The Dark King (Book 1)

Chapter 12

I am jolted awake by the king, I notice the carriage is stopped.

A guard opens the door from the outside and announces, "We have arrived."

The Western kingdom. Kingdom of Marecia. The green kingdom. It looked...beautiful.

"Wow," I look around as we approach the castle doors. "It's beautiful."

Raidyn looks at me. "It is." He breathes.

I accidently brush my hand with his, I quickly jump away from him.

"Are you okay?" Flora says to me.

I look up Raidyn. "Yeah," I exhale.

"I have just talked with the guards, we are to meet the king at his throne room, your majesty." Harking says to Raidyn.

"Lead the way." Raidyn gestures. The fresh air of the green kingdom whips around his hair, but not the hairs of anybody else. He must be controlling it, playing with it.

We head into the castle where we head up the stairs and into the throne room. I bow at the King, Astrid's uncle. He has their green eyes, the color behind my violet eyes. We're all introduced as he says that we are all welcomed into his home.

Next they show us into our own wing where we're escorted to our room. They were spacious and beautiful, but I grew rather bored and I knock on Flora's door. She opens and smiles as I walk in and sit on her bed with her.

"Have you ever been to the Western kingdom?"

"No, never." She shakes her head. "My family never had the desire to leave Rastifen."

"What was it like, growing up in the Southern kingdom?" I wonder.

She shrugs. "For the rain we get we found ways to entertain ourselves. The children love a good storm. Watching them at night with my sisters are some of my fondest memories."

I barely remember my childhood. I never had one to be honest, the king blocked out all my memories before six and growing up in the castle, while it was luxury it was also a prison. "It sounds...it sounds really nice." I smile at her.

"Does that mean you are not from our kingdom?" She tilts her head.

"No, I'm not from Kingdom Rasitfen." I shake my head.

"Which kingdom are you from and how did you become the kings handmaiden?"

"I was from Craylle, but I came here for a better life."

She whispers, "You escaped? How?"

"It's not exactly a short story," I stumble on my words. "I mean I'm free, isn't that all that matters now?"

"I understand if you don't want to talk about it. I've heard terrible things of Craylle." She frowns.

"Yeah," I say softly. "Like I said none of it matters now." I look out the window at the sun that is setting. "I can't believe how late it's getting."

Flora giggles. "Yeah, it's strange that they have actual sunsets."

"A rare occasion in Rastifen."

"Don't I know it." She rolls her eyes. "Especially the past month."

"I seem to be guilty for most of those nights." I sigh.

"As I'm sure the rest of the kingdom already knows."

I blush. "I'll see you tomorrow, Flora. I am quite exhausted. Maybe tomorrow we can go into town, that is if the king doesn't have other plans for us."