Princess' Journey

Chapter 2

    I make it to my room, the pain in my right hip flaring from the walk up the stairs. Shutting my door, I lay down on my nice king-sized bed and bury my face deep into my duck feather pillows. I no sooner lay my head on my pillow when I feel a giant weight on the other side of the bed and see a large black nose sniffing my face. I look up into the big blue puppy eyes of my hell hound. Placing my hand between his large pointed ears, my hand all but disappearing in his thick, chocolate brown fur, I say “well Leka, it looks like I pissed her off again, doesn’t it.”

    In response to this, my powerful and loving protector lays his giant head next to mine. I stroke him behind the ears while I daydream of a time when things were much different, when the people living in this big, lifeless house were a family.

    I remember playing in the castle garden when Annaliese and I were small- my Leka and her Olek were just puppies back then too- our small pack gathering together in that garden almost every day. Mother and Luther watched over us happily as we each shouted in turn “mother, watch this.” We would do our sad excuse for a leap or a jump, or even a magic spell, but mother would always say “well done, my lovelies” or “you are improving tremendously”. 

    Father and his hound Anica ran around the garden with us, rolling us on the ground or tossing us in the air, all the while saying “my strong daughters will be the new faces of the people one day!” We would all laugh and play in the garden just enjoying being a family. We would then gather around the table for supper, each person saying what they were thankful for that day and what they think they improved on most. Then father and mother would tuck Annaliese and me in for the night, mother would tell us a story and father would give us each a hug and a kiss, and tell us how proud he was of his princesses.

    This was a regular routine for us, until one day, everything came to an abrupt end. I miss those days; I miss sitting by the fire with mother, telling her about my fears and her always finding the right words to make me regain my courage. I miss how father and I would go hunting in the early morning and how we would stalk the woods for hours, talking about anything and everything under the morning sun. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the bond my sister and I share. She is my best friend; my whole world and I make it my personal duty to always keep her safe and out of harm’s way. I may not have magic yet, but I have the strength and speed to get the job done. I would kill anyone who tried to hurt her…even if that meant someone I once called ‘family’.

    I must have fallen asleep because when I come out of my daydream, I am curled up next to Leka, who is sleeping peacefully on my now numb arm. As I move my arm, careful not to wake my sleeping companion, I hear a soft rapping at my door. Afraid that it might be my mother, I ignore the incessant knocking, until I hear, “Alora? May I come in?”

    Hearing my sister’s voice, I jump out of bed and open my door. I am greeted by Annaliese’s dazzling smile and her sparkling pink eyes.

    “Anna, what’s wrong? Is everything okay?” I whisper as I pull her inside my room, shutting and locking the door behind her.

    Chuckling, Anna smiles and says “everything is fine Alora. I just heard what happened earlier from Olek and I wanted to come check on you,"

    Coming over and sitting on my bed, Anna pats Leka on the side, chuckling as he groans and rolls away from the annoyance disrupting his slumber. “So, Olek tells me you really pissed mother off this time.” Anna says as she holds back a snicker.

    I pick up a vase sitting on my dresser and chuck it at my sister, “Not funny, Anna!” Right before the vase hits her square in the face, the vase stops its course and chances direction and gently lands back in its place on the dresser. I’ll have to remember that for my journal tonight. My sister gets up, her spot on the bed overtaken by Olek who curls up next to Leka, snuggling into his brother’s fur.

    “Mother is getting worse, I fear for her. Before today, she would never have hit her favorite daughter that hard.”

    “Anna, do not let that monster make you think you are any less than I! If anything, you’re better! Did you see what you just did? You mastered telekinesis! I’ve been trying for one hundred years to master anything! I am so proud of you.”

    I hear a shattering behind me as the vase explodes. Looking back at Anna, I see tears running down her blush wrapped cheeks. “It is not you I want to be proud of me! Mother has two daughters, why is it that she only sees you! You get all of the fancy parties. You get seated at the head of the dinner table. You get the best hell hound to ever live, and you get to be the next queen. I would be twice the queen you will be! At least with me, the people would have real protection, not just some wannabe without any magic skills!”

    As soon as Anna said this, she immediately regretted it. Her eyes start to over flow with tears and her tiny hands ball into fists. “What are you two blabbering about?” We look over at Leka, who yawns and carefully crawls off of the bed, careful not to wake his brother. He lazily walks over and sits between us, looking up at Anna; he says "Anna, I know things are difficult right now, but you can't speak to each other like this. Remember, your sister is destined to be the next queen, and you can either choose to support her or leave her. And as for your mother, you must remember that it is her fault her children are like this, perhaps she is only trying to make sure you two do not make the same mistakes.”

    “That woman does not have a regretful bone in her body. All she wants is for the people to rise from the ashes and rule all of mankind. She could care less about her family; even Luther is suffering. She is neglecting the one thing able to protect her from outsiders, and if she is not willing to protect herself, what makes you think she is willing to protect us?” I look over at Anna, who is staring at the broken vase on the floor. Clearing my throat as loud as I can, without my mother hearing from downstairs, I will Anna to look at me.

    Rolling my eyes, I place my hand on my sister’s shoulder, “Anna?”

    “Huh?” She jumps at my touch, “Oh, yes, I would have to agree. Mother would probably prefer that we not even be here. She would send us away to the Counsel the first chance she got.”

    “Perhaps that is what you should do; not go to the Counsel, I mean, but go to someone who can help Alora find her power, and some allies while you’re at it. With what I saw in my dream, she is going to need all of the help she can get.” Leka looks at me with concerned eyes. “I fear both of your lives may be in danger.”