Written In The Stars

Chapter 1: The Dream

I didn't know where I was, or where I was going but all I knew was I was scared so I had to keep moving.
I could feel the crisp cool air of the night hitting my skin like knives as I ran through the forest but I wasn't about to start complaining about being stabbed with the weather, after all it was only to be expected as it was midnight.
I assumed it was night because the sky was pitch black but something was missing, something important that I couldn't quite put my finger on and suddenly it hit me, no literally hit me I had knocked into a tree.
After a few moments I composed myself and tried getting up when a large hand reached for mine, it wasn't a tree it was a person, a man.
I don't know what compelled me but I took his hand without hesitation and then I began laughing.
I wasn't afraid, I was running from him, like a game, I was enjoying it.
I looked at his face as he pulled me towards him but he had no face, only blurred features.
He reached for my chin and tilted my head up and I realised there had been no stars, the night was black but there were no stars.

I woke up with a tear streaming down my cheek, I wiped it off immediately in disgust, I never cried.
I looked around me and sighed at the relief of being in my familiar bedroom, the same black vanity in the corner and double doors which led to my walk-in wardrobe, an on-suite and my king sized bed which I was now climbing out of.
I reached for my forest green silk dressing gown and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, I looked in the mirror and saw an unfamiliar gleam in my eyes and that was enough to send me straight downstairs to find something, anything to think about instead of that dream, but first I had to change.

I grabbed my most worn out pair of black jeans and a black tee and threw my hair into a ponytail, minimum effort for this early in the morning.
I was walking down the large staircase, although it was the staircase connecting the 2nd and 3rd floor so it was quite small compared to the others, when my eyes wandered to a painting, my mother's favourite of a forest at night covered with wild flowers and woodland animals, I seen this painting everyday, I looked upon it with a sense of admiration, I wasn't an artist or a critic myself but I knew good artistry when I seen it, but somehow today was different and all it reminded me of was that dream, that's it! I thought to myself and I ran back up the stairs two at a time and grabbed my gloves from my dresser.

I walked through our spectacularly large entrance hall, not really paying attention to anything as the adrenaline rushed through me with the urge to train.
I wasn't feeling any particular aggression from the dream, I just got excited every time I trained, like a child when there parents tell them they can go to the funfair, except my funfair was our mile long "garden" filled to the rims with combat training courses, we even had a maze to practice our reflexes and agility.
This was my playground as a child, I was raised as all princesses and heirs are, with the mindset of duty and the kingdoms well-being above all else, and in a kingdom riddled with the living dead, it wasn't exactly all tiaras and balls growing up.

I was tying my gloves as I walked over to the shack where I kept my personal weapons, I loved its simple design because it was the only non expensive thing I owned, and I grabbed my favourite weapon of choice, the sword, and took it over to where I saw my father already training amongst some of our best men, he was sparring with Francis, his longest serving knight and close friend and I have to say, I've never seen a slower moving fight in my life.
"With moves like that you might just injure yourself at the summer ball next week" I laughed as I stepped onto the platform and poked his back with my sword, he swung round faster than I had expected and almost swiped my legs from under me, but he still wasn't half as quick as I was and I dodged it in a second.
"Just remember who the teacher is here Gwen, and besides I can still give old Francis over here a few scars" he replied, friendly tapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Ah so I guess that means you don't have any strength left to have a session with your best student then" I challenged, to which he replied with a jab at my leg, which I swiftly countered with my blade.
"Careful, don't let the kill strike get to your head" he said as he kicked my knee, making me lose balance.
He continued, "I'll make you a deal miss big shot, if I win you have to attend the celebrations and act accordingly with a suitor of my choosing,"
I scoffed, "and if you win I'll let you skip the dance completely and stop nagging you to find a husband."
I was shocked, he and my mother had been throwing men at me ever since I turned 18 and all of a sudden he was just going to give it up, I couldn't believe it and I wouldn't of been stupid enough to agree had my father not been notorious for keeping his promises, "done."

- I wonder what her father is up to and how the spar will turn out, if you want to find out don't be shy and follow or add this book to your library/reading list.

- As I mentioned in the "Introduction" I would love some feedback and possibly a like if you enjoy the start of the story and if you didn't I'm open to constructive criticism.

- Thank you for reading! Xx