Chaos & Order

Chapter 8

After what seemed to be much too long a time, Aliyah stood from her throne and stretched. She felt her joints crack and let out a sigh.

"That felt like it was everyone in the village." She murmured.

    "Thankfully, it wasn't. Or we'd be here come sunrise." Xavier said, standing, "Now, about that lunch I was promised?"

    Aliyah gave a small smile as she nodded, "It's a nice day today. How about we have it in the garden?"

    "I could use some fresh air, yes." Xavier smiled.

    "I'll let the servants know." Aliyah said as she was towards the door.

    "Heh, she IS just like her mother." Xavier said with a nostalgic smile.

    Aliyah walked down the halls to the kitchen, her smile fading as she said to herself, "I should stop thinking about it." She got a strange look from the cook as she took some cherries, "What?"

    "You talk to yourself too much, princess." was the cook's glib reply.

    "And you're too nosy." Aliyah teased. The cook only sighed, returning to what he was doing before.

    "I sense a great deal of fear in your heart..." came a low, eerie voice.

    Aliyah froze at that sound, a cherry dropping from her fingers. She had heard the voice before, but she couldn't figure out where. It sent a chill up her spine though. It was low and deep and reminded her of a deep and dark cave.

    "Yes...fear. But for what?" the voice asked. The cook made no reaction. Clearly, she was the only one that could hear it.

    Aliyah looked at the cook in confusion before nervously saying, "Um...thanks. Father and I will be eating in the garden for lunch."

    "Understood." The cook said. Aliyah nodded before leaving the kitchen. But the voice persisted.

"Good, don't bring it up. There's already whispers, best not to bring it up..." it snickered, "Ah, there's some more fear. Have you gone insane? Finally snapped, unable to distinguish fantasy and reality?" Aliyah hastened her pace, trying to ignore the voice as it continued, "Is this a threat? New one, brought about by your great despair and anguish? Well, that can't be the case. If I was a threat, then your guardian wingman would be here and dealing with it. If he's not here..." the voice asked, Aliyah seeing a shadow darting across the wall.

    Aliyah gasped a bit as she saw the shadow. She looked around, trying to find an exit. Upon finding none, all she could do was shout,  "Leave me alone!"

    "Oh, but I can't. I've tasted your terror. The fear that haunts your nightmares. And you know what?" the voice asked, a face appearing on a shadow to form an eerie smile, "It's delicious...and you know what I do to what I find delicious?"

    Aliyah backed away from the shadow, feeling her back hit the wall. Her heart raced as she tried to get away, but there was no way out.  She then felt a hand tap her shoulder, one with long, spindly fingers.

"I get ya!" It said.

    Aliyah screamed as she wheeled around, grabbing her rod from under her skirt to strike whoever was behind her. The rod was evaded as whatever was behind her began laughing...not maniacally. But out of...mirth? Like a child who just pulled a prank. And the person behind her was a man...unlike one Aliyah had seen. He had dark blue skin, jet-black hair, and bright yellow eyes. He wore dark clothing and had a purple cape.

With a blur of motion, Siel appeared, "Aliyah, I heard you scream and-" he then saw the figure and his expression changed to an annoyed one, "Of course you'd be here."