A Different Place
"Hey" she heard someone say, her eyes flew open with the intense flash of pain she felt on her head. And then Ava squinted her eyes as the sun rays had penetrated directly through them.
The first thing she noticed was that the grass was purple and then she remembered that she had been asleep the previous night.
Was she dead?
And then she remembered the dream, who was the boy and what did he do to her. Why did she step in the hole with him even when she didn't want to?
As she tried to recollect the boy's face, her head hurt even more. Where was this place? Was it some kind of continuation of the dream?
"Hello?" she heard again and she turned her head towards the voice. There was a girl who was some inches shorter than her with bright eyes and strawberry blonde hair.
Ava tried to stand up but she could only manage to sit as she was too weak. She was scared this time.
"Wh…where am I?" Ava stammered
The girl frowned "You're at the Forbidden Area" she looked at her "Who are you? I've never seen you before"
"Ermmm…I don't understand how I got here" Ava said, she didn't know how to explain the encounter with the boy, Aaron. Besides, anytime she thought about it, her head throbbed the more.
"Which clan are you?" The girl asked.
"Clan?" Ava dusted the sand on her hair "I don't understand…I…"
"Horses" the girl cut in "They're coming" She whispered and instantly transformed into a tiny brown snake. Ava froze in shock as the girl, now turned into snake, slithered away.
The sound of the horses grew louder and Ava soon sighted a group of men riding white horses with a beautiful golden carriage behind them. She tried to stand but it was too late as one of them saw her.
"Hey!" he yelled in a deep baritone voice. He ordered the others to stop riding and came down from his own horse.
"What are you doing in the Forbidden Area?!" his voice made her shiver.
"I…I don't know" she replied.
"Lucas!" A female voice rang out from the carriage and a beauiful, black haired, teenage girl came down from it. She was dressed in a white expensive-looking dress. One of the men pulled out an umbrella to give her shade.
"What is going on?" The girl asked staring at Ava and the man who yelled at her. Ava believed the man was called Lucas.
"Your majesty" he bowed at the girl "we don't know who she is and she's found in the Forbidden Area"
The girl stared at Ava, "Take her to His Majesty" she simply said and entered the carriage.
Two of the men pulled Ava up. She didn't dare to struggle, she had no strength to do so.
It wasn't so long before they reached the palace, and Ava was beyond awed by what she saw. There was a huge white castle, with guards at every angle and door. The marble floor was imposing with a long line of stairs at the main entrance. The men dropped the carriage and the princess alighted from it and stared at Ava.
"Take her to the king" she said and entered the palace.
The same guards held Ava and pulled her to the palace, her jaw dropped as she looked at the heavenly palace, the interior décor was perfect, the furniture was flawless everything was so spic and span.
Then she arrived at a wide open room where a man with the same hair colour as the princess girl was seated. He looked younger than she had expected but the streaks of grey that stained his black hair revealed his age quite easily. He was the King
"Your majesty" the princess girl bowed "She was seen in the Forbidden Area and she apparently does not know how she got there_"
"Who are you?" The king turned to Ava ignoring the princess girl.
"My name is Ava" Ava shook.
"Which clan are you from?"
"I don't know, I don't know how I got here"
The king stood up, his face bore no emotions. Suddenly, he grabbed her right hand and checked behind it. Ava shivered at the instant action.
The king frowned when he saw one black dot on her hand, and then he looked at her.
"How old are you?" he asked
"Umm…I'm 19"
"19!" The king's eyes widened "And you're still a beginner?!"
"I don't_" Ava wanted to say something but was interrupted by the king's voice.
"Send for Neville and Aurora right now, Lucas" he said and returned back to his seat. Lucas left the room.
Ava stood there, her head throbbing with pain and her stomach grumbling with hunger. She watched as two other people came back along with Lucas. A lady who was even more beautiful than the Princess Girl with light grey eyes and long red hair, and a tall handsome boy about her age who had the same black hair and grey eyes.
"Our guest here has no experience of magic, whatsoever" the king started "so, Neville" the boy raised his head in response.
"You would be in charge of training her. I know you have been itching to get a personal student"
"Yes father" The boy, Neville hid his smile.
The king turned to the lady
"Aurora" the king turned to the girl
"Yes, Your Majesty" she answered
"You'll assist him, and help take care of the guest" He relaxed on the gold encrusted chair "It's been long King Damien did something nice" he said and sipped his wine
Ava raised her head and turned to Neville who stared back sharply, her gaze quickly moved to Aurora who heaved a sigh.
"Amelia, I believe you have important things to do" the king finally said to the Princess Girl.
"Yes, Your Majesty" she answered and walked out of the room.
"You can begin your duties now" he said, Neville and Aurora left the room.
The guards took Ava by the hand and pulled her away.
She was escorted to a long hallway with different chambers, the guards stopped at one of them and were about to open the door before they saw Prince Neville heading their way. The two guards bowed.
"Hello" Ava waved and then realized she probably shouldn't have said that, she immediately bowed her head "Your majesty" She said.
"What is your name?" he simply asked
"A…Ava" She stammered.
"Ava, training begins tomorrow. You must always refer to me as 'Teacher' or 'Your majesty'" he blinked "and remember if we're not training, stay out of my way"
"Okay" Ava replied.