Agatha's POV
I had to dig a little bit. Remove some brambles and busheshere and there. There was supposed to be something like a hatch that ledunderground.
But not for long anyway.
And yes, I was the little girl who went through hatches. Iplayed just like the other boys. After all, I was the only child in the palace.
That very night, I proceeded to make my own hideout. Thepalace grounds was a very big place, with meadows surrounding the mainbuilding.
But I soon realized that those low grounds had sprouted tallweeds. I wondered why. Maybe everything fell into disrepair just after I ranaway.
I made my hideout behind some trees, but well close to thewalls and the place where I came in through. In case if I was ever found outand needed to flee.
I made a line between the tall weeds, so that I could watchthe castle. It was just as I remembered it. A little bit drab looking but stillthe same hell hole.
I sat down and brought out an old pendant my mom once gave to me. It was on my neck theday I ran from Silver Pack.
As I palmed it, memories filled my head and took me back.
***
We were in my room, on the bed, and my head was in her lapsas she read my favorite story to me.
Jack and the Beanstalk.
I never seemed to get enough of that very story. It wasbecause of the adventure. The part where Jack had to confront the giants. Italways intrigued me to the fullest.
When she was done, I sighed in satisfaction. "Well, thestory should continue," I said.
"Why do you say so, moonbeam?"
"Because it is interesting," I told her.
"That I agree. But maybe you can continue the story onyour own and write a book like this one."
I grinned. "Really?"
"Of course, moonbeam. You are meant for more than this.You are meant for something greater, I know."
There was this feeling of warmth that came with being closeto mom, which had nothing to do with the fireplace.
She sang me lullabies and taught me how to sing them.
'So rest now, little one, and dream of might,
For tomorrow, there will be a new light,
There is a journey with stories untold,
For when you awake, the adventure will unfold...
***
But the pain I felt inside of me was more than the messageand the warmth. Those were far from my reach.
I clutched the pendant so hard that it cut into my flesh andblood came out dripping.
I laid back against the ground and closed my eyes, trying tofind sleep. It didn't take long for the nightmare to begin.
I could sense them around me. About four of them. The stenchof them was in the air that I couldn't even miss it. I wondered how I couldsmell that well in a dream. It was new to me.
I got to my feet at once and went straight for my sword. Bythe time I picked it up, the first one sprang at me. Darn wolf.
I fell backwards and tried to draw my blade. But my attackersaw that coming and held my hand down. We fell to the ground struggling. Theothers came closer and I knew that if I didn't do something to get on my feet,that was the end.
Well, good thing the one on top of me was a man so I kneeballed him, felt his grip on me relax, and finally got my blade out of itssheath.
I flung the sheath at the nearest attacker and moved my handin a circular motion. I felt contact as two of them grunted. I smelled bloodagain. Real blood.
And that was when I knew it wasn't another nightmare. It wasreal and I was under attack.
"Who are you people?" I demanded.
Three of them were limping, and it was the one who wasn'tthat answered. "What does it matter?"
"Who sent you?" I asked.
"No one. Just knew you'd be good prey the moment we sawyou."
"So you are rogues," I said out loud. Whereverrogues went, they never left survivors. "How did you get into the palacegrounds?"
"Why? We have been here all this while," he saidand chuckled.
So this was a plot from inside the castle. The Alpha Trialswas definitely going to be bloody than I thought.
Without warning, they rushed me at the same time. I wasready this time.
My sword found the first one, but I didn't see the blade oneof them had, and it opened the very place I once had an injury.
The pain shot into my head, and it almost made me mad. Iswung my sword without mercy and chopped them to pieces. By the time I wasdone, my whole self was covered in blood.
Felt like a manifestation of my own dream. The blood tryingto drown me.
I knelt down and proceeded to sew my own wound. Bit down onmy blanket until I was done. My tears mixed with the blood that wasn't mine.
Afterwards, I pulled the bodies aside and took off theirclothes. It was time for me to be Bernard.
I burnt my old clothes and watched the fires eat at them.There was no way that I could stay in the shadows anymore or hide behind thetrees.
I had to accept being a man. Being Bernard. I had to forgetthat I was ever a little girl.
I sat by the fire and thought of a plan. I decided that Iwould have to steal out just before dawn and find out where the contenders wereassembling. That was my destination and that was where my journey would begin.
Or my adventure, as mom would call it.
I was writing my own story.
Agatha was dead and gone.
Only Bernard remained.