Mountain Rose

21. The Truth Untold

"That moonlight that shines on me at dawn, it's still the same as then. A lot changed in my life, but that moonlight is still the same."

August D, Moonlight

***

It was so cold.

My frozen fingers clutched the reins, holding on as Areum blazed as fast as she could through the forests, her hooves falling heavily against the damp ground as I urged her on.

I could barely see what was ahead, with all the descending darkness of the gloomy evening, and it was nothing like the first time I had ridden to the palace in the mountains. It had been bright then, despite the setting sun.

It was the lack of light that cast a dark cloud in my heart, making it pound against my chest in dread.

I turned ahead and kept going on, and for a journey that lasted an hour, it was longer, because of the slippery ground and the slower speed we were going at.

Something doesn't feel right.

I was hoping against hope that I wasn't too late, to whatever it was.

Emerging from the trees, we began the ascent to the mountains, slowing down slightly as I rode carefully up the rocky terrain.

Where once I had marvelled at the sunset glowing over the green landscape, there was none of that now; everything was in shades of grey, from the sky, to the misty clouds over the forest, to the dark grey trees now.

Areum let out an anxious whinny, and I leaned closer, patting the top of her head.

"Almost there," I murmured, just as she turned around the familiar bend, "Keep going. I'm here with you."

We entered a clearing, and I expected the familiar wall of vines and wild greenery, but what I saw made my blood run cold.

The vines had been torn, as if something had clawed through on a rampage.

I got off my horse, holding my staff out warily as I led Areum through the gaping hole, squinting at the ripped leaves on the ground that was slightly covered by the snow.

These are recent, but not too recent.

Just when I thought it was a chilling sight, it got worse.

Expecting to see the bright torches welcoming me home, all I could see were small flames illuminating the gaping doors, one of them half torn from the hinge.

I gulped, throwing all reason as I hurried into the compound. "Hello?" I called, looking around the dark shadowy courtyard, "Anyone?"

There was not even a sound. Even the torches were dim, as if they were at their end.

Areum drew closer to me, her breaths warm against my hair as we went deeper into the palace. I pushed through the Inner Courtyard, whose doors were open, and although it was a little brighter, it was still much too dark for my liking.

I took a minute to stare at the place I used to train, about to smile, when I realized how silent and different it felt like now.

I reached for the nearest torch, holding it in front of me as I held my staff and the reins with another hand. "Where is everyone?" I whispered, "And why is it so cold?"

Shouldn't the palace be warm? Or has the enchantment started to wear off?

The faint red Rose Courtyard doors were shut, and I used my staff to rap three times.