Eight-year-old Mally Johnson swept the ever-musty, lavish wooden floors of the ballroom, tiredly staring at the work she had completed. She imagined venturing off in the unknown, the forest walls sweeping her thin ankles as she ran through the jungle. She gritted her teeth and managed to snap out of her trance as she turned away from the delicate, symmetrical windows that revealed the outdoors, seeming so close yet so far. She caught a smell of the wafting scents that sneaked through the drafty cracks of the looming walls of her father's castle, making her stomach growl, for she was only able to have the bits and pieces of the leftover meals, making her malnourished, causing her to be very thin and pale. Mally stared mindlessly at the oak-trimmed double doors, fully aware of the time ticking away. Resuming back to her duty, she grabbed the broom handle, and pushed with all her might, leaving the dust flying over the tile floor. She let all of her thoughts slip away as she started to push the broom again. Mally worked harder than ever, anxious to get the polished stone clean. She wanted to finish so that she could move on to the next chore that needed to be done. Without warning, Mally's father Sercile Expella, who was also known as King Expella walked in the room and watched Mally and her playful friend Lily Akiyama who had long black hair and brilliant jet black eyes sweep the ballroom. "Make sure you didn't miss a spot," he said, cackling, "or you know what happens." Then he twirled around and went back out the door, making a new stain of dirt on the tile floor. Lily sighed and went over to where he once stood and swept the dust into a pile. Suddenly the King returned again. He held a trembling boy in his grasp and he pushed him towards Mally and Lily. "This is Parker. He shall be staying here with you from now on. You both are getting a new room so that we can fit him in." He giggled and stomped out of the room. This wasn't odd. The King usually made Mally and Lily explain the rules of the castle and then he would move the newcomer to a different room or they would unexplainably disappear. Mally was here before any other maid was here so her father would have her explain the rules. But when Lily came, she was Mally's first friend and she begged her father to let them share a room. He finally agreed and he made a routine. They would both explain the rules of the kingdom and then he would move them or do who knows what with them. This was probably the same exact thing. But Mally liked Parker already, just by the look of his strangely heroic face that shined through his unmistakable fear. She wouldn't let him leave like the others.
"I-I-I amm Parrrkerr," Parker whispered.
"I'm Lily Akiyama!" Lily said excitedly. "I am so happy to have the pleasure of meeting you!" Mally loved Lily's personality, so sweet and enthusiastic. She was always so carefree and happy, even though they were trapped inside this spooky castle.
"Hello, I'm Mally Johnson! Nice to meet you, Parker." Mally said and warmingly hugged Parker.
"Now down to business. Where'd ya come from?" Lily giggled. Parker lowered his head.
"My mother was the first to accidentally cross King Expella's new six-mile radius lines. Although she wasn't a sphinx, she was taken for her foolishness, and was raised as a maid. My father works as a guard, and I've never met him. So when I was born, King Expella took me to live here as a maid too. My mother still works here and sometimes I visit her. I have a four year little sister named Riley. I named my Teddy Bear after her because I miss her a lot. I have another brother named Mark, but he is older and so he works as a guard. King Expella thought I was too weak to weak to be a soldier so I'm the first boy maid to ever be in the kingdom." Lily was astounded. Usually most of the people who came here, including Lily, didn't know where they had came from. "Awesome Sauce, Chili Sauce, Pumpkin Sauce! Unfortunately I don't remember where I came from." Mally nodded along with Lily. It was true. Lily didn't know who she was or how she got here in this castle to begin with. Mally knew more than most people did. She knew that King Expella was her stepfather and her mother, Queen Malaxy Geim, was murdered by someone. Lily wasn't that lucky. Lily didn't even know who her parents were.
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Orange Shadow Magic: Awaken. Book 1
Fantasy(WATTYS2018 LONGLIST) Exeria. The most magical place in the world, perhaps even the most deadly. The evil King of Exeria rules here and with that, comes a great price, especially for his daughter, Princess Mally Johnson. She possesses great powers...
