Sunset Legend

• 9 •

I should of felt uneasy with how well I slept through the night. The bed was incredibly soft, welcoming my body with a hug. The blankets gave the perfect amount of warmth. I stayed in the comforting bed after I woke up. The sun was beaming into my room through the oval window, the sun rising on this side of the house. I didn't move for an hour. I sat in the warmth staring at the bright light that danced across my floor.
There was a soft knock on my door, not loud enough to wake me up but loud enough to see if I was awake.
"Yes?" I called. The door swung open slowly, Summer's orange hair peeping around the side of it.
"May I come in?" I nodded dumbly. No one in the Winter lands had asked to come into my room. There was just a knock followed by a person waltzing in.
Summer was still dressed in pajamas which made me feel less guilty about staying in my room so long. However, it was only a few minutes after ten. She half hopped across the room to my bed, where she sat on the end of it.
"How are you feeling today?" She asked, genuine concern on her face. I shrugged. I couldn't put how I felt into words. I just felt wrong. I felt lost. I wanted answers. I wanted revenge.
I sat in front of the full length mirror in the bathroom last night for thirty minutes. The blue eyes were gone and all that was left was the white hair.
"Will you dye my hair?" I blurted before I could think about it any longer. Summer's lips turned up into a large grin, her head bobbing up and down so fast I thought she would snap her neck.
"Yes! I know just the color. Go into the bathroom, I'll be right back!"
That began the hour long process of dying my hair a color I wasn't allowed to know until it was finished. I sat crossed legged on the counter in the bathroom as she stood behind me, stroking my hair with the dye. Summer went as far as covering the mirror with garbage bags so I couldn't see her in the reflection.
"This is going to bring out your eyes so much. Ugh, you are going to look so good, girl," Summer said as she now stood over me, warm water falling through my hair as she washed it. I chuckled to myself.
"Okay... ready?" Summer asked, holding the corner of the bag, waiting to rip it down.
I sucked in air until my lungs couldn't hold anymore and then nodded. With a flick of her wrist, the bag fell and I was looking at my new hair. It was a deep, dark red that reminded me of dried blood. My eyes were glowing against the new color, just as she had promised. She styled it into her perfect curls that fell down to the middle of my back.
"What do you think?" She asked, my silence going on too long. I spun once in the mirror, looking at it from all angles.
I looked like I belonged here. My white hair was gone along with any love for the snow. I was not the princess anymore that was held captive in a castle. I was free.
"I love it," I whispered. Summer squealed, throwing her hands up and doing a success dance. I laughed lightly.
"Okay. Let's get ready and head down stairs before the boys get impatient," she said, already heading out of my room.
I change into a simple, white off the shoulder top and paired it with dark gray high waisted shorts that had three rips in them. I wanted my hair to be the only real color I wore today.
I hovered at the top of the staircase when I heard the voices in the room below. I began to panic at the thought that they would hate my hair. It would mean so much more than just the color, it would mean they didn't want me to actually be apart of their lands.
With a roll of my shoulders, I held my head high and started down the stair case. Their voices grew louder along with some laughter. Ignoring my heart that was pounding so hard against my chest I was waiting for it to start hurting, I took a step into the large room where they sat on the couches.
Sol was the first to notice my entrance. "Hey - wow. Look at that hair." Suddenly all eyes were on me, even Summer like she was seeing my hair for the first time.
"It looks even better in this light. High five to me, damn," she said to no one as she high fived herself. Ray nodded in approval with a grin on his face that made me heart beat a little slower. They weren't mad. Jaxon was the first to get off the couch, slowly walking towards me.
"Look at you," he said quietly, stopping a few feet away from me. His hands were pushed deep in his tan pants. I almost giggled at our matching colored shirts.
"Do you like it?" I dared to ask. His smile was the answer I needed as one hand came out to brush through a curl before quickly returning back to his pocket.
"It looks amazing. You look amazing. A lady of the sunsets," he said. I couldn't stop the smile that formed on my face even if I tried. I fit in. I finally fit in somewhere. His eyes began to glow that soft orange again.
