The Allure of Darkness

19

Azia

The queen unchained my arms but she shackled my wrists together. How am I a threat to them?

She's leading me towards the room I was in yesterday- I think it was yesterday. It should be my birthday today, today will decide my fate. Great just my luck.

"Shoulders back, chin tall, look straight." The queen mumbles as we walk. "Didn't your mother teach you how to be a lady?"

"My mother died when I was young as well as my dad and sister. So no she didn't teach me because she was dead, I think she was six feet underground when she would have taught me." I try to curtsy but my arms won't go far.

The queen stares for a second at the door and clears her throat. "Don't ever use that tone with me again. The king is in there with his cabinet so I suggest you best go in, don't want to keep them waiting." She turns to walk away but she looks back at me. "I suspect we will be seeing each other soon, Azia."

"It will be a pleasure." I say with my back facing her.

I'm faced with a door that will open to a king that already hates me. Oh how lucky I am.

I take a step towards the door and push it open.  The doors spreads open as I walk through the doorway.

It's silent in here, the only thing I can hear is queen heels in the distance.

"Keep walking." I look up to see the king in front of me with ten other people. I only know two of them. Emrys and Loki. The brothers who took my camp and doomed me.

"Sorry." I said quickly. But I didn't move.

I heard a cough in the distance hinting me to keep
walking.

I walk ten more steps and now I'm almost close enough to the throne to where I could spit on the king if I want. That would be a good way to die. On my grave stone it would say I went to spit on the king and then he literally just took my head off. Yes, that would be a great way to go out.

"Azia Elsher Levine." Oh my ploy. How does the king know my full name? It's impossible. The only person alive that knows my name is Cree. Is Cree still alive?

That name got buried along with my family.

"Yes, Cree is still alive." The king pauses and tries to look thoughtful, it isn't a good look on him. "He is for now."

Can the king read my mind? What- oh my.

"I heard that your birthday is today, you are turning 17. You could have something really important to me, important to this kingdom, Azia. But we just have to wait."

"But it's already to la-." I try to tell him.

"It's not too late, it's only ten in the morning. You still have the whole day to get blessed and you will." If I don't they will probably kill me. "My men will bring you to your room and you will stay there until you show signs of being blessed. I've seen the future Azia and it looks bright for you." The king waves his hands and four men come to me. Emrys, Loki, and two others I don't recognize.

"Come and get me when she's blessed, Emrys." The king says loudly over everyone.

I'm pulled out into the hallway and I'm totally lost. I have no idea where I am and how to get out.

We already went down one flight of stairs and made several turns. I think they are just trying to confuse me, which worked.

Emrys and Loki are in front of me, talking quietly. While the other two guards are behind me, silent.

I look at Emrys and Loki and I wonder.

'EMRYS' I scream in my head, very loud. Emrys stops almost immediately and turns to me. Loki just stares at him.

So Emrys was listening to me.

"What the hell, Azia. Don't do that." He comes closer to me and pulls my shackles and I nearly trip. "Don't ever do that, ever again. Or else you will have more problems than you already do."

I can't help but laugh as I see how serious Emrys looks and how scared Loki looks. It's like they are total opposites.

I go up to Emrys ears and whisper, "Sorry your highness, I didn't know that you were listening." I send him and Loki a sweet looking smile.

Loki starts to shake his head and laugh. Emrys backs away from me and starts to walk again, faster than before.

Loki joins his brother as I start to walk again. The hallway is draped in gold showing how wealthy the kingdom is. Gold pillars, gold walls, the only color that stands out in this hallway is the red carpet, running all the way down this hallway.

All of the decorations hide what really goes on here but I haven't figured it out yet.

Emrys and Loki stop at the door at the end of the hall. The last door in this hideous hallway. "Welcome to your home for the next few days, sweetheart." Emrys said with a smirk that turns into a laugh. His eyes turn a deep green emerald color.

I walk towards the dark wooden door and walk inside. My shackles and my breathing is the only thing I hear.

What I see inside could look like luxury to someone but to me it's another prison. It's another life sentence I don't want to take part in.

The room is bigger than my childhood cottage. It has everything that you would need. A full size bed, a bathroom, closet, kitchen, it even has a gameroom.

I would rather go back to living in the camps. The camps that go destroyed, my old home.

"Do you like it, Azia?" Loki says from behind me. They think this is what I want, what will win me over but I have nothing important to give them. Other than maybe I'll get the blessing but I could just get a simple gift. Why go through all of this when I could not get blessed?

"It's fine- It's great, this is great!" I try to say with enthusiasm.

"Sweetheart you-."

"Emrys, stop calling me that, it's disgusting. My father used to call me that."

"There will be guards posted on your door at all times and we will be back before nightfall, Azia." Loki says, trying to fix the tension in the room.

I shake my head, that's the only response they will get. All four of them walk out, leaving me all alone.