Beware the broken mirrors

sneaking out for secrets

I walked to my room and plopped into my bed with a groan. It was three in the morning when everyone had left and I was free to escape. The help had convinced the creatures to stay around for some early breakfast and portals to do their jobs. I didn't bother to remove the dress before falling asleep in my bed. I hated being in this castle, the practicing, any of it. There was a knock and the door and I groaned loud enough for them to hear. 

"That's not very nice." Adresin's voice carried over to me. I looked up from where my face was planted into the mattress.

 "What do you want." I muttered into the cushion. He walked over to me and stood at the foot of the bed.

 "I want you to learn to drop your glamour. I also want to go back to the way things were before your parents disappeared. Along with that I would love a decaf seaweed juice but none of that is going to happen. So I am here to ask, do you feel any different?" He tilted his head watching me. I sat up creaking.

"what do you mean Adresin?"

 "I mean you now have your family's royal gift. Do you feel any different?" He rolled his eyes like he was talking to a five year old. 

I sneered. "Wo I don't. What is the family gift anyways?" I snapped crossing my arms looking away. He shrugged tossing a small wooden box at me.

"No idea. Only your family knows." The box had a small rectangle lock on the front. I looked over all the sides before looking back at Adresin.

"Wheres the key?" He shrugged again walking away. I groaned pushing the box onto the nightstand. I needed out of here. I pulled out the mirror from my chest with a shiver, I could never understand why woman would do that. I enlarged it and set the box on my desk in my room. I took a look around before returning back through and changing clothes. 

I pulled on some black pants that hugged my figure and a brown collared shirt tucking it into my pants. I pulled on knee high boots tying my sword to my hip and grabbing some gloves. I didn't know what I would encounter this time so I put the mirror in my pocket. I silently prepped myself for anything I could think of as I climbed out my window. I walked carefully along the edge of the castles roof below my tower and rock climbed to the bottom. 

I was so glad I actually paid attention in gym class when I was in high school I thought to myself. I wiped my brow when I was safe back on sturdy ground. I walked over to the wall and bit my lip. There had to be another way out other than the drawbridge. I walked around looking, searching, finally finding a window half way up. I groaned looking at the smooth wall. I rolled my eyes and grabbed the mirror. I held it in my hands hoping this would work. I pictured a door through the wall to the other side. 

The mirror vanished from my hands and reappeared as a hole in the wall. I grinned running through as it returned back to my hand and stuffed it in my pocket. I walked along the path I came upon and admired the woods. I sat in the first clearing I saw. It was so peaceful, quiet. I shut my eyes taking a deep breath. Sneaking out of the castle would be so much easier now. 

I imagined the whole forest alive and welcoming again, with trees just like the first one I had seen and brilliant colors all around, free for the creatures to roam. I smiled to myself. When I opened my eyes I saw that around me was just like I imagined and chuckled. I stood up brushing off my pants and ran my hands over the bushes outside the clearing and in a sparkle of magic they revived. I giggled feeling like a kid in a candy store running around touching any black plant that was around. 

The magic danced all around me with a glimmering red appearance. I halted  in my joy when I saw a glowing blue light illuminating through the trees. "Woah." I breathed. I slowly walked towards the light lost in its beauty. The closer I got, I began to hear singing, soft and fluid singing from a woman. I swayed to the sound though there were no words to the song. I stumbled into a magnificent clearing with deer of blue fur and wolves of silver. 

In the center was a woman with the light surrounding her like an aura. I stood beside a large deer almost as tall as I, as she came to a close on her song. Her hair fell to her waist like a water fall of copper, when she looked at me her eyes sparkled like bronze. She wore a green wrap around her legs up to around her arms and neck. She had no shoes on and I silently applauded her for it. I would go for being barefoot if I was more comfortable in this area. 

She slowly approached me. "Who are you?" She asked tilting her head. 

I bit my lip. "I-uhm -my name is," I couldn't decide which name to tell her, "Angelica." I decided. If she didn't know who I was then maybe I would be temporarily safe in her presence. 

She chuckled. "Hello Angelica, I am Suruka." She held out her hand. I took it firmly for a handshake. She danced across the meadow before turning to me. "Aren't you coming?" I stuttered in my step making my way to her side with a nod.

"Suruka, that was a beautiful song you were singing." I tried conversation. 

Her chuckle was like a dozen chimes. "Thank you. Its the song of magic." She looked at me smiling ear to ear. I couldn't help but smile back it was contagious. She led us to a very wide tree that had a door in it. "Would you like to come in?" She offered. I touched the hilt of my sword before hesitantly nodding. 

She opened the door stepping inside and I followed. I didn't feel threatened by her, perhaps it was because she never had my back to her. She went up the stairs waving for me to follow and we ended in a vibrant green room. The window was bordered with the leaves of the tree and she smiled. "Welcome to my home, Angelica," She crunched up her nose looking at me, "I am so sorry I forgot to ask where you live. I have't seen you around here before." 

I shook my head. "No its fine. I am new to the area. Haven't got a home really." I lied. 

She gasped a hand over her mouth. "That's not okay. You must stay with me until you can find a home." 

I waved my arms in front of me. "no, no, I couldn't burden you like that." 

"It's not a burden. It would be nice to have someone around the house with me." she cooed. I smiled. She was sweet and generous. I sat on one of the chairs that lay around the room and watched her as she danced around picking up a few stray things. She sat in front of me when she was finished and conjured up a basket of nail polish. "Would you like to have a girls night? I have never had a girl friend." She giggled. 

I blushed at the statement but nodded nonetheless. She pulled out a brilliant leaf green and took my hand. She slowly started painting my nails humming a soft song. I couldn't help myself as I dozed asleep from the lullaby. When I awoke she was gone. I stood up abruptly and looked around the room. "Suruka?" I called. No answer. 

I walked over to the stairs but smashed into something that wasn't there. I gasped holding my nose that started bleed. I reached out to the opening where my fingers came into contact with nothing, but something. I felt a cold surface under my fingertips. What was going on. I pulled my sword from its sheath and swung at the invisible wall only for it to swing back at me. I winced at the back lash sheathing it. 

I looked out the window. Where was she? I pulled out the mirror biting my lip. The reflective surface was black and my eyes widened. I felt a warmth rush through my body as I became angry. I furrowed my brow a soft growl escaping my throat. I squeezed the mirror in my grasp. "She can lock me in a room, prevent me from leaving, and disappear. She can not mess with my mirror." I growled. 

The room lit up bright and I noticed I was on fire. I didn't care at this point. I walked over to the entrance and watched as clear plastic looking material melted to the ground. I went downstairs hearing Suruka's soft voice. I followed it down to the main floor in a living room. She looked at me with a gasp. "Angelica whats wrong?!" she exclaimed. 

I growled again a shimmering red swirl of magic surrounding me. "As if you don't know." She gasped before dropping her glammer, her skin was black as night now with ears pointed outward.

"You lied to me. You're the Princes Gaylia." Her voice was scratchy and echoing yet still somehow soothing. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and gasped at what I saw.