And What I Found There - Book Two

11. I Just Wanna Feel Okay Again

I dress for the road. I find this super cool dress in the back of my mother's wardrobe. I don't feel as weird as I thought I would to be wearing Adarina's clothes, if anything I just really feel amazed and treasure these dresses even more than any other clothing I've ever owned before. And they are all so beautiful, I'm wonderstruck that me and Adarina have the same taste in style, it makes her feel less like a stranger to me.

This dress is a pastel purple and has a sweetheart neckline with halter straps around my neck, the waist looks like it's wrapped up by wide ribbons and the rest of skirt is pleated and swishes over my white stacked heels. There're separate purple sheer sleeves that leave a little gap of skin bare between my straps and are covered in lacy flowers that are lightly dusted with glitter, I add white gloves that I'm pleased to report have the fingertips cut off, a signature to all magic users.

I feel more legit now that I'm wearing them, maybe even a little giddy.

Now I tug my messy blonde curls back in ponytail and complete this look with red lipstick. There. Nothing to it. And I do look rather nice, I think with a sly wink at my reflection, and proceed to trip in my heel highs out the way out. Ugh.

"I have a touch of bad news," Cornelius tells me when we meet up a few minutes later, we're heading outside to the enormous royal stables where we'll meet up with Quill. "I'm afraid that the Court only granted us permission to train on the road on the condition that someone from their council accompanies us."

"But isn't that Quill?"

"I'm afraid not..."

I widen my eyes. "Please don't say it is the Princess of Hearts."

Cornelius glances at me apologetically.

I gasp. "No way! How can traipsing around through the woods be something she's up for? We can't have her come along, how will we find Vyndren with her? What if she finds out about my Blood Dreams? She'll tell her mom and then the Queen will work her evil magic whatever an-and turn me into like, the most hated person ever! The Court will call me in-insane and, and then -"

"Adara," Cornelius says calmly. "We have no need to worry. Between me and Quill we should be able to keep the Princess from getting too close to bother you."

I hear a loud commotion behind me and I whirl around in time to see a bunch of animal servants bustle into the stables with a large luggage cart on wheels. "I said try not to drop any of my things!" I hear the Princess of Hearts' angry voice.

"Sorry, Your Highness! Forgive us!" One of the servants, a big black cat, hastily picks up one of the fallen train-style cases and hobbles after the cart on his hind legs, brushing the dirt off it as he goes.

Whoa, now I wonder if I should have brought a suitcase of something at the sight of all the crap the Princess is bringing.

The little Princess of Hearts breezes over to us, she frowns as she looks our carriage over but now yelps as one of the stalls are opened and another horse trots out. "Hey! Keep that beast away from me!" She snaps, brandishing her fan at the animal.

Today, like every day, she is wearing a bright, blood red dress. This one has a heart shaped top, it seems to be made of tiny roses and the rest of the dress is silk with a web of golden lace covering the masterpiece, her gigot sleeves are so big, they brush her golden earrings. Her red curls are tucked under a huge lacy red sun hat, the brim is like, four feet across and she keeps bumping me with it every time she jumps when the horses snort.

"Brutes." She growls and realizes she is standing beside me. She looks me over and sneers. "Now I feel overdressed, and this was the only drab thing I own." She sneers and just now, the white rabbit with the waistcoat and pocket watch jumps into the stable.

"Sorry I'm late, Princess Adisonia." It is the White Rabbit again. The Knave of Hearts. He twitches a huge ear as her other animal servants file out of the stables. "I had misplaced my gloves again." His nose twitches.

"Whatever." The Princess rolls her eyes. "Well, what are we dallying around here for? Can't we go yet?" She snaps as the servants finish strapping down her luggage.

"It's all your things that are slowing us down," Quill retorts.

"I like to travel in style," she sniffs and hops into the carriage. A few moments later, after we're all packed up, we all hop inside too.

Now we finally embark on our quest.

"So out with it, where are we really going? I know you are all up to something so you had better just come clean and tell me what it is." Adisonia demands after we cross the drawbridge and are rattling across the stone bridge over the ocean. I've been looking out the window with amazement and excitement, still in awe over the beautiful, surreal wonder of the Palace and its island, Pleasance, but now I turn my head quickly to look at Cornelius and Quill for help.

I don't know how to answer her questions.

"We are going to the country to train." Cornelius answers suavely.

She snorts. "Oh please, I'm not going to believe the same shick you told the rest of Court, so tell me, what are we doing for real?" She crosses her arms.

"Training the Alice," Quill gives her a look. "Nobody lied to the Court, Adisonia, so get off your high and mighty horse."

"How dare -"

"Who knows?" Cornelius shrugs. "We all might learn something new from this training exercise," he briefly glances at me.

I smile a bit.

"There's nothing I need to learn from the likes of you," Adisonia sniffs and whips out her fan.

I'm vaguely aware of her and Quill bickering while my thoughts -as they always do- consume my mind with Vyndren.

What will he be like after all this time? What will I be like? Will I lose my mind around him? Will I lust for his blood like how he longs for mine?

Will all of those Dreams come true?

***

Now it's nighttime. We had a super long ride to get through all of the marvelous, magical cities that partly surround Pleasance, but now we're finally resting in a hotel in Craddleshire, in the morning we'll be out in the wilds.

I toss and turn in my bed, feeling hot and restless. I flip the blankets off and sit up, slightly breathless. My skin is shining with perspiration. I keep plucking at my dress, it feels so sticky, urgh. I can't stand it. I hop up and open the window, desperately sucking in deep breathes of air...but it doesn't help, it even tastes dry.

Shadows fall to the ground all around my open window and now form a shadow just across the street...it's his shadow.

"Vyndren?" His name sounds so right saying it aloud. I actually smile but now his shadow vanishes into the thick veil of darkness down the alley across the quiet street.

What? No! I can't let him slip away! I quickly unlock my door and hurry out of my room, looking around the quiet hall before I sneak down the creaky stairs before bolting outside.

The village is super quiet and still, not even a cricket chirps which for summertime is weird. But I think nothing of it, all I can hear is my heart pumping blood through my dry veins.

I dart across the street and down the next alley, catching a glimpse of his shadow farther away, I start to run after it. I stagger a little bit as my head swims with exhaustion, but I keep running, running and running down the winding, endlessly twisting and turning of the village after his shadow while the rest of the village sleeps on soundly.

It's like everyone is dead to the world.

It feels like I'm the only one left in the world; just me and his shadow...