The sounds ofsquealing could be heard coming from a group of girls in a corner ofa bookstore coffee shop. There was four of them, all about highschool age. One of the girls was staring off into space, daydreaming, while the others were neck deep in drool looking at amagazine. The girl with fiery curls turned and looked at her friends,rolling her eyes. "Guys, can you keep it down please? People arestaring." She said, sipping her coffee.
DaphneReynolds was always the quiet one in her group of friends. They likedto pass the time by sitting in the local coffee shop, or paradingaround the mall in short outfits and flirting with guys too old forthem. Daphne didn't. She was a jeans and t-shirt, no make-up kind ofgirl that preferred to spend her time in another world. She thoughtthey only kept her around because they felt sorry for her. She was abookworm, after all. "Oh my god. He is so hot, though." One ofthe girls squealed. Daphne scoffed, rolling her eyes and turningaway. It was another cover of some oiled up celebrity she knewnothing about, and didn't care too.
There wasSarah, who was a brunette with pretty hazel eyes. She wore a lot ofmakeup, but somehow pulled it off. Daphne was never sure how. Sarahwas also pretty fit, being a sports player. Then there was Ashley.She was a blue eyed blonde with a thin physique. Of course, Ash woremakeup, but could go bare face and still be breath taking. Taylor,who was Ashley's fraternal twin, was also a blonde, but she ended upwith deep chocolate brown eyes and a freckle face. She was stillbeautiful though. Daphne always felt like the odd one out in thegroup, having fiery red curls, a fair completion, and freckles allover. She never felt as beautiful as the others though. "Daphne,what do you think?" Sarah asked, shoving the magazine in her face.Daphne shrugged. "He's okay, I guess." She said honestly. "Ifwe add pointy ears and a magic staff, would he be better?" Taylorteased lightly.
Daphne smirkedwith a light chuckle, and got up and headed deeper into the bookstoreand found herself in her usual spot with a few different fantasynovels on the floor, surrounding her. She wanted nothing more than tofind someone like the characters in these books, and to live anadventure like this. She knew it wouldn't happen. It wasn't possible.People and places like the ones in the books were just that, inbooks. She sighed and started flipping through the pages.
After a fewhours, Daphne figure she better get going home. Her friends hadprobably left anyway, and she didn't want her family to worry. Daphneput the books where they belonged and started out to the parking lot.She always parked close to the door, in case she was left behind. Sheslipped her hair into a ponytail and through her ball cap, thencovered her jade colored eyes with her sunglasses from the settingsun. That was one of the worst things about California; you couldn'thide from the sun when it was at it's brightest.
Daphne walkedin the front door and hung up her keys on her hook. She pulled offher hat and stuck it over them. Her younger brother was taking overthe couch again playing some dumb shooter game. "When are you goingto do something useful?" She asked, sitting on his feet. "Whenare you going to get a real life and stop being such a bi-" "That'senough." Their mother called from the kitchen. Daphne stuck hertongue out at her brother. They really did love each other, and woulddo anything for anyone in the family. Brian's biggest issues was theyweren't blood. Daphne's parents had told her she was adopted when sheturned sixteen. They said they wanted to wait to tell her when shewas old enough to handle it. Daphne didn't mind being adopted, shehad a feeling she was anyway. Her family was mostly blondes with blueor brown eyes. She just wished there was an actual record on her. Shewas apparently dropped off somewhere for someone to find. Afterdinner, Daphne escaped to her room, exhausted from the day.
Daphnelooked around the dark room. Slowly, things were coming into view.She was in a forest. Daphne heard the sounds of strange birds andcreatures. She felt like she was being watched, so she startedwalking. The forest was not one she knew, and the sounds wereunknown. Daphne saw a silhouette up ahead. "Hello?" She called,her voice shaking. "Who are you? Where am I?" She managed to letescape her trapped throat. "Hello Daphne. That is what you'recalled, isn't it?" The figure asked. Daphne stopped moving. How didthe man, judging by the voice, know her name. "I- I just want to gohome." She said. Great, letthe strange person know your name and that you're scared. Good job,Daphne. She thought to herself. "You really are clueless.That makes my job easier." The laugh coming from the figure wasdisturbing. Daphne took a step back. "I don't know who you are, orwhat you want, but don't you dare come near me. I know how to fight."She yelled. It was a lie. Daphne knew one thing, and that was to tryand get an attacking man in the balls any way possible. "I onlywant one thing. That, dear, is you dead. Your time is coming." Hesaid as he faded away.
