The Red

Chapter-17

"  I, who chose to love with ocean's depth, am running out of myself while filling that deserted heart of yours."

Stella's p.o.v.

I had always hated to be alone. But I hated it more when I was with people. They had only a thing to do with me and that is, abuse me verbally or physically.

 I wrapped my fingers around my wrist and realized I had gained some weight. It had been long since I would get a meal per day. I had been privileged with delicacy for months and now, I could barely remember those days under poverty. 

I tighten my fingers around the wrist and remembered my past self. Not like anything had changed, except I could get some good foods and clothes. Of course, I had gotten rid of the abusing royalties of my homeland. Other than that, people viewed me with same maliciousness and never cease to mention me as a witch. 

Sometimes, I wondered if I really was a witch. I would try uttering some nonsense and see if it works. It never worked before, and I was sure I wasn't who people thought I was. But that day things changed. 

In the provided chamber.. 

I laid stiff on the bed after the multiple attempts of changing the sides. It had been some days since I could sleep soundly. Something always weighed me and I could spend hours worrying about it.  Yeah, it was one of those many sleepless nights.

I heard a swift knock on the door. I got up in the bed, silently and waited for another knock. The place was strangely quiet and I would hear the chilly wind whistling outside the window. 

Maybe I am imagining things.. I thought and scratched my head out of weird feeling.

I was about to get into bed again, I heard the knock again. 

"Who?" I couldn't keep that strange feeling to myself.

The same silence hit the place and by now, I could no longer stay at bed. I immediately got out of the bed and got to the door. My heart was thumping like it would burst at any moment and I was sweating. Strange as it is, I had learned to fear. 

"Breath, Stella," I said to myself and put my hand on my chest. I swallowed the lump that was stuck in my throat and tried to relax. 

I knew that palace was weird from the first day. It was expected to feel uneasy. I placed my one shivering hand to another and questioned myself, Why are you cowering? The worst that could happen is death. 

"Yeah, the best is death and you have never feared it. Remember, when the third brother choked you," I tried to convince myself but I lost all my sanity when I heard something fall. My knees had given up and I was on the floor. 

I murmured "You are brave," as I filtered my eyes through the room. Everything seemed same except at the corner of the room, a book had fallen off the self. 

I  hadn't given much attention to her words, but the book reminded of her. She had mentioned the books on the self when she attacked me. 

"Books?" I tilted my head and I reckoned, things were getting as if someone had plotted it. But I didn't hesitate to walk forth and pick up the book. 

The book was covered with snowflakes like tiny icy substances. I don't remember the room getting so cold.  I lightly patted my hand on the book and removed those tiny things as much as I could. But there was no use to it, they were still stuck on the book's cover as if they would never come off. 

I glided my fingers on those small things and felt as if someone's memory was engraved in them. 

"Doare," I mumbled, not knowing what I was spouting. One thing for sure, my heart was aching.