Chapter Three327Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSj1H8fPSWL
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I quietly walked through the common room in my house. It was a small but nice room, with lots of seating for my parents and five brothers. The house in general was small, and it was a wonder my parents took me in the first place with five children already present, but it wasn’t cramped.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4pTPDdUSR 維尼
I had already made it past my two youngest brothers, who I shared a room with. It may seem inappropriate for a girl to stay in the same room as two boys but I had a curtain to section off my part of the room so it was never a problem. I spent most of my nights at the castle as a servant. However, sneaking past Peter and Thomas was no hard task; they slept like the dead. They snored louder than all of the people at a political conference could speak at once.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwN0Ig0VWc 維尼
It was getting past Cedric, my oldest brother, and my mother that I was worried about. Their rooms were not too far from the common room and I had to be completely silent in order to not get caught. My father was already out at his blacksmith workshop, along with the last two boys, Gavin and Zayne. In order of oldest to youngest it went Cedric, Peter and Thomas were twins, Gavin, Zayne and then myself. Zayne was barely a year older than me, so I spent most of my free time with him.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡTclhuc7894 維尼
The only reason I had to worry about Cedric was because his ears were like a bat’s. Despite being our father’s apprentice and hearing a loud boom of a hammer all day long, his hearing was fully in tact. With Papa, we often had to repeat ourselves.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAH9aKQVSo 維尼
I had my hand on the door knob and I was turning it slowly. It made a low squeaking noise and I shied away from the noise. I just had the door open to the cold morning when a tall person slammed it shut from over my hand. I turned around and glared up at my tall brother.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvt4gVYuQf 維尼
“Where are you going, Innocentia?” Cedric asked in his usual monotone voice. I could still hear how groggy he was through his lack of emotion, so I knew that I had just woken him up.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLrqwhY4cO 維尼
I shifted from foot to foot. “The Black Lake?” I told him, but it sounded more like a question because my voice came across so quietly.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡU6HNKybIDC 維尼
“No,” Cedric said simply.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtJnFUpJ5d 維尼
I wasn’t surprised by his reaction. “What do you mean ‘no’?” I asked him.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjBcYIuZDo 維尼
“I mean, no. I know that the man is waiting for you there. Asher told me.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3XBvl6VFD 維尼
I was going to kill that boy. “Of course he told you.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxB6sHArgd 維尼
Cedric rolled his eyes. “He cares about you. Of course he’s going to tell me.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡLc6VLt1cE5 維尼
“But I have to go. I don’t know for sure, but I think it has something to do with my family,” I told him.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡdA0E5j1ooo 維尼
He shrugged. “Then by that logic I must go as well.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDmda5yrEy 維尼
I shook my head. “No, I mean my family, Cedric.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPsBCfTww7 維尼
He stopped blinking after this statement. That was how he conveyed shock. His eyes were the only thing that showed real emotion on his face. Why it was that way, no one really knew. It was just who he was.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYCJNgXa3c 維尼
“Fine,” Cedric came back to life as much as his personality would let him. “But I’ll be there in a few hours if you haven’t returned home to come find you. Do not go into the water.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT9vN1JPAe 維尼
I nodded. Everyone knew not to go into the water.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQt3r4as8s 維尼
I headed out, Cedric saying he’d cover for me with our mother. I doubted that. That boy could not lie to her even if he tried. He was such a momma’s boy.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡJc5bidFkmQ 維尼
My thoughts turned darker the closer I got to the Black Lake. I had to leave town and venture into the forest, and with no sun it was a bit hard to see. No one went to the Black Lake anymore; it had once been a beautiful place that everyone got their water from but they say a witch cursed it, so whoever drank from it would be cursed. No one was stupid enough to figure out how they would be cursed by testing luck.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPjqMlGNyB 維尼
The Black Lake had turned into an eerie and sinister place. People who went missing often wound up on the shore of the lake, no pulse in their body. I had only been once, and it was when I was a little girl. It was a terrible memory I did not want to go back to.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡanOd8sfZSx 維尼
