The Two Kingdom

CHAPTER 8

"Bristle Mountain......" The perplex word unsettles her mind.

Marie settles herself on the archway on top of the castle. Sam was busying herself gloating the row of houses encompassing the castle. She could see the bountiful people carrying out their daily routine. Engrossed in her watchful spirit, she was remarked at the column of mountains in every direction.

"You supposed one of tis mountain is Bristle Mountain?" Sam places her finger manifesting the north mountain and quickly changes her direction towards the west mountain.

"Probably..." Marie shrugs.

"Why being all moody?"

"It's just...."

"Ahem" A vibrant voice hammering from behind. They both startled. Marie felt like a spider came crawling through her neck. "I'm sorry..." the voice spurted an apology. It was Sir Gold.

"Jesus!...Don't scare us!" A shriek of yelling clear off Sam. "After last night...." She paused. "I don't wanna be scared again." Marie took notice and clings Sam for support. "There...there...I'm with you."

Shame falls heavily on Sir Gold's usual serious visage expression. "I'm terribly sorry." He tries thinking for a more apologetic sentences but his mind was completely shut. "I came because I was told you were looking for me."

Marie shuddered. She wanted to ask directly about the Bristle Mountain but she couldn't utter the correct question. She licks her bottom lips moistening it with her saliva. "Ummmm..." Her voice flastered. "What can you tell us about Bristle Mountain?"

The prince turns a pale green face."Bristle....Mountain...?" Thick condensing voice pours over the prince's mouth. "Why....would....why...you want to know about that particular place" The prince's splashes words around. Fear writhed across his eyes. Marie knew this place gives him the creeps. That made her mind to wriggle in intrusive. Why is he so afraid of this place? Is it full of monsters? From what she seen last night, she wouldn't believe there would be anything more ordeal. Unlike Sam who loathes fear, Marie is allured to things that would give her nightmares. Despite her pepful persona, people often bewildered seeing her fascination for horror flicks in movies.

"Is it a bad place?" Marie asks.

"Bad isn't enough to describe it. The mountain holds unspeakable evil. Most travelers that pass through the foot base of the mountain would fall into terrible fate. Some lost their will to live. Some didn't even manage to live to tell the tale. That is just at the foot of the mountain. The evil radiates from the source at the peak that is Bristle Mountain. Something more evil than monsters live in the shadow of the mountain fog."

"What could be more evil than monsters?" Sam shifts the question.

The prince gobble his throat for vocal strength. "A sorceress....." He murmured. "I dare not speak her name...From what I've heard....She's a follower of Cali."

"Cali...." It stings Marie's gut hearing that name.

"So why are you asking for this abominable place?" Curiosity plays in his words.

Hesitation swarms her. She was afraid the prince might think of her as crazy. What sane person would swallow the dream haunting her. "My instinct tells us to go there. I'm not sure it myself. But it calls us. We need to find the truth. We just do. We deserve an explanation!." She sips her courage. "Can you bring us there..." Her eyes fixated on the prince. Wide and cardinal red.

"What do you intend to find there..?"

"ANSWERS!" Sam yelled from behind.

The prince exchanged looks with his escort. Panic rolled between his eyes. "Fine....I'll arrange for myself and a few of my finest warriors to accompany you there" He could feel his belly grumble in disagreement. "We'll leave as soon as possible. We wouldn't want to travel in the dark. Trust me" He departs and shuffles his feet across the door.