large dining room with arching windows and chandeliers. The long table was lit by tall candles and packed with soups, meat pies, a bowl of fruit, plates of cheese, a full chicken, pastries, and a gold pitcher of water.

Had we interrupted their dinner?
Were more aristocrats on their way?

"What may we serve you?" said the man.

"Could you please spare some bread and water?" I said, not wanting to take away from their feast.

"Please, this is all yours. The grounds, the house, everything." He gestured to the entire mansion.

"Ours?" said Alexa.

"The legend," he explained. "It's been foretold two friends--best friends--will come to live in the hall. For years, we've been tending the hall until the rightful owners arrive."

This was too good to be true.

"You must be mistaken." I laughed.

"No, it's just as the legend foretold." He tilted his head slightly, and his eyes glimmered; they were unusually green.

"I can't believe it," Alexa murmured.

"I don't believe it," I said forcefully. "What do you think, Melody?" I pulled her out to see what was going on.

She shrugged. "You know, the Muses sing songs about legends and destiny. This really could be yours."

"Then do you really think we can eat something?" Alexa said hopefully.

"Yes. Go, eat," said Melody.

I took a cube of cheese from one of the plates, curious about its taste. We could almost never afford cheese from the market, and now this couple was giving it all to us for free.