What Lies Beneath

[ 10 | Into The Darkness]

Emily backs away and goes back inside, to her surprise she bumps into Authur.

"Oh, hey!" Authur giggled.

"Hey." Emily stood there, awkwardly waving her hand.

"Why are you here?" Authur asked.

"Just walking around." Emily said, swaying her arms.

"I don't know anyone around me." Emily explained, fidgeting her fingers.

"Except you, I guess." Emily added.

"Wanna get out of here?" Authur asked, lending his hand.

"Where?" Emily hesitated.

"You'll know." Authur smiled.

"Why should I go with you?" Emily tilted her head to the side.

"Because I advised you not to stay for Elena's event." Authur explained.

"Why?" Emily questioned.

"It's better not to know." He mumbled.

"So, are you coming with me?" Authur asked.

"Where?" Emily frowned her brows.

"To the river by the hill." Authur suggested.

"Huh?" Emily hesitated.

"I won't kill you, I promise." Authur sticks out his pinky, promising her safety.

"Fine but keep your distance." Emily demanded.

"Don't come closer."

"Fine." Authur giggled before offering his hand to gain Emily's trust.

Emily hesitated but she accepted his hands and they went out of the palace to the river by the hill.

As they pushed past bushes, tall trees and colorful flowers they finally made their way towards the river. As they approached the river, she felt a tingling sensation that she recognized the river; it was the same river she had seen in her dreams, only this time it was dark and gloomy, but the atmosphere was still pleasant and tranquil.

"You're not gonna push me, right?" Emily gulped.

"No." Authur shook his head before chuckling.

"You won't drown here." Authur chuckled.

"It is below my knees." Authur added.

"Oh?" Emily's face painted in confusion.

"Nothing." Authur said, taking a seat at the edge.

"Be careful." Emily's concerned voice shocked Authur but he giggled at the sight of the concerned girl behind him.

"Don't worry, come sit down beside me." Authur said, patting the empty space beside him.

Emily releases a sigh before taking a seat beside him but still maintaining a good distance. She watched how the moon reflected on the river, as the water crashed into the big rocks on its way, the wind was cold, the scenario was beautiful, it made her take deep breaths and deep sighs, the atmosphere was oddly peaceful.

She examines the river, wondering if she has seen it before and why it was shown in her dreams, but the longer she stares at it, the more she realizes this is the first time she has seen it. She couldn't stop thinking about how the river she was staring, looked exactly like the one in her dream.

She scratched her left eye before yawning. She sat there, what felt like hours, no thoughts, head empty. She gently set herself down, laying on the mossy floor.

"Hey, tell me about yourself." Authur asked, putting all his attention to Emily.

"I'm Emily Winston, I'm 18. I'm an art student. I like art." Emily smiled, excited for what's waiting for her in the future.

"How about you?" Emily asked.

"I'm Authur, I dream of becoming a pilot, I always wanted to travel the world." Authur said, flashing a smile which Emily returned.

"I have taken an interest in the outside world." Authur added.

They both sat there in silence, observing the scenery flowing around them. Much could be said about this place, they were too concealed with the wind, beneath the forest warm shade.

The scenery of nature is quiet. Eyes wandering through the forest, as she uses her remaining strength that she has to lift her eyes, falling for the soft wind blowing on her face.

"Sleepy?" Authur observes the yawning girl beside him.

"Kinda, I didn't expect the day to pass by so fast." Emily said, trying to prevent her eyes from falling.

"Fine." Authur stood up before picking Emily like a piece of cotton.

"Oh.." Emily got shocked as she got lifted very fast, she couldn't even react before her feet touched the grass once again.

"Tha-thank you." Emily appreciated the help that she didn't need anyways.

"Let's go somewhere." Authur said.

"Again?" Emily shouted in confusion, the night has fallen, shouldn't they go back home.

"Yeah, hold on tightly." Authur suggested, holding Emily's wrist.

"Wa-wait, be careful." Emily forewarned.

"I told you, I will." Authur assured, giving her a warm smile.

It was never yet to be seen, out of the open woods twilight, they walked into a land where each thing can change, to dancing trees, talking birds, mythical creatures and more but they said it was all a fairy tale told by old people who couldn't live their dreams.

His eyes flashes as he lets her go, she skips along the bushes and her shadow dancing along, its intoxicating scent lingering inside his mind. She turns to his figure with a curious mind, wondering when he is gonna step forward. The sun is down, over the gentle stream of water, he found a welcoming window through her eyes.

"Hey, where are we going next?" Emily asked.

He pauses, thinking where things should go. This night was full of worth saving, the forest has tales to sing, leaves rustling with the wind, green grass under their feet, whispers on the breezes, its calls to those who feel it. Oh, but have you seen everything?

Authur rushes to Emily grabbing her wrist before dragging her behind a tall tree, he covers Emily's mouth as Emily tries to breath through her nose, then a group of men walk past them, they hide behind the trees in silence, waiting for them to disappear. Soon, their footsteps finally fade into the unearthing mysteries of the forest.

Authur then gently removes his hands from Emily's mouth, peeking to check the group of men, nowhere near their sight. He sighs, a relieved sigh.

"Who are they?" Emily asked.

