Chapter 9: Introduction
450 Words
Chapter 9: Introduction
“Skin white as snow, lips red as blood, and hair black as ebony.” —The Brothers Grimm.
“Who are you?” the blue-eyed young man asks.
He’s probably a decade older than me, if not more. There’s a certain hint of youth in the way he carries himself, in the way one is slightly unsure how to react, which ticks me.
A witty comeback would have been asking back, “Who are you?” in a more demanding tone. I have the right to act so since this is my turf. But I decide against it.
“ You must be Thobias, Thomas ’ s son? Greetings, my name is Amira. ”
He immediately scowls at me for addressing his father ever so informally. His thick, dark eyebrows creases together as he does so. But then my name clicks in his head, and his demeanor changes, all traces of hostility disappears.
“You’re the resident princess everyone’s been talking about?”
“Princess? Hardly,” I almost snort out. “I’m too eccentric to be one.”
“Well, you are a child of two elders, aren’t you? That’s rare. The elders are like kings and queens; and you, a princess. Hense the nickname.” The corner of his mouth pulls up. “Speaking of nicknames, you can call me Theo for short.”
“Theo. Hhmm, that sounds fitting,” I decide. He looks as friendly as his nickname might suggest.
“I assume you’ve met my father, then?” He nudges his head toward the direction I came from.
“He’s a sensible man, I’ve gotta give him that.” I put hands behind my back, making myself look like the little angel I am —or at least, what my innocent appearance might suggest. “He has even helped me out a little bit in there.”
“Really? I didn’t realize that my father is that benevolent to others.” He eyes me with interest, trying to figure me out. “Then again, you might not just be anyone.”
“No, no I’m not,” I respond with a smile.
Then I begin walking. I don’t even bother to turn around, because I know that he’ll follow.
I lead him down the hallways. We’re currently at the Basement 5, the mid level floor. We can see the foyer right beside us, and there’s only steel railing separating us from plummeting down.
So I approach.
There’s something fascinating about standing at high places. I find that I quite fancy watching people pass by below, while I’m all the way up here. It’s like I am this powerful being that dominates them all. Not just some little girl.
“How about you? Are you a nice guy, Theo?” I ask, turning back to him.
He’s towering behind me, watching me watching them. Then he shifts his gaze to meet my eyes.
“You’ll just have to see for yourself now, won’t you?” There’s a slight hint of challenge in his tone.
Very well. “Challenge accepted.”
That causes him to burst out a laugh.
“What?” I ask, confused and offended.
“N-nothing. It’s just that . . . you’re as enigmatic as they say.”
“Oh,” my face relaxes, “I hope you mean in a good way, I suppose?”
“Yeah,” he sniggers, “definitely.”
- Writer
