Beneath the Surface [ON HOLD]

Chapter Five - The Inventor's Daughter

Chapter Five - The Inventor's Daughter 

As I trudge silently through the forest, I fume silently to myself, replaying my recent encounter with the self-proclaimed prince. He was obviously deluded - there's no way he was, in actual fact, the King's son.

The King's son was dead and everyone knew it.  

So why lie? 

I shake my head in confusion, perhaps I should get the young man some medical attention? He's obviously very sick - kidnapping young girls and declaring himself a prince... 

My mind still remains blank as to how I could have possibly gotten to the Castle and this lack of knowledge frustrates me to no end. I rub furiously at the charred circle on my dress, wracking my memory. 

I remember leaving my Father's cabin, then running through the forest... But why was I even in the forest in the first place? 

I remember a blurred painting, but from where? 

And then waking up in Nicholas' study. 

And... That's it. 

I fight the rising onslaught of panic and force myself to take a few deep breaths. Calm down Scarlett, I scold myself silently, Maybe Father knows what happened? 

I bite my lip uncertainty, the possibility highly unlikely. My Father practically lived in his workshop in the basement, tinkering away from dawn until dusk. 

He never used to be like that. Ever since my mother left he's never really been the same... 

I immediately clamp down on that thought, finding it odd that memories of my Mother have been dredged up. I haven't thought about her in- 

A sudden pain spears my chest and I double over in agony, tears springing to my eyes.  

I struggle to breathe and I stumble towards a tree, leaning grateful on its frost covered trunk, my lungs screaming.  

I screw my eyes shut and concentrate on my breathing, crossing my arms over my chest and focusing on the icy bark behind me. 

The cold seeps into my bones, but still the pain comes and I can't help but feel as if I'm dying. 

This thought strikes me as oddly irritating and my pain is pushed aside momentarily as I wonder why this thought seems so repetitive. 

My chest begins to throb again and my irritation is pushed aside, I have to get back, I think determinedly, Father needs me. 

It's that thought that spurs me onwards - and I stagger closer towards Arcanum's border where my Father's cottage lies. I can see grey smoke billowing from the chimney and I can see him in my mind's eye, rocking back and forth in his chair, staring into the flames, worry etched on his face. 

By the time I reach the door, I'm gasping - my body starved of oxygen, my mind clouded with pain.  

The ache in my chest begins to build and I bite down hard on my lip to stop a scream escaping, the metallic taste of copper fills my mouth and I focus on it, trying desperately to block out the crippling agony in-between my ribs. 

I reach out a weak hand and pound on the door desperately until my knuckles hurt. I hear my father shuffle towards the door and fling it open, his expression quickly turning from annoyance to shock, to concern in a heartbeat. 

"Scarlett? Wha-" 

He breaks off as I collapse in his arms, my whole world fading to black. 

***