Chapter 2

Ugh…my head.

Why is it so dark…?

What was this stabbing pain I was feeling? I lifted my hand to it. No, it was the back of my head that was throbbing, not the top. I tried running my palm down but quickly met a hard, cold surface.

Oh, I'm lying down.

Trying to collect my thoughts, I found that I was unable. My brain was a scrambled mess, and my memories eluded me. I tried opening my eyes but they promptly shut.

In my broken field of vision, I thought I saw something, or someone, sitting beside me.

I forced my eyelids open. Looking straight up, I saw a ceiling. A low one. I shifted my gaze to the side. A pile of my own blond hair tickled my nose. It was then that I saw a limestone wall.

I'm in the hallway.

I groaned to myself. My head was spinning. I could barely keep my eyes open, I was so dizzy. Why was I in the hallway, on the floor?

With no windows to allow the aid of moonlight, I could barely see. I turned to face my left. A fuzzy silhouette showed itself, the very top of it seeming to hover over me.

"What…" I started to say. I got only a humming silence in return.

As my pupils began to adjust to the darkness, I thought I saw the silhouette move.

Something must have happened. Maybe I was rounding a corner and bumped into someone. I did tend to dart about pretty recklessly at night. Impa would always reprimand me for that. If she wasn't on my case about that, it was something else.

But lately I couldn't help myself. A soon as the evening meal was over and everyone was beginning to retire to their rooms, I would dash off, eager to meet the one who my thoughts had been with all day. The courtyard is where I would go. Down the dim hallways I would glide, my heart coming alive.

At this time of day people were sparse. But those who spotted me would smile, stepping to the side, watching my flowing nightgown as I rushed by.

'Finally', I heard some of them say.

'It's about time.'

'Look at her, is she not enamored?'

'Has she found the one?'

'Who must this lucky fellow be to have caught the eye of the princess?'

'I think she's going even faster today.'

Their comments would only make my steps swifter.

In my heart I knew they were right. It was about time. Not because most people in the kingdom were impatiently waiting for me to wed, but because I felt as though the one I had been waiting for had, at last, come.

He was perfect. A man with a spirit so bountiful it could have made even the most fastuous of princesses disregard his noble background. The member of a privileged family, a master archer, and already an expert on the kingdom's political systems, he was a dream come true for someone searching for her future king.

And he was so handsome. A tall, broad-shouldered knight with wavy brown hair, complimented perfectly by velvety, chocolate eyes. He made me feel loved and protected, but this time, for the right reasons. And his smile… So wonderful…

I grinned. My head was filled with the image of him. I could almost smell the lavish bouquet of dahlias, gardenias and moon orchids that he last presented me with—a gorgeous, overflowing burst of white, carefully garnished with delicate lace ferns. It was sumptuous and wonderfully fragrant.

'Just like looking in the mirror, isn't it?' he asked me. I remember just smiling and blushing. He was too kind, really.

Maybe that's what I was on my way to do. To meet him in the courtyard. Perhaps in my excitement I bumped into someone, fell, hit my head and blacked out.

This must have been a castle nurse next to me. "Nurse," I said to her. I squinted my eyes, cutting through the dark. The person seemed to react to my voice, but failed to reply. "What happened? Why am I here?"

All I was able to detect was a gurgling sound. I furrowed my eyebrows.

A hand brushed my face. I turned away, put off by the strange sensation. The skin that grazed me felt wrong.

The hand traveled down my neck, slowly settling on my breast. I gasped and shook. No one had ever touched me that way before.

"Guards!" I shouted, confused. The only voice to answer me was my own echo.

The hand wrapped around my neck. My eyes fell. Despite the blackness, I saw it. Weeping sores, mingled with blood and filth. My memory of sweet-scented blossoms was quickly shoved aside by the stench of rotting flesh. The fingers tightened, constricting my throat.

It was then that I remembered. My mind reeled.

"Princess…" a voice hissed, neither male nor female, just…monstrous.

I was caught in trepidation. I began to shiver. I was frozen.

"Come down with me, princess…"

Hyperventilation threatened to overtake me. No… No this can't be happening. It can't be happening…!

"No!" I cried. But the hand clenched tighter.

Adrenaline must have sharpened my mind because reality suddenly hit me. At long last, I remembered what had happened.

As soon as the golden book was in my arms again I'd taken off as if I had wings on my feet. I remembered fleeing blindly. I recall sprinting, dodging those who had fallen. Then, a blast of pain, a flash of light, and finally, nothing. Whether I was asleep for a few seconds or for an hour was a mystery.

Tighter and tighter the castle-dweller squeezed, choking the air out of me. I almost couldn't breathe.

The darkness terrified me even more. What if there were more of them? I'd never be able to see them. I struggled to turn my head to the right. My face was heating up. I was suffocating.

I saw it—my knife, just out of my reach. I stretched my arm out.

"Come down with me, beautiful," the person growled, leaning their weight onto me. I wrenched my head to the side, searching for even a drop of air.

"O…okay…" I eked out. My left hand gripped his - or her - wrist.

