Chapter 5

Zame and Aurelia try to flee from Prince Roman.

Terror coursed through at that moment, squeezing my insides with paralyzing fear. I couldn't bring myself to scream, much less even move. The big silver eyes suddenly blinked as they tilted to the side. For reasons I couldn’t imagine, something about those eyes seemed vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t quite recall the memory.

A massive body slowly emerged from the hidden trees, making me gasp. A large silver wolf approached me, staring at me with intelligent eyes. He was beautiful. A part of me relaxed in an almost hypnotic stare as I watched the magnificent creature. The wolf lowered his head slowly, eyes still fixated on me.

Without thinking, I stupidly started to make my way towards the wolf. The rational part of my mind was screaming at me to wake up Zame and run. But the other part, the one who craved a little danger, suddenly felt like this creature wouldn’t hurt me. He seemed gentle, and I felt a strange urge to reach out and stroke the furry beast between his ears.

The wolf watched me with careful eyes as I slowly made my way towards him. I was uncomfortably close to him now and could feel his warm breath against my skin. With exaggerated slowness, I gently raised my hand to the top of his massive head.

I felt the thick fur beneath my fingers, surprised at how smooth the texture was. The tips of my fingers glided easily through his dense coat, softly and carefully, wary to not spook the beast. A deep rumble sounded loudly in his chest that reminded me of a cat’s purr.

A terrifying growl suddenly escaped his lips, and I immediately cringed. The sound was painfully loud and echoed maliciously against the trees. I quickly removed my hands, afraid that he would maul me to death. One crush of his powerful jaw would be the end of me.

I suddenly realized that he wasn’t growling at me, but at something behind me.

“Aurelia.”

I turned to see Zame staring at me, horrorstruck. “Do you know what that is?” Her face was pale as a ghost as fear seized her. I have never seen Zame afraid before, nor has she ever addressed me by my name. I slowly backed away from the gray wolf, suddenly terrified of the only creature I’d ever seen her fear.

Without warning, the massive wolf took off running into the darkness away from us. The heavy sounds of his paws against the ground dimmed until it was silent.

“What was that?” I asked, begging her to tell me the reason for her terror. What could possibly make the fierce drow wary and afraid? I didn’t think Zame was afraid of anything. She has never shown fear to me before. Ever.

“Princess,” she started to tell me. “That was Prince Roman’s wolf.”

She shook her head slowly, back and forth. I didn’t understand her fear. The wolf seemed gentle to me.

"So?"

“He’s hunting you,” she told me, face grave.

Zame wasn’t afraid of the wolf. She was afraid of its deadly master.

She began mumbling things to herself as she made preparations for our departure. “We need to leave. Now.”

I agreed, easily going along with her plans. Someone who could get this kind of reaction from Zame was not someone I wanted to mess with. And as much as I disliked drow, I trusted her decision. I was doing the one thing Aelrah had warned me not to do.

The dark elf suddenly took off running with me trailing closely behind her. My feet pounded against the ground, and my heart was frantically beating against my chest. Adrenaline flooded my veins, making me fly through the forest nearly as fast as Zame. I had a feeling she was running slower because of me, and I appreciated it, no matter what her motives were. She was keeping me alive, even if she was doing it for herself.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw dark shapes blur as we ran past them, but I didn’t stop to think about what they were. My only concern was keeping up with the quick drow in front of me. I’d think she was finally going in a straight direction, but she’d suddenly turn corners so fast that I almost didn’t have time to react. I wondered if she was lost, or maybe she was just trying to confuse the trail.

She had told me that Prince Roman’s wolf was his best asset in tracking. She was probably trying to confuse the animal, but I doubted it would work. Animals governed with their senses like most things. His sense of smell would not be fooled.

