Aria's POV
The realization hit me suddenly, I was alone and helpless unless I could find a way out.
I hadn't come across any wild animal yet but I knew they were present. I didn't come this far to become food for some hungry creature.
I had to find a way out or at least somewhere to rest my head for the night.
I swallowed my fear and continued on, I had to find a clearing of sorts or maybe a sturdy tree with branches low enough for me to climb on to.
I suddenly began to feel uneasy, as if I wasn't alone, which was not possible. I was too far away from the castle for it to be the guards, their patrols did not extend this far.
I tried ignoring the feeling hoping it was just my anxiety but it only seemed to get worse.
I spun around, but there was no one there. Just the trees, looming above me.
I sighed and continued on, trying to find my way back to the supposed path the map pointed to. The path was supposed t
But the more I walked, the more lost I became. I stumbled over another root, falling to the ground and skinning my knee on a rock.
The sound of rushing water filled my ear the farther I walked.
I found it strange as the map I held showed no signs of a river of any water source
close by. At least not in this forest.
I followed the sound, my heart pounding with excitement. I've never seen a river before.
As I emerged from the trees, I was not met with a river instead there was a beautiful waterfall cascading down a rocky cliff. I gasped in wonder, feeling a sense of awe that I hadn't ever felt before. I had never seen something so beautiful before.
I stood there, mesmerized by the waterfall's beauty. The dim light of the moon without the tall trees blocking it and the twinkling stars cast an otherworldly glow on the cascading water, making it seem like a veil of silver and diamonds. The sound of the water crashing against the rocks was like music, a soothing melody that seemed to wash away all my worries and fears.
The water seemed to be dancing, its droplets sparkling like a thousand tiny gems as they fell through the air.
Lost in the beauty of the waterfall, I was jolted back into reality.
The feeling of being watched returned. I tried to brush it off as mere paranoia, but the feeling only grew stronger.
I turned to leave, but as I did, I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. A figure, tall and imposing, standing
just beyond the edge of the clearing. My heart skipped a beat as I realized that I hadn't been paranoid.
I was not alone. Someone had been following me. I wave of terror washed over me. Was it one of my father's guard? How had I not noticed. A chill ran down my spine thinking of all the things my father would do to punish me.
The person kept standing there, watching me with an intensity that send shivers down my spine.
I was frozen in terror, I didn't know if I should run or try to fight him.
The second option seemed futile, I had no training. I didn't even know the basics of fighting.
Running was the only option I had. The problem was that I was caught in the middle of a rock and a hard place. Literally.
Behind me lay the cliff, filled with jagged rocks that would definitely split me into pieces and in the tree line laid the stranger.
My unease grew as I realized that I was trapped.
The man was moving closer, I had to do something. The thing was that I had no idea what to do but watch as he got closer and closer to me.
The closer he got, the more I noticed that something was wrong.
He was unlike any guard or knight at my father's kingdom.
He was unlike anything I had ever seen before. There was something unnatural about him. I thought it was my imagination but he seemed to be consuming the little light the moon emitted. It was as if he was sucking the light from the surrounding.
And then, in a flash of insight, I realized that he wasn't human. The way he moved, the way he seemed to absorb the light around him, the way his eyes seemed to see right through me... it was all so unnatural.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I took in the full implications of what I was seeing. This was no ordinary man, no mortal being.
He was something else, something I've never seen or heard of before.
I tried to step back, but my feet seemed rooted to the spot.
The stranger took another step closer, his eyes never leaving mine, and I felt myself being drawn into their dark depths.
The air around me seemed to grow colder, shadows suddenly deepening and twisting into grotesque forms as he watched me with cold, calculating eyes.
And then, in a voice that was barely above a whisper, the stranger spoke. "You shouldn't have come here princess" he said, his tone
dripping with dark intent.
Warning bells were going off in my head as the world around me seemed to fade into darkness, shadows deepening and twisting into a living, breathing entity.
A few moments later, I was consumed by darkness.
My eyes opened slowly, and I was met with darkness. I tried sitting up, only to be met with a sharp pain shooting through my head.