I had no idea what this person was talking about, but I wanted desperately to appease them, to get them off of me. I was going to die. "Please…just let…go…and…" I stared into raging eyes, ablaze with a twisted hatred that I couldn't comprehend. "…And I'll…go with…you…"

The madness blazed anew. I could see it in the dark. The living corpse leaned harder into me, digging in, snarling. The head would twitch randomly, violently, and I would flinch every time, gasping, clawing at the arm that held me down. Their chapped, bloodied mouth was open like a predator about to taste its prey. The face was so decayed that I couldn't possibly determine a gender.

I squeezed my eyes shut, seeing stars. I squirmed, frantic. I felt the putrid hand begin to slip… An opening.

I hauled my foot back. "Hah!" I screamed, striking my attacker's torso. The body rolled onto the floor.

With as much speed as I could muster I reclaimed my weapon, its curved blade glistening even in the absence of light.

The person was clambering to their feet. How do they move so fast? I wondered. It makes no sense…

Determined to be the first to stand, I jumped up, holding my knife in a death grip.

The scene before me was horrifying: a person, hunched over, shaking as if a seizure was about to rip through them. Their skin was sallow and matted with a foul wetness.

Worst of all was the deranged yet pleased smile. It was odd. It seemed to illustrate the obsession of the present, yet hint at the devotion of the past. I wondered who this person could be.

As he or she took an addled step forward, I hopped back, picturing aunts, uncles, friends, shopkeepers, the one who I was beginning to love…

"You could be anybody," I whispered as a tear rolled down my cheek. "Why are you trying to hurt me?"

"You will not leave here," the person said, the voice sounding lower and more forceful this time.

I lifted my knife before me. To do so broke my heart. I knew I was about to kill someone who loved me.

Stumbling, the person sauntered forward as if to embrace me in a hug. I took another step back.

"Stay here with us," the person rattled. My stomach nearly flipped. The sound was reminiscent of a man possessed; a cacophony of noises, loud, confusing, conflicting and warring for dominance.

I supposed that that was reality. Illness had waged war and had won against my people. Any still breathing had died long ago, their true selves fallen victim to this deadly thief.

"Stay back," I warned. As two feet skittered toward me, hands followed.

"Help us," the person gnarled and pleaded. I stopped, stabbed through with guilt.

"You will…never succeed," the person almost laughed, the discordant harmony of voices rising. "You think that… he can help you…princess?"

I stared for a moment. He?

"You will die, princess…" The staggering, carrion-covered body took another step. "You will die here… You will…die among us… Just like us… You will…die."

I felt my throat tighten up again, but this time from fear.

"You will DIE!" the rancid creature shrieked as it lunged for my neck.

My own shrill cry countered as I swung my blade from right to left, slicing through decrepit flesh.

Blood everywhere—it sprayed from the throat of this monster, this victim of misfortune. I was grateful for the dark. It obscured the tormented face before me.

I heard blood dripping, then sputtering, jerking and wailing. At last the I heard a head hit the stone wall.

I stood in the gloom with the knife in my hand, covered in the blood of yet another. I stared at the motionless body for a moment. More tears broke through. Gasping, I soaked up the moisture in the crook of my arm.

This just has to be a nightmare…

I peeked at the corpse once more before turning around. I had to go, so I started walking. Don't run, I thought. Just don't start running. You'll panic and lose control.

I fought hard against the desire to bolt. Then, my feet slammed to the ground. "The book…" I groaned bleakly. I looked at the ceiling and sighed. I had to go back.

So I turned and took a step, and then another step, and another, returning to the one I had just killed. The corridor seemed darker than before.

My foot struck something hard. I gulped.

Looking down, I breathed out in relief. My book. I knelt and tucked the precious object under my arm. Standing, I noticed something. My heart once again skipped a beat.

The corpse is gone…

I examined the wall for a moment, determining whether this was indeed the spot where my attacker had fallen. The book began to glow, providing me with light. The dark, spattered evidence on the wall told me that I'd better get out. Now.

Besieged, I started running down the long passageway, afraid that I would feel murderous hands clamp down on me at any moment.

I couldn't wait to get out of this place. It was no longer a castle, but a tomb. My breathing was erratic, getting out of control.

As I made my escape I saw heaps of bodies slumped along the walls. It was as if they had been fleeing something, as well, but couldn't escape.

My golden book shined brighter, lighting up the hall and providing me with safe passage.

Until something tripped me.

Screeching, I came to an abrupt stop. I tumbled, crashing hard to my hands and knees, scarcely hanging on to my belongings. I yanked my foot free and scrambled ahead. When I turned I saw another corpse sitting against the wall. I must have tripped over the arm. Unless it grabbed me.

Not wishing to find out, I stood once more and dashed.

When I finally reached the hallway's end, I turned left, in hot pursuit of the horse stables. I just had to get there; then I would be safe.

I kept running. More bodies lined the walls. The dark illusions toyed with my mind, making me think they were moving, reaching out. Tears fell as I felt more and more heartsick.

With another hall crossed, I whirled around a corner, my feet and my pulse still pounding.

I spotted a lanky frame ahead of me, leaning against a wall. My eyes broadened. I couldn't see the face in the dark, nor could I tell if the person was alive. I had no choice but to keep moving. The stables were just ahead, down another hallway to the left.

