Aslem

Chapter 1, Incoming Train

10 Years Later

I sat in my bedroom, watching guard by guard walk past leaving me unnoticed and hidden away. I looked down at my dress, it was a deep, royal purple color, floor length. As if they would let a noble wear anything shorter. The top had black lace over the velvet purple fabric, and on top of that was black lace up ribbon to make a corset top. My long curly hair draped over my shoulder, I was wearing a purple and white silk head band.

My mother walked in, we were wearing almost the same dress, but hers was a blood red. She came up behind me, and started playing with my hair. Not too long after she grabbed the brush, she set it on the vanity next to me.

"Mother.."

"Yes dear?" her voice was soft and sweet almost tricking me into believing there really wasn't anything wrong.

"What's wrong with father. Hes been on edge and worried" I turned around to look at her. She stared into my deep chocolate brown eyes almost as if she was trying to give me sympathy for something.

"Nothing dear, he's perfectly fine. Maybe just a little preoccupied. As you know he's a very noble man; this means he's faced with many tasks to accomplish." she had turned me back around and had started to french braid my hair.

"Are you sure? Iv'e heard him mumbling about our safety and evacuation" that wasn't all I had heard, but if she didn't know about Aslem's Kingdom being taken over, I wasn't going to be the one to tell her.

"Dear, please you must understand you know what you know for your safety. Nothing more, nothing less." my mother almost sounded annoyed with me now. I was only worried for her protection, my family's protection, my kingdom's protection.

There was a rumble, it made the water in my glass shake. I felt my mother tie off the end of the braid. She laid her hand on my shoulder. She was shaking now. I watched as guard after guard ran towards the rumble. My mother leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"The Prince of Aslem is here."

I froze, paralyzed from head to toe. At that very moment I knew she knew what was wrong with my father; She knew that my previous questions were pointless and that I had already know too. She walked out of my room, and followed the guards leaving me in my room with a tear streaming down my face.

I got up to follow my mother and the guards. It was only me left in the corridor. I started to run toward the massive crowd at the end. It was completely silent, the only noise came from the rumble of the incoming train and the pitter patter of my feet as I ran towards it.

When I reached the crowd, the engine was just pulling in. I quickly became sick to my stomach when I saw all the passenger cars. They were filled with his slaves, his dead slaves. They were as pale as snow, most were bald, and all of them wore torn and tattered clothing, but their eyes were not brown, green, or blue. They were black, pure black with specks of red. These weren't people anymore,

they were changed; He changed them for his own sickening use.The train slowly came to a stop as the caboose entered the kingdom. There he stood, the Prince of Aslem himself.

We were all scared, ready to sprint at any moment. I felt a hand grab my upper arm, I quickly looked in terror only to realize it was Nicolo. I turned my attention back to the Prince. He looked around almost confused.

"Is this any way to greet you new dictator?", he grinned and we ran. Nicolo pulled me I didn't know where we were going, I hoped it was safe. I could barely keep track of who was who in this massive crowd out break let alone keep track of where we were, after running through corridors and making turn after turn.

We reached the outside of the castle. This was a way I had never left before, was it a secret entrance, or was I just unobservant? He jumped up onto a horse and held out his hand.

"Arlette, Come! We must go and find safety.", I didn't even question it,.I took his hand and jumped onto the horse, wrapped my arms around him and let him take me where ever he felt safest.