Pawn

chapter 2

     She hopped down from the short wall and start making her way through the deep snow as quickly as possible. Underneath the snow, the uneven grassy forrest floor was replaced by a hard stone walkway. 'fancy' she thought.
    She hurried along, only stopping when she could at last make out the building she was approaching. Even through the rapidly falling snow, she could still make out the immense castle.
   Majestic towers soar into the sky, and the dramatic, yet majestic architecture would be breath taking in the light of day. But now in the dark of night, in this weather it made nervous butterflies dace in her stomach, and a sense of foreboding threatened to overwhelm her.
  She remembered she was being followed and hurried along. No where else to go, except to seek mercy and refuge from whoever lived here. It would be beautiful in the light of day, but In the dead of night, in this weather it looked downright foreboding. She tried (and failed) to calm the nervousness threatening to over take her.
   She hesitantly approached the door, a grand archway, with beautiful engravings on the door frame. She took hold of the huge iron door knocker. And knocked. Once. Twice. Three times. And waited. And waited. And waited. Finally she couldn't any more. This is so rude. I cant just go in! But what choice do I have? She thought as she pushed open the huge door. She closed door behind her, thankful to shut the cold old out with it. Just to add to her peace of mind, she slid the large iron dead bolt into place, and lowered the heavy wooden bar accross the door. She turned around and took in this beautiful place. It was beautiful. But it was clear no one had been here in years.
   "Hello? Hello?" She called as she walked through the seemingly empty halls. The echo of her footsteps where the only reply. This place felt familiar. Like she had been here before. She wandered around looking at paintings on the walls. She stared at one, realizing that she wasn't just standing in a castle, but a palace.
     The painting showed a man, with with deep blue eyes, 'kind eyes' she thought. His hair was dark brown. He was handsome, but not because of his looks. But perhaps the tender way he regarded the woman in the portrait, or the way he held he baby close to him. He was tall and broad, and looked every part like a king. Evening without the regal(but not gaudy) crown gracing his head.
  The woman was beautiful and the perfect portrayal of grace and meekness. Everything a queen should be. With flowing auburn hair, and dark stormy green eyes. With a simple yet elegant crown completing the image.
   She walked down the hall, each step brought a new portrait, and before her eyes the family grew. The first child, a boy, was a strapping lad. With dark brown hair, and blue eyes like his father. Twin girls came next, with auburn hair and deep blue eyes. The next was another boy, a perfect mix of his parents. The best features of both present in the cherub like child.
    The last was a girl. With perfect auburn ringlets, an exact mix of the her parents hair color. Her eyes a brilliant turquoise. No more blue than green, no more green than blue.
   She was a happy little thing, with creamy ivory skin, and adorable dimples. Yet something haunted her. Something left a nagging feeling in the very back of her brain, but she couldn't figure out what.
   There where exactly three single portraits of the little girl. And only three family portraits with her in them. The first family portrait where the little girl was absent was a sad one. The entire family looked forlorn.
    Allisidy made her way from the long hallway to a grand hall. The table was set, as if a ball where about to take place. Although the thick layer of dust and cobwebs told a different tale.
   She made her way through the hall, tracing the delicate carvings of the chairs, marveling at the delicate patterns on the fine dishes. She gntly sat down at the end of the table and wondered if the king from the portraits had sat here. She picked up a plate, and  stared into the reflection. Her image distorted through the thick dust was a haunted one. Her auburn hair was wind tossed and tangled, her cheeks red from the wind. The niggling feeling started again. In the very back of her head and she couldn't silence it. That when she heard it, a faint sound of wind chimes, light and carefree, though unsettling. As drafty as this place was there where no chimes nearby. She then heard the unmistakable rustling of clothing, she placed the plate on the table and stood, quickly but quietly tiptoing away from the noise. She passed back through the long hallway, her gaurd up, allowin/ her to notice things he didnt before. Like the tapestry's hanging on the wall, and the door on the left. She made a mental note for later. She heard the rustling again, only now it was accompanied by footsteps.
  Without a thought Allisidy took of running. I have to get to the nursery! She thought. She ran up the grand stairway, past rooms hallways, and turned down one, and then up another staircase into a separate wing. A minute later she was in the nursery, and she knew just where to hide. She went over the wardrobe and climbed inside, arranging the clothes to cover her small body. And she waited. She sat there for what elt like hours calming her staggered breaths. Slowing her racing heart. Then she heard it again. The rustle of clothing. She waited a beat, and just when she thought she imagined it. She heard the footsteps enter the room, along with the faintest echo of wind chimes. The footsteps paced the room and came closer and closer to the wardrobe. Allisidy's heart hammered, she was sure her pursuer could hear it. The footsteps came closer, and Allisidy hugged her knees tighter, squeezing her eyes shut. Reo more steps echoed though her brain. Thud, thud. This is it! Allisidy thought squeezing her eyes tighter. Then the squeak of the the wardrobe door. ......sssqquueeeeaackkk.....