"Stooorm!"
A shrill high-pitched voice yelled Stormy's name, immediately bringing her back from her thoughts into the present just in time before she could end up chopping her fingers off.
Realising she had been absentminded the entire time, Stormy quickly dropped the knife on the table and let out an exhausted sigh, then leaned against the table and buried her face in her palms.
"Are you okay, Storm?" the girl beside her questioned, the lines on her forehead drawn into a deep frown as she accessed her.
"I'm fine, Amy," Stormy replied subtly, her face still buried in her palms.
"Trust me, Storm, YOU ARE EVERYTHING BUT FINE... I've been watching you all morning and to tell you the truth you've been acting quite weirdly. C'mon, you were even going to cut off your fingers just now."
"I wasn't, Amy..." Stormy refuted, "I knew what I was doing," she added, trying to justify herself.
"Were you though? Because to me it had seemed very much like you'd have done it if I hadn't nudged you back from whatever trance it was you were locked in in time. By the way, what were you even thinking about? Huh? What's got you all hooked up to the point you're willing to lose a couple fingers? Tell me," Amy leaned in closer, "have you gotten yourself a suitor?" she whispered.
Stormy suddenly looked up, stunned.
Unbelievable! Does everything have to be about men?
"Look Amy, there's no need for all these questions, and wild assumptions, okay. Like I said, I'm alright and no, I don't have any suitor. Just like you, I basically spend my entire time in this kitchen, chopping and cutting vegetables so sorry to disappoint your itchy ears but no I don't have a suitor."
"Well, that actually makes sense... but it's still doesn't answer my question or explain why you are so distracted this morning. You know me Storm, I am not letting go until you tell me what I want to hear."
"Okay...okay fine, I'll tell you."
"Aha, that wasn't so difficult, was it? Now hit it. "
"Alright...so basically I sneaked out into the woods yesterday and..."
"Wait," Amy suddenly cut her off, "you did what?"
"I went into the woods," Stormy replied, repeating herself.
"You mean to tell me you went into the forbidden forest at night? All alone?" Stormy nodded. Amy's eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped. She stared at her friend in total disbelief.
"What?!" Stormy rolled her eyes playfully." I was bored...what else did you expect me to do?"
"I expect you to lay asleep in your bed at that time of the night, Stormy. The forest is a very dangerous place and you know it. Seriously, you could've been attacked by a dangerous animal. Why in the world would you even think of doing something like that?"
"I already told you, Amy, I-was-bored and it was such a beautiful night so I decided to have a little bit of adventure, something you clearly know nothing about."
Amy snorted.
"If doing something as reckless as venturing into the woods is your definition of adventure then yes, ma'am I clearly know nothing about it... Anyways, I'm glad you managed to get back home safely though. I mean I wouldn't have known how to feel if I had woken up to the news of your disappearance."
"Well, that is where it gets weird..."
"Weird? What's that supposed to mean?"
"You see, I did get back home, yes, but I don't remember how."
Amy's brow curled up. She tilted her head quizzically.
"What do you mean you don't remember how?" she asked, looking puzzled.
By this time, the other maids working in the kitchen with them were beginning to listen in on the conversation, causing Amy to leave what she was doing and drag Stormy out of the kitchen to a much safer place.
"What were you talking about, Stormy?" she demanded the moment they were out of earshot. "Tell me, what happened to you out there?"
"I-I passed out...I was trying to get away from this huge creature and I..."
"You were what!?" Amy cut her off once again.
"I know you might be thinking I'm dumb to have gone into the woods in the night and alone but I only wanted to have fun. I had no idea I was going to meet that beast-whatever it was."
"So, if I'm understanding you correctly you were attacked by a creature and then you passed out and in some way found yourself back in bed this morning all safe and sound with no recollections whatsoever on how you got back? Hmmmm, quite interesting. Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"
"I'm not sure, Amy. It felt too real to be a dream."
"Mmh, how then do you explain you being here right now?"
"That's what I can't figure out...I mean it makes no sense."
"What if you had been followed by one of the royal guards and he was the one that found you and brought you home?"
"I highly doubt that...although I think I recall staring into the eyes of the most handsome man I've ever seen."
"Ooo-kay?... Maybe it was your knight in shining armour or better yet your Prince Charming that swooped in right in time to save you from the beast," suggested Amy, a dreamy look in her eyes.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Stormy lets out a huff.
How did she end up with such a delusional girl as a friend?
"Are you ever going to stop with this your knights and Prince Charming rants? Those things only exist in fairytales, Amy, and sorry to say, fairytales are just mere made up stories meant for children. They aren't real...and furthermore it's not like I'm some pathetic weak damsel that needs saving. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself," she bragged, causing Amy to burst out into laughter.
"Says someone that passed out just by seeing a creature... if you were this brave why didn't you stand your gaurd and fight it then, miss Bravestone?" she teased.
Pretending to be annoyed, Stormy let's out a loud hiss and was about to say something when one of the royal maids suddenly showed up to tell her that she was wanted by the princess.
Promising to meet Amy later, she removed her apron and handed it to her before leaving with the royal maid to go meet the princess.