Story Part 4 – By: SEP
Admittedly, Crystal was still shaken and dreamy after staring into the eyes of the horse on Sheebas rug, but she tried to shake the feeling as she answered Sheebas animated questions. “Hmm?” she asked in answer to Sheebas most recent comment.
“Well Princess, have you yet checked upon the preparations for the ball?” All sleep and mockery had left Sheebas voice, and she was clearly trying to match the jovial mood that the day demanded. “Though it is only seven or so in the morning, I’d thought you would have checked on the preparations for the day considering…” Crystal wondered why Sheebas voice seemed to trail away from her, but Crystal noticed that focusing was becoming a wasted effort this morning. Her mind was wandering again as they winded their way through the passages of the castle.
They entered the last passageway, right before the stairs that lead down into the breakfast room. It happens to be that, here the walls grew taller and narrower, and the hallway darkened as there were only a few windows, high on the walls near the ceiling. Crystal was slowly walking down this passageway as Sheeba, who was enjoying a conversation with herself, led the way.
Upon the wall above the stairwell was a tapestry that constantly caught Crystal’s eye. The light from the rising sun had lit the tapestry fully, and Crystal slowed her pace to a crawl in order to take a better look.
Unlike the tapestry in Sheebas bedroom, this tapestry was simpler, almost undignified. What is this doing in the castle anyway? Crystal wondered to herself. She took another step closer and looked more intently upon the picture. As always, she saw a dragon, a happy, smiling, harmless looking dragon, with a simple castle in the background, and small fires burning merrily in the grass surrounding the beast. Sheeba had told her the children’s tale, of Shoo-Shoo the Fire Breathing Dragon, many times. Well, every child in the kingdom knows the tale as it is meant to warn children that even strangers or animals that look kind could be dangerous.
She took another step, dazed and unfocused. What am I doing? It’s my eighteenth birthday today, and I have preparations to oversee. Am I still such a child that I cannot focus on a task at hand, and Sheeba must talk to herself as my mind wanders? Annoyed, crystal shook her head and took another step, which brought her to the edge of the staircase. But, as she did so, the eyes of the dragon seemed to burn with an intensity that was real, and the fires within the tapestry began to dance. Surprised, Crystal let out a dignified gasp, jerked her head back up to gaze at the tapestry, and tried to step backwards to get a better view. Unwittingly, her legs became entangled in her gown, and she slipped on the stone floor at the foot of the steps. “Drat!” Crystal said as she slipped on the silk of her gown, her feet flew out from beneath her, and she fell unceremoniously onto her back.
Her body aching with pain, Crystal gazed up at the dragon, which was pacing through the tapestry gazing down at her with purple eyes ablaze. As she focused on the dragon, the world twisted, the same way it had twisted when she met with Master Merlin so many years ago. Crystal couldn’t think any more. Her body was in agony, her mind overwhelmed by the twisting machinations of reality, and she fell into a darkness knowing no more.
NEXT -> Part 5
Admittedly, Crystal was still shaken and dreamy after staring into the eyes of the horse on Sheebas rug, but she tried to shake the feeling as she answered Sheebas animated questions. “Hmm?” she asked in answer to Sheebas most recent comment.
“Well Princess, have you yet checked upon the preparations for the ball?” All sleep and mockery had left Sheebas voice, and she was clearly trying to match the jovial mood that the day demanded. “Though it is only seven or so in the morning, I’d thought you would have checked on the preparations for the day considering…” Crystal wondered why Sheebas voice seemed to trail away from her, but Crystal noticed that focusing was becoming a wasted effort this morning. Her mind was wandering again as they winded their way through the passages of the castle.
They entered the last passageway, right before the stairs that lead down into the breakfast room. It happens to be that, here the walls grew taller and narrower, and the hallway darkened as there were only a few windows, high on the walls near the ceiling. Crystal was slowly walking down this passageway as Sheeba, who was enjoying a conversation with herself, led the way.
Upon the wall above the stairwell was a tapestry that constantly caught Crystal’s eye. The light from the rising sun had lit the tapestry fully, and Crystal slowed her pace to a crawl in order to take a better look.
Unlike the tapestry in Sheebas bedroom, this tapestry was simpler, almost undignified. What is this doing in the castle anyway? Crystal wondered to herself. She took another step closer and looked more intently upon the picture. As always, she saw a dragon, a happy, smiling, harmless looking dragon, with a simple castle in the background, and small fires burning merrily in the grass surrounding the beast. Sheeba had told her the children’s tale, of Shoo-Shoo the Fire Breathing Dragon, many times. Well, every child in the kingdom knows the tale as it is meant to warn children that even strangers or animals that look kind could be dangerous.
She took another step, dazed and unfocused. What am I doing? It’s my eighteenth birthday today, and I have preparations to oversee. Am I still such a child that I cannot focus on a task at hand, and Sheeba must talk to herself as my mind wanders? Annoyed, crystal shook her head and took another step, which brought her to the edge of the staircase. But, as she did so, the eyes of the dragon seemed to burn with an intensity that was real, and the fires within the tapestry began to dance. Surprised, Crystal let out a dignified gasp, jerked her head back up to gaze at the tapestry, and tried to step backwards to get a better view. Unwittingly, her legs became entangled in her gown, and she slipped on the stone floor at the foot of the steps. “Drat!” Crystal said as she slipped on the silk of her gown, her feet flew out from beneath her, and she fell unceremoniously onto her back.
Her body aching with pain, Crystal gazed up at the dragon, which was pacing through the tapestry gazing down at her with purple eyes ablaze. As she focused on the dragon, the world twisted, the same way it had twisted when she met with Master Merlin so many years ago. Crystal couldn’t think any more. Her body was in agony, her mind overwhelmed by the twisting machinations of reality, and she fell into a darkness knowing no more.
NEXT -> Part 5
2 comments:
What's going to happen next? I'm at the edge of my seat...
hehehee, good, i'm glad it's keeping you in suspence
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