A SEALED FATE: Emeralds and Blood (BTS)

Nightmare, or a Prophecy?

The sound of rushing water and chirping birds woke you from your deep sleep. Your head was pounding, the strong sunlight only worsening the feeling. "What the hell..." You groaned, wincing at the rawness of your throat.

Instead of the luxurious softness of your bed, you felt nothing but cool stone under your aching body. You squinted at your surroundings, confused. "Why am I..." You trailed off.

You were in the stone gardens of Caidal's palace. Why, though? You could have sworn that you had fallen asleep in your guest room's bed, finally alone after being flanked by your husbands all day. Did one of them move you here to be petty?

You pushed yourself to your feet. "No, I would most certainly feel them jostling me in the process." You mumbled to yourself. Not only that, but if they truly wanted to be petty then they would have brought you to a place that you had disliked.

If you had been laid down on something softer, then maybe you wouldn't have been so irritated about waking up in the serene space. The first time you had seen the gardens, you had truly believed that the palace really did reside in heaven just like Martha and James had told you.

The flowering vines were blooming with a plant that you had never seen before, which emitted a gentle fragrance that resembled pine and early morning mist. The pale orange flowers contrasted in a complimentary way with the greenish blue water that rushed from large holes in the wall.

From under the stone ceiling, you could look down the stairs at the grassy gardens below. Woven like an intricate basket were man-made rivers, shaped into a pattern that resembled a twisting design that seemed to be all over the palace. Flowers and trees covered every free surface there was, creating a lush, serene paradise in the middle of the mountains.

If your husbands truly wanted to inconvenience you, then they wouldn't have brought you here. "Who the hell managed to bring me here without waking me up?" You asked yourself. You took a step towards the large archway, intent on leaving the gardens.

An invisible barrier halted you in the process. You cursed, throwing your hands in the air. "What now?!" You spat. You reached forward, your fingers brushing against a smooth surface. It felt like glass, yet there was nothing there.

If it were even a solid, transparent surface, then your fingers would have left streak marks. Yet when you scrubbed your hands onto the mystery barrier, it remained as clear as ever.

"What the hell is going on?!" You cried out. This wasn't something that the princes could pull off. No matter how much gold they gave up, there was no craftsman in the world who could create a wall of glass like the barrier in front of you.

You moved along the length of the room, your hands trailing along the smooth, invisible surface to see if there was an opening. You walked from one end to another, then wandered over to the stairs to see if you could walk down them.

There was no exit however, leaving you trapped in the long, invisible box.

You raised your clenched fist, intent on punching the wall to see if it was breakable. You were distracted by the sound of pounding footsteps approaching the entrance to the gardens. "I need to catch their attention!" You gasped.

You began to pound on the barrier with all your might, a loud scream tearing its way from your throat. "Hey! Someone help! I'm stuck!"

The footsteps were steadily growing louder. You were able to identify another few pairs, a little quieter than the first. Was it the princes? Even though you hated them and wanted to avoid them at all costs, you knew that they would help you get out of the strange predicament that you had fallen into.