Shadow Girl: Book One (OLD)

Chapter Six

"Anyway," I crossed my legs. "about the girl you said that looked like me."

Lukas raised his brow. "I was talking about the-"

"Yeah, I know," I interrupted. "the story of the Shadow Kingdom, I just want to talk about the girl who looked like me."

Lukas sighed as he smiled.

"Well she was always happy and she was fun to be around. She made me laugh and smile all the time. She was actually the princess of the Shadow Castle."

"Excuse me?" I said, shocked.

"Yes, the princess, but I forgot her name. In fact, I was just a young guard in training."

I just cupped my chin, leaning forward, amazed by how much he did in his life. My life is uneventful, besides the Shadow Wolves.

"She was the sweetest thing I've ever met," Lukas continued.

I cleared my throat, my brow raised and crossing my arms, tapping my right arm with my opposite finger.

He looked my way and laughed. "Well... The first sweetest person."

"Thank you," I said.

"Anyway, she was a good friend. She wasn't like any other princess. She was, well, quirky, and funny. She didn't like to do all of the princess things, she liked to fight and adventure."

"She sounds like me," I said.

"How?" Lukas asked.

"How dare you?" I smacked his arm.

"Ow..."

"You big baby, I thought you knew me better than that."

"I was kidding," he snickered.

"Hmph. Alright, when I was little, about ten, I remembered asking my parents that I wanted to learn about archery and fighting. They actually accepted it, since my father knew how to fight and use a bow and arrow. I was quite the adventurer, too, that I would wander around my village, getting lost and my parents trying to find me."

Lukas laughed.

"Hey! I used to get lost easily, you're lucky that I'm not directionally-challenged, or we wouldn't be close to the castle."

"Wait," Lukas stood up and looked up.

I stood up, and saw the top of Shadow Castle, and felt a little nervous.

There is a freaking killer queen in that castle! I thought.

Lukas also looked frightened, staring at the pointed top of the black castle.

"We're almost there," Lukas said, his expression in dismal.

I didn't know why he looked so down, but I was so terrified to go in there.

"H-how long until we arrive at the castle?" I asked Lukas.

Lukas looked back at me, his eyes widened with fear.

"A day," Lukas answered.

"Well, great," I said, sarcastic. "I'm going home, hope you find out why those damn Shadow Wolves were hunting me down. Tell me when you know."

I speed-walked, Lukas grabbed my jacket's hood.

"Oh no, you don't."

I stopped, Lukas, letting me go.

"Also why would you go home when we've made it this far?"

I rubbed my chin., pursing my lips. "Good point."

Lukas sighed. "Should we get going?"

"I don't know..." I said in a sarcastic and uncertain tone.

"Stop being pessimistic," Lukas combed his fingers through his hair.

"Fine, but if I get killed I'm going to haunt you, your family, and your dreams."

"Definitely the family," Lukas laughed.

I laughed with him, as we started walking again, seeing nothing but trees and a few passing-by animals. It felt cooler than the other days we were traveling, but it felt nice. I looked up at the sky, but there was no sky since it was just covered by trees, I saw little bats, hearing their screeches from far away.

"So," Lukas said, his hands behind his head. "About your parents."

I turned my head towards him.

"My parents?" I asked.

"Yeah, you don't really mention them much."

"They died when I was thirteen."

"I'm sorry," Lukas slowly put his hands down. "How did they die?"

"My father died in an accident and my mother died of an illness."

"Must've been lonely."

I smiled at him. "Yeah, but they left me so many memories. They were actually the people who taught me how to survive. Although, I didn't look like them at all in any way possible, so I already knew I was adopted, but I loved them dearly."

I turned back to Lukas, his face showing a hint of sadness.

"Sorry," I gave a sad laugh. "I sometimes go on for too long about sensitive topics."

"No, it's fine," Lukas wrapped his arm around me.

I stumbled, but I caught myself.

"It lifts things off your chest if you're open to others."

"It feels better," I said.

"Then can I tell mine?"

"Sure."

Lukas stopped and moved his hand to the side of my head, I also stopped walking. His fingers slid midway to my hair. He leaned in and placed a quick kiss on my mouth.

He looked a little flustered.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Come here, you big baby."

I placed my hand at the back of his head and kissed him back. This one was longer and less surprising.

I let go and my heart was beating up a storm, my face felt warm, and my stomach had butterflies.

"Wow, that was..." Lukas scratched the back of his neck.

"Sudden," I said, clearing my throat.

"Yeah, very."

Everything was awkward when we began walking again. It was silent, except for the skittering of creatures in the wood. Every time we looked at each other, we would immediately look away. It was extremely awkward.

The castle grew larger once we had gotten closer to it. I saw every detail every time we walked. There were black windows, each towers' pointed tops with sharp barbed spindles, shadows circling above the castle.

It got darker and I heard howling, screams, and roars. They were all from the monsters we have seen so far.

"So," I said to Lukas to break the long, awkward silence. "How did you know she was quirky and adventurous?"

"I was three when she was one," Lukas responded. "And she would crawl all over the place and fall over whenever she tried to walk."

"She must have been quite a handful, and how do you remember her when you were only three?"
"I have a pretty good memory," Lukas tapped his fist on his head.

"Huh, I don't remember much when I was younger at all."

We continued to walk through the dark and quiet woods, and the sun setting in the west. It got darker quickly in the woods as dusk fell, the beautiful colors of the sunset taking my breath away. The kiss, however, was more breath-taking.