Chasing Phoenix

Chapter 1

I moved swiftly through the Forbidden Forest, the full moon casting a gentle glow on the slender pine trees around me, offering small comfort amidst the darkness. My elegant dress sparkled with expensive jewels, and I softly grunted as I carefully maneuvered through the underbrush, determined to protect it from damage.

Being the princess of Arkidia, my closet consisted solely of dresses and sparkling gowns—far from suitable attire for a midnight forest adventure. I was well aware that once the palace guards realized I had slipped away, they'd comb the forest for me, and trouble would surely follow. That is, of course, if they could catch me.

A rustle in the bushes brought me to an abrupt stop. My heart raced as I glanced towards the source of the sound.

"Hello?" I called out, voice trembling.

Brushing my long, honey-brown hair away from my hazel eyes, I retreated against a tree. The rustling intensified, growing louder with each passing second. It was then that I caught the menacing growl emerging from the undergrowth. Instinct overpowered curiosity, propelling my feet to carry me swiftly away through the woods, heart racing. My dress was being ripped to shreds by bracken and thorns, but at that moment I didn't care. I could hear the thundering footsteps behind me, and I kicked off my heels; much faster without them.

"Help!" I screamed, running with an unexpected burst of speed that even surprised me. Yet, despite my efforts, I remained utterly outmatched by the pursuing creature. Its guttural roar filled the air as it hurled me to the ground, its sheer strength leaving me breathless and winded from the impact.

Struggling for breath, I gazed at the creature before me, fear coursed through every fiber of my being. The thing resembled a wolf, though a monstrously large one. The full moon's eerie light turned it into a hulking, nightmarish shadow, imprisoning me on the ground. Dread consumed me as the creature's gaping jaws parted, showcasing rows and rows of razor sharp teeth.

I punched and kicked, screaming in terror, desperately trying to wiggle my way out of it's overpowering grasp. The beast, its lips curling back in a snarl, raised its colossal paw, its claws slashing dangerously against my shoulder and neck. I screamed at the top of my lungs, the sound a raw manifestation of my fear, but it faltered as searing pain coursed through me. The creature's claws sank deeper into my arms, and in that dreadful moment, my life hung on a thread.

In an instant, a thunderous bang shattered the air, and the creature's massive bulk was violently torn away from me. It crashed heavily onto the ground, and I watched as it struggled briefly, emitting a frightened sound from its throat. The distant voices of the palace guards reached me as a faint murmur before everything dissolved into darkness, swallowing my consciousness whole.

                                                                                         ***

"Phoenix?" My eyes fluttered open to the sound of a familiar voice. It the was the young servant, Sky, whose job was to fulfill my every need. She was about the same age as me; eighteen, and had gorgeous rose-gold hair with silver eyes.

I glanced at her, then at myself. I had been changed into a navy blue nightgown. I lifted it up, feeling a singing sharpness in my side, and revealed a stained red bandage wrapped around my stomach. Biting my lip, I turned to Sky.

"Are they mad?" I tried to sound like the confident princess I was meant to be, but my words came out as a nervous whimper. Sky almost instantly knew who I was talking about. "Who?" She grunted out. "The King and Queen? Or the entirety of the palace workers?"

Groaning out of fear and frustration, I closed my eyes for a moment; taking a deep breath. When I reopened them, I was on the verge of tears, glancing around my room. It was blue and white themed; all sorts of aquas and teals and snowy whites created a calming environment for me. My bed was very large; one of the biggest in the castle; with fluffy white pillows and a light blue blanket.

"Why did you go in that forest in the first place, princess? Have you not lived with the King and Queen long enough to know how strict they are?" Sky ran her hand through her hair, clearly irritated. She was sitting on the white chair next to my bed.

"Don't scold me, Sky. You know I love adventure. You, of all people, should understand I'm not meant to be confined within these walls of this no-good, awful-"

"Exquisite, luxurious palace," Sky interjected, her eyebrows furrowing with irritation. "And, your highness, I do believe a princess should refrain from using such coarse language in her speech." 

I scowled, rolling out of bed and doubling over immediately with the pain.

"Princess!" Sky scrambled over to my side, holding my arm to steady me. "I was told not to let you leave your room until brunch! You mustn't leave. I don't want to get in trouble, unlike you." The pretty servant gently coaxed me to sit back down on the bed. Frowning, I cast her a glare. "You're always so snappy." I grunted.

"Well apparently that's the only thing that can put you in your place, your highness." Sky retorted. "And if you're not in your place, the King and Queen will blame me, and I'll be fired."

"Sky, did the palace guards mention what attacked me?" The question finally escaped my lips. Sky's discomfort became vivid, evident in her uneasy stance as she shifted on her heels. "Only one guard returned carrying you in his arms," she began, her voice strained. "The others... the rest of the patrol didn't make it." 

Nausea churned within me, threatening to overcome me. An entire patrol of guards had fallen before that single beast. An entire patrol had sacrificed their lives to protect mine.

In that instant, my world shattered. Regret and guilt flooded over me like a tidal wave. I shouldn't have ventured out of the palace, shouldn't have recklessly endangered those guards...

But in one month, my royal life would change forever.