We continued to run like this for a painfully long time without stopping. My weary body was on its very last limbs, and Zame could sense this. My lungs burned for air and my chest felt tight. I felt numb, forcing my tired body to cooperate with me as I continued running. I felt like any moment I would pass out from exhaustion, but I couldn’t stop. I had to keep up with Zame.

My legs suddenly gave out as I tripped over something on the forest floor. I fell to the ground without having the sense to put my hands up to stop me. I was so tired; I simply collapsed in the mud. I wanted to cry as I tried to stand back up, but nothing happened. My body was beyond being able to move. My muscles were tensed and screamed at me in protest whenever I tried to move them.

“We have to keep going,” she said as she held out her hand. She looked down at me with a hint of pity, but it quickly dissolved into a mask of seriousness. She stared at me, and I could imagine what she saw: a tired elven girl with sheens of sweat and mud covering her face and body. I could feel the dirt in my hair and was sure I smelled awful. My blue eyes probably burned with regret and longing. Desperation and defeat filled my expression like an endless pool.

“I. Can’t,” I told her, fighting tears. I was so unbelievably tired, and my throat burned with thirst. I couldn’t keep running like this. I had pushed my body past its limits, and now it was taking its toll.

Zame continued to stare at me and let out a sigh. She glanced around the area before focusing her eyes on a large tree. “Climb that tree.” She pointed towards it. “You can rest once you are safely up there.”

She held her hand out once more, and I latched onto it, pulling myself up. “I don’t think I can climb,” I muttered feebly. I felt so weak. Talking alone was painful and draining. I couldn’t imagine what climbing would do to me.

“You will die if you don’t,” she told me coldly. “Roman is coming for you. Hiding is your only option, and you can’t do it down here. He will find you. And he will kill you.”

I nodded as I forced my body to head towards the tree. I glanced up at it, seeing its thick, dense branches full of leaves. It would make an excellent hiding spot if I were able to climb. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs full of air. I exhaled as blazing determination took over my body. I will not die out here. I already made it this far.

“Take the rope,” she said, suddenly pulling out the white rope from her bag. “Tie yourself to the tree so you won’t fall when you sleep.”

I nodded as I slung the rope over my shoulder. I gripped the bark with my fingers, feeling the sharp edges dig into my skin. I mustered up as much strength as I had and began to climb. I pulled myself off the ground, but my feet began sliding back down. Frustrated, I tried harder to climb the tree. The first branch was just out of my reach, but I kept sliding.

Zame exhaled sharply as she suddenly bent down to pull my feet up from under me. With Zame’s help, I finally was able to latch onto the nearest branch. I pulled my body up over the thick branch, letting it support my weight before I reached for a different branch. I continued climbing higher and higher into the tree, not bothering to look down. I wasn’t necessarily afraid of heights, but I definitely did not want to dwell too much on it and scare myself.

“Is this high enough?” I asked the drow. I couldn’t see her from the dense green leaves, which I took as a good sign. If I couldn’t see her, then I doubted she could see me. I waited for her response, but none came. “Zame?” I whispered harshly. Did she leave?

Nothing responded but the quiet wind rustling the leaves. It was silent in the forest. I was alone. Zame had left me. What was I supposed to do now? Wait up in this tree until she returned?

I exhaled, realizing that I had been holding my breath. I slowly relaxed my fingers and body, enjoying this rare moment where I actually accomplished something. I had been able to climb the towering tree after all. My eyelids grew heavy, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I fell asleep. My worries about Zame would have to wait.

I leaned my back against the trunk of the tree and stretched my legs out on a very large branch. The branch was very wide and sturdy. Both of my legs side by side still did not equate to its width. I took the white rope in my hands and began wrapping it around my body, attaching it to the tree. I felt satisfied with my knot, giving it a few hard tugs just to make sure it was sturdy. I felt my arms relax by my side, and I couldn’t fight my exhaustion any longer. I finally let my eyes close as I gave in to my overwhelming weariness.

