No Ordinary Child
Deep in the middle of the night, a colorful hallway was filled with the loud cry of a child. On the floor before the child was an unresponsive puppy and surrounding her were five women dressed in servants' clothing.The child’s cry continued. She pulled the body of the tiny puppy to her lap and cradled it, her sobs continuously filling the air.All of a sudden, the servants parted in the middle and two figures, a male and a female hurriedly stepped to the child.“Your majesties.” They bowed their heads and lowered their knees in greeting“What in heaven's name is going on here?” The woman demanded. “Oh heavens.” She gasped in surprise when her eyes fell on the dead puppy in the tiny hands of the wailing child.The man instantly dashed forward and gently took the animal from her. “What misfortune has befallen the princess’s new puppy? Speak at once!” He roared at the servants.“Forgive us, your majesty,” one of the servants replied, bowing low. “We’re clueless. The princess had only been playing with her new puppy when he suddenly stopped responding.”“This must be a jest.”Halting her cries for a second, the child rose from the floor and raced to the man. “Papa,” she cried. “Please ask Bonnie to…to wake up,” she pleaded, hiccuping. “Why won’t all my puppies stay alive?”The king rubbed the head of the princess and whispered. “It’s the weather, I’m certain. Don’t be scared. It’s just the weather,” he assured in a low tone as if trying to convince himself that it was indeed the weather and not what he thought. “After this season, Papa will get you another puppy.”He handed the lifeless puppy to the servants before crouching down to pick the princess. He carried her inside the castle, passing through large doors and halls before coming to her room.“Sleep now, alright?” He gently laid her on the bed. “Bonnie is now in a better place in the heavens.”She peered up at her father with wide green eyes and her tiny voice rang out. “You think he’s in heaven? He didn’t even have dinner yet.”“Definitely. Don’t you worry about him.”After he confirmed that the little princess was asleep, the king swiveled around to his wife. He had a worried expression on his face.“This is ridiculous, My Lord,” the woman began. “It’s time that we find out what exactly is wrong with the little princess.”“She is fine. Do not speak about your stepchild like that.”“How dare I not? Three deaths, My Lord. Four animal deaths in one year just for being touched by one child. What if we’re next?”“Julie!” His roar caused the walls to tremble, his eyes clamping shut immediately for a second.“You might try to convince yourself otherwise, but Princess Elora is no ordinary child. We must seek the seer or the priestess else she kills a human and causes us the crown of this kingdom.”Afterward, she stormed out of the room shortly followed by the king.But they were unaware that the little princess’s eyes opened shortly after the door shut and they were filled with tears. She clutched her bed covers tightly. Her papa had lied. It wasn’t the weather. Could it be that her stepmother was right? That she wasn’t just an ordinary child?Elora instantly sat up on the bed. She could barely breathe, barely see, or barely control her pounding heart.What was that? She asked herself inwardly. A memory? A nightmare or a dream? Who was that little girl in her dream? What happened to the poor puppy? Wasn't the man her father?Or perhaps it was her mind playing tricks on her.She raised her hand and wiped the pool of sweat that had gathered on her forehead.Perhaps it was due to all the fatigue from the day’s event? After all, she’d managed to escape the two vampires back at the brothel and had returned to Arielle’s side.Deciding that it might just be fatigue, she was about to lie down again when she noticed the figure beside her.She jerked. Her hand flew to her mouth and her heart skipped a beat. She clamped her eyes shut for a second but when she opened them again, he still laid there unmoving.The dim bedside lamp shone over his face and she couldn’t help but lean over to stare at him as if to confirm it was indeed him. Why on earth was he lying by her side?He had a hand tucked behind his head with his eyes shut.Her eyes grew wide when they skimmed down over his body. Why on earth was he half-naked beside her? His upper body was exposed and the lower was covered with the white bedsheet. But she couldn’t bring herself to look away.Elora swallowed, her eyes trailing over his chest down to his heavy pack. Her face instantly reddened.But then the memory of the words of the men back at the brothel crossed her mind. She tore her gaze off him and her hands clutched the bedsheets tightly. They'd deceived her father and her people and had passed the order that humans be silently killed on sight. What if he was planning to do away with her soon? Yet she couldn’t get over the fact that he’d saved her from the rebels, treated her wound twice, and had been nice to her all these while.But still, it might be a ploy to charm her and then betray her in the end. Before she knew it, she dipped her hands under her pillow and pulled out the silver dagger.Moving closer to the prince, her trembling hands slowly began to unsheath the dagger.It was for the safety of herself and her people, she told herself. After this, she could return to Yvlies, away from the deceitful creatures.But before her fingers could even unsheath the dagger, his eyes flew open and in the blink of a heartbeat, she was thrown to her back with him above her.