The lake was coming into view now, and I could feel my heartbeat quicken. I couldn’t see the man I had met last night. I walked closer to the large lake, not getting too close. I was on the shore, staring at the water. It truly was black, but it was, in a way…8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCDPAT4Bgr 維尼
“Beautiful?” A man asked from my left. I shrieked and jumped back. I quickly covered my mouth and glared at him when he started to laugh.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WdSmp1sCr 維尼
He did not have his hood up now, and I could easily see his features that were illuminated by the moon. He was not a man, but rather a boy my age. He was handsome with sharp cheekbones and a curious blue gaze. His black hair was ruffled, probably from always wearing his hood. But I cared not for looks right now; this teenager had played me!8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpky8c07tI 維尼
I turned away and starting walking back towards the forest. The boy easily caught up with up with me and had a fake innocent look on his face.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡr86KO2wsgc 維尼
“Why are you leaving? Don’t you like me?” He asked, giving a sarcastic pout.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡpm98AttBdN 維尼
I glared at him once more. “No, I don’t. What you did was mean. I thought you were going to give me some useful information and it turns out you were just playing a stupid prank.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVrzEHjzWZ 維尼
He walked in front of me now, effectively stopping me.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE31OeZYV8 維尼
“Wait. I’m sorry if it came across that way. I really do have some important things to tell you, but I just thought I would, perhaps, lighten the mood by not dressing so mysteriously,” He told me.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2b5lgzdq7 維尼
“I care not for the mood. Tell me what you want me to know and then be on your way,” I demanded. This boy was starting to irk me.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bcGUQBRKx 維尼
He sighed, as if regretting coming here himself. “Your parents are not really your parents. You are the youngest daughter of the king and queen, and they wanted you killed.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡXukvu9aR2b 維尼
My breath caught in my throat, and it was surely not because of what he thought it was. “How did you know that?” I questioned him.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡELupX1yY7i 維尼
He looked confused. “What? No ‘Oh my gosh I’m a princess’?”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPEfv9wLvb 維尼
“No, I knew that. How did you know?” I pushed.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxG9rfhcRY 維尼
Now his expression was blank. He hadn’t seen that coming, and he didn’t know how to react.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnRLs6MpLN 維尼
“It is none of your business on how I came to know these things. I thought you would perhaps appreciate the information, but it seems as though you are ungrateful,” He told me before he turned away to start walking. For a moment he paused and whispered something so low I could barely hear him. “My name is Terryn.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡsG2vXSU1lh 維尼
I didn’t say anything to that; he knew my name already, and I never wanted to see him again.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLrnQ1w4lD 維尼
I had sat at the shore of the Black Lake for a few minutes as the sun was just coming up before I saw my brother coming out of the woods. I rolled my eyes. Of course he wouldn’t wait as long as he said he would. But I wouldn’t give him a hard time about it. He was always overly-protective of me. All of my brothers were, but he was more than the others.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0Iu8u2Wce 維尼
He looked relieved to see me safe and alive. Instead of reprimanding me about not coming home, he surprised me by sitting down next to me silently. We just watched the lake together. I had no idea what was going through his head but he looked like he wanted to ask me a question.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTsochTXzQ 維尼
After a bit, he finally asked me, “Did the man have anything for you?”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2m8XrQ7Vu 維尼
I shook my head, my throat closing up. I had gotten my hopes so high only for them to be shot down. I don’t know what I wanted to hear from Terryn, but I knew I didn’t want to hear what I already knew.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡoypBoFFTc0 維尼
“Shh, it’s alright. Don’t cry.” Cedric pulled me into a hug. I hadn’t even realized that I really was crying. I don’t do it often. So why was I doing it now?8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6f8QXBqE1a 維尼
I buried my head into his shoulder. “I’m sorry for not coming home, Cedric,” I said as I tried to stop my tears.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzUgqAveRv 維尼
He pulled back, a small smile on his face. “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you apologize for not listening to me.”8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lgCrh0MtW 維尼
I punched him in the arm and laughed. I wiped the tears away and acted as though I hadn’t had any in the first place. “Yes, and it will be the last as well,” I teased back.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQFLwVqc72 維尼