A lovely fair skinned girl sat across from me with her legs crossed on her bed. She was staring at me with concern. She yawned sleepily and murmured, “Can’t sleep?”

I blinked a couple of times, trying to sift through my sleep induced confusion. I glanced down at the pale stone floor of her room, seeing shards of blue crystal glass scattered around the floor. Water was pooled in the center with a wilted red rose. Its leaves had fallen off from the impact and were drifting slowly in the water.

“What happened to your flower vase?” I asked Iris, mildly shocked at the scene. I brought my gaze back towards the beautiful elf. Her white blonde hair draped gracefully over her shoulders and across her slender neck. Her pale pink lips twitched, forming a small smile.

“You were having a nightmare,” my sister told me.

“Oh.” I gulped, wondering how I did that, and if she saw me do it. My nightmares had become a major problem, and Iris had asked that I shared her room for a while. Her presence had a soothing effect on me which prevented my terrible dreams from happening most of the time.

It was always the same dream every time. Hooded strangers would kidnap me in the middle of the night. Yanking me out of my bed while I was asleep. I could never see their faces, only solid black shadows. They never spoke to me, yet I knew for certain that they knew my secret. There was only one kind of crime in our world that could drive such a violent reaction, and they murdered me for it. A single arrow was shot through my heart by an unknown archer, and I would wake up in panic.

It started when I was just a little girl. I used to have the most vivid, wildest dreams. So many bright colors and enchanting places. My dreams used to be happy, and bed time used to be one of my favorite times of the day. It wasn’t until I awoke from one of my dreams, only to find my beloved teddy bear levitating in front of me, that my world truly shattered.

I was the creature that all of the races feared and hated. The monster in all of my bedtime stories my mother used to tell me. And as much as I hated myself for what I was, it was nothing compared to the unbearable fear of discovery. I couldn’t endure the thought of my loving parents, King Darion and Queen Elda, learning that their youngest daughter was in fact, a loathed magi elf. I alone would taint the family name and throne.

It was easy to ignore the magic running through my veins. It required a conscious effort to happen, which I was immensely thankful for. However, once my eyelids closed, and I drifted into unconsciousness, I had absolutely no control over my body or the dark magic coming from it. It was times like this that I was truly afraid of myself. What would happen if a stranger happened to walk by my bedroom while I was making objects float around in my room like some kind of demon?

“Go back to sleep baby sister,” Iris said gently as she kissed my forehead. I gazed at my older sister with fondness. Iris would make a great queen, and I was glad that she was next in line for the throne when the time came. She was graceful, kind, beautiful and very wise. She had all the powerful qualities of a royal and would be a strong leader. She was beautiful and fierce when she had to be. She was everything that I wasn’t.

Iris began to hum a gentle lullaby, alleviating all of my worries in an instant. And although she did not know my darkest secret, I felt safe with her. If I could ever tell anyone about my abilities, it would be her. She was understanding and the most likely person to accept me for who I am.

And as much as I wanted to tell her, I knew that I would never be able to. Magi elves were not allowed to exist. They were feared and hated by all. A disgrace. An abomination. I didn’t want to be imprisoned or killed, which has forced me to live a life of secrecy. I could trust no one in this cruel life fate has given me. Not even myself.

My beautiful older sister tilted her head to the side as a sad smile stretched across her face.

“I miss you, Aurelia.”

“I’m right here, Iris,” I told her slowly, confused on why she said that. Darkness suddenly edged my vision, and my sister became slightly blurry. Her figure kept changing shape, and it was difficult for me to see her.

“Yes, but I’m no longer with you.”

“Yes you are,” I told her stubbornly. “You are beside of me.” She shook her head slowly, and a few pieces of her pale blond hair fell in front of her face.

“You have a dark future ahead of you, little sister,” Iris warned, her voice was growing fainter, and it was very hard to see her amongst the darkness. She was completely shrouded in shadows by this point. I couldn’t see her at all.

