Raven

Chapter 4

This is the second part of a double update. Please make sure you have read Chapter 3 before this one. Thank you.

'Why me?' I ask.

'Queen Bronwen took our kingdom long ago and we have been searching for a way to stop her for years. We believe you can help us and and many other regain our kingdoms from her grasp,' Alethea says.

I shake my head, disagreeing. 'I have no power, nothing that can be of use to you and your people,' I try to tell her.

'Ah, but you do, you just don't quite realise it yet.'

'If you wanted my help, why would you send him?' I ask, glaring at Alexander. To get me here, the young man had killed dozens of people, some of which I knew. Perhaps if another person was sent I'd be a little more cooperative because if Alexander is that violent, who is to say that the others aren't too?

'We needed to get you somehow and my people cannot just reach out, Queen Bronwen would find us and kill us all,' she replies. 'Also, he needs to train you in the ways of magic. Alexander is a strong wielder and the only one capable of helping you learn your potential.'

I find that incredibly difficult to believe. I'm sure any of the elves teach me far better than that murderous young man. Anyway, I had no magic, no matter what they believed.

'Come, we will take you to our home.'

I debate escape but the elves don't seem threatening. So I made the decision to follow Queen Alethea and her people with Alexander close behind me.

Alethea stands in front of an ancient oak tree and puts her hands on it, closing her eyes in concentration. After a moment she takes her hands away, dropping them by her sides as she walks into the tree. My eyes widen in amazement as, instead of actually walking into the tree, she walks straight through it but never comes out the other side. I watch as her people do the same. When it is my turn, I cast a nervous glance back at Alexander.

'Well? Are you going to go through?' He asks.

I nod slowly, looking back to the tree before walking forward. I pause and turn back to him. 'What is it?' I ask nervously.

'A portal,' he replies instantly. 'Now, are you going to go through or do I have to give you a little push?'

I turn back to face the tree, taking a deep breath as I walk forward. Suddenly I'm not in the clearing but somewhere else. There are trees but they tower above me much more than those in the forest. The largest of the trees has little holes. I realise that they are windows and that the tree is where everyone lives.

'Welcome to our home, Raven,' Alethea says.

I smile at her. This place is beautiful and it's their hideout. I can't imagine how beautiful their kingdom would be.

'Amazing, isn't it?' Alexander asks from behind me.

I spin around and glare at him.

'What?' He asks.

I roll my eyes. As if he doesn't know. I turn away to follow Alethea as she heads towards one of the trees. I look around curiously as we enter. Inside it's like any castle with many rooms and passages but this is all made of wood. I let Alethea lead me up multiple flights of stairs until she shows us two doors leading to two different rooms.

'Raven that is your room,' she says, pointing to the door on the right, 'Alexander's room is the other one.'

I thank Alethea as she goes to leave and I enter my room. I find that, like everything else, it's all made of wood. The walls, the floors, the ceiling and furniture is all wood. I wouldn't expect anything less, we are inside a tree after all. A few things aren't wooden though, the red rug in the floor, the mattress, the pillows and the blankets. I see two little doors in the far end of my room and open the one on the left. It's a wardrobe and when I open the next door, I see it's the bathroom. The rooms are quite nice, just not quite how I would decorate them, but still pleasant. I can't be too fussy anyway, I should just be glad to be sheltered and out of that wretched stone castle for once.

I go back to the bed and lay on it. I stretch out and decide that, after the events and excitement of today, I am very tired. I close my eyes and drift into a restless sleep.

I am standing in a clearing, surrounded by a burning wall of fire. I can feel the searing heat of it against my skin. In front of me, three people are bound to burning trees by thick, shining, metal chains. I recognise their faces, faces of people I know well, my mother, my father, and even my dear friend William, son of Sir Nicholas, is there. He is looking straight at me, his hazel eyes pleading as he struggles to free himself. My mother has passed out and my father shouting something. 

I try to step forward, to help them but I can't move. Flames slowly rise around us, beginning consume them and I watch on in horror. Their screams are loud enough to be heard over the roar of the fire. I see their bodies' burn and turn to ash. Wind carries the ash away but brings in bright, burning embers with it. 

The embers merge to form the shape of a human body. From them, Queen Bronwen appears, a sword in hand and smiling wickedly as she steps towards me. I find I am able to step backwards but there are flames right behind me, coming closer, ready to burn me alive as they did my parents and my best friend. I have nowhere to run, I'm trapped...

'Wake up!'

I snap my eyes open as Alexander shakes me again, looking quite worried. 'I'm awake,' I manage to say, my voice hoarse as though I've been screaming.

'Good,' he says, sounding relieved as he steps back.

I sit up, shaking slightly as I do. I realise I'm drenched in sweat and frown.

'What happened? I heard you screaming and came in.'

'I was screaming? Huh. I don't do that often,' I say.

'Really? I thought princesses screamed at everything,' he says.

I glare at him and he grins. I shake my head. 'I had a nightmare.'

'About?'

'Her. There was fire everywhere and people were being burnt alive. She just appeared and came towards me just before I woke up,' I tell him.

'Was I there?' He asks.

I shoot him a look. 'No,' I reply. 'So can you get out please?'

'I didn't know you contained the word "please" in your vocabulary,' he says and receives another look from me. 'Fine.' Alexander walks over to the door but stops back to look over his shoulder. 'Just scream when you need me,' he teases. He ducks to avoid being hit by the shoe I throw at him.

'Get out,' I say and he does. Finally alone, I flop down again. I don't go try to sleep this time, just try to calm down and figure out if the dream meant something or if it was just a nightmare.

Hi guys!

So today was a double update because I forgot to put up Chapter 3 the other day so I decided to make for it today. I doubt anyone is reading this but how are you liking Raven so far (the book and/or character)? Yes, she has just been kidnapped and is acting really calm about it all. I know that not many people would react this way but guys, this book is not very realistic. It is set in a magical land after all! Besides, this is how I want to tell my story so please let me.

Thanks, Izzy

  Vote and comment if you liked this chapter :)