I woke up to the door banging and my name being called. I sat up and yawned. What time was it? I looked around my room and to my astonishment there were no clocks. Frowning I made my way to the door. I turned to the door knob only for it to be stopped. Ah, I haven’t unlocked it from last night I realised. I unlocked the door and opened it.
“What are you still doing in bed?” Justin was ecstatic.
“Sleeping, what else? And why does it matter?”
“You have to get dressed, now. Because we have some greeting event, well there only here to meet you so... it’s your greeting event”
“Great, and then after that I guess they expect me to get up and dance the hokey-pokey” I said sarcastically.
He laughed. “Get dressed and you are probably going to have to do your own hair and makeup today. We can’t find the maids”
“Oh no, that is so tragic because I haven’t spent one day getting myself ready in my whole life time. I do have one problem though, what exactly am I supposed to wear?” I asked.
He walked into the room and went straight to where all the dresses were hanging, I closed the door and followed him. He looked at a couple and then pulled out a gold one. It had strapless square neckline and the empire waist was accented with glittering beads.
He walked over to me with the dress on a coat hanger. He stopped one step away from me, and the only thing separating us was the dress. “Here, wear this one” He said gently.
I tore my gaze away from the dress and into Justin’s green eyes, and everything inside me seemed to melt. He gazed back into my eyes, and I don’t know what took over me. I threw my arms over his shoulders and pulled him down so that my lips met his. He seemed to like me enough still that he responded to me immediately. He dropped the dress and his hands found my waist.
I was amazed that I could still want him, after everything that has happened between us. Our lips were impatient and I forgot about everything in the world, and everything that he did or didn’t do. All that existed was his lips on mine, and his arms around my waist.
We stood there for a couple of more minutes, and then we finally pulled away from each other. I didn’t speak and even though he didn’t move away from me, I was embarrassed by my own behaviour. What was I thinking?
“Alyson, I am so sorry that you had to be here.” He said.
“I know you are, and it’s okay. Something like this was bound to happen anyway” I added. And it was the truth we had been run out of our home town because the immortal world was after us.
He bent down and kissed me again. I wanted it to last forever but of course, I couldn’t. “You have to get changed” He said against my lips.
“Just one more thing” And I kissed him once more.
I pulled my arms away from his neck, and ran them down his arms lightly until I found his hands. I pulled them away but had one hand linked with his hand.
“I also have got to go, I have some things to do before the people arrive.” He looked at his watch. “Which is in half an hour” He added.
He bent down and kissed me quickly but passionately on the lips.”See you later” He said.
“You too”
I replied, as I watched him walk out the door. I took a couple of deep breaths and then got ready for the greeting. Once I put the dress on, I had about ten minutes before the event started. I kept the makeup and my hair simple. My hair remanded down, but the curls seemed curlier today, and my face was still a faint red from the kiss. I stood in front of the mirror, and again was amazed by how well these clothes fit me.
A knock at the door startled me, and somebody on the other side’s voice came through.
“Mistress, it is time”
Huh, so they were going to call me mistress now. “Coming” I called back. I walked out of my bedroom. I was escorted back into the ball room, but this time it wasn’t so glamorous. It didn’t look like a ball, more like a very fancy hall, where the kings met people from the village. This was exactly what was happening.
Before I walked in the men at the door held out their hands to stop me. Obviously they were expecting me to make a big entrance I can’t wait until all of this is over. I could faintly hear somebody on the other side introducing me, and then the doors opened.
Everybody’s attention was turned to me, and I gracefully walked my way up to the podium where William and Justin were standing. I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, so as I walked down the aisle I nodded to people as I passed.
I stepped onto the podium and stood at Williams left side. And again, he was the one who made the speech.
“Immortals you have been gathered here today, so you can see my new heir to the throne. Miss Alyson Rosemarie Valence and, I would like you to spread that around in both mortal and immortal worlds. That we have got power in our people, and that we are stronger than ever. You as immortals may take whatever side you choose, but make sure that it is the right one.”
With a startling shock of surprise I finally knew why he wanted me as his heir. He wanted me because I have the potential to be powerful, I knew that already but that wasn’t what surprised me. What surprised me was that he needed the power and he needed it for other immortals to take him seriously. To make him a threat to everyone, and maybe including mortals themselves. What did he want from everyone?
