Elysium

A Little Princess And Her Castle Of Darkness 5

I awaken to see myself once again in my strange new bedroom. I sigh and notice that it's probably late evening. It was getting to be so annoying to be blacking out all of the time, I hated to be sick like this. Maybe I should stop thinking so much, it was really getting to my wellbeing. I go towards the door, I sigh, of course it's locked. I was going to rip my hair out if I had to be locked up in a room all day. It was so sickeningly boring I just wanted to feel something other than loneliness. I wonder if I pretended to be good if he'd allow me to wander around the house more. I prayed on this idea and decided that this will be my best bet into escaping. I kind of already knew that this trick wouldn't work on him forever, there was only so many times you can do something before you're figured out.

"How are you holding up?" Lucius sits politely on my bed. I turn around to face him.

"I'm lonely." I admit.

He stares at my bruises in silent anger. I whimper and hide my arms in my gown.

"I'll never forgive him for this." He breathes.

I didn't want to think about this, no offense to Lucius but he wasn't much of a fighter and he definitely wasn't the type to confront anyone so him not forgiving Leo didn't really mean anything. Suddenly shadows began coming from under the door, they were pouring in like blood, disgusting darkness. I screamed and cower into the corner, they were bitter and filthy I didn't want them to touch me. Why won't anybody help me?

"Anna... I'm sorry I didn't mea-"

I sob and leap towards my previous lover.

As soon as I land on the bed he vanishes. I cry out in desperation.

"Please don't leave me again... no..!"

I reach for someone who won't ever be there again. I begin to cry as the shadows continue to seep through the door, creeping in closer again. I panic as they begin to cover the entire floor, slowly eating away at the bed frame.

"N-NO! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ALONE LIKE THIS AGAIN? I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" I screamed and began clawing at the bedsheets like a deranged animal.

"Annalina!" Lucius' voice is in my ear.

His voice comforts me and the shadows disappear. I lay in bed breathing heavily and trembling in horror. I suddenly notice a hand written story book on the nightstand beside me and I take immediate interest in it.

"Anna.... Don't read that...."

Lucius' voice fades this time, he sounded defensive as if he didn't want me to find out the truth. I shook it off and grabbed the story book anyways. It seemed to be a simple cover made of black leather with the title "The Lonely Golden Demon" I open it up and it only has one story in it. The piece is titled "Her" I began reading with trembling fingers.

There was once a little princess,

Living in her castle deep down in the woods

And the Poor princess was alone and scared...

But she looked so pretty in her long puffy dresses

She loved playing and singing with the birds

So the birds joined her kingdom

And she wasn't so alone anymore.

Then came many other animals to sing and play along with the

Beautiful little princess.

And her kingdom grew stronger and stronger

And then the princess never had to be alone or scared again.

She didn't like the way she looked but the animals

Always assured her how beautiful she really was.

And they were right!

So, she took her dress

Got ready for bed

And laid down to rest.

She could finally rest.

The Golden Demon would do anything in her power to achieve her

Happiness.

Even if it meant destroying everything in her path

Even if it meant destroying herself.

The writing was very childish, but it was very sweet at the same time. I felt tears streaming down my cheeks as I held the book to my chest. I don't understand why it affected me so much, but I felt as if this was a clue to figuring out who I really was. I knew the princess in the story was supposed to be me, but I also knew that this loneliness would never go away. Leo was not my prince, he was the demon who killed my happiness. I guess I was so absorbed in the story that I didn't notice Leo walk in. The story felt so familiar, it felt as if it were read to me long ago, my bedtime story.

"Hey, did you read this to me once before?" I asked without turning around, the words sort of slipped out, I didn't realize I said them until it was too late. I felt him stiffen behind me and he didn't say anything. For some reason I could sense that his chest was aching, did I perhaps hurt his feelings?

"Well... did yo-" I was cut off by his sharp voice

"Time to go to sleep now." Before I can respond I'm hit with something at such force that I am out cold in an instant.