Behind the Mask

Hard Truth

  Elizabeth Pov

The jerks who kidn*pped me untied me. I thought about punching someone but thought better of it. After all, they did untie me. They said very little when releasing me. Once I was released, I ran out of the cave into a blinding light. After my eyes adjusted to my horror, the kingdom I thought was so beautiful and rich full of life was a bunch of people starving, sick, and depressing. I couldn’t believe it. What happened? Why is this part of the kingdom dead looking? Instead of housing, they had tents families cuddled in close to each other, looking for warmth. The lucky ones are the young men in the army trying to earn money for their families.

 “It is horrible to look at, isn’t it?” The voice that has been harassing me in the cave and the mastermind that kidn*pped me. “ Again, Lizzy, we got off on the wrong foot. You can call me Leo.” I turned around. He was leaning on the side of the cave, watching me come out.  He was not a bad looking guy. He had short dark brown hair and dark blue eyes that you can get lost in. He has a well-built body where girls can’t help go weak at the knees. If I didn’t hate him, I would too. He held out his hand as a sign of truce.  I turned away, and I still don’t trust him. “ Fine, Lizzy, it is your choice.” he looked like he was walking away, but I was dying to know.

“What happened here?” I asked him

“ Are you willing to know the answer to that princess?”

“What do you mean?”

“ What I mean, Princess, the truth hurts. It does not care what kind of life you had before, nor does it care what kind of person you are. If you are willing to know the truth, you would be better for it. It may hurt for a moment, but ultimately it will free you. So princess, are you willing to hear the truth?” He said with a grave look like he was willing to tell me but asking me if I am willing to hear it. What he said, scared me a bit. What kind of lie was covering this up or who I had a feeling I knew the answer. My parents are not this heartless. Sure they have problems but so does everyone. I just can’t imagine my parents doing something like this. Am I  really willing to listen to what my parents have done?

“ What happened to them?” I said in a whisper for the sudden closing in my throat.

“ Your parents did this, my dear princess. They have no care for their people. All they care about is money and power. The people that follow me have lost everything they loved. Their jobs, their homes, their families, everything they ever loved gone!” He said as if he lived through it. As if he was telling me his story, it made me take a step back to process it. He must have mistaken the wrong people.

 I do have happy memories with my parents, like holding my dad’s hand when he and my mom introduced me to the kingdom, and I was nervous. My dad saw that I was nervous, so he grabbed my hand and smiled at me. It was the only time I saw him smile. I had to process it. I looked at Leo, asking if I heard him wrong, and he just looked at me. I ran away to the nearby forest and sat down under a tree and cried. “Please, brother, where are you and tell me he is wrong. Please.” If it is true, then it is my responsibility to fix it. 

Author's note

Hey Guys, thank you for reading my story. I am hoping to update this Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I hope you guys have a good new year!

Amy