*** WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENT SCENE IN THE END ***
Ella as quietly as possible entered the palace, everyone was still sleeping and the environment of the palace was calm, silent and comfortable. Ella headed towards her room and just fell on her bed, she realized every bone of her body was screaming in pain and she quickly drifted off to sleep.
She was woken up as though the next moment by Janet, her personal maid, who was telling her that she was going to be late for her breakfast. She slowly got up and started getting ready for the day ahead of her. She came down in the royal hall for breakfast passed a 'Good morning' to everyone at the table and sat on the chair by Thomas. She ate everything in her reach because the lesson last night had taken most of her energy.
She had finished her breakfast and was getting up from her seat when Amber spoke to her: ''Ella, if you are free or are not doing any important thing, would you like to go on riding with us? We all have planned it.'' she said looking at her brothers and cousins who instantly nodded.
'Of course I'll be doing something important right now. I have a hell lot of sleeping and training to do without catching anyone's eye especially my mother or she will kill me for sure.' she thought. Well that's not a good answer to give in front of everyone.
''Yes, I'm free at the moment.'' Ella replied with a smile killing her original thoughts.
''Alright. Lets go to the stables.'' Aston said getting up from his chair and everyone followed his action.
They laughed and talked on their way to the stables. There was a stable boy standing in front of the stable doors. He bowed deeply when they all reached him and opened the stable doors.
''Alright everyone choose your horses.'' Thomas said entering in the stable.
Amber and Aston chose chestnut colored horses, while James and Thomas chose grey and Eric picked a pure white colored one.
''Oh come on Ella! Its not that difficult to choose a horse. Just pick anyone!'' James said impatiently.
Ella sighed and said ''James, it is difficult to choose a horse and it is no fun to ride a horse whose color does not satisfy you.''
James rolled his eyes at Ella's response and said ''Now we can't bring your dear horse Jewels from our stables. You will have to choose one of them.''
Ella ignored her brother and kept roaming in the stable looking for a perfect horse. Passing which seemed fifteen horses, she turned to the next one and gasped at the sight of it. It was a magnificent lush black horse, with long black mane and tail.
''Hey! I'm having this one.'' she asked excitedly.
''Which one?'' Amber asked walking up to Ella. ''Oh, you are asking for Black Rose?'' Amber said loudly looking at Eric. ''What do you think Eric?'' she smiled at Eric.
''She's asking for Black Rose? Then Black Rose it is.'' Eric said smiling to himself and walking towards Ella. He helped her mount the horse, then he turned to Amber who was watching him closely.
''What?'' he said to her.
''You gave her your special Black Rose. I think she is really special.'' she whispered to him and gave cheeky smile.
''Stop it Amber!'' Eric replied annoyed. Then they all mounted their horses and headed out in the large lawns.
*** *** ***
The sun had started to set, Ella was sitting in her room practicing what Nate had taught her. On the mention of Nate, Ella did not receive any letter from him.
Something crossed Ella's mind. She remembered Nate told her to ask her aunt for a hidden place to practice daily. She left her room and was turning a corner in a corridor when she bumped into Eric.
''Ouch!''
''Oops! Sorry,'' Eric said catching Ella as she was almost falling.
''No, I'm sorry as I was in a hurry.'' Ella said trying to stand straight.
For a moment they just looked at each other not thinking about anything. 'Ahem, you were going somewhere.' Ella's conscious knocked in.
She quickly pushed all the thoughts away and said: ''Um.... ah... I was looking for aunt Harriet. Do you know where she is?''
''Yeah, she's in her room.'' Eric replied still looking straight in Ella's eyes. Then unknowingly he took a step closer to Ella. Confused Ella looked around so that she won't have to look at Eric. He was so close to her that she could feel his breath hitting her face.
''Um... I think I should go now.'' Ella said color rising in her cheeks. With that she left Eric fixed at the spot staring after her. 'What a weird guy.' she thought to herself.
She knocked on Queen Harriet's door.
''Come in!'' a soft voice said from the other side of the door. Ella entered the room and saw her aunt sitting in a comfortable chair reading a book.
''Aunt Harriet, if you are not busy I want to talk to you about something.'' She looked up and smiled warmly at Ella.
''Come dear, have a seat.'' she said pointing to a chair beside her's. Ella sat down on the chair and looked at her aunt.
''What do you want to talk about?'' she asked gently. Then Ella told her that she wanted a place where she could practice without anyone knowing.
''But please don't tell mother. You know what she is like.'' Ella said worriedly.
''Don't worry sweetheart. No one will harm you, it'll be our little secret. Now we will talk about it tomorrow. Its dinner time.'' She said standing up.
Then the two of them headed for the dinner together. Ella took a seat between James and Thomas and the feast started. After the dinner everyone got up to go to their room. Ella was about to enter her room when Eric called her.
''Uh... I just wanted to ask you. If you would like to go on a walk with me tomorrow?'' he asked nervously.
''Alright, just tell me when.'' Ella said smiling noticing how nervous he was. 'Oh gosh! how cute he looks when he is nervous.'
Ella shook her head and walked into her room. As she entered her room, her eyes were set on her bed and they went wide open in shock and fear. There was blood all over her sheets and on the middle, there was a.... head and just near it was a blood stained dagger and a note. She tried to scream but as though her breath was caught in her throat. Her knees gave away and she fell to the ground and then... a terrible scream left her mouth, and then she couldn't stop herself and started screaming so loud that her throat started hurting.
''ELLA!!'' she heard some people shout.
YOU ARE READING
SAVIOR AND SURVIVOR #wattys2017 (Under Editing)
FantasyElla's life as a princess was going very well until she met a boy and came to know about the truth which tore her family apart many years ago. Will she be able to mend what was broken...... Will she be able to undo the devastation which cursed her...
