My Mates

chapter 3

Lana pov

Has anybody ever told you to not do something, then you have the overwhelming urge to do that thing even though you didn't desire to do it before?

Yes that sounds like some major inner conflict, but at this moment that's what I'm, struggling with.

I was told not to go into the woods but here i am at the start of a trail that leads into the thick forest, bareback on a black horse I've never ridden before.

I must know what lies within these trees that is so dangerous. Do I really want to know? Maybe I just want to prove that everything my father has written aren't the words of a mad man.

As the black horse and I walk down the narrow path all kinds of things catch my attention.

Beautiful flowers and mushrooms on the damp forrest floor. Bright green mos covering stones and trees.

A small what seemed to be a bug from afar comes to land on the horse's head looking at me. Apon closer inspection it has a human like body with bright colored wings about the size of a dragonfly. The pink and purples mix beautifully on her wings as brown hair hangs around her.

The little fairy? Pixie? Bird? Waves at me and comes lands on my shoulder whispering in my ear.

"My name is Bella. Are you a friend of Barron's?" She squeaked.

"Yeah I am his daughter.  I recently moved in after he passed," I whisper to her as to match her frequency.

"Ohh I told him to stay away from the trolls but he never listened to me. Ohh they are calling for me, I best be off, and be careful miss." Bella flies away at the speed of light. Disappearing in the trees.

Looking ahead I noticed we have come to a clearing. The closer we go to the treeless grass the more i want to know what is pulling me towards it.

As we come to a halt I take in the massive castle.  At least four times as big as the mansion of my father. The old stone is almost completely covered in vines with beautiful blood red flowers growing on them. The garden has grown out of hand and looks wild but beautiful.

Movement in one is the third maybe fourth floor windows catch my eye, glancing up I meet the dark shadow of a man from down here I can't make out his features.

In the blink of an eye he is gone and the dark figure is standing in the doorway entry to the castle.  My heart beat starts to pick up. How did he get down here so fast? Yet something pulls me towards the being at those massive doors.

Arthur makes a disapproving sound and starts walking backwards.  Another man appears next to the other but before I can question if I am seeing double Arthur turns around and rushes off into the woods back the way we came.

Seeing it all for the second time it has a darker feel to it, sending a shiver to run down my spine. The once bright moss and wet ground, now a dull almost lifeless shade. The cold air seem freezing instead of calming.  The clouds are dark above the thick canopy of the trees making the whole path seem dark and unclear.

Out of the corner of my eye as i hold onto Arthur for dear life wishing I saddled him up, i see a figure running so fast so close, maybe three trees to my left?  It looks human but the speed makes me doubt in my own eyes. Am I just seeing things?

Why couldn't I just listen to my father?

The figure seems to disappear as we reach the house.

Inside of the stables I am surprised I didn't notice how big it was before. After calming Arthur and giving him some food i walk down a narrow path in the stables, illuminated by dim lights. After about thirty seconds of walking i open a door at the end of the hallway.

I step out of the wardrobe of one of the bedrooms on the first floor. The stables are connected to the house? And there is a hidden door? This is really convenient due to how I was dreading running around the house to the front door.

But why hide the door in a wardrobe? Wait. I'd rather not question my father again. Look what happened this time and i am not doing it again.

I close the door again and walk to my room. Yet I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched.

I'm just paranoid. Yeah that's what I'm going to tell myself.

I throw the curtains closed and get behind my computer to get some writing in so I can get my mind off of things, or maybe a castle, or maybe a man... was there two of him or am I hallucinating?

A part of me is begging me to go back there. To touch the man i saw. But I can't, what if they are dangerous?