CHAPTER 12

Right before my eyes, I saw the fire blaze everywhere. I heard our cries of help echo throughout the forest, yet dissolved into thin air. Mother and I sprinted all we could to make it out alive. Suddenly, mother fell with her flowers scattered. She was about to pick up her flowers, but I yelled “Mother, we do not have much time. Let’s go!”. Before she could even respond, I grabbed her arm and continued to escape.

It’s a good thing that mother did not stop me and picked the flowers

up. Otherwise, I would’ve been mad. We kept on running and running even though our legs were all wobbly. We looked around for safe paths, but then I saw a figure of a woman from afar walking away. “Mother, I see a woman! Let’s call for help, maybe she will help us,” I told mother. Mother agreed and so we shouted, “Hey, please help us!.” We repeated it over and over, but she didn’t seem to hear us.

I wondered how she could just casually walk away. Did she not hear us or did she do it on purpose? Or maybe, she’s just a victim too but injured. I said as I slowly walked forward to the figure “Ugh, all this thinking makes me wanna-.” Before I could even finish the sentence, a big tree fell on us. I shouted in pain. I couldn’t feel my legs. I used all the energy I have left in me to break free. After a whole fifteen-minute struggle, I finally got out. Just after I got out, the fire started to crawl everywhere including the tree that fell. I turned my head around and there I saw my mother laying down with the tree on her whole body.

I got frightened from what I saw. I froze and screamed in horror, whilst mother was slowly burning. I tried helping her to get out while I shouted for help. Tears slowly rolled down my cheeks and everything was in slow motion. Time went by in the blink of an eye that all I could remember was our maids trying to get me out of the forest. I left my mother.

And right before my eyes, I saw the forest turn to ashes, including my mother.

AT THE CASTLE

News spread quickly across the kingdom. The maids took me inside my room and gave me space. Space for me to cry and mourn properly for my mother who was burnt to a crisp. But before the maids left me, I requested to collect the ashes of my mother and put them inside a jar. It would at least help me feel at ease and it would also serve as the only memory of my mom. At least a part of her would still be at the castle. I then proceeded to wash up in the tub and cried.

I went out of the bathroom and changed clothes. I stayed in my room until the sunset. “I miss mom,” I frowned as I went down to the Great Hall to eat dinner. Everyone on the table did not talk nor did they make eye contact with each other. All our eyes were on our food. The silence was so deafening that I decided to excuse myself out. I headed straight to the gazebo where mother waited for me this morning. There I spaced out as I stood.

Around ten minutes later, Mr. Gavin, my butler, stood beside me. “How are you feeling, Princess Amari?” asked Mr. Gavin, I fakely smiled as I said, “I’m fine.” Mr. Gavin asked if I needed anything and I told him I only needed water. “Very well,” said Mr. Gavin and went on to get me water. It only took him a few minutes to fetch me water. “You walk fast, Mr. Gavin,” I chuckled. Mr. Gavin giggled as well, “You’re very funny, Princess Amari.” Then we both silent. I stared at the stars as thoughts of my mother came running on my mind. I started to tear up again but I quickly held it back. Then, Mr. Gavin broke the silence, “Princess, do you want to talk about it? I am here to listen.” What Mr. Gavin said made me release the suffering I had been trying to hide. I told him everything that happened from the very start.

PRESENT-DAY: AT THE FOREST

MR. GAVIN’S P.O.V

Soaking wet by the rain, I ran at a higher speed than usual. I searched for her everywhere, yet I still could not find her. Tired, I stopped running for a bit and caught my breath. I was already worn out from all the running but I just cannot leave Princess Amari alone under the rain. With that in mind, I began searching for her once more. This time, I shouted her name as loud as I could.

I came across this very big tree that was different from the others. “Perhaps, she went here?”, I asked myself. I yelled and yelled her name until I heard a cry from a distance. A cry with the words help and mother. Those words instantly reminded me of Amari and I ran again towards the cry. “Amari!” I screamed as I saw Amari on the ground, weak and traumatized. I hugged her tight and pat her back, “It’s okay now, Amari. I’m here.” I tried to hold back my tears but they just kept on falling. My heart ached as she told me how she saw her mother and just hugged her again to calm Amari down. We stayed like that for a while. “I’m sorry, Amari. I failed to fulfill the promise of you not seeing your mother again,” I sincerely said, “I will never leave you again, I promise.” We noticed that the rain seemed to stop, so we stood up. “Let’s go back now, shall we?” I asked Amari and she nodded.

The worry went away and the exhaust was forgotten. I finally found Amari, physically unhurt. She had calmed down now and that’s a relief. We then went back to the castle completely soaked. “Amari, get some rest when you reached your room” I said. “Yes Mr. Gavin, I will” she replied as she softly smiled.

And now, my heart is at peace.