Okay. I apologize that it's long. >> But yeah. Here it is.

***

Chapter One: Beware

The sky looked like an Ocean at the beginning of Spring. As if it were mostly covered with chunks of ice, although a few spots of actual water peered out. Though maybe not an ocean, really, since oceans cannot freeze because they're made up of salt water. But maybe a lake, or a river. Would a river count? Cyntheia didn't know.

Argh. All this thinking was giving her a headache.

"Cyntheia, what is troubling you?" Miss Russel, Cyntheia's maid, had asked. She stood behind her, tilting her head.

"Nothing. I'm just trying to determine what the sky looks like." Cyntheia claimed slowly, resting her left forearm on the windowsill.

Miss Russel nodded. She was used to this. Cyntheia would always try to figure out what things could be described as. Sometimes, she'd bring a simple daisy into her room that she picked just earlier that day and ask, "Does this look like the sun to you?". Cyntheia was different from other girls.

But being the Princess of a titanic country would make her different, anyway. Instead of spending her days doing chores among a small home, she walks around the castle grounds, just exploring. Sometimes, she would put on some clothes owned by one of the maids and go into the market. Just wondering.

Always... Wondering.

"What is the temperature, Miss Russel?" Cyntheia asked.

"About the rating of two, I'd say... In the castle. I do not know about outside. But your father wants you to stay ins-"

"My father always wants me to stay inside," Cyntheia hissed, turning around to face her personal maid. "What makes today any different?"

"Have you forgotten? Goodness! Tonight is the royal dinner party, with the king of Coordore!"

Cyntheia's eyes widened. "I thought that was in a fortnight?"

Miss Russel shook her head. "Tonight, m'lady. And you need to get ready!"

Cyntheia sighed. "Indeed. Would it be too much trouble for you to fill the bath with water?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. I shall heat it up for you, too."

The brown-haired girl bit her lip. She never liked having maids. Especially a personal one. But her father had always told her that they wanted to do things for her. Mostly because they got room and board because of it. "Are you sure?"

"I am, m'lady," Miss Russel curtsied before leaving Cyntheia's chamber.

"I guess," Cyntheia said to herself, "I'll just have to suppress my deep longing to go outside."

***

Bang. Bang. Bang.

"It seems someone is here for you, M'lady." Miss Russel whispered, raising an eyebrow. "Should I go see? What if it's a man?"

Cyntheia blinked, nodding. "Go... see," she wheezed. She couldn't answer Miss Russel's second question. If she did, she'd end up killing herself. Simply saying two words made her lose a lot of air.

Her corset was too tight. And she couldn't breathe. This was one thing she hated about any formal gathering. She always had to wear something eye-catching. And any type of woman's clothing that was eye-catching had to be tight. Really tight.

Stupid corsets... She thought.

"Your Royal Highness, it is Lady Mocat!"

Cyntheia eagerly turned around and nodded, indicating her best friend, the great-granddaughter of the man who found the country, Rosella, could enter.

Rosella was known for a lot of things, as you can tell.

Cyntheia's chamber doors were opened, and in walked Rosella, in a midnight blue corset dress, with a matching fan. It didn't look like her corset was too tight. What a lucky girl.

"Cyntheia!" She exclaimed, curtseying.

Cyntheia nodded at her, focusing on breathing.

In. Out. In. Out...

"You look beautiful, Cyntheia," She sighed happily. "But your face looks a bit blue... Are you alright?"

Indeed, Cyntheia's face was probably the color of Rosella's dress. She shook her head hastily and pointed to her ribs.

In.... Out... In....... In- NO! Out!

"What? Something is wrong?" Rosella furrowed her eyebrows. "Your ribs, your lun- Oh, goodness! You can't breathe, can you!?" Her deep blue eyes widened and looked at the three maids who were about the chamber. "You three! Fix her corset, now!"

Rosella honestly did not care about the maids. She would never feel guilty about bossing them around. Which is probably what made her so different from Cyntheia.

"B-but why?" One of them stuttered. "That's the fashion!"

"To what? Die over a corset? Loosen it up, now!"

They did so, hastily. Cyntheia gasped, panting over the ability to breathe again. Air... What a wonderful thing. Air was like-.

"Are you okay, Cyntheia?" Rosella asked, glaring at the maids.

"Yes, I am, thank you," Cyntheia replied as she looked down at her red and white corset dress.

"Good. Now, you're going to be announced down the stairs, soon. We better go."

