A Game of Destiny: The Immortal Star

6 Natalia

I had made up my mind from the moment he handed me that paper. I would do what it said. I would follow the last direction he'd given to me. Kyrin gave his life for mine and I would not let it be in vain.

I knew that the only way to keep myself from becoming another helpless victim to the addiction of the chase was to avoid sacrificing my morality. I had to play a clean game. One that left me with no regrets. So that when I looked back on my journey with stone in hand and an endless life ahead of me I could smile at it.

I gave three sharp raps on the hard, wooden door. After a few moments a short woman with blonde hair opened it. She was wearing a night gown and had her hair up in an untidy bun. There were dark circles under her squinting eyes.

"My name is Natalia Williams. Our kingdom is in grave danger and I need your help" I said.

The blond raised an eyebrow. She gave a dirty look and shut the door right in my face.

I tried not to be angry. Most of the townspeople hadn't a clue what I looked like and I couldn't blame the lady for being weary of a knock on her door at four in the morning and a stranger dressed in an undergarment of a frock standing outside. I tried the next house to much of the same result. I decided it was time to change my tactic.

I walked up to the next door with a plan. I decided to stop suppressing the emotions I'd been feeling all night. I let my thoughts go back to my parents, then Kyrin, and sure enough my eyes welled up and tears began flowing steadily down my cheeks. I knocked softly on the door, peering in with innocent eyes. It took several more knocks before a man appeared in the doorway. He pulled it open slowly. I let out a few sobs as the man watched me, worried and confused.

"Who are you? What's wrong? Where did you come from?" he said sweetly, stepping out onto the front porch.

"I'm Nat" I said in my most childish tone.

I let myself go on crying for a little while. The stranger rubbed his hand up and down on my back, trying to comfort me. My plan was working.

"Someone killed my parents and I'm all alone" It wasn't a lie. I stopped for another sob. "And I just need something to eat- and maybe some clothes" I tried to sound pathetic.

I didn't feel too bad doing it either. This was clearly a wealthy man, his house was the size of a noble's.

"Come inside, dear" he said softly, leading me into his gorgeous living room. He sat me down on his leather couch and said he would try to find something he could give me. He left the room.

I smiled to myself.

After the short visit, I left with everything I would need. Clothes, food, I even had money in the form of gold. I had these two golden bobby pins that I always kept in my hair. I pulled them both out as I walked. One from my mother and one from my father. One had a small blue gem inlayed on the end of it, the other had a pink one. I was wearing a new dress. It was plain and simple, something a peasant would wear. But it seemed durable. It was dark red and well fitted, I liked it. For once, I felt like I fit in walking among the townspeople. I pulled the large hood over my head, concealing my identity from anyone who may have met the princess. From now on I was no longer Natalia the princes of Gengia, I was Nat. I was just a girl. A girl on a mission.

I took the piece of paper out from one of the deep pockets in my new dress. I read it over again looking for the important part.

- In the fragmented tree of Ore lays the first clue

I repeated the sentence again and again in my head. The tree of ore? I couldn't think of anything. Around here there wern't too many trees that had names. The tree of ore, hmm.