Reign ✔

I

I ducked my head as low as I could, trying to hide myself behind the big tree whose name I didn't know. Unable to hide myself better standing, what with my flowy sapphire gown, I made myself a comfortable seat in the wet grass, covering my entire leg with the hem of the gown. Then, I hugged myself closer, and gazed up at the magnificent castle standing at the top of the hill.

The castle was something different. Not because of it's looks, which was way cruel and dark, but because what it did to me every time I looked up at it. It gave me queer feelings, my stomach lurched, my throat goes dry all of a sudden, and most importantly, I feel as if - as if I should've have been wearing the crown of the queen. I don't want to seem selfish, but that's exactly the feelings what that old dirty castle gives me. It makes me feel special. Very special. Like I was meant to live up there, and not amongst the lovely birds and luscious flowers surrounding me. Though, I was happy by it.

"Sarah," someone shouted my name, interrupting my peaceful thoughts and extraordinary feelings.

The first time, I didn't give much thought to the fact that someone was calling and probably searching for me. All I did was gaze up at the castle. My stomach did that churn again, and I felt nauseated. Like something bad has, and is still happening there. But that was none to stop me form the desire of visiting that castle.

"Sarah! Where are you?" and alas! my thoughts were broken. Now, I was scared. Who was searching for me in the dead of the forest, with even the knowledge of my name? Probably not Elizabeth because she didn't know where I was.

Elizabeth was my -- I don't really know who. She refuses to tell me anything about her identity or relation to me. After asking her continuously without getting any appropriate result, I myself lost the enthusiasm too. But one thing I was sure of - I've like lived my entire life with dear Eliza. Well, I was never a richness-carving girl. All I wanted was to just have someone who loved me truly and live a contended life. And Eliza succeeded in giving me that - love and happiness.

We lived in a small cottage in the forest of the Spine Kingdom; that has been there since before my birth, and probably Eliza's grandmother too. Not such a hot place or a cool one either, Spine was indeed beautiful and luscious. It had a charm of its own, though darkness prevailed. Spine, our kingdom, stood out from the rest, mostly because of its history that Eliza never taught me to.

Nevertheless, I crouched as much as I could, and huddled up the skirt of my gown near my body as the voice seemed nearer.

"Sarah?" it called again.

I closed my eyes, balled up my fists in case I needed it, bit my lips hard and crouched some more. I sensed someone near, the heavy footsteps, and crouched more until a hand caught me by the shoulder.

"Gotcha!" the voice exclaimed.

Unaware of the identity of the person, I jerked up, as if current shot through my spine, and screamed. My loud screams were enough to vacant the whole forest of Spine. Birds' feathers ruffled against the branches as the animals cried in fright and ran for their lives. Slowly, I turned around with my fists still balled up. But there stood, in front of me, poor Elizabeth, scared like a puppy who is all lost in the forest and searching for it's momma. Her mouth was hung open, eyes wide in shock and hands held high, as if surrendering herself. She seemed so scared like she was a thief and has been caught by the landlord of a house, like she was a child being scolded by her mother. So scared she was, and just because of my horrendous scream! How funny!

Embarrassment welled up in me. My hands were still balled up in fists. Slowly, I unfolded them, resting a bit in relief.

"Did I scare you?" asked Elizabeth.

"No!" I spat, but the scary look of Elizabeth's eyes always forces me to tell the truth always. And this time also, I spilled the truth, "I mean, yeah, a little I guess" I said. Elizabeth grinned at my reply.

Crossing her hands at her chest, she demanded in a bossy voice, "Now, tell me what you were doing here, hiding behind trees like that?"

Now, the most stupid part is that, someway or the other, I always spill the beans to Eliza, whether it is necessary or not. And this time, I couldn't resist it, but how could I tell her the truth that I was there to take a look at the castle? No way I could! Elizabeth would rather kill me than allow me to enter the gates of that kingdom. Once, I happened to ask her if I could visit that castle... and she got all angry and shouted, "Don't you dare ask me about that Sarah!" And after that, I was so scared, I never did dare ask her again.

So I opened my mouth, to tell a lie of course, "I was just here to-", but I couldn't finish the sentence as just than, thunder rumbled in the sky above. A gust of wind spread through us, tugging at our clothes. The birds started screeching loudly, and the animals howled. As I turned my head to watch the scene unfold, a dark black cloud crawled over the castle peak, spreading out like a gigantic monster. Suddenly everything turned grey; a dark devilish grey.

A shudder went up my spine, and a mere thought of danger aroused in me. But I was unsure of my own feelings. Pushing my thoughts to the back of my mind, I turned back to look at Elizabeth. But what I saw left me dumb struck.

Elizabeth's mouth hung half open, like a sharp arrow had struck her at the small of her back. She didn't speak. Her eyes were so wide open, I felt as if they would pop out of their sockets. Her entire body trembled like suddenly, she had had a severe cold. She was already a stout lady, and hunching her shoulders in fear made her look shorter. Slowly, she held up her trembling hands, and pointed at the raging thunder. Or so I thought.

I turned around again, to the way Eliza's finger pointed, and tried to figure out what had frightened Elizabeth so much. What it was, the now-dark castle or the raging thunder, I could not tell. The whole area was darkened, what with the shadows of the tall trees. Not a single thing was to be seen, and dumbfound, I was tracing things in that darkness. But nevertheless, the thunder rolled. I turned around, faced Elizabeth to ask what was it.

"Danger!" Eliza whispered, before I had the chance to ask her anything. Her low gasp sent chills through my body. I gulped hard, unable to response.

At the distance, the thunder rolled again; signalling an approaching storm and a danger.