My frenetic footsteps echoed as I kept to the opposite side of the corridor. As I approached the mysterious figure, the book's lambency showed me that this person was alive, and was grinning at me.

I gasped sharply as I neared. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a hand. I yelped, leaping to the fore and holding my knife close to my body.

Were malicious words being spoken? It might have been my imagination. Part of me believed that this entire castle—this whole situation—was my own conjured delusion.

Around another corner, down another hall, past more deceased bodies. It was as if I was traversing a hospital; an establishment that was meant to save lives but had failed.

I couldn't put a lid on my thoughts. They hurled themselves about unabated. This is insane… This is insane!

I continued to push through the darkness until I came to my long-awaited target. Finally, I was standing before a doorway. It led to the grassy area between the inner and outer walls of the castle.

I could feel my eyes brighten. The relief that washed over me as I stepped into the night air was immeasurable. I was free from the confines of that prison. I inhaled, smelling the sweetness of the foliage. The scent of life clashed so strongly with the smell of death.

I lifted my face to the moon and stars, thanking them for their light. The celestial body hung above, bathing the distant stable in moon glow. I couldn't help but squeal as my excitement bubbled over. I was nearly free.

With a spring in my step I left the inner bailey behind. Tall stone walls surrounded me on every side. I surveyed the area, expecting an ambush. But, the only sound within the vicinity was insects.

With my eyes pasted to the small wooden building, I picked up my pace. I passed trees, a well and gardens. I looked up, watching as one of the castle's turrets receded in the distance. I could already hear the horses. They were distressed, stomping and whinnying in their stalls. My pace quickened even more. I had to get to the poor animals.

The long, rectangular building welcomed me as I stepped inside. Over a dozen heads turned toward me, nickering and bouncing. I shook my head in dismay, realizing how hungry and neglected these poor things must have been.

One by one I unlatched the steel hooks on the horses' stalls, setting each one of them free. They took off without looking back.

As more stall doors swung open, more horses broke away into the night.

At the end of the building stood my horse, Black Rose—a tall filly the sleek color of a midnight sky.

"Rose," I whispered, stroking her muzzle. She huffed a hot breath into my hair. "I'm happy to see you, too."

Hanging off to the side was her bridle. I quickly grabbed the brown leather item, entered her stall and got to work.

I slid the rope halter off of her face. With a single goal in mind, I held the metal bit to her teeth, urging her to open up. But she was jumpy. She gave a little buck as I tried to hook the top of the bridle behind her ears.

"I'm sorry, girl. I know you're scared," I soothed. An intelligent eye turned to me. "But I know you want to go as much as I do. Come on…" I looked over my shoulder, paranoid.

With a heavy snort she parted her jaws, allowing the metal to slide back. As it settled behind her teeth, she chomped down, tossing her head. I grabbed the reins, rubbed her jowl and shushed her again. "It's okay, come on." I led her out of her stall and onto the walkway.

I knew that she sensed my fear. I was afraid that she might try to flee. Not giving her the opportunity, I tossed the reins over her head. I dropped my knife inside the top of my corset.

I stepped up to her left side, grabbed a handful of sable mane, gripped the book in my left hand and hopped a few times. Pushing off the ground I swung myself onto her back.

"Thank the Goddess," I said as I patted her and adjusted myself. I wrapped my book inside of my blue lace skirt. With a gentle squeeze of my legs I pushed her onward.

Soon we'd left the stable. With a rein in each hand I looked around. It was dark, but I knew where to go. Too impatient to walk I trotted her straight ahead, keeping next to the outer bailey and as far from the main keep as I could. It seemed as though most people were inside of there, somewhere.

My tolerance for this slow speed waned. We started cantering. The soft clip-clop of her hooves against the grass was such a comforting sound.

Heading for the drawbridge I felt secure for the first time since Impa had departed from me. I thought of her, wondering where she might be.

I shifted. It was troublesome keeping a firm seat on Rose's back. I had ridden bareback plenty of times before, but hadn't done so in a long time. I always rode with a saddle. But today I hadn't the patience to tack her up. I wanted out and so did she. Luckily, her gait was smooth as silk. I would have been in for an exceptionally bumpy ride, otherwise.

She sped up to a gallop. I leaned forward, bringing the reins higher onto her neck, giving her her head. She gratefully took the freedom, stretching her neck out. My mind raced along with us. I thought about Kokiri Forest, and who was going to be waiting for me when I got there.

Who is…'He'?

The drawbridge approached. When I saw that it was still down, I thanked the Goddess again. But the discovery was bittersweet. It meant that my escape was close at hand, but that the once vigilant gatekeeper had been dead long ago.

I led Rose to the right as we passed the gatehouse. I shook my head, spotting the lifeless body inside.

"Let's go," I called out to my companion. She pranced timidly in place before breaking into a run. I gasped as the wind suddenly hit me, sending my silky dress flying into the air. I leaned onto Rose's neck and turned to view the castle as we crossed the slotted bridge. I almost cried again as I watched my home, and the town behind it, disappear.

I could've sworn I heard someone calling my name.