“Trust your instincts, not what you know.” A hollow voice told me.

I could feel her slipping away from me.

“No! You stay with me, Iris! Don’t leave me!” I yelled, terror seizing my voice. Somewhere in this, I realized that I was dreaming. All of the painful memories flooded into my unconscious state, and I realized too late that my sister was already dead. This was just a dream. “I can’t lose you again! I miss you so much.” Tears instantly pooled over my eyes.

Her voice was a broken whisper, “Trust your instincts.”

My eyes snapped open, and I awoke suddenly. The pain of remembering my sister was too much to bear. I bit my lip, trying to distract myself from the agony. I couldn’t recall the moment of her death even if I wanted to. Those memories were forever lost to me. After it happened, I buried myself in grief, not speaking to anyone. I couldn’t think of anything without having the reminder of my sister’s death, which brought the blinding agony that ripped through my chest along with it. Eventually, I just stopped remembering.

Only one important detail remained, and it was something I wish I could forget. It had been my fault. My disgusting magi blood was held responsible for the death of my sister. I was the reason that she was not still alive today. I couldn’t control the power. Because I exist, she doesn’t. My already burning hatred for magic had intensified after she died.

I suddenly heard voices in the distance, momentarily distracting me from thoughts about Iris. They were growing louder as they headed towards my direction. I froze, willing my body to become invisible and silent.

“Wonder how much Zephyr is willing to pay?” a gruffly deep voice said. I could hear their heavy footsteps coming closer as they trampled noisily through the woods.

“Could you imagine how she’d reward us if we were the ones to find her? We’d be rich as kings!” a nasal voice said eagerly. “I’d love to see everyone’s faces. We’d be the wealthiest in the land!”

“Can’t be that hard to find her, too. She’s a dainty little princess. Should be easy,” the deep voice said.

“Ever seen her before?”

“No. Have you?”

“Once in the Uncharted a couple years ago.”

I raised my eyebrows and fought back a laugh. I’ve never once ventured out into the Uncharted until recently when I left Azrain. Whoever that man thought he saw, it definitely was not me.

“Damn sexy thing, that’s for sure,” the voice said with longing.

Through the leaves, I finally could make out the bodies that went with the voices, and they were not what I was expecting. Two red trolls with oversized bellies, round faces, and rounded ears made their appearance. They had thinning brown hair and sharp green eyes. Both men were much shorter than me and were covered in greasy warts. The one with the nasal voice had a very long, pointed snout. The other red troll, the one with the gruffly voice, had a short, round nose and was very dirty. He had brown mud all over the side of his face. He suddenly snorted.

“Elves don’t do it for me,” the gruffly voice said. “They all think they are so superior. Especially the royals,” he said with disgust.

“Not even Queen Zephyr?” the nasal voice asked, sounding offended. “Now she’s a looker. What I wouldn’t give to spend a moment in bed with her naked--”

His words were abruptly cut off with a strange gurgle sound. I heard a muted thud and a startled gasp. I leaned forward, trying to see what had happened through the dense leaves.

A black arrow with silver feathers stuck out of the troll’s back with blood slowly pooling by his sides. He was dead.

“Your friend should learn some manners,” a new, deep voice said in the distance. I searched for the one who killed the troll. I saw a dark figure approaching slowly with a bow in his hand. He was dressed in all black from his leather boots to his tight chest piece across his chest. Raven black hair was tied in a short ponytail behind his head. He had a tall, lean frame that gracefully moved as he walked. He was clearly a drow, his light silver skin declared him as such. And I was certain if I were able to see him from a closer distance, his eyes would probably be a sinister red or a cruel violet.

A familiar massive gray wolf trotted along his side as a nauseous feeling suddenly swept over me.

“Prince Roman,” the remaining troll gasped with recognition and terror.

Reviews

[InsanityWriter]

:D

100 billion/100

[Strigoikillerr]

haha thank you xoxo