“And take this warning seriously, because what may look innocent and beautiful.” He gestured to me. “May be the very reason you won’t be among the living”
Does he really think that I would kill people if he asked for it? I wondered. This man had some serious mental problems.
“You are dismissed.” I kept my eyes on the back of Williams head, waiting for the perfect time to strike.
“Just because I have my abilities doesn’t mean I am going to use them for what you want, William.” I warned.
“Oh you will, if you know what’s good for you” He smiled. “But I wouldn’t hurt you even if you didn’t want blood shred in your name, which is understandable”
I nodded. “May I leave now? I would like to change into something else” Even if I liked this dress, I didn’t want to be wearing this dress all day.
“Yes you may Alyson, and since this will be the first real day you have been here, Justin may show you around the castle, and you may go and do some exploring yourself”
“Thank you” I nodded to both of them, and left the ball room. I changed into teal dress with rhinestone accents, and a slight train and a v-neck cut. And like all the dresses it was beautiful. I changed my shoes from the gold high heels, to some black ballet slippers.
I was going to take Williams advice and go exploring, but I wasn’t going to go with Justin. I needed to be alone for a little while.
I walked down the hallway the way I came the other day, but instead of continuing straight, I turned left. And continued until I came to a wooden door, I pushed it open and it creaked, and then stopped. I put my shoulder against it and pushed it open, I flew open and I almost stumbled down the stairs. Once stable I looked around for something to give me light, and there against the wall was a flash light. I giggled, I was expecting something more medieval, I thought.
I turned it on, and flashed it down the stair well. I began walking down the curled stairwell. I could barely see two steps ahead of me, so I had no idea what to expect. I stepped onto even ground and flashed the torch light in front of me. It was the dungeons, like prison cells. I wondered what skeletons from William’s closet are in here.
“Hello” I called. It seemed to bounce of the walls and echo down. I took a couple of more steps, what am I going to do now? There is nothing here. Might as well look in each cell just to make sure, a voice inside my head said.
I began walking down the hall and flashed the torch light into each cell. I had past four cells by now, and there seemed to be nothing here.
“Hello is anybody down here” I said gently.
I heard a whimper, from the cell on my right which I hadn’t checked yet. I flashed the light in and saw to my horror a little boy. He had brown shrubby hair, and he was covered in dirt. He was sleeping on hay, and his clothes were shredded but were surprisingly still wearable.
“Hey there, what is your name?”
“Drew” He answered.
I bent down so that our faces were almost on the same level.
“Hi Drew, my name is Alyson. Why are you down here?”
What reason could drive somebody to lock up a little boy?
“The big man with grey hair said that I was a threat to society, he said I couldn’t be trusted”
“How old are you?”
“6”
Even William should know better than to lock up a six year old boy. William was getting more and more on my nerves every minute.
“What can you do? Do you know your abilities?”
He nodded.
“My mummy and daddy called them elikents. But it is easier if I can show you?” His voice sounded so unsure it was as if he was asking a question.
Elikents? The poor boy is probably trying to say elements, I thought.
“Do you mean elements?”
Awareness and recognition washed over his face and he nodded enthusiastically. How could a six year old who specialises in elements be dangerous? Especially considering that you aren’t supposed to start your training until you are about thirteen.
“I would like you to show me what you can do” I said.
He sat up fully now, and lifted his hand into the air. He clicked his fingers and then there was a flame above his fingers. Fire, he clicked again and then it disappeared. He moved his other hand as if he was blowing the smoke away and I felt air blow in my hair. He turned around and started at a spot of dirt in the ground, and then a rose blossomed. He picked it and handed it to me.
“I can’t show you water because I don’t have any. You’re very pretty” He said.
“Thank you for the rose. And that’s okay I don’t need to see water. How did you end up down here?”
“I don’t know. The man just says that I am dangerous and that I need to be kept away.”
“Do you know how long you have been down here?”
“Ah. I am not sure, but I have seen the sun rise 43 times if that helps”
Seen the sun rise 43 times, that means he has been down here for 43days hidden, kept away from his family and civilization.
“Do you know where your family are?”
He shook his head, and I thought that I saw a tear run down his face. It broke my heart to see a child abuse like this.
I held my hand through the bars and he grabbed it. His hands were small and warm, and they were covered in dirt.
“Drew, listen to me. I am going to help you get out of here, but you can’t tell anybody that you saw and spoke to me unless I say so. Okay?”
