Hey everyone, I've been dying to write another story. I know that my other one isn't complete, but it will be soon, I promise. I know I won't get many reviews because this isn't about Selene/Michael, but I loved the story line in my head and figured some of you guys might too. Please R&R. :)
I walked back toward my father's castle slowly, enjoying every breath of fresh air and the afternoon sun on my face. The woods were particularly peaceful today with the green of a new spring and birds chirping throughout. If it had been up to me, I would have stayed out all day until sunset, but my father - one of the king's nobles - was hosting a ball tonight and I was to attend. It was a sort of coming-of-age event for myself since my eighteenth birthday was just next week. I was to meet all the young bachelors of the country and tell my father which one I wanted back again for dinner another night. This was not a particularly exciting idea to me.
"Ms. Ava, we must hurry back now. You still have to bathe and change into the proper gown and curl your hair, and -"
"Oh, stop it Helga," I teased my nanny, "Surely my father's status will be enough for all the bachelors to be interested in me."
"Ms. Ava!" she shrieked, "You mustn't say that! Your father wants nothing for you but a good man of God with a good bloodline. You should feel proud to say that you're the daughter of a noble of the king himself!"
"Perhaps," I sighed, "Now Helga, you know I love my father and I am very proud to call myself his daughter, but I don't understand why I must be rushed to meet bachelors. I'm still enjoying the fresh air."
She just smiled lightly and said, "Child, I hope you meet a man that can keep up with you." I chuckled and we walked toward the castle.
Later that evening, after hours of painful dress fitting and hair styling, I was finally ready for the ball. I decided to wear a deep green gown since it was the closest thing to the woods that I would have for the rest of the night. Helga wanted me to wear a bright red gown, but she hardly argued with me when I told her which one I wanted.
I smiled politely and was on my best behavior as my father introduced me to all the young and wealthy men. I couldn't help but feel a little disgusted at how some of them looked at me as if they were wild dogs and I was a piece of meat on a platter in front of them. After several men, my father grabbed my arm lightly and led me to a man with long raven-black hair and dark eyes. He was wearing armor but was clearly a man of money. I didn't recognize him from around our area.
"Ava, meet Kraven; he's a man from another county, but he heard about you and wanted to come tonight." So maybe he wasn't from money after all and was just after my father's status like all the rest. "Kraven, this is my daughter Ava."
"It's an honor to be in your presence," the man Kraven said coolly as he grabbed my hand to kiss it, and suddenly I didn't like him. Something about him was even colder than the skin of his hand and lips as he pressed them against the top of my hand. I wanted to jerk away, but I minded my manners. "For once the rumors are true, Sir. Your daughter is beautiful."
"Ah, thank you Sir, but you don't have to tell me the obvious truth I already know," my father said politely.
For the rest of the night, I danced with eligible bachelors, but there was only one man that I would have danced with a second time: my childhood friend George.
"Look at you, all grown up," he teased lightly.
"Just because I've minded my manners all night doesn't mean that I won't step on your toes," I shot back at him.
"Ms. Ava wouldn't mess up her father's reputation like that," he chimed. I immediately stomped on one of his toes as hard as I could. He winced in pain but kept up the appearance.
"Ouch!" he yelped as quietly as possible, "You're a real monster."
"I told you so," I laughed, and we continued joking for the rest of the dance until his turn was over. I continued dancing until the ball was finally over and I thought my feet would fall off.
An hour after the last guest left, I was in my white cotton nightgown, soaking my feet in warm water to keep them from swelling.
"How did I do Helga?" I asked.
"You danced wonderfully!" she bragged, almost making me blush, "There has never been a more beautiful maiden!"
"Now you're lying," I sighed.
"I would never lie to you, Ms. Ava. Did you find any suitors that you wish to have back for dinner?"
I lowered my brows in frustration, "Not one. I suppose my father can invite back any one that he thought was a good suitor. If it were up to me, George would be the only one back."
"Ms. Ava, George's father isn't of the same nobility that yours is."
"I know," I whined, "and I'm not even saying that I'm interested in George as a suitor. He's simply my friend that doesn't care about noble status."
"Well let's not think about it anymore and let's get you ready for bed," Helga said gently. I could tell by the tone of her voice that she honestly pitied me.
I'm not sure what hour of the night it was that I awoke to the sounds of screams and crashing noises, but I do know that it was strange coming from a peaceful dream to a frightful reality instead of waking from a horrible nightmare to the peaceful sound of birds singing.
