• Autumn Breeze

    Chapter 1

    The breeze goes past carrying the leaves of autumn with it; it keeps going, blowing, and brushing past trees and sliding by blades of grass. The sun illuminated the sky, its gentle glow reflecting off castle walls and shining brightly into the eyes of comers and goers. The birds fly, animals scurry getting prepared for hibernation. The knights ride on their horses, galloping toward the luminescent castle.
    The Castle town was peaceful, many townspeople walked around getting ready for their day. It was a bright and sunny morning for everyone in the kingdom called Ciro. But people were still on their way to do their chores. Women washed clothes, sewn new clothes, and made breakfast. Men went to work, and boys went to school. But girls helped their mothers, and ran around outside for a little bit. The town rumbled with activity, and so did the castle.
    This was because the King’s Daughter named Namine was getting married today. Maids were running back and forth getting the daughter what she needed, while Namine herself was distressing over the situation. She sat in her room walking back and forth, Namine didn’t want to be married, and she barely even knew this man. All that she has heard is that he was a knight in her father’s army. But Namine didn’t see herself as ready for this yet, so she barricaded herself in her room and wouldn’t let anyone come in.
    A knock on the door sent tingles down Namine's spine, “Namine! Open this door right now young lady! “Yelled her father, “This is not the way a princess is supposed to act!”
    Namine didn’t want to listen she just ignored him. But then she heard a loud big bang on the door. She knew what they were trying to do; they were going to knock the door down. Namine couldn’t let them find her. So she ran and hid in a clock in her closet. She scuffed her way all the way to the back then felt something behind her. Namine was hesitant to look, but she turned and noticed a small door. Just then, she heard the crack her bedroom door crack open. Then she heard her father say her name.
    Namine wasn’t hesitant about opening the small door, she quickly grabbed it a pulled it open. She peered down inside, it looked like a small tube, that went down like a slide. She heard her father approaching the closet door, so she quickly jumped in and shut the door behind her.
    As Namine slid down the tube she heard the voices behind her start to disappear. Namine didn’t know where the tube was taking her, and she started to think that she made the wrong choice. But then a light started to shine at the end of the tube. And she shot out of a hole out of the castle wall. She was in the town. She wondered why the hole was there, but she quickly realized she needed to go. For her father would be on her trail soon. She put up her hood and started to think of places where her father would not find her. Finally she found it… The Bar…
    Namine didn’t want to go in, the bar was full of drunks, and perverts, but she didn’t know what else to do. So Namine entered making sure her face wasn’t seen. As she walked in, she felt the gazes of men stare into the back of her head. Namine sat at the counter. Just then the bartender came up.
    “Would you like anything to drink?” The man asked.
    Namine was a little thirsty but she didn’t want alcohol, maybe she just would have milk? So she started to speak but remembered that her voice would give her away. So she tried to tone it down to a deep voice, “Just a glass of milk please?” She said in her lowest voice that she could reach.
    The bartender handed her a glass of milk, and she took small sips of it, very slowly, as she looked around the room. She saw many people; there was one man that was arm wrestling others. But the man was winning all the time and he took the other men’s money. The deal was that whoever won would get all of the money that their opponent carried. Namine was into watching man after man getting beat; she kept seeing the other man’s arm slam down on the others.
    As she kept watching she noticed a man walk into the bar wearing a hood and a black coat. When he walked in he came and sat down next to Namine, and he ordered a glass of water. He didn’t seem to into anything he just sat. Namine felt awkward, it felt like the man knew who she was. Well, maybe she was just being crazy, but he seemed like he was watching her. As Namine was about to get up, the man looked over. “Shouldn’t you be in the castle? Princess,” he said this in a calm tone.
    Namine couldn’t believe her ears, and stopped in her tracks, “Who are you?” she asked.
    The man shook his head, “You don’t need to know, don’t you have a wedding today?”
    Namine nodded.
    “Why aren’t you getting ready,” he asked, “why aren’t you dressed beautifully?”
    Namine sat back down, “I… I… am...”
    “Hiding?”
    “Yes.”
    The man stood up, “You do not like this man, right? Never met him until today, right? It’s your father who set it up, but you don’t want to go through with it. “ Namine gasped as the man started to walk toward the exit, “Just to tell you…” he said sternly, “If you don’t want it to happen, God will not let it.” Then the man disappeared.
    Namine was shocked, who was that? Her mind didn’t make sense, she couldn’t figure it out. She wanted to know his name, so she ran outside to look for him. She didn’t see him anywhere. But that moment a gust came and blew her hood off. Revealing her pale face she didn't realize it right away and then she realized she could be recognized. Just then a guard saw her, and ran at her.
    “There she is!”

