The Petal Kingdom (Bringing Life, Falling Ash Book 2)

by CS Patra

  “It’s a long story! I was on the way with the boys and I guess our driver’s horses were spooked by something. They got so scared that they began running fast and the ice made it unbearable to ride on. Eventually, I ended up falling out of the cart and landed here. I don’t know how I survived but here I am.” She looked down at the ashes below her. “As you can see, the curse is still around.”

  “Mine too. I’ve been trying to use it to fight though. See?” Alice showed her a long stalk of grass that had a sharp blade. “It might be grass but it can cut through anything. I’ve been practicing how to wield a sword.”

  “Have you ever done it before?” Lavinia asked.

  “I don’t have an idea of what I’m doing but I think I can figure it out.” Alice nodded. “Maybe you can find a way to use your ashes.”

  Lavinia chuckled at that. “I wish. No, Alice, your power is stronger than mine. You can use it for good just like how you made crops form. You made a sword to fight with. You can create vines that strong enough to fend off anyone. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. My ashes just keep people further and further away. I can’t form anything from them. Look at this.” She picked up a pile of them and let them fall from her hands. “Even now, you and I can’t embrace. We have to keep our distance.”

  “It won’t be that way for long,” Alice promised. “You made it to the Petal Kingdom and we can try to find the Petal Witch. I’ve got an idea and I hope it will work. I’ll need your help though.”

  “I will help you. First though, we have to see where the boys are.” Lavinia called out their names. “Kian! Silas! Where are you?!”

  Alice looked around, holding out her makeshift sword. “Stay close to me, Vinnie. You don’t know what else could be here.”

  “I hope they didn’t end up in trouble,” Lavinia murmured. “They are smart boys so I want to believe they can get through. They can fight anything if they are together.”

  “So can we.” Alice whirled around when she heard something in the distance. “What was that?!”

  “I didn’t hear anything.”

  “Well, I did. It’s coming closer.” She stood in front of Lavinia and held the sword in front of her. “Don’t make a sound. I’ll take care of it.” There was a snap that sounded like a twig being stepped on so she whirled the sword around. “Who’s there?!”

  “Wait, Miss Alice!” Kian held up his hands. “It’s all right! It’s me!”

  Alice lowered her guard at that. “Kian?”

  “Yes, Miss Alice.” He looked over at her and then at Lavinia. Although he was a little bruised, he seemed to be fine. He was healthier than the last time she had seen him and he was walking around with no problem. “I was looking everywhere for Vinnie and I heard someone calling my name. I thought it was her but I never expected to see you!” He almost ran toward her but stopped. “I… um… I don’t know…”

  “It’s all right, Kian. There will be time for hugs later.” Alice said. “As for Vinnie, she’s fine though soaking wet and cold. What happened to your driver?”

  “I’m not even sure. I fell out of the cart as well and rolled onto the grass. I went looking for him but he was long gone. I didn’t even get a chance to pay him.” Kian turned bright red. “Silas is all right too. In fact, he’s coming down now.” He turned around when he heard something behind him. “I’m right here, Silas! Everyone is down here! Be careful now!”

  “I’m coming, Kian! Have you found her?” Silas made his way down and made eye contact with Alice. His flushed face quickly turned into one of fear. He wasn’t sure what to say so only one thing escaped from his mouth. “Oh!”

  “It’s all right, Silas. This is our friend.” Lavinia explained. “You don’t have to be scared of Alice. She is not trying to hurt us.”

  “That’s right.” Alice assured him though she did feel funny all of a sudden. She didn’t know why but she could have sworn they had seen each other before. Maybe he was someone that she had passed by in Themasa or from a neighboring village. “Have we ever met before by any chance? Do you live in Themasa?”

  “I don’t think so.” Silas shook his head. “Maybe I just look like someone you know. Truth be told, I have only lived around the Frost Kingdom and the Petal Kingdom. I’ve never even been to Themasa.”

  “Well, you would like it there. It’s a nice place. Not as big as this kingdom but you will find people who are nice and kind. You should come down there one day.”

  “Maybe I will.” He tried to change the subject. “I think we should probably leave.”

  “Oh yes, there’s no reason to stay here! Follow me. I’ve got a place you can stay.”

  They began to follow her through the woods but Silas was still unsure. Alice had recognized him even though she still didn’t know who he was. He knew something was off about her and he couldn’t figure it out. However, he knew he was the odd man out in this. No one else was scared. They trusted her to get them through this.

  I will be fine. I’m with friends. He told himself as they went through the woods. He needed to feel safe because they were together. They would get through this. I have nothing to worry about.

  Yet deep down, the bad feeling was not leaving him.

  Chapter 14

  Lavinia could see the uneasy look on Silas’ face and she tried to keep things calm between everyone. Alice still hadn’t recognized him as one of the bandits but he knew who she was. He could also see the giant stalk of grass that she had made a sword out of and he knew what she could do. To be safe, he stood behind Kian.

  “There’s no reason to be scared. Alice is a friend of ours and she’s the one I’ve been looking for all this a time.” She began. “She won’t harm you.”

