Drowning.
My lungs fill with water as I struggle to breathe. My chest constricts with the weight of a thousand crowns, I feel myself giving into the darkness.
Jolting awake, I feel the silkiness of my bed sheets crumple inside my closed fists. Breathing heavily, my eyes move to the window. A cold shock runs through my legs as my toes hit the floor. My chest rises and falls as I lean my forehead against the glass pane of the window, letting the coolness wash over me. The dream has been playing in my mind for months now, over and over again, like a sand glass that someone keeps flipping over. When I was younger, my mom used to say they were visions, of what might happen the future. Most of the time she was right, the dreams did come true, in one way or another. I'm always drowning, but it's not in water, I'm always drowning in something much darker and thicker than water.
A knock outside my door jolts me out of my daze.
"Who is it?" I shout, my voice raspy from not speaking for so long.
I recognize the gruff voice of my royal guard. "You are requested in the king's chamber!"
I slip my feet into my slippers and wrap my self in my white cloak. Throwing the hood over my platinum waves, I turn the knob of the door. Two of my guards stand outside. They flank me as I rush to my father's room. The door is left wide open. My steps slow down as my eyes catch sight of my father lying in his bed with his eyes half closed. His ragged breathing echoes in the room. My mother is kneeling next to his bedside, her lips pressed against his pale fingers. I kneel down next to him and take his other hand. My worst fears are coming true, my father has been sick for weeks now. Every day, his sickness worsens. We've called for the best physicians in the kingdom, but they all have the same blank stare and blunt answer.
"There's nothing we can do."
My father's fingers wrap around mine.
"Ariana?" he rasps.
Tears spring to my eyes, threating to spill out. "I'm here."
His lips pull up into a weak smile. "You must help your mother look after this country, I won't be here to help you anymore. There will be-" he is interrupted by his own coughing. I hand him the white cloth sitting on the table next to his bed. He pulls his hand out of my mom's fingers and presses the cloth to his mouth. When he pulls it away, there's blood in it. My breath hitches.
"There will be people trying to steal this country from you, you must protect it."
I don't miss the cold stare in my step mother's eyes as he says it.
"I will."
His eyes slowly close as he nods. "Good."
I cover my mouth with my other hand to stifle a sob as his thin hand goes slack in mine. My maid's plump arms wrap around my waist as she pulls me away from my father.
"No!" I scream, struggling against her surprising strength. My eyes squeeze themselves shut, as If they could stop the tears from falling. My dream flashes in my mind, before vanishing completely.
It came true.
"Please father, no..." my words are lost in the sound of my choking sobs.
My maid's voice sounds so far away. "Take her to her chambers, don't let her leave your sight."
Strong arms slip under my legs and shoulder blades. The strong scent of my guard washes over me as I close my eyes and give in to the darkness waiting there.
Hello, lovelies! Thanks for reading the first chapter of my new story! Don't forget to vote and comment! I'm open to any constructive criticism! :D
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RULE (Completed)
Adventure"You are queen now, start acting like it." Ariana has waited her entire life to become queen and rule her country. But things prove to be much more difficult than she ever thought they would be. After the death of her beloved father, her mother sudd...
