Chapter 8- Realities
She was running. Her heart pounded in her chest, in effect of both fear and the running. Her bare feet smacked the ground beneath her, allowing rocks and twigs to dig into their smooth soles. But that did not stop her. She pushed back her thoughts about the pain and pushed forward.
The woods were foggy and dark, like some illustration from a horrific story. Trees rose up on either side, their bare branches reaching out for her like claws, grabbing at her torn clothes and mussed hair. The sky beyond the skeletal trees was black as ink, starless and moonless.
She tripped over a stump and fell to her hands and knees, the friction between the ground and her skin causing her to yelp. A sudden feeling of deja`vu overcame her and she almost laughed. She'd been in this situation a number of times before! And here she was again, running for her life!
A roar echoed through the woods, rattling the barren trees. The roar was so horrendous, so unreal it shook her down to the core. But she knew the creature behind her was most certainly real. And this knowledge alone kept her running, running like a frightened rabbit. A role she knew too well.
A cruel voice spoke in her head and shivers shook her. Time's up…time's up…
Tears filled her eyes and she ducked her head and continued her rush. It wasn't fair. It was not fair!
A price has to be paid. Pay up…
Why did she have to pay the price? Why was she always paying for something? It wasn't fair. It was not fair!
There was another terrifying roar and she stumbled into the trunk of a tree. She hugged the tree tightly, leaning against it for support. Her legs were so sore from all her running.
She could hear the breaking of branches and trees as the monster in pursuit plowed its way through the dense woods. She pushed off from the trunk, forcing herself to sprint once again. A branch swiped across her face and something hot trickled down her cheek. Something especially sharp stabbed into her foot and pain lanced its way up her leg. She bit down hard and hissed through her clenched teeth to keep from crying out.
Time's up…pay the price…
The monster sounded even closer. There would be no outrunning the monster. She stumbled to a halt and faced the direction of the roars. She wanted no more running. All she wanted was to get it over with. She took a shaky breath and held it, waiting for her fate to come stumbling through the trees.
She didn't have too long to wait. The creature galloped through the trees and stood before her, fangs bared and black eyes glinting with what little light there was. It slowly approached her growling. "You know why I am here…"
She cleared her throat and looked the creature in the eye. "I have an idea why you're here, but no…I'm not entirely sure why you're here." Her heart beat fiercely in her chest when it snorted and growled angrily at her.
"Mortals never have respect for us. They are foolish for standing up to us when we work so hard to keep the balance of things."
"I won't go quietly!" She said defiantly, sounding more confident than she actually was.
"Of course not." The creature swiped at her with a sharp claw, but she threw herself backward., his claw catching her loose dress instead. It pounced at her and she dodged behind the large trunk of a tree. "Fighting fate is a futile act. That would be like taking the entirety of the universe into your small human hands."
She fell back on her butt and scrambled back into the bulk of a stone. The creature approached her slowly, its claws outstretched, reaching for her. She closed her eyes and prepared herself mentally for the pain that would follow.
Then she woke up to an ominous crack that seemed to shake the universe.
"Oritel?" Miriam grabbed her husband's arm suddenly. Across the table Serel and Danwin grabbed hold of the table to keep their balance. As suddenly as the disturbance began it ceased. "What was that?"
Oritel's eyes narrowed as he glanced about the room. He'd only ever felt that kind of released power once before and that was when Bloom came through the portal from the Death Realm with Nabu and Daphne. "I've only felt that once Miriam…"
Miriam's green eyes locked on his. "Something's escaped the Death Realm?"
"Well whatever it was, it's over now. Can we get back to business?" Serel took her seat in an overly gracious manner. Danwin stood quietly next to her. "Now about Bloom and Danwin…"
"Bloom's accepted the engagement to King Sky of Eraklyon, an engagement I deem to be much more suitable." Miriam said defensively. "She's perfectly happy with being Sky's queen. I can't say the same about your son."
"She doesn't even know Danwin, Miriam. I doubt you even told her about the engagement. And you can't just abandon a deal you've made with the Morrcale realm. By Morrcalean law…"
"We'd openly be declaring war. Yes we know." Oritel stood and walked over to the window. "But take the situation into consideration. Your husband, with whom we'd made the deal with, is dead. Miriam and I were trapped in Obsidian. Bloom was left to live the life of a mortal without exposure to royal society and magic. We never even formally announced the betrothal to Domino or Morrcale! It makes no sense to go on with it."
"It does if the formal papers were drawn up and signed." Serel smiled. "We must go through with it."
Oritel was about to answer Serel when his vizier, Vladimir, burst into the meeting room. "Your majesty! Reports are coming in from Alfea! They say the Army of Decay has attacked."
"What?" Oritel stood, staring at his vizier. "That's impossible unless someone with the power of the Dragon…"
The vizier nodded gravely. "That's just it sir… they say… well… they claim it was Bloom sir."
Miriam and Oritel abandoned Serel and the vizier in the meeting room and stormed down the halls and up flights of stairs. "She went upstairs to rest. I'm sure of it!" Miriam kept pace with her husband. "She was tired after that tirade Serel delivered earlier today. Oritel." Miriam grabbed her husband's arm and pulled him to a stop before he could burst into Bloom's room. "We doubted our child once before and look where it got us."
Oritel blinked as he stared at his wife. She was right of course, but there couldn't have been anyone else except Daphne. And he knew Daphne would never… Oritel felt guilt rise up. He trusted his oldest more than his youngest. He always believed the worst for Bloom. "Then who…"
"Father? Mother?" Daphne caught up with them. "What's with all the commotion?"
Oritel gave Miriam a look. Daphne stood before them. Only one member of the royal family wasn't present. Oritel grabbed on to the doorknob and opened the door into Bloom's bedroom. And it was vacant.