Wincing, I struggled to remember where I was and how I got here but my mind was still foggy.
I decided to try feeling my way through the dark maybe I could find a lamp or candle when my hands brushed against cold, damp stone.
I was suddenly overcome by dread as the realization set in.
I was in a cell.
Panic set in as I scrambled to my feet, my hands feeling the walls, searching for a door or a window. I couldn't find any.
The lack of light was disorienting but I was used to it. My father used to lock me in the dungeon when I was a child. It was his favorite form of punishment or should I say torture, whenever he decided that I had stepped out of line. But this wasn't my father's dungeon, that, I was sure of.
The lack of sound aside from my labored breath assured me that I was alone. Not even the chittering of rodents could be heard which calmed me a bit. When my father locked me up, it wasn't the darkness that
scared me, or being alone, it was the rats. The way they nibbled on my feet, my hands,
anywhere they could find.
I shuddered, dismissing the thoughts of them from my mind and tried to sort through my jumbled memories.
The strange man by the waterfall. I remembered his eyes, his dark voice, and the way he seemed to not be human.
I shook away the ridiculous thought. It was probably fatigue and the lights playing tricks on me. A trick of the light, my imagination, otherwise I was in a huge trouble.
As I stumbled around the cell, my foot kicked against something metal. I bent down to investigate only to find something that felt
like a small, rusty bucket and a tin cup. I stood, continuing my 'exploration'.
I finally came across what seemed to be an iron door, equipped with a latch. I approached the latch and tried opening it.
After a few failed trials, I was prepared to give up when it finally gave in and opened halfway.
I peered out, but I was met with, yes you guessed it, more darkness. It's either I was deep underground or it's the middle of the night.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" I called out desperate for any sign of life in this dammed place. But my only reply was my voice echoing back at me.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps echoing outside the cell. They were heavy, deliberate steps, and they were getting closer.
My heartbeat sped up as I backed away from the latch, to avoid being hit by the door.
The door creaked open, a figure entered the cell, a warm light emanating from the torch in his hands.
I squinted, trying to adjust to the sudden light. I tried to make out his features, but the torch wasn't bright enough.
"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady while I tried to swallow the fear clawing at my chest.
"My name is Kael," he replied, his voice low.
I took a step forward, trying to get a better look at him.
"What do you want from me, Kael?" I asked, trying to sound brave.
But Kael didn't answer. Instead, he just stood there, his eyes fixed on me with an unnerving intensity.
I felt a surge of frustration and fear. I didn't know what Kael wanted with me, but I knew I didn't want to find out. I decided to make a run for it, to try and escape through the doorway.
I turned and made a dash for the door. I made it a few steps out the door before his hand closed around my wrist like a vice.
I tried prying his fingers off my wrist which made no difference. His grip remained firm while he held me in place, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"You're not going anywhere," he said.
I tried kicking him, my kicks were dodged easily and I was once more held in place, his grip remained unyielding.
It was then I realized that I was trapped. I was once again I was at the mercy of a merciless man.
I glared up at him, trying to hide my fear. "Let me go," I spat, putting every bit of spite I felt into the words.
"And why would I do that princess," he said, his voice sounding bored.
I looked up at him, though his tone seemed bored, his eyes still glinted with mirth, like my anger was an entertainment for him. I realized he was toying with me, playing a game of cat and mouse where I was the helpless prey.
I felt a surge of frustration and despair. I was trapped, and I knew it. I was at his mercy, and he would do with me as he pleased.
As Kael pulled me back into the cell, I caught a glimpse of the darkness outside. It was a vast, endless expanse that seemed to swallow all light. I didn't know if I would ever find my way out.
The cell door clanged shut behind me, and I was plunged into darkness once again. I was alone once more, surrounded by the cold, unforgiving stone of my prison. And I knew that I would remain here, trapped and helpless, until Kael decided to release me.
I had to find a way out of this cell, no matter what it takes. I did not escape my father only
to be trapped before I had a taste of freedom.
And so, I stood up, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. I would escape, no matter what Kael had planned for me. I would find a way.
I always do.