An idea sprung into my mind, so I quickly got up and started to run into the forest, knowing exactly what his reaction would be.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2ScQaAz88 維尼
“Oh no you don’t!” He scrambled to get up before easily catching up to me. He swooped me into his arms, causing me to shriek in surprise. I hadn’t thought he would completely lift up off the ground.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡZusPxg5gKN 維尼
I crossed my arms and looked at him sourly. “Put me down,” I ordered him.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0o3LwF7bl 維尼
“Nope,” He replied.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7ROd0WmOA 維尼
“Please?” I gave him a pout and he didn’t even budge.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡallxaPghm5 維尼
He took me all the way home, despite almost tripping more than once with me in his arms. The stubbornness of my brother was impossible.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vWoPNc7Zb 維尼
Once we got to the front door, an evil grin came to his face. “Here ya go,” He said and suddenly let me go out of his arms. I fell harshly on the floor and landed on my rear end. My legs had fallen asleep so I had a hard time even attempting to move them, much less stand up.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwSqXbN9QS 維尼
Meanwhile, Cedric was laughing his head off, “Ha! Y-your face!” I could hear laughter coming from inside as well. Oh great, my mother had seen.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqntFphOp6 維尼
I finally managed to stand up and gave him a playful shove. My backside might hurt, but I had to admit it was pretty funny. That didn’t stop me from barging in on a scene of my mother red in the face from laughing as well. I was pretty annoyed at the both of them. They could both be so immature sometimes.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdFJXObztl 維尼
Mama was an average woman, leaning on the pretty side. She shared Cedric’s brown hair and green eyes, but that was where the similarities stopped. Mama’s features were soft and rounded, unlike Cedric’s sharp and pointed face. She was also a plump woman, but how could one blame her when she had given birth to five boys and a stillborn?8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyRs6393sT 維尼
I maintained the sour look on my face and dropped into a chair in the common room. Mama seemed to calm down a bit and she came to sit beside me.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHNpbmqCdL 維尼
“Honey, that is why you don’t trust your brothers with your well-being,” She said, eliciting a cry of denial from Cedric.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dYiyreNlM 維尼
“Mama! I am shocked to hear your thoughts of me,” He teased. He put emotion in his face only for our mother, and it was one of the many things that brought a smile to her face.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAtuAsH4JS 維尼
“Oh hush boy. Do you need something cold for your… landing area?” I had to give her credit, Mama did try to keep a straight face when she said that. It didn’t last long however because soon she was giggling like a young girl.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOwCSvaHGD 維尼
“No Mama, I’m fine,” I told her, trying not to smile myself.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6Vxuq3TDx 維尼
She controlled her laughter and got up off of the seat. “You do know I love you, right Cenna?” She asked as she went back into the kitchen.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡKluKdoq0Yg 維尼
“Yes, Mama, I know. I have always known, and I will know that for many years,” I told her the same as I always did when she asked that question. It would be impossible to replace a woman such as my mother. I couldn’t even imagine what my life would be like without her.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVGVQyz6r8 維尼
A loud knock came at our door, and Cedric immediately went to answer it. Standing there was a small-boned messenger I recognized from the castle. He was a snob and believed himself better than a servant, so I never really talked to him much.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡmykNCt1Ua2 維尼
“Yes?” Cedric asked in a polite tone.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡskyDmAZV6t 維尼
The messenger pulled out a scroll, unrolling it to read what was written. He cleared his throat before speaking. “Dear Innocentia, we the Prince Cassius of Sovera and Princess Cedany of Ianda, invite you to tea at midday today. Please wear formal attire,” The messenger relayed.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoEScrDghC 維尼
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Is that it?” I asked him. It was a rather short message.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pavh3nZzs 維尼
The messenger nodded. “Yes, it is. Good day,” He said, turning around a going back out into the street. Well, he didn’t want to stay long. 8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡJllumNTbIr 維尼
But why was Dani inviting me for tea? And with the prince’s agreement that I should be coming as well? I don’t know how to feel about this, but I don’t think it will end well.8964 copyright protection323ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKGFVkRzma 維尼