Daphneshot up in a cold sweat. It was all a dream, but it felt so real. Thepanic in her, the coolness of the man. She could hear a bird callfrom outside. Wasn't it too dark for birds to be out. She peeked outher window and saw a raven in the tree in the front yard. It wasstrange, as it seemed to be looking at her. The bird looked to thefront door and flew off. Daphne got the sudden urge to go downstairs.She grabbed the metal baseball bat she kept by her bed and headeddown the stairs. She could hear her brother in his room playing hisgames. She rolled her eyes. Daphne knocked on the door. "It'salmost 3 in the morning. Go to bed." She called inside. Daphnelooked out the peephole of the front door and saw a box. There was noother sign of life, so she opened the door.
Daphneset the box on the counter. She looked around the wall and made sureshe did re-lock the door. She was paranoid now. First the dream, thenthe raven, now a box. It was just a simple box, nothing written onit. It was small enough to maybe hold a phone, but not big enough fora bomb. At least she didn't think. Daphne couldn't hear any ticking,and she didn't think her family had an enemies, so she ruled thatout. Was it some kind of sick joke being pulled on her from thepathetic high school drama starters? Was it an admirer? She huffedand pushed the top up a little. A slight purple glow escaped.
Daphneopened the box the rest of the way. "Well, at least it didn'texplode." She muttered to herself. Inside the box was a smallglowing stone. It was oddly shaped and Daphne wrinkled her nose atit. What kind of rock glowed? Maybe it was just some kind of weirdglitter. It had to be a joke. She looked in the box again, andspotted a piece of paper. It was a simple note with an address. "Whatthe hell?" She asked herself. Daphne knew this address. It was anarea her friends went all the time. They went for 'Make OutMountain.' She went to actually hike. If someone was trying to get inher pants, they were doing it the wrong way. There was nothing elseon the card, and it was typed so she couldn't guess if it was male orfemale. Daphne knew one thing though. She wasn't going tonight. Shewould go in the morning and find out what was going on.
Drydenwalked through the castle towards the queens chambers. She had calledfor him, and he knew why. It was time for him to update her on theprincess. He sighed and gathered himself. Dryden knocked on the door.A room slave opened the door and let him in. Dryden bowed. "Myqueen. You beckoned?" He stood up and left all emotion off hisface. The queen smiled. "Hello Dryden. You can relax. Please, fillme in." She said, sitting. The queen moved a hand towards anotherseat. Dryden relaxed and sat down. "She's got the stone. Everythingseems to be going alright. I'm not sure if Merdon is trying to get toher, or knows about her." He told her. "Oh, he knows. He justdoesn't know where she is." The queen sighed. "I wish she washere." Dryden looked down. "I know. I do as well. It would be somuch easier, but we must keep our heads up. Everything will go asplanned." He told her, gently touching the queens hand. The twosmiled.
Drydenwalked out of the queens chambers and made his way to the dungeon.Dryden was let into a room. He looked around. "Where are youwitch?" He called out. "Haven't I asked you not to call me that?"A woman's voice trailed. "It's what you are." Dryden spat back."Have you any ideas on Merdon?" He asked. The young woman walkedout from behind a wall. "No. I haven't been able to find him" Shetold him. "If I find out you're lying, I will kill you." He toldher. The witch rolled her eyes. "I know this. I'm not lying. Idon't know where he is." She told him. Dryden walked out of thecell and the door slammed shut behind him.
Comingto a lab like room, Dryden sighed to a man. "Asden, have you anynews?" He asked. The man, who was starting to age, turned around.His crazy white hair was standing on end in all different directions.He ran his wrinkling hand through it. "Not yet. She only has oneand thinks its a weird rock. She's not gotten the second yet. I don'tthink she will figure out the puzzle." The two men sighed. "Youmay need to help her, Dryden." Dryden nodded. He pat the old man onthe back and then magic took over him. He transformed into a ravenand took off out a window. The raven made it's way towards the hiddenportal and into the world the princess was in.
