A Dance Of Twilight: (A Fae Dark Fantasy Romance Stand-Alone )

Chapter 2

Running.

I was running as red eyes surrounded me and laughter filled the air. Overtaking my senses, my dress caught again on twigs and mud and a tree branch snapped out in front of me. Its spikes whipped at my cheek and knocked me backwards.

Where was I?

This wasn’t my beautiful, dark forest. This was someplace else. I could hear growls in the distance as I pushed myself up to continue running away. I wasn’t sure what I was running away from, but I knew I needed to get as far away as possible.

The sunlight began to disappear as the shadow of night took hold suddenly. My heart thumped in my chest loudly as I tried desperately to catch my breath.

Lifting myself over a fallen tree, I pushed harder than I had ever done before. My muscles screamed for respite, begging me to stop. I wasn’t one who trained or exercised. I didn’t have to do any of that. It wasn’t in my father’s interests to train me how to fight for myself, and I had never argued about it.

The lovely birds that were with me earlier had all but disappeared, and what took their place was owls and the howling of wolves. I needed to get home. My father would keep me safe and protect me.

Running into something solid, the wind knocked out of me and the fear inside my chest rose. I looked at the shadowy figure that stood in front of me, only making out the sparkle in its eyes as the moonlight danced against them.

“If you wish for me to save you, all you have to do is ask, princess.”

His voice was gravelly and seductive as he held his hand out for me. Dare I take it? The howls continued to become louder as the wolves made their approach. I was their defenceless prey, and they were going to have me if I didn’t get away.

“Who are you?” My voice broke as I spoke, fear looming under my skin while tears threatened to break free.

“I am your saviour. The one you have been begging for ever since you were a little girl.”

I had no idea I had been begging to be rescued by anyone. Yes, I found my life a little mundane and slightly boring, but that was mostly because I wasn’t allowed to do much of anything. Princesses didn’t get much freedom.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

“You can’t.”

Well, that wasn’t promising, but I truly felt as if I had no choice other than to accept his help. I had no idea where I was, how I got here, or what was chasing me, but I knew the terror was real. And it wasn’t going anywhere. Instead of taking his hand however, I pushed myself up and stood in front of him.

“Can I at least see your face?”

“In due time. For now, I will leave you and when the time is right, I will come for you.”

My heart no longer beat loudly in my chest as my breathing calmed. His voice washed over me like liquid gold and then all of a sudden, I woke up.

“PRINCESS! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!”

Kathlyn leaned over me, her hands on my shoulders, worry lines were across her brows and her face looked flustered and red. She was worried, and I had no idea why.

“What—what’s the matter?” I asked as she let go.

“You were screaming! We all thought…”She trailed off, looking towards the end of my bed.

Talia and my lady’s maids all stood there studying at me, confused. Had I screamed out during my dream? Perhaps I had woken everyone up. Which wasn’t good, as I was sure the healer would be sent for in the morning, and I would be poked and prodded, and my health might get called into question. I had to think fast.

“My apologies, everyone, I was having a horrible nightmare. I didn’t mean to wake or frighten any of you. Please go back to bed, I am fine.”

“Kathlyn, I will stay with my sister for the rest of the night. I believe she will need some company.”

“Of course, your highness. I will fetch some more blankets for the bed.”

As Kathlyn shooed out the rest of the maids, Talia came and sat beside me, snuggling up under the covers. Once Kathlyn had come back, she lit a few more candles and placed the blankets neatly on the bed, and then left us.

Talia, the nosey one she had always been, flipped onto her side and rested her head on a fist and looked up at me, waiting.

“What?”

“Did this dream happen to have a stranger in it?”

“Wh-what? No, of course not, Tal.”

“Hmmm. That’s a shame.” She flipped onto her back and stared up at the canopy drapes that decorated my ceiling.

“You know, I saw you talking to that lord tonight, so I just assumed you were having one of those ‘special’ types of dreams.”

“Tal! A girl of your age should know nothing of these ‘special’ dreams.”

“Oh please. I am friends with Morgana and Lilith, who tell me everything. Trust me, I know the whole ins and outs of most of the men at our court.”

My eyes widened a little as I held back a laugh. She continued to surprise me, but as her big sister, I still felt it was my duty to protect her innocence and to keep such things away from her. I didn’t want her exposed to those things that went on behind closed doors within our home.

“I’m not sure who he was, the man in my dream. I found myself running away from something, and he offered to save me.”

