Once upon a story

Chapter Sixteen

I got lost. Somehow my journey back to the main part of the house had turned instead into an adventure through a maze with no sense of direction or any idea if I was even going to find the exit. What if I never found my way out of these cream walled corridors with the beautifully polished wooden floors? Being trapped here forever did not seem pleasing at all.

My steps were cut short by the sharp opening of a door in front of me; just the force at which it swung knocked me to the ground. A woman stepped out and slammed the door shut again with equal force before dusting her hands together in one swift motion. It was then that her gaze found me and I instantly recognised the person standing there. Today her long hair was twisted up into a large hat that rested across her head; she tilted her head to one side and then the other as she looked at me.

“What are you doing down there?” she asked, once again her voice matched her beautiful appearance but there was a playful twinkle in her eye. The woman extended one slender hand which I took to pull myself up.

“The door swung open and pushed me back” I replied, my voice barley a whisper. I rubbed my throat and felt my eyebrows knit together in confusion. The woman just smiled at me.

“I don’t suppose you are quite used to my presence are you. Well not many are but I expect you will, Faith, now I must ask what are you doing down here?”

There was a pause before I replied to her “I’ve got lost, must have taken a wrong turn when I tried to head back to the main area. I’m sorry but w…”

“Who am I?” she asked with a tinkling laugh “I am Lady Ceridwen Arthurfoul but please just call me Ceridwen, I do despise the name Arthurfoul” I nod and smile slightly at her

“Well, would you please direct me as to how to get back?” I ask slowly

“Even better, you shall accompany me back” Ceridwen begins walking away and her long stride causes me to half run in order to catch up. She points out different features of the building and is brief about the work that goes on behind each closed door. Soon the corridor widens and I recognise the area, we were almost back in the main section. We pass one large wooden door with golden handles that twirl around a lock.

“What does that door lead to?” I question walking towards it and admiring the pattern.

Ceridwen’s voice is much more dominant as she replies this time “That would be the door to our Alpha, his office would be located on the other side.” I continue to stare at the door until I feel Ceridwen’s gaze fixed on me.

“Is that a problem?” my voice is very quiet and I’m surprised that she even heard me to reply. Her face changes into a large fake smile that looks strained.

“Of cause not, come we must continue.” This time as we walk there is silence that thickens around me like a sheet. I look up at the woman beside me and although her beauty is incomparable there is a sense of pain and worry in her features.

“That’s the kitchen” I say extending a hand to point “Thank you for leading me this way”

“It was my pleasure. I shall see you again very soon Faith” she smiles down at me before looking over my shoulder and a different smile adorns her features. I turn to look but it is only a group of people similar to my age. I turn back to say goodbye properly but she is nowhere to be see. Only then do I remember that I have no idea how she knows my name and didn’t even think to ask.

“Faith!” I voice behind me yells and I see Cem moving out of the crowd and bringing me into a tight hug. “We had no idea where you had got to”

“I got lost but found my way back. This place is huge!” Cem continues smiling at me but it gets weird so I begin to poke her to stop. It works.

“Ok fine but we’ve only got five minutes or so before dinner now. Come on lets go find the others” she turns away from me and I follow her around the different collectives of people. It doesn’t take long before the two of us are amerced into the group of Cem’s friends, I find myself standing between her and Sam2. Out of the corner of my eye I can see his slips move slightly as if he was speaking but without sound, I see the wire leading from his ear. Like lots of people Sam’s earphones were his life support system, I nudge him gently and indicate to his ear. He smiles down at me and passed it across, I can’t say that Sam and I have the same musical tastes however we have an unspoken agreement to share if there is lacking in the conversation. The song playing was clearly not from our era; my best guess was that it was eighties and very British but the artist or even the song name wouldn’t come to me. This continued through the next couple of tracks until I recognised one – Duran Duran’s Hungry Like The Wolf – my Dad used to play the greatest hits album and this was my brothers favourite song. I hugged my stomach thinking about my family; I knew they would be so worried. I had been gone for days but in our society missing people wasn’t a big thing. It just meant their stories were being written, they would think I was a character. Eww.