  “A friend?” Silas repeated, not ready to face her. “Does she know_”

  “I’ve told her some of the truth. You don’t have to hide from her. We have no secrets between us.” At that, Kian coughed and she gave him a look. She had reasons for her lie right now. “Anyway, now that we’re together, we should probably find some shelter.”

  “Follow me then,” Alice suggested. “I know a cave isn’t an ideal place to sleep but I went down to find rooms in an inn and none of the ones in the Petal Kingdom are available. Either that or they are not open to travelers. It’s strange.”

  “What’s strange?” Silas asked.

  “Ever since I’ve been here, it seems like there are nothing but ghosts. Hardly anyone comes out and most of the shops are quiet. I’ve only spoken to one person ever since I’ve been here. It’s hard to find out anything.”

  “I’m not surprised by that. The Petal Kingdom has gotten a lot quieter over the years.”

  Lavinia stopped walking at that. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, it looks beautiful on the outside. You can see that we’re past all the ice and snow and that the trees have leaves. Look.” He pointed to an oak tree that was full of foliage and tall enough to reach the sky. “However, it’s not the friendliest kingdom due to how much has changed over the years. People stop coming through it because they are afraid of creatures that are lurking in the woods. You said it felt like there were ghosts, right? Well, many claim that the Petal Kingdom is haunted and that’s why they don’t want to stay.”

  “Maybe so but does anyone have proof?” Alice asked. “Has anyone seen a ghost?”

  “I don’t know about that but I do know people do go missing from here more than anywhere else. To top it off, people are afraid of the Petal Witch. They don’t see her but they know she’s around and they think she’s responsible for all the bad that happens in town.”

  “Is she?”

  “I’m not sure but I wouldn’t be shocked. Ever since she’s been in power, there have been a lot of demons and strange creatures lurking about. There’s also_”

  “The Skinned Demon?” Alice finished off for him. “That’s the demon looking for victims because it has no flesh and it wants new flesh to cover itself with. Th
at’s why so many people disappeared. It has killed a lot of people for their skin.”

  “That’s right.” Silas looked at her. “How did you know?”

  “The girl I’m traveling with told me all about it. That’s why I brought the sword along; in case I ran into that demon, I’d be able to fight it off.” She looked at her sword and held it out in front of her. “I think I would be able to win if I tried hard enough.”

  “That’s a smart idea, Miss Alice, but have you ever used a sword before?” Kian asked. “Some people and demons don’t get scared off easily because you have one. You have to be able to fight with one. You have to bring them to your mercy. Can you do that?”

  Alice wanted to argue with him but stopped. He was right in that she had never fought with a sword before. She had seen people use them but it was different doing it on her own. She had tried to practice but without an actual target that moved, she couldn’t say if she was good at it or not. Then there was the whole thing about drawing people ot her mercy. Kian saw her as the same old Miss Alice; sweet, hardworking, friendly, and reliable. He did have faith that she could be good at wielding a sword but she did need the practice.

  “In truth, I need someone to spar with,” she said. “I’ve tried to get Coryn to help me but she’s very scared and shy. She doesn’t know much about fighting.” It dawned on her to bring them to Coryn. “Anyway, we should talk about this in a warmer place. Follow me. I’ll take you to where Coryn and all the animals are.”

  “Do you think we can get some food too?” Lavinia asked, realizing how hungry she was. The last time she had eaten was around lunch. She had forgotten all about dinner until this moment. “If it’s too much trouble…”

  “It isn’t.” Alice promised. “I have some food. We can eat and then maybe, just maybe…” She looked over at Kian. “Someone will be willing to spar with me. If I’m going to learn to fight, I need some practice.”

  “I’ll be more than willing to help you, Miss Alice. Let’s get to someplace safe. I have to know though; how were you able to make it to the Petal Kingdom?” Kian asked as everyone followed her out. “Vinnie said it looked like you were attacked but you escaped.”

  “Oh, yes. I, um... I took the dragons and flew off into the sky. All the animals were very spooked though. The bandits wanted to take them but I wouldn’t let it happen.”

  On hearing that, Silas turned bright red. “You didn’t hurt any of them, did you?”

  “Who, the bandits? I only tried to keep them away from me. If they got hurt, it was their own fault.” Alice grimaced at that. She hadn’t forgotten about those bandits and how awful they had been. Looking back now, she would rather deal with them than have to go through the Spider Lady or face a Skinned Demon. With her sword and curse, she could scare bandits off.

  “Do you remember what any of them looked like?”

  “It happened so fast that I didn’t really pay attention. I was too busy trying to save myself and the animals. Truth be told, I’d be glad if I never have to think of them again.” Alice led them up a hilly road and took them closer to where an opening was. “I know this is rather high but this is the shortcut to the cave. Otherwise, I’d have to use the dragon to get down.”

  “You’re going through the woods? Isn’t it dangerous?” Lavinia asked. “After hearing about that Skinned Demon, I would think you would try to avoid a dark place.”