Although I slightly lied, I felt that was the best explanation. I didn’t want to tell her he offered to take me away from this ‘life’ or that I had been begging for his help. I doubted there was any truth in his words, but then again, he was most likely a part of my imagination anyway. So, anything I thought about, he had to know.

“Was he at least handsome-looking?”

“I couldn’t see, he was clouded in darkness.”

“Strange, but then again, it’s your mind, so it doesn’t surprise me,” Talia jested.

She was the only real person who could say such things without me losing my temper. Ever since I was a child, my tutors and even my own mother questioned my sanity, and as much as we tried to hide it, the court would still discuss my outbursts and unwillingness to bend.

Eventually Talia fell asleep, and I tried desperately to bring sleep back to me. I wondered if when I fell asleep, would he visit me again. However, by the time morning had risen, there was no sleep left in me, and I had wandered off to the balcony to read while welcoming the morning sun.

“Father wishes for us to take out Lady Gelda today, show her the markets, and visit some temples for prayer and reflection.”

Talia’s voice almost scared my soul right out of my body as she appeared behind me. Taking me out of my secret book world and into the now. She had a shawl draped across her shoulders and looked just as tired as I felt.

“Father can wish all he wants. I have lessons,” I snapped.

“He also wanted to pass on a message and say he ordered it.”

Sighing, I closed my book, knowing it was only a matter of minutes before Kathlyn joined us along with our staff to prepare us for breakfast and then the day ahead of fun-filled exploring and princess duties.

Riding in the royal carriage was always a spectacle in itself, and as much as I understood it was mainly for our safety and protection, I hated how it drew people’s eyes towards us.

Talia had taken the seat next to Lady Gelda on the ride out from the castle and towards the main part of Crystal City. I used to think how boring and mundane the name of our city was. As if it were just our elders being lazy and not coming up with something creative.

That was until I saw the city square for the first time. I was no older than six when I saw the large amethyst fountain, and it took my breath away. Standing exquisitely for all to see, almost as tall as a castle tower. The Goddess of Light, our mother and creator, was carved within the crystal. As the sun glistened across her beautiful shape, little rainbows would sparkle across the stoned pavements and houses.

The funny thing about the crystals was that once a light hit them in the perfect spot, they would light up each other. Once a year, the sun and moon would come together and bless us with these beautiful spectacles of light. It was magical to see.

This was known as our Festival of Light, and we were nearing that day. Entering the square, the market folk shouted out today’s produce and where to find things.

Gelda poked her head out a little from the carriage window and awed at everything she could see. She was obviously a girl from the countryside, but ‘with good standing’, as Mother had said. Yet, it appeared as if she had never seen a city before.

“We will show you some of the stores first, Lady Gelda, and then we shall head to the seamstress. With the Festival of Light right around the corner, and as our brother’s soon to be wife, we must get you dressed up and prepared for the parties ahead,” Talia spoke as she slipped on her black silk gloves and pulled them up towards her elbows.

Unlike me, she was far more into her fashion and her dresses. Always returning with new garments for herself and sometimes me, demanding I try everything on.

Today, she had ordered me to dress in a similar fashion as hers. She wore a black corset dress that fell to her ankles, and had stuck me in a striking red cotton dress with a low-cut neckline and placed a black cloak on my shoulders.

I looked like a woman of the night, and she felt it would be perfect, especially for someone who dreamt of shadowed men.

“Thank you kindly, your highnesses. I am sorry to have pulled you away from your duties.”

“It’s quite alright, we are happy to show you around. Aren’t we, Nella?”

Nella, the sweet nickname Talia had given me when she was just a small child. She could never say Ornella properly, so she took to calling me Nella, as it was easier for her to grasp.

“Yes, my sister is right, it is our pleasure to show our new sister-in-law around.”

Talia winked at me from across the carriage as we knew what secret lay hidden under Gelda’s skirts. As much as she seemed like a sweet, innocent girl, I feared she would not survive the court as the wife of my brother, or that of a future queen.

Lightly tapping the carriage window behind me, I signalled for the driver to stop and was grateful to get outside and into the fresh spring air. Flowers blossomed all around the square, and many stores were already decorating for the festival. This was the best time of year to come visit, everyone seemed so free and happy.

Whenever I wasn’t wandering in the forest getting lost, I was here—at the library, visiting the city”s memorials, the apothecary, and so many other wonderful shops. Most often Kathlyn would join me on these trips, as we would sometimes visit her friend Jamie and his family, whom I suspected she was in love with.