Scarlet

The girl sat cross legged on the bench. A book in one hand and a pencil in the other. She tapped the pencil against her chin in thought.

"Fay, what do you think of the word, sarcasm?" Rustling came through the bushes as an old woman pushed her way through to come sit on the bench beside the girl. The woman adjusted her shawl and turned her attention to the child she had taken care of since birth.

"What was the word?"

The girl's black curls bounced as she shook her head emphatically. "Forget that one, I have a better one. She grinned. "Intelligence." The woman's mind went blank.

Then she smiled, confusion on her face. "That's a big word." The girl's sweet laughter filled the clearing.

The woman's hand covered the girl's mouth, the old woman's face filled with tense concern. Then she whispered to the girl.

"Remember to be quiet." The girl's eyes widened. She had forgotten. She nodded. The woman took her hand away before saying. "Come we have got to get you back inside. She took the girl's hand and led her through the gardens.

They entered the castle through a side door and headed through the main hall on tip toe heading to the second floor.

They had made it almost to the top of the stairs, when a door on the 3rd floor slammed, Fay pulled the girl up the stairs and into the entrance of a corridor and pressed her and the girl to the shadows.

There was a loud shout that echoed off the stone walls, footsteps sounded as they flew down the stairs and right past their hiding place.

There was more shouting after the man passed. But Fay quickly pulled the girl towards the palace's grand library. They stepped inside, the door closed behind them, shouting was cut short.

The girl went into a small study room off the main library, but before Fay could follow her in. The main library's door opened and someone called for her.

She turned to the girl. "I have got to do some things, you stay here." She then turned and left. The girl sighing, sat down and reopened her book, she was alone again. The girl sat in the dim room, her eyes glowed white, the little light the candle had given, was long ago, she stared blankly at the pages.

She sat for a long time, her face flashing different expressions. She finally moved, grabbed the pendant around her neck and gripped it tight, then stood. The book fell to the floor. She slipped out of the room.

She made her way back out of the castle and hid herself in the gardens in the front courtyard beside the main castle gate. The guards lazed around, she crouched in the bushes. Then a man ran up to them, they exchanged words before the man moved to a hiding place in the shadows.

There was a loud banging on the gate moments later, the guards pulled the gate open. More words were said before two people entered, the guards led them closer to her hiding place and the man.

When they got closer the girl could see the features of the young woman's and young man's faces clearly, before she could sigh in relief the man ran out of his hiding place and hit the young woman over the head. "LACEY!"

The young man yelled as she crumbled to the ground, the young man tried to defend himself but was soon knocked out too. The girl in the bushes kept herself hidden knowing that was for the best.

And listened to their words. "What do we do now?" One of the men asked, the man who had knocked them out smirked and then growled.

"We take them to the dungeons." One of the men picked up the girl, tossing her over his shoulder, and the other two carried the boy.

"What about their stuff?" "We will get that later." As soon as the men walked off, the girl came out of her hiding place and gathered the stuff that was left on the ground into her small arms, it took her a while to lug the spear and sword into the bushes where she left them.

While she took the pack with her and hurried back into the castle and up to the library. Fay was not back yet and was still not back when she lugged the sword into the library study to join the spear. She sighed, dropping down and pulling the pack into her lap.

As she lifted the latch suddenly the pack flew open and a blue piece of fabric flew out as it came out it hit into the small girl knocking her over, she gasped as she fell over and watched as the ball of fabric began to unroll as it flew around the room changing colors from blue to orange to red.

It flew in a frantic manner around and around the room.

After circling 4 or 5 times it began to slow down, and the small girl was able to see the shape of the fabric. Her mouth opened in 'awe' she noticed the beautiful dress.

It shimmered and shined, sparkling whenever the light from the candles shone on it as it lightly floated around to come to a stop in front of the girl.

The dress came to a stop, the sleeves coming to touch the girls head, as the color of the dress turned black. The girl's eyes went white from the fabric's contact.

Her breath came out in a gasp as she fainted to the floor, the dress flooded down to cover her. The dress slowly turned to white, then pulsed hypnotic colors.

"Scarlet… Scarlet.." Came a soft voice to the girl laying on the white floor, Scarlet was up in a second and looking around the white room. "Scarlet you are awake."

A figure slowly made its appearance, a girl came from the whiteness, her almond skin and black hair contrasting against the bright room. "Scarlet. I must find Lacey." She said gripping onto Scarlet's arm.

To be continued