Shortz

Never Alone

Moving in had been a breeze, however, the impromptu housewarming party her girlfriends had sprung on her, hadn't.

Sharp at seven, just as the sun had started pulling its rays back into its womb, the doorbell had rung, and three of Shanaya's closest friends had toppled inside.

"Spare me, guys. I have work tomorrow." She had begged, but her cries of protests had fallen on deaf ears.

"Shanaya, sweetheart, you never celebrate your birthday with us. The least you can do is have us over a day before." One of them had pointed out, sounding hurt and offended.

"Jane, guilt-tripping me won't work, you know." Shanaya had replied shrugging her shoulders, and the girls had nodded in agreement and gotten talking. At around ten, the girls had bid their goodbyes, leaving Shanaya all by herself. Alone.

Shanaya was a little different from others. For even when she was completely alone, she never felt that way. And when others mentioned feeling alone or lonely, she couldn't relate. She had no clue why, though.

So far, her life had gone on very smoothly. She had seen more ups than downs; more highs than lows. Her life was almost perfect. Almost. For there were two things that bothered her.

First was the dream that she had been having for as long as she could remember. A dream where she was a princess of some far of land. A land where two moons shone, instead of one. A place where the sky was purple, instead of blue. And everyone except one bowed to her.

Shanaya knew that this man, whose face she could never recall, was powerful. His hands could control the elements. This man was always by her side; taking care of her; protecting her.

'Who are you? Why can't I ever see what you look like!?' Shanaya had often wondered, feeling frustrated. She could tell that the man was important.

Second was the fact that every year, on her birthday, however hard she tried, she could never stay up till twelve. Exactly at midnight, someone used to knock on her door; but when she used to open it, there was no one there to greet her.

As she had grown older, she had felt that her dreams and the mysterious knock on her door were connected, and this year she had decided that come what may, she would not fall asleep, she would stay awake and solve the mystery that had plagued her mind since forever.

'Tomorrow is the day,' She thought closing her eyes, 'Tomorrow I will find out who you are!' She pledged and drifted off to sleep.

*****

"Protect her!" A lady, dressed in a blue flowing gown with her long black hair tied up in an elaborate bun at the base of her neck, commands a tall man dressed in black.

"It's him! My protector! " Shanaya realizes, as the man picks her up in his arms and exists the place.

The scene dissolves, and Shanaya finds herself in what looks like an enchanted forest. A man is sitting next to her, with his back turned towards her.

"Excuse me?" She taps the man's shoulder hesitantly, and he turns.

His blue eyes, the same shade as hers, stare back at her. The tips of his lips curve up in a blindingly beautiful smile, and he pulls her into his arms, "Safira! Thank Goddess you are awake." He whispers, stroking her hair.