Opaline, part two
There was no time to lose. After her split second of indecision, Yew ran down the hallway. She didn't know what those stone circles were, but she didn't have time to study them.
She ran down the hall, hoping that an avenue of escape would suddenly show itself. The faint tapping of footsteps behind her were getting closer, and she knew she would soon have company.
It was a small mistake, but it still brought her down. Stumbling over her own feet, Yew fell to the ground.
Without thinking, she put her hands out to stop her fall, with her left falling onto the stone circle. She shuddered as she made contact with the stone, which immediately softened and became insubstantial, and she felt her hand pass into it. The tingling she had felt earlier when inspecting the other stone returned, this time stronger and it filled her entire body.
Her body was not hers to control. It raised up, pulled by forces she didn't understand, as the tingling increased to near painful levels. She could feel herself rotate as she rose and she nearly screamed in terror, barely able to choke it back before she gave herself away.
Everything went black for a moment, though she could still feel her body continuing to rotate. Her balance and awareness were displaced by the movement, but before her terror could manifest fully, she found herself upright and lowering towards the ground.
Terror battled with confusion and excitement inside her - she was sure that teleportation was an invention of books and movies, yet she'd somehow just moved from place to place in a way she couldn't understand. Excitement briefly took over as she thrilled with the experience, before she remembered she didn't know what on earth was going on.
Looking around, she could see that she was in another hall, similar the one she'd just been in. There were open archways at either end and in between, so figuring that one was as good as another, she crept towards the doorway closest to her.
Her heart thudded frantically as she saw the guard and maid in the hallway, with only their passion for each other preventing them from seeing her.
She ran back the way she'd come, completely rattled.
Feeling faint, she stopped and leant against the wall as she tried to make sense of what was happening. She had no idea how long the maid and guard would be busy for, or if anyone else was around. She didn't know where she was, why she was here, or if anywhere was safe.
Gasping as tears threatened to spill, she fell to her knees.
"Get it together. Gotta get it together," she told herself.
Acting without thinking, she rose and started moving, turning down the hallway beside her. It was as good as any, she reasoned, given she barely knew which way was up.
It led to another long hallway, with more doors leading to unknown rooms. She hadn't travelled very far, as she could hear the maid's giggles as the guard continued his attentions. Their voices were low and the words indecipherable, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that two people canoodling in the empty halls at night would probably soon be looking for a room. As she tried to decide which door to choose next, she couldn't help but wonder if he'd be taking all his armour off before they continued.
Shaking her head to get rid of the ill timed thoughts, she crept across the hallway.
Fortune was again on her side, as just as she crept through the door on the other side of the hall, the maid walked around the corner. Yew gasped and hurried through the door, relieved that the maid was giggling and looking over her shoulder at her lover as Yew hurried to safety.
Slipping behind the door, she let it close quietly, hoping that the lovers wouldn't have noticed. With one hand on her chest, Yew waited for her heart to stop racing, hoping that she'd be able to soon make sense of what was going on.
She still felt faint, but breathing deeply helped to keep the darkness away. As she regained her wits, she looked around, and had to wonder again where she was. Several tables were scattered about the room, topped with a variety of games.
Gasping in fright, she nearly leapt out of her skin when she realised she wasn't alone.
There was no way the child could have missed seeing Yew enter the room, but she gave no sign that she had. Yew started to creep over to the nearby wall, hoping to hide herself from sight.
"There's no reason to hide," the girl said, without looking up from her game. "There's also nowhere to hide over there. You might as well join me. Do you play?" she asked, finally looking up.
"Well? Do you?" she asked again, her eyes boring into Yew's. Yew flinched and nodded. "Please, join me."
Feeling that she didn't have much choice, she sat down. Yew had to wonder who this child was, and why she wasn't startled by Yew's sudden appearance.
"I'm Princess Xavia," the child said, moving her piece.
"Princess?" Yew asked, startled. Xavia nodded.
"What's your name?"
"Yew. Yew Opaline."
"That's a funny name."
"I suppose it is," Yew said, forcing herself to play.
"You don't belong here," Xavia stated. "You're different. You're not one of us."
"And who are you, if you don't mind me asking?" Yew asked, biting her lip nervously. She needed some answers.
"Your soul doesn't have layers. I can't sense you properly."
"What...what do you mean?"
"We have layers," Xavia said, gesturing towards her heart. "As we grow older, our layers get deeper. We get wiser, more powerful. You look old, but you don't feel old. You're different."
"I don't understand."
Xavia tilted her head. "There's no magic in you. You're one of them. An outworlder. Your kind ages faster than mine. You look the same, but your soul is different. We've studied your kind before."
"You're magical?" Yew asked. "That makes sense...I guess. Does everyone know, feel, these things?" If they could, there was no way she could hide.
"No, not everyone. Most of my people can to some degree, but it takes training to master. I've only begun, but I'm royalty. Magic has always been strong in my family."
"Do you...do you know why I'm here?"
Xavia looked at Yew again, concentration clear on her face. Yew shuddered for no reason, and wondered if it was because of the child's intense gaze, or out of fear.
"No. I don't know where you came from, or how, or why you're here. I do know that you're not one of us, and that means if you get caught, it probably won't end well. Though that does depend on who catches you."
Xavia climbed down from her chair as Yew tried to digest that information.
"I can help you," Xavia said. "My siblings and I like puzzles, and you're the biggest puzzle I've seen."
"Wait, I'm not sure that's a good idea."
"Why not?"
"How do I know I can trust them?"
"What choice do you have?"
Xavia was right, but Yew wasn't sure it was the right thing to do. It was a big risk, talking to this strange child, but it would be an even bigger risk to involve more people.
"What if...what if they're involved?" Yew asked, though the thought was silly. They were children.
"My sister Rana is heir, and would not do anything to risk the family or her position."
"You said siblings. Who are the others?"
"Owen is my twin. I trust him."
Yew shook her head. "I don't know. The more people who know about me, the more at risk I am. If you don't know who I am, then maybe your father is behind it, or one of his advisers. I don't even know if you're telling me the truth."
"Then you have a choice to make. You can accept my help, or you can ignore it, but if you choose to ignore me then I cannot guarantee your safety."
"You can guarantee my safety if I go with you? How?"
"I'm a princess," Xavia said simply, as if it was obvious. Yew supposed it was obvious to the child, but it wasn't to her. Xavia sighed and elaborated. "Servants do as I tell them. I can protect you. I have gifts. I have power."
Yew frowned. "Just how old are you? You don't talk like a child."
Xavia laughed. "I told you before, you look old, but you don't feel old. I've been on this earth for twenty years. You look as old as my parents, who have each lived for over eighty years, and they should at least live for another fifty. I won't reach my full growth for another fifteen years. We age slowly here."
Yew shook her head in amazement. Was this real, or a bad dream? Xavia sighed and walked away.
"I can help you. My siblings can help you. It's up to you."
Poll
Previous entries:
[ 01]