Here is chapter 13! Hope you love it and know that it's only this great because of my beta Aereal! :D ENJOY and REVIEW!
They had walked all day without a single break. Annora's feet burned and her legs felt like lead. She didn't think she could take another step.
They all collapsed onto the ground, all too exhausted to move or get up again.
"Come on everyone. We can't rest yet." Helmond called and pulled himself onto his feet. "If we sit for too long we won't be able to make camp, and I'm starving."
Annora groaned but stood following his lead. It was true that if they sat down for any period of time then they wouldn't get up again.
Everyone went about their business to set up camp for the night. When they sat down again there was a campfire, a meal cooking and sleeping bags set out for everyone.
No one spoke for a while as they lounged around the fire and ate their meal.
"I think I'm going to fall asleep." Drandamir groaned.
"Someone needs to keep watch." Karigan told them.
"I'll do it." Annora announced. "Me and my step brothers," Annora giggled mischievously, "we used to camp in our dad's prize winning wheat paddocks and someone would have to keep watch in case he was coming."
"Why?" Ealdaen asked.
"Dad used to beat us for any particular reason and if we were caught there he'd do something really horrible." Annora said sadly but quickly smiled again.
"You sure you want to keep watch?" Santanara asked.
"Yeah I'll be fine. I'll wake you at 2." Annora smiled at the group and they settled down to sleep.
She leaned against a tree and prepared herself to keep watch over her friends.
King Santanara slept soundly that night. He yawned and slowly woke up, stretching his sore muscles. The sun was shining on him and the birds were singing. It was a wonderful way to wake up in the morning.
Wait, he was meant to be woken up to keep watch. Santanara jumped to his feet and looked at Annora.
She was lying asleep under a tree. From his spot he looked peaceful but she had fallen asleep on watch and that was against the law.
"Annora," he called to her. She didn't stir. "Annora."
He started walking towards her. "Annora?"
The others were starting to wake.
The Eletian King started to worry and hurried to her side.
"Annora!" Quickly he checked her pulse but she was alive and breathing properly.
"Annora! ANNORA!" He shook her but she didn't wake.
"What's wrong?" Kargian came to kneel on Annora's other side.
"I can't wake her."
"What?" Ealdaen and the others jumped to their feet.
Drandamir suddenly looked at her and hissed, his eyes narrowed. "She's surrounded by a black cloud from Mornhavon. As an Elf I can see the magic taint with my eyes."
"What do you mean?" Santanara demanded.
"Mornhavon would have used his magic to force her to fall asleep. Basically he is forcing her to dream whatever he wants to. She will wake up when Mornhavon lets her go but who knows what horrors he's showing her." Helmond explained. The two elves stood back from Annora.
Karigan's features clouded over in horror. "When Mornhavon first came back he showed me the most horrifying things. My dad being eaten by sharks, King Zachary being killed by his black weapons, all my friends being killed and tortured while calling out to me and being able to help them."
Ealdaen's arm immediately wrapped around her shoulders to comfort her.
"What are we going to do?" Santanara worriedly asked, wondering what horrors the Elvish princess was being forced to behold.
"If I was as strong as she then I could pull his magic put of her but I've never heard of someone as powerful as her." Drandamir walked forward and felt her forehead. "We need water and fire. We must keep her chest warm but her head cool. Magic is a strange and dangerous thing."
The group hurried off to get the things Drandamir told them. All silently agreeing with his statement.
Four hours earlier
Annora was staring at the forest around her trying to sort out all the thoughts running around her head. Suddenly she yawned feeling exhausted. Alarm flashed in her mind as she saw a dark tendril reaching through the forest towards her. All she could do was gasp and stare, and then there was nothing.
Annora opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by white. Everything around her was completely white. Pure whiteness, pure clean, and completely blank.
Suddenly a strong wind blew around her and she was lifted to her feet. Terror filled her and she tried to run away from the wind.
The wind slowed and she stopped running.
In the distance she saw a blurred spot and hurried towards it.
A city materialized around her as she walked. Everything was black and white without a single bit of colour. The city was clean and gorgeous, unlike any town she'd seen before. Everything was made of pearl stone. Waterfalls cascaded between tall buildings with high towers that glittered in the sunlight. There flowers and plants everywhere that smelt beautiful but the colours were nowhere to be seen. This place was paradise.
She heard a child laughing.
Annora followed the sound to the middle of the city and into a square. A fountain trickled in the middle of the square and a little girl was playing in it. The girl was in colour. She had blonde hair and pointy ears sticking out of it. She was wearing an emerald dress that was covered in water drops.
"Amelia, you got your dress wet again." A woman walked into the square. She too was in colour. Her hair was blonde too and she had pointy ears as well.
"Excuse me?" Annora called out.
The two didn't hear her or see her.
She frowned in confusion. Where was she?
"Mummy mummy, did you hear that? Horses." The child jumped up and down in excitement.
"You know what that means." The woman was smiling happily.
"Daddy's back!" The child called in excitement.
"Come on dear." The woman grabbed her daughter's hand and they started out of the square.
Screams echoed around the square and elves appeared running and screaming through the square. Panic was clear on everyone's face.
The soldiers ran in screaming terrifying battle cries and cutting down anything in their path.
The mother held her daughter close and stood to the side of the square as the soldiers approached.
Annora cried out in horror as soldiers brutally cut down anything in their way, not even hesitating as they killing the mother and daughter.
She screamed along with the panicked crowd and ran for her life. She attempted to breathe deeply and slow her rapid heart beat.
The people around her disappeared and she was suddenly alone again. She was shaking with fear and could hardly stand properly.
Suddenly to her left a table appeared. Two people were sitting around it playing Intrigue. There was a brown haired, almond eyed man, and an Eletian that looked a lot like Prince Jamitari.
"Funny, isn't it, how involved they are in a simple game?" Annora felt his breath of the back of her neck. His voice was as dark as his soul.
She flinched away from him and turned to Mornhavon.
Disclaimer: I own all elves and Annora's family :)
What'd you think? Left a bit of a cliffhanger! OOOOOHHHHH :)
:OOOOOOOOOOO