The End

Chapter 2: Krystal

The hallway is dark, begging me to go forward. I do. My mind recognizes the corridors, the very ones I have run through all my life. Every crook and cranny of this castle, I know by heart. The way that the walls crumble when too many guards men run down the halls, the way that water drips from the cracks in the ceiling. The moss that grows in the corners of the broken marble and obsidian. How footsteps echo down the long corridors. A noise to my left brings me out of my thoughts, I don't dare say a word. The person's breathing regulates again, and I know who it is.

"Lydia!" I half shout half whisper, and I hear her snicker.

We silently rush over to each other and embrace with a kiss. It instantly calms me. The warmth in her lips passes through me, heating my body and making me blush. We break apart quickly not wanting to get caught. Quietly, Lydia and I make our way over to the balcony. She is wearing this stunning emerald green dress that fits her curves perfectly. Showing me everything I need to see.

"Stop staring," she says smiling.

"You are beautiful, Lydia," I affirmed.

We continue our descent and land firmly on the ground. A concerned look passes through her eyes, and disappears just as fast. I give her hand a reassuring squeeze. The smell of fresh mildew fills our noses. I take a deep breath, letting the frosty mist fill my nostrils; out of the corner of my eyes, I see Lydia do the same. I grab her hand and run.

Eventually, we arrive under our tree close to midnight, a gentle breeze rustles the leaves as we venture up it. The huge weeping willow stands as high as fifty feet, the leaves intertwine beautifully. The moonlit surface gives us enough light to climb up safely.

"It's beautiful up here isn't it?" I question.

"It always has been. How long have we been coming here?" she asks in response.

"Like," I pause for a moment, trying to remember, "it's been like what five years. We first started coming here as friends, then you know, we became more than that and it has stayed that way for two years now."

"Talking about two years," she pulls me into a tender kiss," happy two year anniversary, Krystal," she chirped.

"Happy two years, babe." I answer smiling.

We sit there like that for what seems like four hours, and it was. In just thirty minutes, the sun would rise. At 600 hours I would be woken up to join breakfast in the Dining Hall. Lydia notices my panic.

"What is it?" she asks with a concerned look.

"We need to leave, judging by the slight glow in the East, the sun'll be rising in approximately... 25 minutes now." I say hurriedly. "The guards usually check the perimeter around 530 hours and the maidens walk into the rooms at 600 hours. I have to be back by then."

"Let's go then," Lydia worried.

They way back to the Palace seemed twenty times longer than the way to the tree. The sky is starting to light up, making it easier to find our way back. There are twigs and wet moss across the snow covered ground. It is wrong about what they say, moss does not only grow the north side of the tree. It grows all around the tree. Lydia falls beside me, slipping on a jagged ice fragment. She lets out a howl of pain. I instantly turn to her to pick her up, but I stop when I see her leg. Her pink toned flesh is now a dark red, blood pours over her calf. The fibula is tearing apart her skin, I can hear the sound of it ripping. All I can see is the color red and pink, her blood has soaked all the crystal snow next to her. Nerves and veins are all over the place, most are broken and bleeding profusely. How am I supposed to carry her... I wonder.