When I woke up I was on an island,
but I couldn’t make out where I was. My whole body ached and I could feel the
wooden plank digging into my stomach. Any movement resulted in screaming and a
lot of pain and effort, so I just stayed in a pose and allowed the plank to dig
into my stomach. A faint smell of vegetation flowed into my nostrils and on cue
my stomach rumbled. I really needed food.
Suddenly the events of the ship and
the sinking cabin came back to me and my eyes flooded with tears. What a
horrible experience!! And where had my sister gone? I just lay there, allowing
the sun to burn my back, my chin digging into the earth beneath me. It was an
awkward pose, with my hands outstretched by the side of my head, my feet going
in two directions, and my face digging into the dirt. But I didn’t want to
move. I just wanted to stay there and die.
Suddenly I heard voice and my
heart stopped:
“See? There she is. I told
you I wasn’t imagining it!!”
“Oh, my goodness, is she alright?”
“I told you, I prodded her with a stick just
now and she didn’t move. She’s dead.”
It was a girl and a woman’s voice. I
froze and held my breath and hoped they would just leave me be. But they
didn’t.
“Danika, you can’t determine
that she’s dead with a stick.”
“But I’m telling you – ”
“Enough Danika. I think I’m going to check
whether the poor dear is okay.”
With that, I heard the grass crunching
as the woman – I’m sure it was the woman!! – walked towards me. I felt her kneel
down and I held my breath and closed my eyes, pretending to be dead. I held my
breath until I felt I would burst, but I didn’t give up.
“She’s alive, Danika. Her heart is still
beating.”
Oh my god. She sensed my
heart beating. Oh well, at least I can breathe now
“What? She’s alive?”
And so the next thing I knew is the
woman and the girl were on they’re hands and knees, peering at me, their eyes
on the look out for any sign of life. Of course, I gave up pretending to be
dead and just stared back at them in fear.
“My god, she’s alive,” the girl said.
“See? I told you. But the poor dear is
freezing. Let’s get her back to Elluel,” the woman said.
So, the girl (who looked about maybe
seven) hoisted me up onto her shoulders and followed the woman (Now that I had
a close look at her, she was more of an old woman) into a forest. My heart
stopped as my eyes were drawn to their ears; they were pointy.
Dear god, I
thought. I stumbled into Elf territory!!!
Maybe the girl felt me shaking as she
said: “Astilda, I have a feeling this one is freaking out.” The old woman
stopped and looked back, her graying hair flying in the wind. “Well, one
wouldn’t be surprised. Come on now, Danika dear, we must heal her once we get
back to town.”
Danika nodded and shifted her weight,
then followed Astilda on her winding journey. I swear, I thought I was going to
die. Little did I know that elves were not a threat, but how would I know that?
Internet?
Finally, after what felt like forever,
we reached one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen in my life. I could
feel it take my breath away. It was an elf town, with multiple elves going this
way and that. A huge white and cyan castle poked its way out of the endless
rows of houses. The grass was a pale green and behind the castle rose a huge
cherry blossom tree, its pink leaves swaying in the breeze.
Okay, I admit I am not easily
impressed, but it would be an understatement when I say it takes my breath
away.
But of course, I was freezing. I was
still drenched in salt water and my hair hung limply and plastered onto my pale
face. Astilda beckoned Danika forward and ushered her into a little house by
the side of the castle. I was still looking at the beautiful castle when I was
pushed into the house and made to sit on one very uncomfortable chair. (Good
Grief, they make their chairs out of branches? Or is it needles?)
“Shall I call her majesty over?”
Danika said in her very unusual accent. Astilda nodded and Danika vanished
behind the door. Astilda looked at me and smiled. “Hello dear. Can I ask what
your name is?”
I did not answer.
“Come on now, dear. My name is
Astilda,” she said, placing a hand on her chest and extending it out to me.
“What is yours?” I sucked my cheeks in and looked at the ground. It had been
the most awful day. The next thing I wanted was to be kidnapped by elves and
forced to work as a slave or whatever elves made humans do.
Astilda frowned, but I could make
out just a hint of sympathy in that look. I suddenly grew angry. Even as a
child, I hated people’s pity, people’s sympathy. I tossed my head and said,
rather coldly: “Orchid. My name is Orchid.”
Astilda clapped her hands together
like I was a baby that finally learnt ABC. “Orchid!! What a lovely name. So,
Orchid, where do you come from?” I narrowed my eyes at her. I have never really
been mean to someone before, but I have learnt a lot about kidnappers and how
they can make you tell them where you live or what and they cause misery to
your family. She was pretty old to be a kidnapper, but there’s always a first.
And she didn’t think she would get the truth out of me.
Suddenly, the door swung open and
Danika poked her head through the door. “Astilda, her majesty has come,” she
said, and Astilda got to her feet and bowed as a girl about 15 stepped through
the door. Even though I wasn’t a boy I was shocked by how pretty she looked.
She had long, honey blonde hair spilling down her back. In her hands – BOTH OF
THEM OMG WHAT WILL SHE DO TO ME – were crossbows that looked like they could
kill a boar. Her sky blue eyes widened when she saw me sitting there, pale as a
sheet, nothing on but a soggy nightgown.