"They roam around the forest, looking— hunting for something. I know for a fact they are dangerous." Authur explained.

"This forest is special but those people take advantage of it." Authur added.

"We should go now." Authur said, leading Emily out of the forest.

They head back to the palace, leaving what's behind. Instead of going through the front door, they made their way outside, out the garden. It was filled with green bushes and hedges with different kinds of flowers.

"Why are we here?" Emily asked.

"What? there's nothing wrong with being here." Authur groaned.

"What are we going to do here?" Emily asked.

"What even is this?" Emily added.

"It's Elena's backyard." Authur explained.

"Big right?" He chuckled.

"Stay here, I'll get you something. Wish me luck, I won't get caught." He giggled, rushing to the field filled with different kinds of flowers.

She watches him carefully select a flower but she suddenly hears a groan, someone is groaning in pain, she listens to the sound of the voice.

She saw a man leaning on the wall, holding his wounded stomach, she panicked, rushing close to the man. As the man's gaze shifted on Emily, he looked at her in horror.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Emily assured but the man still looks at her in fear.

"Don't worry, I bleed blood too." Emily said, hoping to gain the man's trust but the man looks at her in confusion.

"I know it's a weird thing to say.." Emily scratches the back of her neck.

"Okay." Emily looks around trying to find anything that could help his bleeding wound.

"You bleed blood?" The man asked, choking mid sentence.

"Yeah." Emily went closer to him.

"I'll try my best to help you." Emily press her hand on the wound, trying to prevent more blood to spill but the man remove his hands, showing her the wound as blood continue to spill out

"Oh, lord-" Emily whispered, as blood dripped on her hand and onto her dress. She pressed back the wound with her hand again, she was about to scream for help when Authur suddenly came.

Authur stood there with a blank expression.

"Aren't you gonna help?" Emily yelled.

"I found a cornflower." Authur said, showing her the flower he had picked up, ignoring the bleeding man beside her.

"You wanna help him?" Authur stared at the man about to fall into his death.

There was a long pause lingering in the atmosphere but Authur pushed past all his feelings and thoughts.

"Fine, I'll call the guards." Authur said with an auto-note voice before walking away.

Moments later he came back with two guards, one of them picked him up, as the man continued to hold his bleeding blood while the other guard tried to assist them inside.

"Careful." Emily mumbled, watching the three guards take the man away.

They followed them inside but the two guards brought the man inside another room while Authur led Emily into the bathroom to clean herself up.

"Wash yourself." Authur mumbled, she smiled, nodding her head.

She headed inside the bathroom, turning onto the faucet, letting the water drip on her hands. The clean clear water has turned into something red, sliding off her hands and into the sink. She scrubbed as hard as one can scrub, scribing her hands and her dress, she was worried— who wouldn't? She is washing away someone's innocent blood.

She headed out, showing herself to the man that was waiting for her outside the bathroom.

"Done?" Authur asked, she nodded her head.

"Here, wear this." Authur removes his coat, giving it to Emily, which Emily accepts.

"You don't have to give it to me." Emily said, fixing the coat around her shoulder.

"How will I return this to you?" Emily asked.

"You don't have to." Authur smiled.

"Take this cornflower." Authur said, giving her the blue cornflower.

"Cornflower?" Emily frowned her brows.

"Yeah, you don't like the flower?" Authur asked.

"No! I do! thank you." Emily smiled.

Harnen, on the other hand, paces back and forth, up and down trying to find something. He knows he was looking for something but couldn't pinpoint what it was, he's staring, no idea where it is, standing there thinking about what it is. After one grey skies, sharp taunts, it finally became clear, he realized that he's looking for Emily.

He searched through corridors, hall, and rooms, he had searched outside but he had no trace where the girl could have been. He sighed, worrying even more than before.

And then he stood there, its silhouette in front of him, flashing him a bright smile. He rushed to her, concern is the only emotion he could feel. He stumbles on nothing as he walks towards her.

"Where were you?" Harnen asked.

"I was with Authur." Emily said, pointing to the space behind her but Authur was nowhere to be seen.

"Let's go home." Harnen said, dragging Emily out of the palace.

They hop back inside their carriage, before driving away. The days are not far off, the storm is still here, stuck above them. It proves it's difficult to leave and the path might not be easy to see.

"This is not my dress." Emily blurted, touching her dress.

"Don't worry."

"It's fine, I'll return it with your original dress." Harnen said, patting her head.

"Thank you." Emily mumbled, making Harnen smile.

The atmosphere has filled with silence once again, the snow falling outside as she stares outside the window. Covering everything with blankets of stillness, trees danced with the strong wind, though the skies filled with grey, it didn't stop her from the peaceful silence.

Without her noticing they were already home, Harnen helped her get down before leading her inside the palace. She placed the coat on the coat rack.

"You're back." Casper shouted, running towards them.

"Yes, I'm. Now, shut up." Harnen barked.

"What did you do to her?" Casper demanded, shifting his attention to his brother.

"What?" Harnen asked, a bit confused on what was unfolding as he was removing his coat.

"Whose blood is that?" Casper asked, still staring at Emily's dress as she removed her coat.

"What-"

"Whose blood is that?" Harnen asked.