“Okay”
I was going to get him out of here, even if I didn’t he was going to. A child couldn’t be abused like this, and William better have a good excuse if he doesn’t want me going on a rampage.
“I will be okay Drew.” I stood up, and he smiled and crawled back to the pile of hay. I walked out of the dungeons and made my way to where William and maybe Justin were going to be, the dining room. The men at the door opened it for me quickly, and I was so angry that I didn’t even say anything to them.
Sure enough, William was there with Justin and a couple of other men, they all glanced up. William dismissed the other men, but Justin stayed and for that I was glad. The dining hall wasn’t very fancy unlike the other rooms. It was a rectangle shape and it had a colour code of grey, red and brown.
“Alyson, I take it this isn’t an ordinary visit” William gestured to the seat next to him and I walked to it, but did not sit down.
“I need to discuss something with you, and it cannot wait”
“Please take a seat” He had no idea what was coming
“No thank you I am fine.”
“Okay, now what is it that you need to discuss with me?” He asked.
“Drew” I said.
He glanced up and his face seemed defensive and careful.
“Alyson the dungeons are no safe place for a person with a title such as your own”
“Drew is six years old! Why is he in the dungeons in the first place?”
“What are you talking about? Who is Drew?” Justin asked, and before William could answer I did.
“Drew is a six year old boy who specialises in the four elements, who your uncle has locked up because he is a ‘danger to the society’” I made quotation marks with my fingers.
“Six years old. You have a six year old boy locked up in the dungeons” He was angry and his face was full of disapproval.
“Yes I have a six year old boy locked up in the dungeons. And he is there for his parents who aren’t” Now William was getting angry.
“So because his parents aren’t in your dungeons you have locked up an innocent six year old boy who has done nothing to you?” My voice was rising now.
“His parents are criminals, and I need my justice”
“Take the justice out in his parents not the boy. What did his parents do anyway?”
“His parents killed my brother in the war”
“In a war that you started I am sorry about your brother, but he is six years old. Just let him out please.” Tears were spilling on my face without my command.
He sighed. “I cannot do that if he says anything to the immortal world they will take action” He seemed to be finding it hard to find excuses.
“So keep him here, let me look after him. Just don’t let him be a slave let him be your adoptive son or something. Just take him away from all of this, he is six years old. I will look after him, please for me just do this for me”
William looked me in the eyes and held my gaze. I gazed back with determination, I will get him out of there I told myself.
“You will do that? You will look after the boy? Be an older sister to him?”
“Yes”
“I want to help too” Justin said.
“Very well then, I will arrange a room to be made for him.”
“Really?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, he has no parents they are dead. And you are both heirs of your own, and you will need an heir of your own and that will be Drew” He stood up and walked out of the room without giving Justin or me a chance to reply.
“Wow, he gave in” I whispered.
Justin just started at me in silent disbelief.
He walked over and grabbed my hand from behind. I sunk back into him, without consciously doing so and gripped his hand tightly.
“As long as Drew isn’t in a jail cell and isn’t being tortured then I don’t care how he got out. ” I said.
“How did you meet Drew?”
“I went exploring and happened to stumble across the dungeons. Why?”
He groaned. “You do realise my uncle does keep dangerous people down there. They could have attacked you”
“The only person down there was Drew so you can stop your worrying. Would you like to meet him? Drew I mean?”
He nodded. I led the way into the dungeons and then walked to Drew’s cell.
“Drew. It’s me Alyson it’s okay you can trust Justin”
“Alyson is that you?” I heard him ask.
“Yes It’s me Drew, I want you to come to the door for me, so you can meet Justin” I squeezed Justin’s hand.
Drew walked to the bar doors and stared at Justin and then he smiled and held out his hand for a handshake.
“I’m Drew Colta”
“Justin Cadwell, It’s very nice to meet you Drew. And Alyson and I have spoken to my uncle and he has decided to let you out. And you are going to live with Alyson and myself.”
Drew took his hand back and smiled. “I am getting out.” He looked at me. “Thank you”
“That’s okay Drew I told you that I would get you out of here didn’t I?”I asked.
“Yes.”
“Drew, Alyson and I have to go we came to tell you the good news, but we have to get everything sorted for you” He smiled.
“Good bye Drew” I said.
“Bye” He walked back into the darkness.
Justin took the torch out of my hands, and led the way back up the stairs.