The Heart of Shadow and Gold

chapter 30

Ashleys pov

I clutch my hand to my locket, smiling as I walked opposite of where Callie left. As I walked into the kingdom I noticed how the noises weren't as loud, the msells weren't as strong, and the colors seemed much more appealing. I take a breath in and out and walk into the streets finding my way back to Romilly's living space, with an admittable hop in my step.

I reach the property onto the tsairs of an empty house, I poked my head inside and listened for any noise, there wasn't anything, except the occasional creak of the wooden house. I let out a breath as I closed the door they left open, turning towards the streets scanning for any sight of them

Where are they?

I left the house alone as I emerged into the streets, turning from left to right, did a loop, and walked for what seemed a mile. I should probably leave them alone although I don't have anything else to do today.

I see the tip of the castle peeking out over the buildings and made up my mind, I stood up straight and walked properly towards the castle in a civil manner we would use when walking towards the temple, with authority but respect and loyalty.

but are you loyal? I shook that thought from my head. Im loyal to my morals, I wont let anyone get hurt. Enemy or not.

I raised my hand to knock on the doors of the castle, wondering how I was to go about this. I felt confisdent after analyzing the possibilities and heard the door creak open. I dropped into a bow on one knee and my opposite hand on my heart.

"your highness," I start. "I ask for a request."

Her arms touched my shoulders as she lifted my head up gently to meet hers, "please child, you have no reason to bow to me."

"then how shall I approach you?" I questioned.

"like you would anyone else, I am not special, never have been and never will be." She remarked.

"but you're a queen, obviously you should be respected as such."

"it is true that I have a crown, and I am hold responsibility over this kingdom, but I am no queen. You earn titles like that, I am but a royal with a crown, a queen is a person who acts like one, not is born one." She says gently, lifting my to my feet slowly.

"very well, qu- Gwendolyn." I corrected myself.

She smiled at me, "now, child, what is it that you request?"

I readjust my composure, despite her gesture to relax, "I ask about the whereabouts of your son."

"Ajax isn't with you?" I take the obvious look over my shoulder, looking around the square, and then looking back at her, "no."

"he might have gone to catch up with a friend, don't worry." "he is with Romilly." I supplied, "yes, then that explains it, they have known each other for such a long time so when the news of Ajax getting captured reached us, well she was in quite disarray."

"yeah, I can believe that." I said, trying to ward off the awkward silence but unfortunately it just elevated it.

"say, Ashley, how exactly did you survive in the Etherial Kingdom? I know it's a soft topic but-" "no, no it sokay I understand your confusion. It must be hard for one of you rown to be kidnapped and return as the enemy." I laugh.

"but I didn't really try to survive, if that makes sense. They are, well, were my family. They bathed me, fed me, clothed me, I had a life there." I smiled thoughts flashing through my mind once twice over and over again.

"was it hard?"

"of course, honestly I look around your kingdom, you say your unhappy, you say your starving or untreated but to me I look around and see how...free it is. The children get to freely run around, the young unharmed, the adults smile." I break out of my trance I put myself in as I face the Queen. "life is hard, but that's what made me strong, yes I envy those with a better life but wouldn't change it for the world. I met people, people that I refuse to believe aren't being tricked, I refuse to believe I cant save them. Im sorry if mean any disrespect when I say that I didn't leave for this, I left for them." I set my ground, I had an idea. "Gwendolyn, can my mother teach me magic?"

She ushered me inside and sat me inside the room filled with furniture, the lobby, I stood beside the chair. Waiting as the queen went outside and after a while, she walked in with with her mother, Walela. "Ashley, Gwen told me you want to know how to fight back?"

"I need to save them from that kingdom. I need help."

"and you want me to teach you magic?" "please, I would love that."

She got a smile on her face, not one like gentle like usual but more like she has been -craving- this moment since I was born, she probobly has.

She grabbed my hand and sat me down on the floor.

"alright, the main rule in sorecery like mine especially is to relax." She calmly spoke. I laughed, "yeahthat will be a bit of a trouble. I don't relax."

"do you want help or not?" she snapped. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes impatiently. "alright, now, I am an elemental sorceress, which means I can control the basic elements, nothing too extreme but enough. Our goal is to find your power." I peeked an eye open. "and how ar ewe going to do that?" "close your eyes, do you feel anything?"

"I feel awkward sitting on the floor." "Ashley." "sorry walelea. No,not really." "there should be a tingling sensation, at the back of you rbrain, I want you to find it, and I want you to hold on to that feeling. And when you have it, embrace it, pull it and don't resist."

I listened to her words but as I looked around at the back of my eyelids I saw nothing but black, felt nothing, smelled, wait, is that mashed potatoes I smell? No come one Ashley youre better than this, find the tingle.

This went on for a while before I opened my eyes, "I don't feel anything." I said frustrated. I wanted to learn magic, not meditation.

"its alright, be patient." "I don't have time to be patient Walela. I need to prepare, they are coming for me and all of you along with me. They are going to destroy us if I do not do anything."

"Ashley-" she tried calling but it was too late I was out of the building,