Peasant Romance the Last Dragon's Heart Locket

Chapter III: caged dilemmas

I wake on the floor, in the middle of a long winding hall. Where am I now? I grunt getting up, then begin searching my surroundings. It's still night. I must have not been out long.

Rubbing the back of my head where it hit the ground, I realize how grand of a building I'm in. Columns entend from the floor, spiraling to the tallest of ceilings. Gothic artwork is carved into the dark stone. I strain my neck back attempting to make out all the fine art. The bones crack and creak. I scream out in pain, giving up, the neck pain too overpowering.

With one last scan, I conclude I'm alone and probably lost.

I decide to wander. What is with me passing out and that man kidnapping me, bringing me places I have no idea where! This is ludicrous. I believe I have every right to snoop around. I come a diverge. They look the exact same. I take to the right, immediately coming across multiple doors, lining both walls. All different colors. A rainbow. I choose the red. Better to start the first color. I can make my way down.

I step up to the red door, examining the exterior. The color is of the man's eyes. Deep yet brilliantly bright in a way that keeps secrets and holds a deeper truth. It's of blood. I look down at where the door would sweep the floor if opened, expecting to see what? A smear of blood? How silly I am. How clueless and naive. I should lower my expectations.

Windows allow for peering in, except the reflection is causing difficulty. My figure stares back at me. My wavy hair, resembling those of the ocean. I push it back from my face. I wish I had something to hold it up with. So bothersome. My perfect hair.

I attempt to get closer, smashing my face against the glass. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Complete darkness. I inch backwards, noticing how my face grease left a mark. I cringe. How long has it been since I've pampered myself? Taken a shower actually and change my clothes? Oh, my breath must stink! Thank goodness my choir mates were between a wall from me! They would've thrown me to the guard dogs if they could see me! I lean back in to wipe the smear, catching sight of something else in the corner of my eye. Finger prints have also imprinted onto the glass near the bottom. Not mine. I made sure to only press my face. I don't need anymore grease stains. Not my fingers.

I squint my eyes, trailing them from the very middle to where the spiral begins, and following all the curves. It's fairly large. Possibly a man's, not to assume however. I shake my head. What am I doing? Examining finger prints as if I'm a detective? As if I could come up with an original though in my life? My mother always told me I was special but I knew the truth. With the way she looked at me as if I was her entire world. Naive. What unchecked innocence she had. And now she claims shes in a coma. Has she ever thought it might be for the greater good? She would've been turned evil by now if she knew the truths about this world. Who raised her? How was possibly able to raise someone as perfect as me? I guess it's not what you were raised with, but born with. I breathe a sigh, finally turning the knob.

Inside, the room appears to be no room at all. The walls of which carved out the door for me are nowhere to be seen. I simply stand in a doorway, a large prairie extending outwards and backwards. No ending. I swivel my head, trying to wrap around my head how this works. I lean back out. Same hallway. Back in, no walls.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. My mother did always tell my anything is possible. I shake my head once more. I need to stop thinking of her. Stepping fully in, I question to myself, what do I have to lose?

The sky of the prairie reaches the landscape when looking out. It truly continues forever, huh? Or perhaps I shouldn't let my eyes only speak for me. I raise my guards, suspicion sneaking in.

The time here seems to follow that of in the real world. Night time.

With a breeze flowing past, I hear a wind chime. I follow the sound. Plush grass welcomes each footfall, soon turning to a cobbled pathway. I hop along each stone. A stream snakes past, trees crowding above. Long branches creak in the wind. The chirps of crows accompany the constant chimes. It flows together as in in song. I spot a lantern. It dangles from an old sign, reading "Don't dare look back for you might not find yourself where you use to stand. Be warned but no frightened. Follow of what you hear, not see."