Before The Night Falls (On Edit Mode ) #Wattys2017

Silver mornings

          I dashed into the throne room in my original form. All the royal cousins, aunts and uncles popped in to the room. The council table was drawn in to the room and chairs were placed all around. Everyone was taking their seats including the king and queen in their place on the throne, while I walked to my throne off to their side. I was intercepted by Natalie on my way.
"Sia!!" she said hugging me and pulled me down to her height, "Nate says you look very pretty today". I blushed and my cheeks turned a deep red while I searched for Nate in the crowd. Our eyes caught and I quickly looked away. 

            "Well thank you Natalie now run off before someone hears and grounds me for life", I said mumbling the last bit. She giggles and makes her way to her brother. Natalie was my favorite cousin and she was the youngest here. Her parents had both died tragically and now Nate is the one looking after her. He is responsible and mature making him a favorite with my mother. I remember in every play date when we were young, our mothers used to say we were meant for each other. So since then we have been engaged and pulled apart as tradition has it that you can only talked to your betrothed after your wedding. 

             So we were not allowed to see, talk or even think about each other. Everyone was settled by the time the general briefed us in on what was happening.

            " Doesn't seem like an open attack my majesty, it seems like a few morning assassins have been able to enter into our dimension. We have secured every place for safety and have sent out a few to hunt", he said. Hours dragged on in the scout as maps lay scattered and everyone were discussing the strategic moves. We were stuck here till they were found.

              The queen went about the room with aunt Roma swinging the wooden walls of the throne room upwards revealing about ten bedrooms that were attached to the throne room. Natalie had fallen asleep on my lap. I picked her up and went to one of the bedrooms. They were small with just a bed and a small side table. I lay her down on the bed and watched her sleep peacefully. The maids entered and placed a bowl of fruits and water by the table and left.

            I could see Nate from my door looking intently at the maps in front of him silent. His messy brown hair was falling to his eyes and his face lines defined him to be serious. I remember the last I saw him was on the day of his mother's funeral. His eyes looking distant as little Natalie clung to his legs. I shouldn't be thinking about him I kept saying to myself and sighed. The last I talked to him was when we were 12.

               Suddenly I was panting heavily; I was running through the woods. There was a light shooting and I sensed a shadow hurt. No! The shadow tumbled downwards while everything went dark. I could only hear myself breathing and the endless darkness. I panicked and pulled myself out of the vision. I was breathing hard as I ran to the table. 

             "They are in the green wood forest. A hunter has been hurt. Hurry quickly someone save him", I was screaming. I saw a night guard disappear on command. I knew I could sense a shadow but how was I able to see myself inside a morning? I was starting to freak out. My head started to ache.

          "Sia my dear, are you alright?" my mom said. Everyone was looking at me worried. 

          "I'm fi..." just before I could complete my sentence I felt a hand around my waist and the room in front of me disappeared. I heard the faint screams of my parents as another place came in to view. I was on the terrace of the palace.

           "Let me go!" I screamed.

            "As you say so", he smirked and let me fall from the edge. I pulled myself in to my shadow and went straight at him. He tumbled downwards with me on top of him and my fist ready to make its way on his beautiful face. His silver eyes stared at me intently while I heard a voice inside my head - Did you already forget these silver eyes? 

           I looked in to the familiar silver eyes. I sure am hungry right now; do you have some food around here? I gasped as recognition finally sunk in.