“Good lord,” she said, resting the two
crossbows on a table by the door. “Where did she come from?” Danika bowed and
said: “We found her by the sea, your highness, and decided to help. Tell us,
what shall we do with her?”
The queen – obviously she was the
queen – stepped forward, bent down and got a close look at me. I suddenly felt
very self conscious and looked at the ground to hide my blush. She smiled, then
raked her fingers through my hair. “Young one,” she said in her gentle voice. I
looked up at her. “What happened? Can you tell me?”
Well, maybe I can’t tell my story to
strangers, but for some reason I felt I could tell her anything. I cleared my
throat, then began to pour out my story to the queen. I had no idea what I was
doing before I finished, and realized my stupid mistake. I clapped a hand to my
face and looked at the ground, not really believing what I had done.
“Poor thing,” I heard Danika say, but
this time I was too ashamed of myself to feel angry for her pity. I felt the
queen’s warm hand give my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and I was amazed at
how much that gesture reminded me of Lotus. She turned to Astilda. “What’s her
name, Astilda”
“Orchid.”
“Orchid,” the queen repeated, and then
drew back her hand. She cupped a hand on my chin and made me look up at her. I
felt frightened and tried desperately to release myself from her grasp. “Little
Orchid,” she said gently, and I stopped struggling for a moment. “Are you
cold?”
I nodded, and she released
me.
“Astilda, get her some warm clothes
and maybe a hot bath, then send her to my room, thanks,” with those words, she
picked up the crossbows she lay on the table and swept out of the room. My
heart beat painfully against my chest. Send me to her room? What for? To kill
me? To make me her slave? God, what am I to do??
Before I could think of plans to
escape, Astilda made me stand up and looked me kindly in the eye. “I know you
do not want us to bathe you, correct?” I nodded. “Okay, then sister Danika will
hand you some warm clothes and you bathe yourself, is that okay?” I nodded and
after some time of searching in a big wardrobe, Danika handed me a set of
clothes my size. Astilda showed me the bath, and I zipped in, locked the door
and leaned against it.
My mind was racing about endless
possibilities for escape. Maybe a window? No, there were no windows in here.
Hold on a second, what am I thinking? This is a bath, OF COURSE there are no
windows in here!! I stared at the small bath tub tucked away in the corner and
the set of clothes resting on my palms. I had to admit, the tub did look
inviting. And I was freezing in my still soaked thin nightgown. So I decided
against escape for now, stripped off my clothes and stood under the warm water
for half an hour.
After I was done, I put on the
clothes that Danika chose for me; a white shirt and a simple dark blue skirt.
There was a comb resting against the sink but no hair bands to tie my hair
with, so I just straightened out my hair with the comb and let it hang loose. I
looked at myself in the mirror. I looked fine, but I was surprised how much I
looked like Lotus with my hair down; same light blonde hair, same purple eyes.
Of course, we were twins, but if I cut my hair short I would look exactly like
her.
As soon as I stepped out the door,
expecting to see Astilda and Danika, I got a shock because instead of the two
gentle and kind elves, the room outside was filled with elf soldiers dressed in
blue and white. One seized me by the arm and I screeched. I was really being
kidnapped!! I couldn’t help but feel a jab of pain. The queen, Astilda and
Danika seemed so nice, yet all along they planned on kidnapping me.
“Let me go!!” I screeched and the
warrior and tried to pull away, but when you’re only five and your kidnapper is
an elf warrior with a spear in another hand, you don’t hold much of a choice.
So I made myself silent and allowed the soldiers to march me into the castle,
where, I suspect, the queen was waiting to make me a slave.
As we entered the palace gate, a boy
about 15 stepped in the way of the soldiers. I expected the soldiers to push
him away and get on with the march, but they just looked shocked and bowed
down, meaning I was the only one still standing up. I felt self conscious, but
I didn’t want to bow down to people who wish me to be a slave.
“Your highness,” the soldier at the
front – the one which grabbed me – said in his deep baritone. “What is it you
seek from us?” The boy standing in front of the army crossed his hands over his
chest and looked a bit cross, not sure at me or at them or what. “I am not
happy with how you are transporting the little girl to my sister.” He said, and
when I looked up at him and I was shocked at how much he looked like the queen.
Same blonde hair (Only shorter) and same blue eyes. He must be the queen’s twin
brother and the king of this Elf town.
The soldier at the front, no doubt the
leader looked a bit surprised at the king’s reply. “But, your highness isn’t
she a prisoner?” Now his really shocked me. So, they were planning on making me
a prisoner? God, it would be an understatement to say I was shivering. The king
slapped a hand to his face. “Good lord, Sir Dominic, what is wrong with your
hearing?” the king pointed to me and said: “Not a prisoner, okay? My sister
just wants to see her, for lord’s sake!! Now take her up to my sister properly.”
The soldiers got up a bit shame faced
and escorted me up the winding steps to the top floor which I suspected was where
the queen’s room sat. Sir Dominic had long let go of my hand and when we got up
the stairs, he patted me gently on the head and said: “My apologies, little
one. I knew something was wrong at first, that you couldn’t be a prisoner. It
is entirely my fault for such a horrid experience. And for that, I am truly
sorry.”
I nodded and he and the soldiers bowed
and hurriedly walked down the steps until they were gone from sight. I looked
at the huge, gold and white door in front of me and felt my heart skip a beat.
What would I find waiting behind this door?
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