My name is Enya. I am the only daughter of one of the most successful businessmen in our country. People only approach, or praise me to gain my acknowledgment or to curry favor.
All my life I never feel I belong to something, that I always knew my place is somewhere else. I just don't know where is that place. I tried to keep up with my peers, but it's as if they too feel that I don't belong here.
I thought, I've finally met someone who understands me, who wants to know me. But I was wrong. I can still remember the day I discovered the truth about why he approaches me.
That was two years ago, I was sixteen when it happens. I was in a dressing room buying a new dress for my date.
"Hey, have you heard that David asked Enya out on a date?" one girl suddenly said.
"Yeah! I was so shocked to hear that from Reena last night," the other girl replied.
"But why did Reena allow that? She and David have been seeing each other for almost a year now, right?" the first girl asked.
"Uh-huh, Reena claimed that it was David's family who wanted him to become close to Enya. She stated that they want to have their hands on one project that her family is working on," the second girl replied.
"So, Enya is being played?" the other asks.
"Can't help it if she is naïve enough to believe someone to like her. She is attractive, but she is just so different. I can't even stand to be in the same place with her alone. I'll die of boredom," she said with a laugh.
I was on the other side of the curtain when I overheard them talking about me. Standing in front of the mirror and try to look at what the people saw when they look at me. Long and curly brown hair. Lean and athletic body, because of my regular running. But what they notice first are my eyes, they are light-gray, so light that it was almost white. People would not meet my stare. I heard one say that my eyes are so creepy it feels like I can see straight right through them.
Since that day, I accept no invitation to anyone. Afraid to be used again.
As the years passed, I immerse myself in books—books with a story of the Knights and Magic. My mother once asked me why I love to read such books. I remember my reply was. 'It takes me to places where I belong' I can't forget the look that she gave me that day, as if she understood.
It was almost Eleven o'clock in the evening. I am about to do my evening bath when I heard a loud crash from downstairs. I know that my parents are yet awake since we had our talk about what I want for my eighteenth birthday. So I walk towards the stairs to see what.
I watched my father standing in the middle of our living room and he was holding a — is that a sword?!
Still reeling from what I discovered, when a hand covered my mouth. I try to escape from its grip, but the smell of lavender registered in my mind and I relax. Then I heard my mom's voice.
"Be quiet, don't disturb your father," she told me.
"Mom, who is that man? And why is Dad holding a weapon?" I murmured.
"Hush Enya," my mom replied. I was about to add something when I overheard my father call out to the man.
"Why are you here? It's not yet time for us to return," I heard my father said to the intruder.
"Something has changed, the King is dead," the intruder responded.
My father remains where he stands as a pained expression shown all over his face. My mother's reaction also indicated that she too knew the person. Whoever that person is, both my parents love for that him. And his alleged death causes them grief.
"How?" I heard my father ask.
"He... they assassinated him while traveling back from hunting," the intruder answered.
"Hit with a poisoned dart, we caught the assassin, but he committed suicide," he included.
"He was plain, as an expert hired killer should,"
"Do you have at least a thought who could enlist him?" my father demanded.
"No," the stranger answered.
It was some time before my father spoke again and he stared at the man straight in the eyes.
"We are going home, escort us" It was all he said. Then the stranger kneels on one knee and brings his hand above his heart and declared.
"Long live the King!"
WHAT?!
KING?!
Who is a King? What the hell is happening here?
Dumbfounded at what I've heard, that I didn't even notice that my mother was walking towards the stairs.
"Mom!" I hissed. But she ignored me and proceeds on walking forward.
"Is what I heard true, Radal?" she asked the intruder. As my mother called that man by his name, she calmly; regally walked to the center of the grand staircase.
"Your Majesty," Radal bowed towards my mother. She cringed when she heard that.
"Yes, the King has passed," He solemnly said, "And I am here to escort you home," he continued.
Home? What does he mean Home?
She just nods her head and went back to where I was and said.
"Follow me, Enya,"
My mother leads me to my parent's room. "Stay here," she said and reached to the side where the drawer cabinet stands. She pulls one edge down and a secret door opened. I never realized that their room has a secret chamber. I take a peep inside and it was merely a few square feet big. About the size of a narrow closet would be the perfect term for it. When she appeared, she had with her a messenger bag and a small wooden box. She perched on the bed and open the box and pulled out what looks like a piece of jewelry. Before I can have a proper look, she already placed it in a small string purse and hide it aside.
"Come, it's time to leave," she said.
"Mom, what the hell is happening? Who is Radal? And what does he mean about going home?" I begged her, but then she ignored me. "Mom please, what is going on?" I am terrified, I don't know what was happening and they are still tight-lipped as ever.
She stopped walking and turned to face me.
"My child Enya, we are not from this realm. You've always felt that you are different because you are. WE-ARE-DIFFERENT. Different enough to everybody in this realm," she answered. After that, she continues to walk as I keep up with her. That's it? That is all the answer she will give me after all these years of speculating?
"What does that mean? That we are not from this realm? Are we Aliens then?" I said.
My mom laughs at that remark.
"No, we are not Aliens. I'll explain everything once we settled ourselves to where are we going, okay?" she said to me.
I can't believe this. Are there any other worlds besides this one? I thought 'other worlds' only existed in books and movies.
As I walk away from the home I grew up with, I regarded my surroundings. I recalled everything that I did in every branch of the trees or doing picnics I had in the garden. Remembering the things I am about to leave behind.
Behind our house is a spacious expanse of land that my father acquired. My father brought in a Landscape Artist to manage the place according to what I wish. I have always loved to spend my time here reading or just lying around on the grass. I saw my father with Radal near the end of our garden. They looked anxious, expecting something or someone to appear. Their action makes me even more anxious in our current situation.
My father turned around and looked at us. He reached his hand for my mother and said. "It's good that we were able to accomplish all that we need to work out here." He also brought his arm around me and continued, "Did you bring everything that all we need?" he inquired.
"Yes, I have it all here," My mother said.
"Well, let's go," My father declared.
"Just like that, huh...? We drop all here behind? What about our house? The company? What about our employees? What about them?" I demand. With just a few remarks and we are just going to uproot ourselves and leave?
"Dad?! Where were we going? How about clothes? How about... everything?" I said as we walk towards the huge clearing. It was just two hours ago that they were asking me what I prefer to do on my upcoming birthday! And now we are leaving for someplace I don't even know?!
"You don't have to worry about that, we can have anything we need there," he said. "And we already settle everything about the company and its employees," he added.
"There? Where is there?" I keep asking. I know I was panicking, I don't know what would happen next. I am afraid of the unknown. Afraid that life would still be the same. That I am still the odd one out.
I was about to ask some more when a sense of foreboding wash over me. And I guess I was not the only one. Both my father and Radal raised their swords, ready to defend.
"Who's there?!" My father shouted to no one.
A few seconds passed by before a shadow a few meters away from us emerges from a tree. I cannot see his face because of the hood obscuring his face. I can tell he was a man because of his build. He is huge, over six feet tall with a broad shoulder. As the man moves away from the shadow, I can see that he was holding a crossbow. And if I guess it right, he also has a sword hiding under his cloak.
"Who are you? What do you want?" My father asked.
"Why do you always ask the same questions?" the man said. "Honestly, it's a simple thing. Who am I? I am an Assassin, paid to kill you. What else do I want? Well, to inflict pain." The man sarcastically answered.
"Now if you asked me who sent me here, well you have to guess."