    Chapter 2

    The King walked back and forth, “I am very disappointed,” he said heavily, “you should be ashamed.”
    Namine pulled on her straight red hair but didn’t say anything, just then the maid walked in. It was Namine’s personal maid named Lara. Lara smiled her graceful little smile, Lara was a little older then Namine. She set down a trey and held a dress in her arms. “Please sir, I hate to be a bugger but I think it’s time for Miss Namine to change and get ready for her wedding.”
    The King nodded at Lara, and left.
    Namine put her head down, Lara just stared Namine knew a lecture was coming, “You know,” Lara said crossing her arms. “A lady does not act that way.”
    Namine looked disgracefully at the solid wood ground, “nobody understands.”
    The green eye of Lara’s widened, “what my lady?”
    “I can’t just marry someone I have never met before,” Namine replied, “If you were my parent, would you do this? Would you let this happen to me?”
    Lara ruffled her dress, “I am not in control of that, but if I were, I would do what’s best for you.”
    Namine nodded, “I guess I really have no choice about this.”
    Lara nodded, looked down a folded cloth, “This is for today,” she took it and unfolded it. It was a dress. But not just any dress, it was a white silk and satin embroidered with lace. It was the trend all over, Namine tried to smile. Lara looked at the dress then Namine again, “It’ll look beautiful on you my Lady!”
    Namine smiled and looked the dress up and down, “You know I don’t like dresses, Lara.”
    Staring into the glassy blue eyes of Namine’s, Lara nodded, “I knew you would say that, that is why I brought you leggings.”
    Namine thought to herself, that it wasn’t that much better, but it worked, “Lara, could you please leave while I change?”
    Lara nodded and slowly shut Namine’s door behind her, “good luck my Lady.”
    Namine looked the dress up and down, she felt the embroidered edges, and they were soft. But she knew the dress would be hard to wear. She looked down at these boots on the ground; they were fancy and high heeled. She looked down at her boots, they were worn out, beaten, and the shoes on the ground were not like her boots. After she got married she would have to wear these things all the time, just to be presentable to her new husband. Namine didn’t want to do it, she wanted to be free, do whatever she pleases. But she remembered that women didn’t get freedom, or anything, unless their husbands allowed it. But Namine knew the man she was going to marry would not allow it, no man in her town would.
    Namine changed into the dress; the middle was tight and made her look thinner. Namine didn’t enjoy it.

    * * * * *

    The music rang, the bells turned and everyone headed to the outdoor wedding between the King’s daughter and a knight. The seats filled in, and all was silent, then the knight walked out onto the platform. Just then the music started to play and players played their instruments. There were harps, flutes, and many more.
    Everyone in the audience stood up and watched the entrance. Just then Namine walked into view, holding her father’s hand. Namine’s long red hair bounced in bouncy curls, as her icy blue eyes trailed around the atmosphere. She looked up and around, then she noticed a black figure in a window, she looked again. The figure was there. Holding a cross bow in its arms, it aimed at the knight. Namine didn’t know what to do, so she stopped. The King nudged her to go, as Namine saw the bolt come out of the crossbow. Namine jumped forward telling the knight to move.
    But time went slow, it seemed like everyone else was moving slow, and she was the only one going fast. As she jumped toward the knight to push him out of the way, she saw the bolt go straight threw his head. Namine fell to her knees, as everyone behind her and around her shrieked and ran from the scene. Namine turned seeing some fall with a crossbow in their backs. Namine looked up and there stood the hooded figure. Namine felt her eyes start to close, and everything around her turned to black. She still heard the screaming and yelling of others, but it all started to fade.
    In her mind Namine thought, “I have died…” She constantly repeated it over and over in her mind. Namine felt like she was floating in eternal abyss, nothing moved.