  “It’s not bad when you know where you’re going. I’ve done my exploring during the day and now I made myself a path.” She explained, taking them through some thorny bushes and branches. “Watch your step. There are some deep pockets here and it’s easy to trip over roots. Now you have to tell me about your adventures. Are you feeling all right, Kian?”

  “I’m a lot better now, Miss Alice. As you can see, I’m feeling well enough to move and I think my fever has more or less gone.” He touched his forehead. “Yes, I’d definitely say I’m not as sick as I was.”

  “That’s nice to know. Now I know you’re all probably very hungry so do you want to eat now or go down to the village for a meal?”

  “Let’s find out where you’re staying first and leave our things there. Then we can go from there and find a place to eat. I hope you don’t mind that I’m not staying at an inn. My new friend and the animals aren’t too fond of the sunlight and warmth.”

  “Well, I can understand if the dragons and Madelyn don’t want to be near the sun. Why doesn’t your new friend want to be near it?” Lavinia asked.

  “Oh, Coryn is very shy and prefers to be in dark corners. She’s grown up around them apparently. She has no home or family but she is a good travel companion. Don’t be alarmed if she doesn’t take to you right away. She will slowly open up once she realizes you’re my friends.” Alice brought them toward a cave. “Ah, here we are! I know it’s not the most pleasant looking place but it will do. It is comfortable and private enough that we can stay here.”

  “And you’re sure it will be safe for the night?” Silas asked.

  “I’m certain. Come inside and see for yourself.” Alice let them in and saw Coryn hiding in the corner with the animals. “I’m back and I’ve brought some friends!” Coryn turned to the new group but she said nothing. She was still observing them to make sure they were trustworthy. “It’s all right. These are the friends I’ve told you about, remember? They won’t cause any harm.”

  “I know that, Miss Alice. I’m just a little scared.” She explained. “I’ve never been around so many people before. It was fine when it was just us and the animals. Will they even like me?”

  Alice looked at the group who could only smile. “I promise you that if they didn’t like you, they would have turned around and left. You don’t need to worry. They don’t bite.”

  Coryn conceded that but she was still unsure about everything.

  Chapter 15

  Lavinia felt strange to be sitting a cold cave with all these people but Alice had insisted it was for the best. Poor Coryn was still unsure about these new strangers around. She had gotten used to being around the dragons, Madelyn, and Alice. With Lavinia, Kian, and Silas, it was going to take some time. She was most fascinated with Silas’ long silver hair and how it cascaded down his shoulders.

  “How long did that take to grow?” She finally had to courage to ask him.

  “Years, I suppose. I started growing out as a child and before I knew it, it was falling past my shoulders. It can be a little hard to deal with if I don’t have it tied up.” He explained. He could see that Coryn wanted to reach out and touch it but she stopped herself. It was clear she wanted to see what it was like. “You know, it would be nice if someone would brush my hair. After that spill, I got a lot of twigs and leaves in it. Maybe you can help me?”

  “Are you sure?” Coryn was still skeptical. “I don’t want to mess it up.”

  “I doubt you can do that.” Silas handed her the brush. “It’s okay. Just be gentle and try not to tug on it too much.”

  She took it and slowly started to run the brush through it. Lavinia relaxed when she saw how careful Coryn was and then turned to Alice. “She seems so sweet. Are you sure you want to take her to the ball?”

  “It would be nice for her. I told her she doesn’t have to mingle with anyone. If she wants, she can just stay in the corner or sit outside if it becomes overwhelming. She agreed to those terms.” Alice looked over at the boys who were sitting by the fire and trying to care for the animals. “Kian looks well now. I’m taking he’s no longer ill.”

  “He’s a little worn out from the journey but I think he will be all right. The fever broke last night and he’s certainly moving around a lot more.” Lavinia agreed. Then her eyes fell on Silas. “I feel sorry for both of them. After we get rid of our curses and try to stop the war, where do they go? Neither Kian nor Silas has a family to go back to. They won’t have anything. I guess all I can do is give them a home to stay in and some money for food and clothing. After that, what
happens?”

  “I wondered the same thing about Coryn. She’s so scared of people. I feel like the boys will be able to survive in the kingdom but what about her? This is the first I’ve seen her approach someone that wasn’t me.” Alice said, watching as Coryn tried to untangle the knots in Silas’ hair. “There’s a lot to think about when this is over.”

  “The most important thing we have to know is that my father’s guards are on the search for me and I ended up getting this.” Lavinia showed her the letter. “I didn’t think I would ever hear from my parents again. At the very least, I was expecting that I would get a lashing in this letter. Instead, I got this.”

  Alice took the letter from her and read through it. “It does sound like she is feeling regret. She seems to realize that what she did was wrong.”

  “I know and I’m grateful to hear it. However, I can’t go back home. If I go back, I will still have the curse. I won’t be able to touch anyone or hold them or… maybe kiss them.” She looked up at Alice and stared into her eyes. For once, it felt like they were equals, not a princess and a baker. They were just girls who wanted to get rid of a curse that had plagued them. “I want to feel a kiss. I don’t know what it would be like to kiss someone. That’s why this is so important.”