***

"Your Royal Highness," a smooth voice whispered behind Cyntheia. Cyntheia turned slowly and looked at the prince of Coordore.

"What do you want, Jaston?" She asked.

Jaston frowned. "Is that any way to greet a prince, Miss Cyntheia? What would your father say if he heard you talking like that?" He smirked.

Cyntheia rolled her eyes. "Coordore is--What?-- One-thousand leagues long? That’s not very big. Shania is three-thousand. So I suggest you back off."

"Oh, Cyntheia, don’t you know that size is nothing? The population of Coordore is increasing, if you did not know. And guess where that population is coming from?"

"Vermule?" She answered.

"No," he shook his head, his smirk getting wider. "Shania."

Cyntheia gasped. "T-t-that’s not true!" She stuttered. "Why would they want to go to Coordore?"

"Because Shania is huge. And every other country is jealous. There have been rumors…"
"What kind a rumors?" Cyntheia asked.

"That Shania will either turn into a burning wasteland, or…" His voice trailed off.

"Or what?"

"Or invaded. And taken over."

Cyntheia laughed. "You yourself said Shania is big! No one would be able to take it over!"
"Oh, Cyntheia…" Jaston got close to her. Really close. Cyntheia felt herself blush a bit. He leaned forward, to her ear. "You think too simply," he whispered. "Beware…"

The princess pushed the black-haired man away and glared at him. "Burn in the fires of hell!" she hissed before turning around and walking off.

"M’lady," Cyntheia heard a voice call somewhere around her. "Dinner is ready!… Your Highness?"

Cyntheia found herself gasping for air. Her vision blurred. She coughed, feeling her body colliding with the carpeted floor. She found one word running through her head as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Beware.

***

Cyntheia bolted upright.

She hastily searched her surroundings, but couldn’t see anything. It was purely pitch black. She felt a fluffy mattress under her, and a warm blanket above her, but that was it. She couldn’t see a thing.

She sat there, tapping her fingers for a few moments. After a few moments, her eyesight adjusted to the dark. She could see silhouettes of the furniture, the window, and the door. But nothing else. But it was good enough. It at least showed her proof that she was in her own room.
"Hello," Cyntheia whispered, loud enough so anyone in the room would hear here. No one replied.

"Hello?" She asked louder. Still no one replied.

No one is around, I guess… She smirked.

But then memories bolted into her mind. She grabbed onto her head, squeezing her eyes shut. She remembered her too-tight corset, Rosella, Jaston, Jaston telling her to beware…

She got a bad headache.

I need some fresh air… Cyntheia thought, getting out of her bed, putting her robe on, and leaving her room.

The corridor was also dark, and cold, too. Cyntheia's feet felt numb from standing on the stone floor. She didn't care, though. At least she was heading outside, her favorite place in the world.

She quickly made her way down the stairs, to the Entrance Hall, and out the main doors. She smiled as she stepped onto the wet dewy grass, even though it made her shiver. She took in a deep breath and headed toward a forest that lingered right next to the castle.

The forest was so gorgeous at night. When Cyntheia couldn't sleep, she'd sneak out into the dark area and sit on a rock until she felt sleepy. Then she'd head back into the castle and go right into the world of dreams as soon as her head hit the pillow. But tonight, she just wanted to relax.

She walked into the forest, and headed to what she used to call, 'The Secret Fall' when she was a little girl. It was really just a huge waterfall with a small lake and rocks surrounding it. But it was an absolutely stunning site.

She found a white rock across from the waterfall, and layed down on it, closing her eyes. The sound of water was so relaxing. It was like an actual Utopia.

"One of my arrows is missing!"

Cyntheia's golden eyes shot open.

"Ssh. It doesn't matter!"

"But what if I get killed because of it?"

"Silence!"

Cyntheia tried to force her shaking hands to move and run. But her muscles refused to react. They were too scared.

Through the loud waterfall, she could hear heavy footsteps that were attempting to sound quiet. But she heard them.

They were coming in the direction of the lake.

Cyntheia stayed pressed on the rock, still not able to move. She stared at the star-covered sky. It looked like a satin cloth, with splattered cream all over it. Or glitter, even. Or-

She stopped her mind from making similies. Now wasn't the time. The feet and the voices were coming closer.

Just a few moments later, she heard a bush right behind her rustle.

Splash.

"What was that?" A man's voice hissed.

"I don't know!" Another replied.

"Go check, Comelle."

Comelle, an elder-looking man, inched toward the lake, step by step. As soon as he got there, he peered down in the water slowly. Searching for signs of life.

