Who is she?

In the kingdom of Aradia, the palace was bustling with the talk of princess Arianna. Some say that she was kidnapped, some say that she was killed. But no one knows the truth.

Cassandra was pacing in the hall outside the throne room waiting for prince Elias to come out.

The door opened and a boy with dark curly hair walked out, "prince Elias." Cassandra bowed, "did you find out where is Arianna?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"I don't know Cassie, you are the one who saw her last time. Did she say something to you?" he asked.

She did, she went to look for the witch. But Cassandra can't tell him that. Even when he loves Arianna when no one in his family does, he sees her as his sister. And Arianna loves him like his little brother.

"no." she replied. There is no use in telling him that he is young, he will not be able to do anything other than tell his father about it.

"don't worry Cassie, I will find my sister." he promised, his face scrunched up in determination.

-------------------------

Her grey eyes stared into mine without hesitation.

There was not an ounce of fear in them. I don't know whether to be surprised or annoyed at her behavior.

There is so much curiosity in her gaze, there are questions that are peeking through her grey orbs, but there was no hint of worry as if she has not been kidnapped but is merely visiting her friend's house.

Where did she get the confidence.

She has been kidnapped and now is being questioned by the commander of kysoria and she doesn't even look afraid. I want to shake her. I want to pound some common sense into her. There is so much danger surrounding her, and she is oblivious. Or she is more powerful than she is showing.

The most powerful witch in all of the kysoria did say that this girl, this dainty girl who looks like she would break any minute now, is her apprentice. Does she have some kind of hidden power?

Is that the reason she was not nervous when two men each double the size of her are staring at her and she is staring back.

she cocked her head to the side, her gaze roaming over every inch of me.

I narrowed my eyes at her. does she not know who I am?

Aside from my mother and father, no one. No one stares at me like that. She was staring at me as if I was her equal. As if she was not afraid of me, of my status. As if I was just another human being.

"Do you know who he is?" Oliver asked her, pointing at me.

Her gaze became instantly cautious, as if she was confused as to why he was asking her that question. Then she turned to me, this time she narrowed her eyes as if trying to figure out who I might be.

It was clear that she didn't know who I was.

"Where are you from?" I asked, who was she? If she doesn't know who I am then she is certainly not from here. Because there is no one in Valoria who doesn't know who I am.

I took a step towards her, she is so small, she seems to shrink even more as I closed the distance between us. Who is this tiny thing?

The last time I went to find the witch I have not seen any girl with her. Infact even in Aradia when I saw the witch, she was alone, but she escaped from my grasp, then when I found her again, there she was her grey eyes somehow found me, in that thick haze.

She smiled, her whole face lighting up, I blinked back in confusion.

Why is she smiling?

"I am from a small village; you might not know it." she said, turning away from me, taking a few steps back effectively putting space between us.

"We know everything, and every village in kysoria. Your accent is different. I have not seen anyone from kysoria use it. It sounds more like Aradian accent." asked Oliver.

Her eyes widened when he said that. As if she was afraid of something.

He is right. There was something different about her.

Is she lying about her origin?

Then as I watched her a laugh bubbled up from inside her, it sounded like bells chiming in the wind, "oh, I do?" she asked shaking her head, "it might be because I am from a small village called Mistwood in the west of Mythosia, you know it is near the border of Aradia."

Oliver looked at me not knowing if we should believe what she is saying. But all of what she said was true.