Crown Of Chaos

Chapter 8

I groaned as I raised my head off the harsh wooden floor.
I didn't know how long I was passed out for. My head ached with terrible pain as the memories came flooding back to me.
The stranger masked soldiers who attacked Valoria, Declan, and his strange powers that he weirdly gained after putting on his father's crown, Ma and Pa...
I couldn't even cry anymore. The amount of tears I've shed earlier has caused my eyes to dry. Leaving me with nothing but an empty feeling in the bottom of my stomach.
I was all alone now. I have no family, nor any distant aunts or uncles. I am completely hopeless. Completely alone.
I slowly sat up and took in my surroundings. I was surrounded by wooden walls that held small lanterns that barely lit up the room. The wooden floor felt wet and damp beneath my fingertips and smelt like musty, rotting soil.
I then realized that I wasn't the only one in the room. They were other people too. I was completely surrounded by strangers who were dressed in rags and dirty clothes. The people looked like prisoners as they slept in uncomfortable positions. Some were old or in their mid-forties. There were even young children in here who wheezed and coughed in the humid air.
The whole entire room stank of filthy, unwashed bodies, a mixture of vomit, and the sea?
No.
It couldn't be.
I slowly rose to my feet but accidentally fell again as the floor tipped sideways. Rocking from side to side.
I could feel myself begin to panic as I rose again to look for a window.
I needed to confirm this.
Stepping over the sleeping bodies, I did my best to not wobble and fall as I made my way over to single, large circular window.
Please, gods, no. I placed my hands on the window. The glass felt cold underneath my fingertips as I stared outside. I could literally feel my panic begin to rise as I set my eyes on nothing but water.
The sea.
"No, no, no, no, no," I whispered as I steadied my feet on the floor, which was still rocking from side to side.
We were on a ship. I was being taken away from Valoria. From my home. From my parents. From everything I knew.
I could feel the tears, which I thought were dried up, begin to fall down my face.
They weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of anger. They can't do this. They can't just murder my parents and ship me off to some country.
They just can't.
Unable to control my emotions, I walked across the room, trying my best not to step or trip over anyone.
I swallowed. My throat felt dry and scratchy. My dress's sleeves were ripped, and the entire garment was damp on my skin from the wooden floor.
The walls seemed to loom over me, around me as I glanced around. There were too many people in here for such a small room.
I began to walk around frantically now, desperate to get out of the room, which was filled with so many strange faces.
I needed my parents. I needed to get home.
"Are you alright, dear?" A gentle voice spoke, and I turned to look at an old goblin woman. She was definitely a maid from the Valorian palace. I could tell by the way she was dressed. Her maid uniform was dirty and ripped, but the symbol of the Valorian flag rested above her chest.
"No." I croaked as I swallowed the huge lump in my throat.
"I need to get out of here."
I could feel my heart speeding up as I felt the walls for any secret passageway or door. Anything.
But, of course, there was nothing.
I could feel my windpipe closing up as I began to panic.
I felt as if I were suffocating in here.
Desperate, I began to bang my fists on the walls. "Let me out of here!" I screamed.
"Get me out!"
The people who were sleeping began to wake up, one by one, rubbing their eyes, confused by the commotion. But I didn't care, I needed to get out of here.
"Somebody! Get me out of here!" I screamed.
"Hey! Shut up, we are trying to rest here!" An old man shouted.
I turned around, but seeing some angry faces only made me feel worse.
There were too many people staring.
The walls.
It was so small in here.
The air began to feel hot and sticky as I stepped over the angry people and near a ladder, which probably led onto the upper deck. As I began to climb, the sounds of drunk, happy men reached my ears.
Those evil men who have captured us were singing and dancing while we were rotting in this nasty room below them.
"Hey!" I shouted, "Let me out!"
"Young lady, you are getting on some people's nerves," someone from below deck yelled. And it wasn't long before I felt strong hands grip my waist, pulling me down onto the floor.
"No!" I screamed as I thrashed and kicked around, trying to get the hands off me.
"Leave me alone!"
A lot of people and other creatures were awake now, looking at me angrily.
A baby began to cry.
They were all looking at me.
There were too many faces.
I didn't know anyone here.
I was stuck.
In the middle of the sea.
I couldn't breathe. I was hyperventilating. I was going to pass out again. I was going to be in the dark, in the wardrobe Ma left me in when she died.
In the dark walls, where I watched Pa die.
I was going to be all alone.
"Listen." The man who grabbed me has me facing him, his hands gripping my shoulders hard.
"You're not the only one who is stuck here, so can you quit yelli-"
But I didn't hear the rest of what he said.
I couldn't breathe.
I was going to die.
Then suddenly, I was off my feet and carried into someone's lap.
There was a cooing voice. "Shhhhhhh it's alright, dear; your safe with me."
My chest was heaving up and down as I looked up and saw the goblin maid from the palace.
She had gentle eyes despite her scary-like looks. Her white hair was in a messy bun, and strands fell all over her face.
"Breathe in and out slowly dear, come on. You can do it."
I listened. I tried to control myself and inhaled and exhaled slowly.
"That's good dear, keep going. Don't worry your safe now."
Slowly, I began to relax. And as soon as I could breathe normally again, I buried my face in her clothes and began to sob.