Starnapped: A SVTFOE Story

Starnapped: Chapter 12 - Corruption

Each step Star took, Marco mimicked, silently creeping in the underbrush. After a while the tears stopped falling from the blonde's eyes, instead replaced with a look of determination. Her light steps began to increase in pace as she gained ground on the towering keep, the sky getting darker by the second. The time was approaching dawn, but the shadow of the enormous castle prevented the light from getting through. Using her wand as a light, the girl continued, the boy following closely behind.

The two were horrified to find that the gates had been left unguarded, which would have never happened under the rule of the Butterflys. Eclipsa may be a Butterfly by blood, but by way of values could not be farther from the lineage. Shrugging off the feeling of uncertainty, the duo crept silently through the doorway, careful not to make a sound. If they were caught, there was no way of telling what would happen to them. Slave labor, torture, or even death. It was impossible to predict the true motives of a woman who most knew nothing about.

Around each corner the amount of cover decreased, causing Marco to shiver with fear. What would Star feel when she found him? Anger? Relief? Her face was nearly impossible to read. Gulping with fear, the boy crept closer to his friend, preparing himself for her response. It would be better if he revealed himself on his own terms. Gathering up all his courage, he tapped her on her right shoulder, causing her to jump with surprise. The girl whipped around, her hair nearly slapping Marco across the face. She had gone into a battle stance, assuming her stalker must simply a monster or corrupted guard. However, her face was flooded with relief as she met the boy's gaze, a nervous smile across his face.

"Oh thank corn, it's just you Marco. In any normal situation, I would be angry right now. But this isn't normal, so just follow me. You seem to be pretty good at that." at that the princess turned back around, rushing to western wall, gesturing for Marco to follow. Her actual response to his presence filled him with relief as he slowly approached the blonde's position, a stupid grin plastered across his face.

Inside the walls of palace there was an extreme lack of guards, which could mean one of two things. Eclipsa had either positioned them all in the room where she laid, or she had killed every last one. Exchanging a glance of terror, the two shrugged off the thought, feeling the need to maintain their focus. If they were to take down the queen once and for all, then the last thing they needed was to be distracted by other matters.

The interior resembled a labyrinth, each corner seeming to be a wrong turn. However, Star started to get closer and closer to her target, a voice in the back of her mind seemed to be motivate her, pushing her in the right direction. It seemed to repeat over and over again, "ballroom. Ballroom." Why that room had any significance to her quest, she had no idea. But a strange urge pushed her to follow the voice, continuously wandering through the unknown, untracked passageways.

The air seemed to become cooler as they approached the center, causing both teens to shiver. The light around them began to dim, the color now slightly tinted violet. They must be getting close. Star prepared her battle plan in her head, repeating it over and over again in her mind. There was no possible way to mess this up now. And now the stakes were even higher now with Marco at her side, her vow protecting him from harm. She had no idea what she would do if he was harmed, or even worse, killed. She wouldn't even be able to live with herself.

The girl was quickly snapped out of her thoughts by a sharp pain in the back of her head. Refocusing her vision, she realised that she had collapsed onto the ground before her, Marco reaching his hand towards her. Something was wrong. Grabbing the brunette's outstretched hand, she propped herself up, shaking off the ominous feeling in her bones. Moving forward a few more steps, Star turned a corner, only to be awestruck by what she saw.