AURORA

Chapter 13

               Last night I went to sleep thinking about Troy. He has this hold over me. Ever since I first saw him, I can't get his handsome face out of my mind. It might be safe to say that I've fell in love with him. It's such a dangerous time to develop feelings for someone here. I can't help the way I feel, but I can't stop thinking about what life would have been like if I met Troy elsewhere. I can tell that he feels the same way about me. We could have had children. We could've had a promising life. I could've been a happy wife with a beautiful family. Instead, here I am, waiting to be taken outside and sent off on a journey for the evil queen.

                I can see Troy and Mecius talking. I wonder what they're discussing. Mecius looks concerned for Troy. As if Troy just told him something that Mecius knows is a bad idea. Troy looks set on his thoughts and he looks over at me and looks at the ground; pondering on what he just told Mecius. The kingdom is quite; too quite. Everyone seems to be waiting on something. They stand around aimlessly and dazed. The doors to the castle open, causing the only sound to be heard throughout the kingdom. Groups of soldiers, with their silky black armor, pile out if its big bulky doors. From the shadows of the entrance, a tall menacing figure appears; it's Aurora. She looks absolutely dreadful. Her raven sits patiently on her shoulder. His coal dark eyes survey the kingdom. Her dress is as black as night, with a gold studded belt clasping her abdomen. Her skin is so bronze and devoid of any imperfections. Her red eyes pierce the air and color the sky. Her spiny black crown shines throughout the kingdom. Mecius steps forward to acknowledge her presence.

           "Behold the queen, all hail the queen." The entire kingdom, row by row, bows to Aurora. They fear her very presence. She strikes dread in them. I reluctantly fall over to bow. I don't bow to honor her. I bow to avoid any sign of defiance. She walks forward with a wicked gracefulness. The end of her dress drags along the pavement, causing a dragging, eerie sound. She ends up right in front of me, staring deep into my eyes. She begins to speak in a tone that vibrates through the air so everyone can hear her. The kingdom has absolutely no clue as to what's going on here. "Well, I've heard you've done well in training. It will take more than two daggers to survive this mission. For you, this is a matter of life and death. You will not be given any food. Any water. You can keep the daggers, but nothing else will be given to you to aid you. You will bring me Amoura and you will be rewarded. When you return, head north from here to a kingdom called Denmar. Dubar will no longer exist after you leave. Now. I release you to do your bidding." She backs away. "Return to me with Amoura or don't return at all."

             She stands and waits for me to go off and disappear. I look at Troy. I may never see him again, but there's nothing I can do. I turn around and begin to walk away from Dubar. I walk through the soldiers; each one staring at me like they know that I will soon die. As I approach the edge of the kingdom, I stop. The sign that reads, "Welcome to Dubar," is tarnished and falling apart. I can feel Aurora staring down my neck. She anticipates my death. I think nothing more will satisfy her than my death. She would be completely pleased if I failed the mission, due to being murdered or worse. I slowly look over my shoulder thinking of Troy and dreading Aurora. I can faintly see her force a cold grin across her face. I clinch my jaws and head forward through the doors of the entrance of Dubar. I feel the icy wind of the doors closing behind me. The doors make a loud cringing noise and encloses the kingdom behind me.

            I take a few deep breaths and look for the path that I'm going to take. I could go straight ahead, but that would be anyone's first choice. If I head east, judging by all the rocks and grass, there might be more land to walk. It might be barren and I might not find a house or kingdom for days. I might not even find food to eat. If I choose to go west, I might be able to find water. The earth is cracked all the way west, but the grounds are plush. I can see lots of plant life. I might have a better chance going that way. All these are just suggestions, but they sound like pretty solid observations. I only have one shot at this. One path could be more dangerous than the other. I look at the sky and put my hands over my eyes. The sun sits in the west facing the east. If I go west it'll be much cooler. Well, that's it, west I go.

          I begin walking through the lush grass. It smells like nature. Nuts and pines fill my nose. Before I can even think of finding the first place to look for Amoura, I have to find food. Without food or water, I won't last past three days. If Troy were with me, this would be much easier. I'm sure he knows how to hunt. He seems like the fishing type as well. Humph, fishing? I look at my daggers. If I could find a stream or some source of water flow, I could fish. I don't want to, but I have to. This is a game of survival now. I was actually thrown into a game of life and death.

          Aurora could've easily sent a group of soldiers to raid other kingdom's and houses in search for Amoura. Instead, she chose me for this quest as her way at getting revenge. This is more than revenge. I have been tossed into the infinite fire. The fire in which you either burn to death or make it out barely singed. She did this to me on purpose, but it doesn't matter to me. I will find Amoura and she will give me my freedom. I will overcome every obstacle I face. I will face death with welcoming arms. I will invite him in and fly with him through this journey. The way I look at it, there's only one way to come out of this: either dead or alive. I'm choosing to come out alive. I am the only one who will choose my fate.

           If I do make it out of this alive. I do want to start my own family. If not with Troy, I want to find someone else who will love me. Someone who will give me the chance to bear a few beautiful children. A boy named Tom to raise to protect and love his family. A girl named Isabelle to grow to be affectionate, caring, strong, and smart, just like me. I would love to share with them this journey. I would tell them about how I was locked in that dungeon for months.

          They would ask, "So what do you do while being locked up mum?" Well kids, I did nothing. I sat on the ground with my legs and arms chained up. I could hardly move. My skin was so dry, it chaffed. My eyes hadn't seen daylight so long that when I was finally released, they burned. I was starved the whole time. I was only given bread pieces, meat off of leftovers, and pales of water. I was a prisoner. I was used as a symbol of what happens when you mess with an evil queen. I had accidentally found myself in this situation.

          I had fallen for a man that was with the queen. I had no clue that they were together. Isabelle would ask, "Well why would she be mad if you didn't know mum?" Well she didn't care my child. You see evil has no boundaries. The queen was all that was evil. She was a horrible woman. She harmed a lot of people. Tom would ask, "Did those people deserve it mama?" No they didn't. No one deserves what she did to those people. Innocent blood is on her hands. She will never stop. She seeks the very thing that evil feeds on. Power and control.

        But you two will never have to deal with her. You're safe from anybody who wants to do you harm. Your father and I will protect you. We will watch over you. You will grow up in a loving home. Always remember that we love you. Now close your eyes and go to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow brings you the unknown. I would tuck them in and kiss them goodnight. It would be such a beautiful thing to experience being a mother, but I'm far from child bearing and much closer to death than anything else.