"Can I ask questions now?" The glow flashed away. His smile faltered slightly too as he nodded, waving his hand towards the couch. I walked past him, sitting next to Summer on the couch that sat facing the wall straight on. Sol and Ray sat on the couch to the left while Jaxon began to sit on the couch to my right.
"Ask away," Sol said, settling back into the couch and crossing one leg over the other.
"Why do you all live in the castle?" I decided to start with the answers I knew I could handle.
"Sol, Ray, and I are bodyguards for the queen who usually lives here. Summer is my sister so she gets to tag along," Jaxon said, mimicking Sol's stance. I nodded my head once. It made enough sense. I could see how Jaxon and Summer were siblings, they had the same nose.
I was going to ask another question when I noticed the look Jaxon tried to secretly shoot at Sol. Sol's face flashed, hiding any emotion he was showing before I turned to look at him.
"What?" I asked, looking between the two of them.
"Nothing. What else would you like to know?" I stared down Jaxon for a minute and he held my gaze. I decided I would find out later since he clearly wasn't going to tell me now.
"Why isn't the Queen here?"
"She had to leave for business," Ray replied, one leg hanging over the side of the couch as he laid down facing the roof.
"What business?" I followed up. Ray didn't respond this time but looked at Jaxon.
"She is doing her rounds and making sure we're still off the map," he said. I stared at him, debating if he was telling me the truth or not.
"The king?" I asked, not hearing of him at all since I arrived.
"He died," Summer said, flatly. I felt my mouth form an "o" as the room suddenly felt heavy. I could of swore from the corner of my eyes I saw her shoulders sag.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, noticing the sad eyes that looked everywhere but me. If I would have known...
"It happened years ago during a battle. He went out the true hero he was to our lands,"
Jaxon said, his eyes looking at me but I knew he was elsewhere.
I didn't ask anymore questions, I let them work their way through the memories and the moments I was not apart of. I twirled my fingers in my lap, bothered by myself that I ruined their good moods.
"Anything else?" Ray asked, swinging his foot that swung over the edge.
"So I am from here. My mother is not my mother. Is she?" I asked the question that's been in my head since I was on the train that lead into the city. The room got eerily quiet once more. I held my hands together in my lap to prevent them from shaking. Ray sat up on the couch as Sol's legs uncrossed. I was staring at Jaxon.
"No," he said. I watched as his scanned over me, waiting for me to faint or be thrown into a panic attack. He was waiting to help me. I only nodded.
I figured it out last night while sitting on the bathroom floor staring at my reflection. She was never that loving towards me. She never laughed with me like I could with the king. He truly loved me like I was his daughter. Why would he not? He did not know I was not his daughter. He did not know the woman he married was twisted and capable of evil things. I wanted the queen dead, her blood on my hands and nobody else's, but I wished no harm to the king. He never did me wrong. He was trapped too, like I once was. I would free him.
"Why was I kidnapped by her?" This was the one thing I couldn't figure out.
Sol scratched his five o'clock shadow. "That's the only question that we can't find the answer to either." I turned to him, looking at the violet eyes that were deep in thought now.
"Oh," was all I could say. Summer squeezed my hands once before letting go and dismissing herself. "My only guess was that I had been part of the royal family here."
"It's not that. Sorry," Ray said. I saw the look again between Sol and Jaxon again. I wanted to grab by them their shirts and shake them until they told me whatever secret they had. Instead, I sat calmly on the couch and pretended I didn't notice it.
I was not a princess in these lands, but here I was in the castle anyways...
"Sol," I said, suddenly enough that his head twitched in my direction as I caught him off guard. He raised an eyebrow. "I would like you to teach me how to fight."
Ray's face hid none of the surprise that he felt. I even heard a weird noise slip through Jaxon's lips. Sol sat with a grin on his face.
"I would be honored," he said, standing and taking a dramatic bow before us all.
"Why?" Ray asked, his head peeking around his friends arm as he stood in his way.
I stood, looking at Jaxon as I said, "When Sol and Jaxon tell me what their little glances are about, I'll tell you why I want to fight." Then without giving them the chance to say anything, I began walking towards the only hall I knew.
"I knew I liked her." I heard Ray say before my foot hit the first step.