"Helga?" I asked in a panic. Where was she?
Someone jerked the door open and I jumped with shock. I sighed as I realized it was just Helga.
"Come Ms. Ava," she said quickly. I could see the perspiration on her forehead as I got out of bed. She lit a candle and placed it on a silver holder and nearly thrust it into my hands as she helped me up.
"What's happening?" I asked. Someone screeched loudly down the hall, which made us both look toward the door.
"An invasion...monsters..." she sputtered. It wasn't making any sense to me.
"What?" We heard loud footsteps coming toward the door.
"There's no time to explain," she whispered as the footsteps came closer, "Quickly now. Hide behind the curtain until they leave, then head for the hidden corridor."
"What are you going to do?" I asked her, more frightened now. She put a gentle hand on my cheek and tried to smile.
"Dear child, if I ever had a daughter, I would want her to be just like you. I'm doing for you what any mother would do for her child that she loves and cherishes. Now be still and don't say anything or scream, no matter what you hear." She pushed me behind the long window curtain that reached the floor until I was completely sealed.
"Helga, please don't," I whispered as my body began to shake.
"Shh," she whispered right before the door burst open.
"Where is she?" I heard a man's voice demand. The room became lighter; I assumed it was because he carried a big torch with him.
"I don't know," Helga said evenly, "I came in and she was gone. She must have run off already." I heard a loud slapping noise as Helga yelped, and it took every fiber in my body to not jump out from behind the curtain and try to save her. I heard a thud as she landed on the floor.
"Don't lie to me slave," the voice said, more vicious now, "I know you've hidden her. Tell me where you put her and I won't kill you."
"I told you already; she's gone." I wanted to put my arms around this brave woman that had raised me, but I couldn't move or her death would be in vain. I held my hand over my mouth to keep my breathing quiet and shut my eyes tight as sweat rolled down my forehead. I wished there was some way for me to plug my ears so I wouldn't have to hear what was happening.
"Have it your way," the voice said slyly. He began beating her hard, so hard that I could hear the impact of the punches and kicks between her screams. Then, just as I thought it could get no worse, I heard the sound of fire burning something fine, like hair. The room became even brighter and Helga's screams so loud that I thought my ears would bleed.
I could stand it no longer. I threw myself from behind the curtain and grabbed the pale of water that my feet had been soaking in earlier that night and threw it on Helga's burning body. The sight made me sick, but I held my vomit in as I took the bucket and hit the man's head as hard as I could, making his nose bleed. I dropped the bucket and ran for the door toward the hidden corridor.
At the end of the hallway was a large painting. I tore the picture down and pulled a lever behind it that made the wall beside me lift up to reveal a set of stairs that circled downward. I ran into the corridor as the door shut again behind me. The corridor was pitch-black and I had no candle, but I was glad to know that no one was behind me. I let myself breathe as loudly as I had to, but was still listening for sounds of intruders as I felt my way down the steps. I knew at the bottom there would be a door that led to the back side of the castle. My only hope was that there would be no one there and I could run for the woods.
It seemed to take hours before I finally reached my destination and felt the large door handle, which I carefully opened so I wouldn't make a sound as I looked outside. The moonlight illuminated the court yard and I could see no one. Taking a deep breath, I started sprinting toward the woodline. The grey bricks were cool under my feet and made it easier to be quiet.
Before I could reach the end, a group of men a hundred feet away blocked my path. I stopped and turned, prepared to run in the other direction, but there were more men behind me. Amongst them was the man named Kraven, but he looked different. He looked like a savage, and his eyes were now blue. Impossible, I thought. His lips were covered with something that I thought might be blood, but I couldn't be sure.
"There you are," he said as he smiled a dark, malicious smile. I didn't say anything, but instead ran to the edge of the court yard to a low brick wall. I looked down hundreds of feet to the raging sea and knew what I had to do. I wasn't sure if I would make it, but I would much rather drown than be burned like Helga. Taking one final breath, I jumped off the edge of the wall into the sea.
It seemed to take so long before I resurfaced again. I didn't know how I had managed it, but I made it above the water and gulped in as much as my lungs could handle. My night gown stuck to my body and my hair to my face as I looked up to the castle wall. The men were no longer there, so I assumed they thought I died and left. Feeling relief for the first time, I looked toward the shoreline by the woods and began swimming that way.
Before I made two strides, I felt something grab my legs from under the water and pull me down. Everything went black.