Chapter 4 of The Labyrinth.
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Rating: This story contains some violence and darkness that may be unsuitable for young children. If you are under 13, please ask your parents before reading. Thank you!
Chapter[]
Katheryn sobbed for what seemed like hours. The lack of nourishment had left her greatly weakened and she lay at her younger sister's feet, unable to get up.
Amelia cried too, softly stroking her older sister's raven hair. She had been alone ever since the King's death, forgotten by her family, and that hurt almost as much as loosing her father.
Even though it brought relief to their bleeding hearts, tears could only last so long.
At last, Katheryn managed to pull herself up. She looked at Amelia, and her heart nearly broke all over again.
"Amy," Katheryn said, keeping her voice low for she feared if she spoke any louder, she would loose control over her emotions, "did they take care of you?"
Amelia looked at the ground. "I was fine by myself."
"But did they take care of you?"
"They had more important things to do, Katheryn," Amelia said quietly.
Katheryn saw the truth and her sister's mind and she wanted to scream. Amy's personal servants had forgotten her, that was quite clear. Their petty excuses being that they didn't know how to handle a grieving child. Well, Katheryn certainly knew how to deal with irresponsible servants!
Silently chiding herself for thinking unkind thoughts, Katheryn's eyes once again filled with tears.
Before the tears could fall, however, Amelia's soft voice said, "Kat? C-C-Can I sleep with you tonight?"
"Of course you can, Amy," Katheryn said, her voice thick with emotion.
Katheryn stood up and started walking towards her bed but stumbled before she had gotten half way.
Amelia flew upon her sister. "Kat! Are you okay? Answer me Kat!" She sobbed. The thought of loosing another family member made her hysterical.
Gasping for breath, Katheryn said, "I'm fine, Amy. Don't worry. I just feel a little weak."
Unconvinced, Amelia helped her sister to her feet and they fell into Katheryn's large, king-sized bed.
Snuggling under the covers, they fell asleep.
Chapter 4 ~Narrator's POV~
The girl raced down the hall ignoring the quizzical looks the fairies gave her. She knew exactly where to go, for she had seen it in that girl's, Elizabeth, mind.
"Kat! Help me!"
Memories of the dream came back in vivid, almost real pictures and the girl let out a cry of pain. Clutching her head, she fell to the ground, nearly loosing consciousness.
Fighting the darkness that threatened to consume her, she got to her feet. She couldn't afford to let that happen a second time.
"Accursed dream!" she said through clenched teeth under her breath. "You cannot reach me here! Leave me at once!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, the dream vanished.
Sighing, she continued down the hall only to fall to the ground a second time.
Cruel laughter pratically dripping with venom rang in her ears.
The girl let out a frustrated cry. "Leave me alone!" Weak as she was, she managed to force the evil laughter from her mind.
"Hold on, Amy," she whispered. "I will save you!" With newfound strength, she pushed open the door she had come to and walked in.
"Young lady!" a voice boomed. "Knock before entering!" A rather angry looking women came towards her. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt with a long, dark blue dress on top of it. She had a square-ish face with tight, prim features that seemed to be set in a permanent frown. Triangle-shaped spetacles rested on her nose and her dark, cat-like eyes stared almost accusingly at the girl.
"I'm sorry that I disturbed you..." the girl closed her eyes and began her search. When she found what she had been looking for, she smiled slightly and said, "Mistress Griselda. Please, I must see Headmistress Faragonda immediately."
"Not with out an appointment, miss... er... wait right this minute! I've never seen you before!" Griselda adjusted her specticals and squinted at the girl. "And believe me, I know every student at the school!"
"Griselda," A kind-looking women interrupted. She wore a lavender dress with long, frilly sleeves and a periwrinkle jacket puffed at the shoulders. Her hair was gray and was piled on top of her head. She had a gentle, elderly-looking face and, like Griselda wore specticals. "This is the young girl Vita and her friends found out in the woods.
"Oh," Griselda muttered. "I see. Well then, Headmistress Faragonda, if that is the case, she may stay. I'm sure you have much to ask her.
"Come here my dear," Faragonda said. "Please, have a seat."
The girl quickly seated herself in front of a large desk and Faragonda sat across from her.
"Please, Headmistress!" the girl cried. "You have to help me! My mother and little sister are trapped, my planet is being devoured by darkness! You must help!"
"Slow down," Faragonda said gently. "Take a deep breath and start from the beginning. What is your name? Where are you from?"
The girl was ready to tear her hair out. Instead, she forced herself to breath deeply and remain calm. "I am Princess Katheryn of Mindera."
Dropping the letters she had been sorting, Griselda gasped and said, "Mindera! Don't you know that Mindera is-"
"That will do, Griselda." Faragonda held up her hand for silence. Then, turning back to Katheryn, she said, "Please, my dear, continue."
Katheryn eyed Griselda with suspician. She tried hard to read her thoughts but couldn't break through. She sighed. "My planet, Mindera, is being consumed by the Labyrinth. It is a vortex of dark energy and is infinite. It has claimed nearly my entire kingdom and I believe the Dark One is behind it all."
"I see," Faragonda said gravely.
"Please!" implored Katheryn. "You must help me! There's not a second to loose!"
"We will do everything we can to save Mindera, Katheryn," Faragonda said. "Until then, why don't you stay here at Alfea. You can rest, and I'm sure some of my girls would love to have you."
"You don't understand!" Katheryn screamed. "You have know idea what's happening to my people!" She was now on the verge of hysteria. "While we sit here, safe from evil, my people, my mother and sister, are trapped in eternal nightmares! All they know is darkness. Darkness and fear..." Something like a sob escaped Katheryn's throat and she squeezed her eyes shut in a desparate attempt not to cry.
"Katheryn," Faragonda said, taking Katheryn's hand and squeezing it gently. "I understand how difficult this is for you, but we will help. I promise. I will notify the counsil, and we will do everything we possilbly can to save Mindera. But until then, Alfea's gates are open to you. You are still weak, so please take my advice. Griselda will find you a dorm."
Katheryn nodded her head greatfully. It was all she could manage for she suddenly felt exhausted.
"She can room with us!" a voice cried.
"Maddy!" another voice hissed. "Shutup! You'll give us away!"
"Gretta!" a third voice complained. "You're being louder than she is!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Believe me," Griselda sniffed, "finding a dorm will not be difficult." Griselda threw open the door and Maddy, Elizabeth, Gretta, Ruby, and Vita fell through.
"Oh my gosh, Miss F, we're so sorry!" Vita said.
"Yeah, we didn't mean to spy on you," added Ruby.
"That's quite alright, Ruby, Vita, girls, you have a right to know what's going on."
"Katheryn will be staying at Alfea for awhile," Griselda said. "She needs a place to sleep."
"Can she bunk with us?" Maddy excitedly asked. "Pretty please? We have plenty of room."
"If she wants to, of course," Elizabeth said. "Do you want too, Katheryn?"
"Um, I guess that would be okay, but-" Katheryn stuttered.
"Yay!" Maddy cried. "Come on, our room's this way!"
~*~
When at last the girls had left, and the door had been closed, Griselda turned to Faragonda and said, "Mindera! Headmistress what are we going to do?"
Faragonda leaned her head on her hands. "I'm not sure, Griselda," she said thoughtfully.
"The counsil must be called immediately!"
"I agree; Mindera's fate now rests in the hands of Magix."
Characters[]
Fairies[]
- Katheryn
- Elizabeth
- Madeline
- Gretta
- Ruby
Supporting Characters[]
- Amelia
Trivia[]
TBA