"Let me go! I haven't done anything. I have to go back home," My urgent voice echoed in the empty room.
It had been a whole day since I was locked here, in this undistinguishable and dark place. No other guest was brought here, so I sat crying. Like all the other times, there was no response. After what seemed like an hour, I heard footsteps approach. Half conscious, I glanced towards the door; more like prison rods. I could make out three or four silhouettes standing before me.
"Why am I only locked here? Where are your other guests? 'Locked' in VIP rooms? Get me out!" I yelled, feeling my throat tear. I banged the prison door like a maniac.
One of the people, losing their patience kicked the door hard, making me fall back. "You want to know why? Why only you are locked in this disgusting place? Because you are a nobody!" Marcus roared, banging the door back. "Because no one except you is crazy enough to be going around slapping people, wear a dress similar to the princess and kill her sister. You obsessed bitch!"
"Oh! So you're just salty about me slapping you? I apologize! How can I possibly kill someone? I didn't even know the princess had a sister!" I cried.
Before Marcus could leash out again, someone pulled him back, supposedly the prince. "According to the guards, they saw you leave the ballroom just before the blackout. Explain that." The prince's voice was much calmer now but still stern.
I stayed silent. "I asked you something." He repeated.
"She's trying to come up with lies-" Marcus was quickly shushed down by the prince.
"I refuse to answer until you let me out," I answered.
Marcus and the prince scoffed. "Guess then you're staying here until your ego melts."
"Or freezes in the cold," Marcus added, to which they both laughed.
"Let her out," A smooth feminine voice sounded from the back of them.
"Huh? Cozbi?" Marcus uttered.
"This is the matter of my sister, my own blood. And I am not waiting until she's ready to answer over some insignificant condition." The princess said, sounding determined.
I was let out of the cold, dingy place and led to a small room, much better than the previous location. The carpeted floor made the room warm and cozy. I sat there, while the three of them stared at me with hard to read expressions. Everything made me so nervous, I couldn't hold back my tears. I kneeled down, "I swear on my life, my guardians and my two friends waiting for me to get back, that I never encountered anyone but Marcus and a guard at the palace. I have no idea of my way around here, or anywhere on the land of Eisiach. I came from the local town of Ireland. Here, my invite." I reached down my dress to grab it. It was gone. I frantically looked for it, inside all bends and curves of my dress. "It was right here..." My voice quivered.
The prince raised his eyebrow. "A guard met you before entering here? I'm sure he asked you for the invite." I nodded. "Unless you snuck inside..."
I quickly rejected the idea. "Marcus saw it too," I said pointing at him.
"I have better things to remember than any of the things you show me," He hissed.
I looked down. Just then a bunch of guards walked in the room. "Which one did you encounter?" The prince asked.
I scanned their faces, trying to remember. When my eyes locked with the sharp ones of his, I pointed in the direction of a tall guard with light hair. He seemed to remember me too.
The prince seemed surprised, "Oh, Namid. Did this girl show you her invite?"
"Yes, your highness," Namid replied politely.
"It could be a fake one. She could've stolen it!" Marcus interrupted.
"My real name was on it," I said, then locked my eyes with Cozbi. "I swear I am not lying. I am willing to answer your questions, but please don't suspect me just because... I'm not as high as you all. I did receive an invite. An official one."
"It was official and valid. I saw the stamp," Namid testified.
The prince nodded, barely convinced. "Look for her invite," He got up and turned to me," What's your name? Your real name."
"Asra Byrne," I answered. He locked eyes with me for a split second, before leaving. Marcus and Cozbi got up too.
"I am hoping it was not you, "The princess said, putting a hand on my shoulder, pressing it hard enough to make me wince.
And yet again, I was alone. What had I gotten myself into?
I was sent some clothes. I washed up and changed into a lavender silk dress. My green dress was dirty now, and torn. It must've been damaged when I fell in the garden yesterday. I sighed. Then grabbed a page from the nightstand and a pencil to write with.
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝒶𝑒
𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓉𝓈 𝑒𝓃𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹
𝒫𝓇𝑜𝓉𝑒𝒸𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓎 𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒾𝑜𝓇𝓈
𝒪𝒽 𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝓇𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓈
𝐼𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒾𝓃𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑒𝓂𝒷𝓇𝑜𝒾𝒹𝑒𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝒸𝓊𝓇𝓉𝒶𝒾𝓃𝓈
𝒫𝑜𝒾𝓈𝑜𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝓈𝑒𝑒𝒹𝓈
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝑔𝓊𝑒𝓈𝓉𝓈
𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓉𝓈
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐿𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒻𝒶𝑒
𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝒾𝓉 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝒽𝒶𝓉𝑒
𝐼𝓉 𝒽𝑜𝓁𝒹𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓁, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒶 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝒸𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓎
* * * * *
By now I knew the royals or the 𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘤𝘩 were nowhere near to be considered fairies. They weren't even human enough. I laid my head down, trying to understand how devastated they must be, but that didn't justify only me being treated like a murderer. Sighing, I got out of bed, peeking behind the curtains into the bright gardens. Even though I hated being here, I couldn't seem to get used to the breath taking beauty of this place.
By now Luna and Layla would be waiting for me to come back. Little did they know. I heard a rasp against my door. Jumping, I walked towards it; trying my luck I even tried to open it but it was locked. Soon enough a maid opened the door and dressed me up in formal clothing. "Where are we going?" I asked.
"To the prince's study," She replied, uninterested. My heart stopped. I could still not get his hatred filled eyes out of my mind. But as we reached there after a long walk across lanterned hallways, I saw princess Cozbi seated there. "Come, have breakfast with me," She said smiling. If anything, the smile wasn't warm. I gulped, taking small steps towards her.
"I don't like prolonging the main subject of conversation to unneeded points, so I'll be clear here," She said, her voice like honey. "I have a small bargain for you. One you cannot tell to anyone." She moved closer, like we shared a secret. Her uncomfortable closeness made it difficult for me to resist moving back. "It's between you and me." She stared at me with a cold expression, her doe eyes staring into mine. She moved back again, a blanket of friendliness surrounding her suddenly. The coldness was gone, at least on the surface. Suddenly what she might say next made me scared.
I shook my head slowly, "I have to go back home. Please. It's urgent." I pleaded.
She sighed to hide her frustration. "Goodness, why are acting like you don't have the charge of murder on you? Of someone dear to the royals. You don't get to negotiate your way out of this. Hear me out, I'll make your life easier for as long as you stay here." She said rather hurriedly.
I stayed silent, nodding slowly. She smiled, "You are more stubborn than I thought. Come to this study at midnight. Get it? No more questions. You're dismissed."