*SCREAMING IN SILENCE*

A ROYAL SURPRISE

I DUMPED THE BODY IN THE RIVER AND WHIPED THE BLOOD FROM MY HANDS, THE SWEAT FROM MY FORHEAD

THEN I HEAR THE CRACKELING OF LEAVES ON THE GROUND

AS IF THERE IS ANOTHER SOUL OUT HERE IN THE DARK WOODS AT THIS GOD FOR SAKEN HOUR

'IT MUST ME AN ANIMAL OR MY IMAGINATION' I WISPER TO MYSELF.

'NO IT'S NOT.' SOMEONE BEHIND ME SAYS.

AS I TURN AROUND, TAKING THE DAGGER FROM THE HOLSTER AT MY THIGH MAKING MY DRESS FLOW IN THE LIGHT BREEZE OF WIND

I SEE A HANDSOME MAN DRAGING A BODY BEHIND HIM LEAVING A TRAIL IN THE WOODS.

'UNLESS YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE A CREEPY RETELLING OF HANSEL AND GRETEL AND THAT TRAIL IS A WAY TO FIND YOUR WAY BACK,

I WOULD COVER UP YOUR TRAILS.' I SAY IN AN ANNOYED VOICE STILL POINTING MY DAGGER AT HIM.

HE IGNORES MY DAGER AND WALKES PAST ME, DUMPING IN THE LAKE JUST LIKE I DID JUST MINUTES AGO.

'GUESS I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WORKING THIS FINE JOB IN THIS DISTRICT.' HE SAYS AS A SMIRK FORMS ON HIS FACE AND HIS EYES FIND MINE -GOLD-

'I GUESS NOT' I ANSWER STILL LOOKING AT HIS GOLDEN EYES,

THINKING ABOUT WHAT MY MOTHER ONCE TOLD ME:

'YOU WILL SEE GOLD ON A DARK NIGHT, AT AN UNEXPECTED PLACE. BEWARE MY DEAR, FOR YOU WILL LOSE YOUR HEART ON THAT CHILLED SUMMED NIGHT'

'WHAT IS A FINE LOOKING LADY LIKE YOU DOING IN THIS DARK WOOD AT THIS GOD FOR SAKEN HOUR, DISPOSING A BODY?' HIS WORDS MAKE ME SWING BACK TO REALITY.

'I COULD ASK YOU THE SAME' I SAY,

NOW I NOTICE THAT I SLIGHTLY LOWERED MY DAGGER AND THIS MAN HAS TAKEN STEPS FORWARD AS HIS EYES ARE NO LONGER FOCUCED ON MINE BUT ON MY LIPS.

'WHY DON'T YOU PUT THAT DAGGER AWAY, A LADY THIS BEAUTIFUL SHOULDN'T BE THREATENING A GOOD LOOKING MAN LIKE ME,

SHE SHOULD BE KISSING HIM AND SITTING NEXT TO HIM ON A THRONE OF HER OWN' HE SAID TEASINGLY.

THAT IS WHEN I NOTICED THE ROYAL SIGNATURE ON HIS CLOAK. -IS HE A ROYAL GUARD?-

'WHO ARE YOU?' I ALMOST SOUND DESPRATE -WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?-

'YOU ARE EITHER NOT FROM THIS LAND OR STUPID IF YOU DON'T KOW WHO I AM' HE LAUGHS.

'BUT YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE THE STUPID KIND, YOU ALSO DON'T LOOK LIKE THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME' HE ADDS AS HE GESTURES TO THE LAKE.