But the water didn't move.

"Nothing here," Comelle said, nodding.

"Hmph," one said. "Fine. Let's keep moving. We need to get to the castle as soon as we can. We'll be too late, if the sun starts to rise before we even knock down the doors."

Another one laughed. "That damned king is going to love this."

With that, the men continued walking.

Cyntheia had no idea how long it took, but as soon as she was sure the footsteps were gone, she burst out of the water, panting. She had heard every word that came out of their mouths.

They were invading the castle.

"I...I must tell father," she whispered, dragging herself out of the water, and starting to run back to the castle, taking a different route from the invaders.

It only took a few seconds to realize her wet silk robe was slowing her down. It would truly be scandalous to take it off, but... If she didn't get to the castle in time… Who knows what could happen. She ripped her robe off, not caring what happened to it, and ran as fast as her 15-year-old legs could carry her.

"Father!" She screamed as soon as she burst open the the doors. She hastily turned around and shut them, still screaming. "GUARDS!"

Five or so guards appeared, hearing her screaming. "What is it, your Royal Highness?"

"Bolt the doors!" She said frantically, trying to push the big wooden rod down across the doors herself. "We're being invaded!"

"Cyntheia! Why were you out-?"

The guard who spoke was cut off by the zooming of an arrow. The arrow zoomed at the guard, and hit his armor.

"Damn, I got the armor!”

Cyntheia and the rest of the surrounding people (maids started to appear, too) looked up at the top of the Entrance Hall. There, were a bunch of ropes hanging from the windows. The ropes lead to...

People climbing down and into the castle, like spiders.

The invasion has begun.

Another arrow was shot, this time it didn't miss. It struck a maid in the chest, heaving her to the stone-cold floor.

Cyntheia gasped, looking at everyone. She didn't have time to waste. She started running up to her Father's chamber, wanting to warn him.

She heard swords being unsheathed, some people crying out. But she had to keep running.

Father...

She stopped halfway up the stairs as she almost collided with one of the invaders.

"Running, are we?" He said, taking out his sword. She stepped back, staring at the man. He was much more prepared for a fight then any guard of Shania was. He had three swords, all different lengths, along with about five different knives, used for different things. Every single blade hung around his waist. And that probably wasn't the only weapons he had.

"I guess," Cyntheia shrugged, getting close to him. "But... You're cute. I don't want to run anymore."

"What the-?"

He was cut off when she kissed his lips. She hated doing so, but she had to. It was the only way to get to him. She grabbed the medium-sized (he had the longest) sword from it's sheath and jammed it to his side, right after she pulled away from the most disgusting kiss she'd ever had. He merely smirked at her. The sword hit his side with a dull thunk

Cyntheia felt her body tense. "Under armor," she stated.

The man only nodded and swing his sword at her waist, intending to cut her in half. She ducked, the blade barely missing her head, and began running up the stairs. The man quickly chased after her.

"Princess, you're not getting away," he grimaced.

Cyntheia ignored him, and continued to run with the sword.

She got into the Kings corridor, and smiled a bit. It’ll be okay, father. She thought.

The man lunged at her. She yelped, and fell to the ground.

“Running to daddy?” He asked.

“Maybe,” Cyntheia replied, kicking him in the knee before getting up. He jabbed his sword at her, but she dodged once more.

“I’m sorry I’m doing this,” Cyntheia whispered before she closed her eyes and slit the man’s neck. She turned and ran down the hall again, not looking back once.

“Father!” She yelled as she opened his chamber doors. He laid in his bed, unaware of what was going on. She felt tears of relief fall down her face. “Oh, father,” she whispered, walking shakily over to the bed. “Father I’m so glad-”

Cyntheia suppressed a scream.

The King wasn’t sleeping. Oh no. A small dagger was implanted into his chest, blood spilling out of the wound rapidly.

He was dead.

“Father, who did this to you-?”

Her voice was cut off as she felt something sharp jam into her back, making it’s way through her heart. She wheezed, glancing down to see the end of a sword sticking out of her chest.

“You did not kill me, girl,” A man behind her laughed. “That slit was not deep enough.”

Cyntheia fell onto the floor, her eyes wide open. But she couldn’t see. She couldn’t hear. And one word slammed itself into her mind before she could no longer think.

Beware.

Her breathing ceased, and she lapsed into an eternal sleep. She’d never wake up again.

***

Word Count of This Chapter: 2548 (>>)
Overall Word Count: 2548

__________________
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me