The Blessing Of You

Prologue

I ran. I ran through the long winding corridors of the marble palace in the dark. I wasn't alone, but I could have well been for all the good it did me. People ran in all directions screaming and crying, calling names I barely heard. I was running to my brother, only a baby. I reached his door and burst through, finding him screaming in his crib, his nurses nowhere to be seen. I walked over to him and picked him up.

“Hush now, sweet brother. Be silent.” I whispered, wiping away his tears.

My mother had burst into my chambers, her hair an icy blue mess, her eyes wild and panicked.

“Nurse, get my son and bring him to my chambers. I will be there waiting,” she had said, walking over to me. “My daughter, be brave. Wait for your nurse and do as she says.” I nodded. She kissed my head. “I will see you soon, I promise.” she said disappearing through the door. When they came, I only had one of my sandals on.

“Run, my dear.” was the only thing my nurse had said before she was killed by the hounds rampaging through my home. I had then run to my brother.

From my brother’s room I ran, trying not to jiggle him too much. My single sandal clicked as I went along, echoing along the corridors. I decided to take it off, so the hounds wouldn't hear me as I was lighter on my bare feetp. The windows were the only source of light in the lonely corridors as I ran, and they let in the ghastly silver moonlight. The light cast shadows along the tiles and marble, picking up on patches of scarlet on the floors and walls. And the bodies. I didn't stop to look, but I saw many people I knew. My nurses, a few of my mother’s ladies, my father's squire, my cousins, young and old, but I had to keep running. I jumped over the bodies and fallen candelabras, their wax dried on the floor mixing with blood. Much to my little brother’s horror, I kept jumping. I finally came to a corridor still illuminated by candles. My mother and father's chambers were the only ones left untouched by death apparently. I opened the door to their room and was greeted by my mother's embrace. She shut the door quietly and locked it, moving the armoire over the door with her magic.

I handed her son to her and looked around the room. It was the largest bedroom in the castle, so it shared its floor with two other royal chambers, my room and my brother’s room. The only similarity to my room was the windows and the door. Everything was made from Elwood, which is a dark brown, black almost, wood that is only found in Ailminate. In the center of the room was a four poster bed with beautifully embroidered drapes made of green chiffon and golden silk. There was a dressing room through a door on the left wall and a door leading to an elegant bathroom on the right wall. The walls themselves were draped with intricate tapestries of forests that always seemed to enchant me.

There were heavy footsteps and it sounded like the makers of the sound had claws.

“Quickly, in the dressing room!” My mother pushed me through the door, set my brother down. A few heavy thuds against the door followed with the armoire shaking before the door exploded, taking out the fine piece of furniture with it. There was a vicious snarl as four hounds, almost like the shaggy grey work dogs in the north, stepped through the empty doorway. There was no longer any light to see properly, as they had knocked the remaining candelabras over so their eyes glowed brightly. They crept forward towards my mother, still growling. She stood between us and the wolves, blocking their way to us. One got impatient and pounced at her, knocking her over. I screamed, and as I did, one wolf began to grow bigger and more human like. He stepped towards my mother, each step becoming more human like, and drew a sword, pointing it at her chest.

Then he appeared in the doorway. My father drew a sword and attacked. Our guardian and King chased the wolves around the room, swiftly killing each of the attacking wolves and stabbed the man in the back. But he was too late.