Leaves of Change [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 8 - Nightmares

    Serenity ran into a large hallway on the left wall of the throne room. She could hear Toawn calling after her, but she did not care. She just had to get away.

    Her eyes began to sting, and she shook the tears out of her eyes before they had a chance to stream down her face.

    Her vision was blurred and she shook her head again, just as she slammed into a figure and they both fell to the ground.

    Serenity held her head, "Ah, sorry," she murmured as she looked up to see whom she had crashed into.

    It was a maid. At least, Serenity assumed it was a maid. She was wearing a long light brown dress covered with a white apron reaching down to her feet which were clad in black buckled shoes. Her brown hair was tied into a loose ponytail that started on the side of her head.

    "I'm so sorry, miss!" the maid said as she helped Serenity to her feet and dusted herself off.

    "No, it's - it's okay..." Serenity replied.

    The woman looked at Serenity quickly and paled. "Oh my Soraya, I am so sorry miss!" she said and curtsied.

    "No! Really, it's fine. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going."

    The maid looked up, "I appreciate your kindness, miss." she said, "I'll show you to your room."

    Serenity was confused, "My room? You mean you knew I was coming?"

    "Yes, of course. Everyone knew you were coming. Why wouldn't they, miss?"  

    Serenity was about to question further, but the maid was already leading her down the hall.

    They ventured down a few more corridors and up a flight of stairs in silence. Serenity thought it was a bit awkward, but she didn't mind; she was plenty occupied admiring the beautiful structure of the castle's interior. There were beautiful golden candle holders shaped like dragons welded to the wall, and the firelight reflected on the quartz flooring.   For not the first time that day, she wondered how big the palace really was.

    Finally the maid stopped at a gilded pine door, etched in golden designs of leaves and branches. The maid opened the door and revealed the most beautiful room Serenity had ever seen. The white marble walls and floors were etched in silver. The canopy bed had white curtains that led down from the top of the frame, wrapping around the bed. But the part of the room that shocked Serenity the most, was the balcony that overlooked the view of a glittering blue ocean. Serenity had never seen an ocean so blue and magical looking as the one before her eyes.

    Serenity turned to look at the maid, who was trying to contain a giggle.

    This was all new to Serenity. She was used to living in a tiny, cramped and dirty room with rickety wooden beds and dusty floors. Not something as magnificent as this. This was a whole new challenge to Serenity.

    The maid's smile faltered, "I'll just leave you to get settled then, miss. Dinner will be brought to you at six o'clock sharp."

    The woman turned to leave the room, but Serenity stopped her. "Pardon me, but I never caught your name."

    The maid smiled, "It's Molly.  Molly Hendrichs.

~*~*~*~*~*

    Serenity spent the next half-hour admiring her new room. There was a desk on the wall next to the balcony - complete with a black feathered quill and inkwell - and a wardrobe on the left wall, complete with an entire collection of clothes. She changed out of her dress as quickly as possible and into a blouse and long pants. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate what Toawn had done for her, she just hated dresses. They were so inconvenient, and she couldn't run in them.