It was a full moon, and only a fool would be wandering the forest during a full moon. Amethyst was doing just that. There was something about the summer breeze and the rustling of the leaves that she had grown to love. The Wolves would be out today. Every full moon the wolves took it to make such a racket, Amethyst was hardly able to sleep. She liked to think she wasn't scared of anything, it made her feel powerful that way but in fact she did fear many things. Losing her family was one. Gathering her bow and arrows she quietly hid behind the tree under the tree house. If she could make it up the stairs without being seen she would soon be home. A single creak would give her away. A price she was not willing to pay. Slowly and quietly she climbed up each stair wincing at the sound of every creak and every whine. Amethyst lived with her brother and her sister. Her parents had passed away when she was just 4. Darren her brother had been 14 then, treating her as his "responsibility" ever since. The tree house was a cozy one, it smelled like fresh cut wood mixed with her sister Isabelle's lavender hand crush perfume. She had made enough noise to wake Darren up, she was sure of that, but he was no where to be seen; so she quietly walked over to her room grabbing an apple and slid into her bed turning on the light. She grabbed for her book. Her knowledge from the books she read were her only consolation, and her only distraction from what her life may have been like. It wasn't soon that her eyes slid shut and she was captured by darkness once again."Queen Amber."
Queen Amber had taken it to 'disrupt Amethyst's dreams' almost every day now.
"Princess."
Her idea of a greeting was barf worthy.
"I'm hardly a princess, I live in a tree house, live off the forest and I'm an orphan." She rolled her eyes.
"Nevertheless you are princess by blood and that's what you shall be called. Have you made up your mind yet princess?"
Always the same stupid topic. She was seriously starting to get annoyed.
"What's in it for me? Go looking for this stone, restore your (sorry rightfully my) kingdom and then what? With all due respect , your majesty, my answer is still no. And I would really appreciate you staying out of my dreams!"
Queen Amber, her mothers sister had banished her mother when she fell in love with a lowly peasant. When they both passed away from a rare illness, Amber hadn't bothered taking them in.
"You do this Amethyst, I will give you anything you want. Anything."
Still not tempting.
"Why not Jared or Isabelle? They not good enough for you?" She asked.
"Don't talk like a peasant." She snapped. "If it were up to me I wouldn't waste a second on such an ungrateful thing. Amethyst you're the child in the prophecy. It can only be you. Ask the gods why! Because they don't answer me! Why are you so difficult?"
She threw her hands up in the air while Amethyst stifled a laugh. Ah. Annoying the shit out of people, one of Amethyst's best qualities. She was also stubborn, once she said 'no' she meant it. However, she couldn't say no to an adventure and everyday she was closer and closer to saying yes than the day before.
"I want you to know that I'm doing this for the benefit of your kingdom, and in return I expect my brother and sister to be recognized as prince and princess. Isabelle, given a wardrobe full of dresses, a nicer built house. Jared, all the exercise equipment he could possibly want and I want them to have no idea where I am but know that I'm okay, even when I'm not."
Queen Amber scoffed.
"And you princess? What wish shall I grant you? "
"Wait on that one", she said. "When do I start? " she asked. " pack your bags. You leave at dawn tomorrow, you will follow the map, it will lead you to where the stone is. But remember the map is enchanted, so you must figure out how to use that first. "
Amber handed her the map. She knew there was a catch.
"Amethyst, remember, not everyone you meet is your friend."
She choked back a laugh.
"Like you?"
Amber vanished into thin air and Amethyst woke up and began packing her bags.