The Inner Kingdom

Chapter Five - The Preparation

Location: Inner Kingdom

◑ April ◐

Mina and Pearl quickly guided us through the castle. They gave us no time to admire the interior as they separated us into different rooms.

I could still hear the complaints coming from the directions of my sisters, as the door was closed behind me.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, starting to panic, when suddenly the two women who shepherded me away stopped.

I could see we were in front of a huge ornate wall with a large picture of a weeping willow tree. It strangely resembled the place where we entered this world.

When I turned toward them, I caught them frowning down at my blood soaked shirt.

"Oh my, you cannot attend the celebration like this," the tallest of the ladies said, shaking her head full of long black curls. "You have nothing to be afraid of. My name is Anna and we are going to get you cleaned up.

"Yes, just relax your companions are also being prepped," the shorter one said with what appeared to be a smile on her chubby face. I really wasn't sure if that was actually a smile as her annoyed expression remained the same.

They were both dressed in similar clothes as Mina and pearl; the only difference was that their dresses were shorter and were a pale shade of green.

Taking a deep breath, I gently nodded my head, letting them know that I wasn't going to struggle.

Anna then knocked on the wall three times, which after a second began to open up like a door.

Pulling me inside the room, Nera motioned for the door to be closed behind us. The room I was brought into looked like a giant swimming pool area out of a five star resort.

"Do you need help disrobing?" the shorter one asked, motioning to three women who had closed the door behind us.

"What do you mean?" I asked a little confused, wrapping my arms across my chest.

"You can't take a bath fully clothed, love," Anna said jokingly motioning to what I thought was a swimming pool.

"I would rather undress myself," I said, feeling myself blush."

Anna and the short woman with her exchanged strange glances before Anna turned around, motioning for everyone to do the same.

"Nera, come on give her some privacy," Anna insisted, motioning to the short woman beside her, who looked as if she did not want to be here.

Before Nera completely turned around. I could have sworn I saw a brief look of disgust on her face.

A few more blushes later, my skin felt as if it had been scrubbed raw. I was then powdered down and dressed in a long white robe.

Tired of protesting, I allowed Anna and Nera to usher me out of what I now call the giant washroom into another room where they left me alone.

I was happy to find Ashley waiting in a similar snowy robe inside the room.

"April!" Ashley shouted as she ran toward me. "Are you okay?"

The intensity of her concern made me want to cry. It's funny how being transferred to another world, and being struck by an arrow, can do for a person.