Shadow

Meeting the King

        I am startled awake with a rough shake. I must have gone into an emergency shutdown. With my sanity returning, I need to stall it as long as possible. I turn my head and see a pup staring at me and motioning me to get down. Only then do I realize that I'm no longer in the beautiful calm forest, but right in front of the Prince boy's castle.

        How I could have not awaken when we entered is beyond me. I am too excited to dwell on that thought for long because now I am close. So close, Daddy has to be near he has to be. Up ahead I see the Prince boy talking with some fancy dressed people. I planned on marching up to the prince boy and demand him to take me to my father when the shackles clasp on.

        Shackles...

        It had been so long since they had been on that I had forgotten. I am still considered a threat, or peril danger that needs to be contained. Please, if I had wanted to kill some one it would have already been done. That's not right. I need to stop. Stop. Stop.

        Daddy comes up with the plans not me. I don't kill until his command. I shoudn't speak until his command. I should be punished harshly for disobeying his command. Apparently gaining Sanity also gains me the lack of discipline and obedience.        

        The sooner we get to Daddy the better. Since I'm now shackled I cant run without tripping up on all the chains. Thats good. Yes. Chains will keep my grounded. Just think about the chains. Chains. Chains. Chains. Shackles. Chains. Shackles. Chains. Shackles. Chains.

***
        When we finally arrive to my home, my worries fell away. My friends, Max and Jason were there to greet me. Max, he is the head weapons trainer of the Kingdom. Ever since we were kids he had always been playing around with a knife or other assorted weapons. So it made since when he gradually became the weapons master.

        As for Jason he was another one of my childhood friends. I didn't get to see him as much since he did not live in Forza, the Capital of Ledarian which is where the castle was located also. He was  next in line to become lord up near the northern part of the Ledarian border in a town called Astucia. His father wanted Jason to learn from the best tutors, who in fact teach the royals, so we spent many days studying and learning together as children.

        The three of us together we made a mischievous group. While we were  greeting and catching up with each other one of the guards from the journey came up and spoke to me, "My men are getting nervous your Majesty. The girl is making them uncomfortable. I suggest we move her out of the town square from viewing eyes and take her to see your father."

        I nodded and replied," Yes, yes I see your point have your men start taking her up there and I will be there soon enough."

        " It will be done your Majesty." He said while bowing, then took off and gave the orders to his men.

        I didn't want to go with them just yet. I coudn't face my father just yet. I feel happy right now, and as soon as I step foot inside I know that this feeling will disappear and become just another fleeting memory among so many others.        

        I turn to back to my friends expecting to continue with our previous conversation when Max asks me," Who's the girl?" What am I supposed to say. That oh her, she's just the deadliest assassin in all the Kingdoms and I have been tracking her down so I could deliver her to my father like she is some wrapped up present with a pretty bow on top.

        I should have said that but instead I said," Oh her. She's the daughter to one of the rebel leaders in the south. My father heard of her and wanted to see her. You know how he is." They both nodded and started telling me all the news I had missed since being gone. But I coudn't shake the feeling that Max was looking at me like he actually knew who she was.

        He coudn't have though my Father gave me explicit instructions not to tell anybody. He wanted to make sure only a select few knew who she was. And speaking of my father I'm sure he just so delighted that I have not shown up yet. I tell my friends that I had better be off and they wished me luck. Right now I will need all the luck I can get.

        I step inside the great stone castle, and start marching my way to the throne room where my father would be waiting.

***

        The pups started leading me into the castle and although my Daddy works for the King he never let me come to the castle. My first impression was that while it must have taken ages to build and probably the unique stones meant something it all looked rather odd and disorienting. Like being trapped in a sand dune and not knowing which way is up or down or left or right. 

        I seemed to be the only one with this problem though because the pups dragged me along with a surety that I'm not even sure I could have produced in my own home. They took several rights and lefts and we finally ended up in a large open room. Must be the throne room.

        I swept my gaze from the floor in front of me to the walls on either side which were made of stone then finally to the throne, which upon it sat a man. The throne it self made of the darkest stone I had ever seen. As black as the night sky if there were no stars to light it. With the throne alone the room would have been intimidating, but the man upon made it more so.

        My knees buckled upon seeing the man.  Seated upon the mighty throne was tall defining man. Wearing only black clothes he almost blended in with the throne. His clothes were black with a blood red trim. His crown that was set upon his head was brightly gold that showed everyone who would gaze upon it that he was the leader that he represented all the wealth that his crown bestowed on him.        

        But the eyes... 

        Daddy told me that all you ever needed to know about a person was in there eyes. Like the pups. All there eyes hold this sense of duty, which would describe to me they are fiercely loyal and are born protectors and battle soldiers. But this man this king is different...

        His eyes are unreadable, they look like a black soulless abyss. I hadn't noticed that I had been staring in the Kings eyes for so long until he spoke," Find something unusual about my eyes Assassin." His voice like a thousand sharp needles drifted over to me and made me actually fall to my knees. This man, is unreadable exactly like my father, maybe, maybe, until my father appears this King can end my Sanity.

        The King after getting no response from me motioned the pups to bring me forward. The pups like they did that last day in the mines dragged me to the king and I knew just knew he would return my insanity back. They dragged me over till I was close enough to the king to smell his breathe and then the King did the one thing, the one move, that could bring me my salvation back. The one thing I remember Daddy doing to me whenever I was to difficult to handle. The one thing that always made that horrible Sanity go away. The King took my face in his hands, and pressed his lips to my brow while murmuring the words," Goodnight Darling One until the next time."

        Then the world turned Mad.