Chapter 4

Blanketed by darkening clouds and covered by the chilly winds was my welcoming as I approached the castle. The enormous building casted a shadow onto me that was sending eerie chills throughout my body. I took a deep breath and headed to the barred gate. I reached for the latch on the gate only to find a sword pointed to my back. I stiffened.

"What business do you have here, commoner?" A deep hiss filled my ears.

I slowly turned around to see a man. His hair, tied back at his waist, and his eyes are like fire burning mine. "I'm here to speak with the queen."

The main lifted the sword to my neck, "Her majesty isn't expecting any visitors 'nor does she want any. I suggest you leave." He spats out.

He begins turn away but I'm not going down without a fight. I look at my surroundings to see two knights on each side of the gate, without motion, each baring a sword. I unsheathe a sword on one of the knights and slice it through the air baring it down on the man. Before my sword could hit him it clashed against his sword. He slid his sword down making a screeching noise that made me cringe. "Commoner I'm quite sure you're now wishing for death."

A smirk appears on my face as I come with a decent come back, "Only if it's meant to be."

His voice cracks as he lowers his sword. "The queen will not be pleased about a bloody mess in the court yard so I'll see what I can do, but I'll warn ye she'll slice you in half if she ain't happy 'bout what she sees."

I nod but jumps as someone comes up from behind me, grabbing my wrist and removing the sword from my grasp .As we enter the castle there were two knights behind me and another in front of me. I felt much protected.

My eyes grew wide in amazement at the sight of the inside of the castle. The rooms were spotless from dust because of all the maids that work here. A chandelier was hung in the ball room and a red carpet is placed on the steps of the stairway. As we begin to walk up the long set of stairs, I Iooked at the walls where pictures of you and the queen are hung. Your beauty dumbstrucked I making my face darken with a deep blush. Such beauty, such elegance such-

"Alright now boy, here we are." We came upon a very tall door designed with engraved, golden roses along the frame. The soldier opened the door, stepped inside, and closed the door leaving me alone with the other two guards. I stood there in silence trying to hear the conversation between the solider and the queen. It was useless though, the sound from the inside was closed off. The seconds passed slowly and when the door opened again a knife flew over my head nearly centimeters from cutting my skin. The man who had bravely gone to ask the queen for my permission to speak with her, fell to his knees in the door frame, eyes in contact with mine, and blood pouring from the sides of his mouth. Nearly a second later he fell to my feet face forward.

Blood so much blood. I stumble back feeling fear shoot through my veins. Should I run? "Commoner you may enter." Her voice is sweet ringing yet fierce. I step over the body of blood, slowly, steadily. My hands touch the frame of the door, my fingers touching the rigid designs. I stop, standing there my face shows as if I had seen a ghost.

Shoulder length blond hair, eyes of blue sapphire sky, skin fragile as a porcelain doll, and face features young as I remember them to be…."Rin." My voice cracks with unsurely, with disbelivably. I begin to step forward.

"Don't take any steps closer," You hiss. You begin to glare at me; eyes burning through my skull.

"Your majesty I have come to…"

"I have no interest whatsoever speaking to someone so low in society." You turn around swiftly.

"M'lady I am…."

"I know who you are!" You snap. I'm taken aback feeling necessary not to argue with you. "You have some nerve showing your face after all these years. Do you know the pain I had to suffer through every single day?" You stop turning back around to look me into the eyes, "And you, you promised me you wouldn't let me go…wouldn't let me be adopted. You didn't come to get me."

"M'lady, I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Haha! Thanks to you I can show others what it's like to be cold, hungry, and unwanted."

I shake my head, "So you're willing to give up respect from the kingdom just to have your little bit of revenge?"

"Revenge? No, I'm giving the kingdom justice." You answer with a smirk.

"Justice? That's not justice!" You raise your hand above your head and as it comes down upon my cheek your nails slice through my skin. I fall to my knees wincing at the pain. Why? Why did everything turn out like this? My eyes never look into yours they stay casted at the ground.

"And now you'll be punished for disgusting me by showing your face in front of me." I hear the sound of metal being removed. "What are your last words?"

I slowly move my leg so I'm only kneeling on one leg. I then take one hand to my heart and the other to my back. "M'lady if it's one thing I may say before I'm executed by your hands alone, the words I say are all true," I lift my eyes so I'm looking in yours, "I will serve you until the day it all ends." My word is true but I doubt it's enough to save me at this particular moment. However I see a hint of hesitation in your eyes but it doesn't last long because you raise the knife bringing it down upon my face. I don't move, I try not to cringe, and I wait patiently for my coming death. Thank God though when it happens it's only a very small amount of pain like when you fall off a horse and get a few cuts. But why am I still breathing? I slowly open my eyes to see your back facing me, your hand holding a cloth to the dagger. Blood is painted on the blade. That's when I begin to realize the stream of warm red leaking down my cheek. I bring my hand to my cut.

"Go clean yourself up. You will become my servant starting today. If you have any questions whatsoever don't even think about asking me; find out yourself or ask one of the maids. Now," you begin walking away, "Bring my lunch to my chamber."