Mist

THE FIRST SIGHT

Snowflake walked through the long and empty corridors. Even though Snowflake was ahead of her, she could feel the human girl's stare on her back.

In the eye of her mind, she could see the image of those violets, uncertain and untrusting.

She was aware of how uncomfortable her presence made the girl but strangely, Snowflake could relate to her. She was different from the people around her, someone who could never belong ; an outsider in her own world.

She slowed her pace and stopped at the foot of a spiral staircase.

" We have reached the Cinderella tower, one of the four towers of the castle. Let me escort you to your chamber. Presently, we have only a few descendants of Cinderella residing in the castle, so there are a lot of vacant rooms."

" Yeah. That would be good." the girl said with a tired smile.

Snowflake walked up the stairs and reached the lounge of the Cinderellians. It always seemed to radiate brightness; the darkness of the night never reached here.The candelabras and the warm hearth fire illuminated the entire room.

She saw the girl look at the ceiling and sigh, amazed at its beauty. Snowflake smirked. Hazel Smith had just witnessed one of the wonders of the chateau.

Snowflake looked up at the ceiling, which was a most realistic rendition of the pastel blue sky. It baffled many but for her, it held no enchantment .

What beauty was the sky without its night time jewels to adore it ?

" This can't be real." the girl said, her eyes lost, clearly bewitched.

" Hazel, I shall leave you now. Cindy will arrive shortly. She will escort you to your chamber."

Before leaving, she took one parting glance at the mystified girl. How innocent and naïve was she! Blissfully unaware of the reason she had been brought to this world, of the responsibility she carried on her young shoulders.

****

Hazel woke up and the first thing she saw was a huge chandelier hanging from a high ceiling above. She examined her surroundings, which resembled a grand suite of a five star hotel.

She had half expected to be in her room, at home, in the human world. She was not sure whether she was relieved or disappointed at this not being a dream.

As she got off the bed, her feet brushed against the cool marble floor. She walked up to the closet and opened it to see it lined with medieval gowns, fascinators,wigs, fancy hats, embellished with ruffles and frills. Certainly not her style of clothing. After a lot of outfit hunting and rummaging through, she finally found a plain lilac gown.

A few minutes later she had made herself comfortable on a couch in the lounge , hogging on rolls and tea, which Cindy had brought upstairs for her from the breakfast hall.

" Hazel, we have an hour to ourselves before our lessons start. I want you to meet someone."

Hazel gulped down her tea nervously. "Thanks Cindy, but I think I'd rather not."

"Why?" Cindy asked.

" I'm new here and I don't know anything about this place..."

"Don't worry, Hazel. I shall not leave you alone." Cindy joked.

Hazel rolled her eyes. "I will wait for you here. Trust me, I'll be fine."

"No. I'm certain you'll die of boredom. You have to come with me."

" Umm..."

"I insist!"

Hazel sighed. " Okay, you win."

Cindy smiled triumphantly. "I always do."

****

Cindy walked out of the castle(with Hazel trying to keep up with her pace) till they reached the shade of a huge oak, in the corner of a field.

The castle for male descendants lay adjacent to the one for females. The field was a common meeting place for residents of both the chateaux.

Hazel wondered who they would be seeing.

That very instant she noticed a tall guy who looked nearly her age, approaching them. He kept turning to look behind, as if to assure that he wasn't being followed. A smirk crossed his face. There was something of a mischievous glint in his eyes, which looked like orbs of the bright sky ; the same blue as that of Cindy's.

His hair was a short, ruffled, not very tidy blonde. The only difference in his and Cindy's appearance was perhaps, the lower half of the face. While Cindy's was a round face, he had a sharp, chiselled jawline. His elfish ears poked out of his profile, rendering him a partially comical look. His eyes met Hazel's, equal parts of curiosity and amusement.

" Hazel, meet my younger brother, Cedron." Cindy said, stepping in between them.

" I prefer Ced." he said as he bowed, courteously.

" I am Hazel. Hazel Smith."

"A smith? Pardon me, but I would never have guessed." he said.

Cindy shook her head disappointedly.

"Oh wait!" His eyes brightened. " Is she ..."

" Yes. She is the human." said Cindy.

" The human? You are the human ?" he asked, excitedly.

" Umm , I guess so ." Hazel replied, awkwardly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." he smiled. Before Hazel could reply, Cindy intervened,

"Ced , why do your boots look like they have been drenched in rain ?"

" Oh, they were!" he replied.

"Sure, but there hasn't been any rain in the past few days." Cindy said.

" Nothing escapes your eye, does it, dear sister ?"

"If you ever step out of that heaven of yours and see what is happening in the real world, you will be a better liar, at least." Cindy said.

" So you agree with the library being heaven. Ah, at last!" Ced grinned.

"What have you been up to now, Cedron ?" Cindy asked ,with a tired sigh.

He shrugged. "Nothing really."

"Are you telling me or not ?" Cindy scowled.

Ced paused momentarily, pretending to consider her words.

" No." he stated. Cindy groaned.

All of a sudden , Hazel noticed an immensely annoyed, balding man, who was drenched from head to toe.

" Perhaps, there really was some selective magical rain." she remarked. " Look at that man. Your story may not be all that untrue."

Ced glanced behind and turned back immediately, his face slightly paler than before. He cursed under his breath.

"I am sorry, Hazel, but I will be taking your leave now." He leaned towards Cindy, to kiss her goodbye, but she caught hold of his arm.

" What happened?" she demanded.

"Let go of me, Cin!" he said trying to jerk her hand off.

Right at that moment, they heard a lady shout out, " CEDRON ! WHERE IS MY SEAL? HOW DARE YOU STEAL IT? YOU DISGRACE TO THE SANG ROYAL ! "

The balding man's gaze shift from the lady, to the wet, broken seal in his hands, to Cedron. He gritted his teeth.

"What did you do, Ced ?" Cindy asked.

" I might have been responsible for a minor plumbing disaster." He laughed nervously.

"What!" said Cindy, indignantly, twisting his arm even harder.

"Unhand me!" He struggled, worriedly looking back at his two angry instructors, who were slowly nearing him.

They had almost reached him, when he somehow managed to free his hand, bolting away, as fast as he could. And perhaps, only Hazel noticed the grin on his face, as if he knew that they couldn't catch him in their lives.