Cursed Daughter

Chapter 5

    Before we could blink we found ourselves on the border edge. Once we cleared the last bit of brush back we came to a clearing. It almost felt like it was too peaceful, like the calm before the storm, which in a way is accurate. Once we crossed there would be no going back and we would have a bounty placed on our heads. We took one last glance back almost to convince ourselves that this was worth it, no matter the cost.

    I looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. There was no clear border line like the maps made it seem. The woods just suddenly opened into this open area and then went back to being dense forest. According to the map halfway through to the other side we will have passed the wall that wasn't physically there. I was the first one to take a step forward with Kyle and Sandra right behind me.

    I started cautiously taking steps forward and then broke out into a run. I wasn't waiting any  longer I was getting my answers now. I made it to the middle first and felt like I briefly hit a cardboard wall before just passing with no problem. I saw my whole surroundings change to flat open land and then my vision went black. The last thing I saw was Kyle coming to a stop behind me as I fell to the ground.

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    "Momma!  There's someone outside the castle grounds!" 

    Momma ran over to me and looked out the window. She gasped and quickly pulled me away. 

    "Austin, I need you to run to your chamber and hide."

    "B-but why momma who is that?"

    She ran away before I could find out yelling at the guards to follow her. I ran to my chambers and hid in the hollow of the stone wall behind the tapestry. I heard two guards enter but I had no idea why. No one had ever attacked us and we had no enemies so I didn't understand. It wasn't long before I heard fighting in the corridors and my guards ran out to help. It felt like hours before I left my hiding spot but I heard no more swords.

    I saw some servants run past my open door screaming. I was waiting for someone to come in and attack me but no one ever did. What actually happened was much worse. Before I knew it smoke was pouring into my chamber and I saw the intense glow of a fire. I ran. I ran until I couldn't anymore. Until my lungs filled with soot and my eyes burned. I called for momma but I never heard her call back.

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    It was nighttime when I woke up. I saw Sandra and Kyle still passed out. My heart was pounding like when I woke up this morning. Crossing the border confirmed our suspicions, those weren't dreams, they were memories. Memories from before we were taken to the Order. Kyle woke suddenly and had a knife in his hand ready to attack.

    "Kyle! It was a dream calm down!" I tried to reason.

    He seemed to look through me for a second before coming to his senses. He visibly relaxed and put his knife away.

    "Lucy, it wasn't a dream, it was a memory."

    "I-I think my name is Austin. I think the Order assigned me Lucy."

    Kyle thought for a second, "I don't think they changed my name. All my memories have called me as such, why would they change yours?"

    "I don't know. I haven't had those memories come back yet. But I'm certain my name is Austin and I think most of my scars come from a fire," I paused trying to put the pieces together. "My castle was lost in a fire and I don't think I have a mother anymore."

    I kept my head for a moment letting these memories return to me and sink in. When I looked up I saw Kyle's gaze intently on me. His eyes were somehow filled with both pity and confusion. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could get a word out Sandra came to.

    "YOU!" she screamed before lunging at me, knife ready.