by Shelby Hild
The air grew more and more frigid as she went deeper into the forest, except the trees grew greener and greener.
Suddenly, a huge slab of granite appeared in front of the two women. It was so tall Vivilyn couldn’t see the top of it. It expanded to both sides as far as she could see.
Which way? Vivilyn looked back and forth as she tried to see if either way drew her more than the other. They didn’t.
“Left or right?” Vivilyn asked Ally.
“How about backwards?” Ally said as she looked over her shoulder.
“Left it is,” Vivilyn said, with a wide, forced smile.
“I don’t like this,” Ally said.
Vivilyn missed Maxwell. He never turned down an adventure.
Well, she thought to herself, he’s never complained about them anyway.
They went to the left as Ally continued to mutter her dislike under her breath. Without vocalizing it, Vivilyn decided if they didn’t come across anything interesting within a few minutes, they would go back. It was unnerving to have someone complaining so intensely while exploring.
It only took nineteen steps before they found an opening in the granite wall.
“Do you have a torchlight?” Vivilyn asked Ally.
When Ally shook her head, Vivilyn peeked into the cavern. “I think there’s something lit up further in.”
“Do we have to?” Ally asked. Vivilyn saw her legs shaking.
“I might find something interesting to draw,” Vivilyn said. She started feeling bad as she noticed how scared Ally was.
Would Brayleigh or Freya allow someone else’s fear to sway them from doing what they wanted? No. They would just continue doing as they pleased.
“Or you might find something that wants to eat us. Or someone who wants to hurt us.”
Vivilyn thought she saw a shadow move over the light. Her own heart started to race.
“You do have a point,” she replied, as she took a step back from the entrance. “Perhaps I can find something a bit closer to the manor to draw.”
She looked back over to Ally to see a look of gratitude in the camerawoman’s eyes. Something cracked, like a branch being stepped on, further to the left.
Both women jumped and turned to look in the direction the noise came from.
Vivilyn felt her heart speed up again. Another quick look into the cave proved to not help at all, as the light was completely covered by a dark shape. Although the air around her didn’t feel heavy like it had in the old throne room, she couldn’t help but wonder if the shadow figured out a way to shift the air so it wouldn’t give away its presence.
“I think we should get out of here,” Vivilyn said as they both backed up a few steps. Someone coughed behind them.
“Lady Vivilyn?” Tia queried, as she stepped out from the woods behind them. “What brings you out here?”
Vivilyn set one hand on her chest, hoping to calm her speeding heart. She took one deep breath in and then held it for four seconds before releasing it again. Then another.
“What brings us out here?” Ally said, her voice shrill as her hands clung tightly to the camera. “What brings us out here? Your Chosen likes to wander and explore with poor unsuspecting camerapeople. Gods, I should have begged not to be assigned her today. ‘It’s cold weather,’ they said, ‘she’ll just want to paint in the library or at most the fountains,’ they said. Never again.” Ally’s eyes were wide as she struggled to keep her breath calm. “I’m going back to Rose and Daisy as soon as I can.”
Vivilyn looked at the ground.
Another branch broke nearby and Vivilyn turned just in time to see Nell come out of the trees.
“Nell?” Vivilyn couldn’t contain the shock in her voice. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to still be in Ettravil?”
“I…” Nell said, then cleared her throat and looked over at Tia. “I’ve been in the same place as Tia for so long, it’s—” Nell’s eyes began to fill with tears. “It’s just so unnerving to be without her. Especially since, you know, she’s not the most capable of people. I just don’t understand why you chose her instead of me.”
The last sentence rushed out of her mouth as though she wasn’t able to stop it.
Vivilyn looked over to Tia and noticed the woman’s head was tilted down to the ground and her eyes half shut.
Did Nell normally second guess Tia like that? How have I never noticed it before?
“Tia’s been doing a great job here so far,” Vivilyn said, then laughed slightly to herself. “I mean, look at this makeover she gave me?”
She ran her hands through her hair, still in shock at how different it felt to have layers in it.
Nell raised an eyebrow as she looked closer at Vivilyn.
“Well, yes. I can see your hair is different.” Vivilyn noticed Nell didn’t say anything about whether she liked it or not. “But, look at her,” Nell said gesturing to Tia, whose face was even more pointed at the ground, “she can’t even take care of herself.”
The bruises on Tia’s face were healing, but currently were a strange mix of greens, purples, and yellows.
“I think she does a great job,” Vivilyn said firmly.
Tia looked up at Vivilyn and mouthed her thanks before Nell started speaking again.
“I sent her word to meet up with me here.” Nell shifted positions as she spoke.
Vivilyn hadn’t even noticed that Nell now blocked the entrance to the cavern. There was no way she could see in without being obvious she was trying to take a look. The light at the back of the cavern seemed to have returned, a little bit brighter than what it had been. At least it appeared so from where Vivilyn stood.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t wait to rejoin you,” Nell said. “I just… I want so badly for you to win this, Vivilyn, and being out of the loop for multiple weeks? That’s just dangerous.” She shrugged. “And I was just in the way there as they started rebuilding.”
“You don’t have to meet with her, if you don’t want to,” Vivilyn said to Tia, bypassing what Nell said. “You’re more than welcome to come back to the manor with us.”
Something about how Nell was acting made Vivilyn uneasy. Although both of the women had concerned her when they took her still back on her birthday before she was chosen, there was something much different about how she felt now.
Vivilyn walked over towards Tia and grasped her hand comfortingly.
“I should meet with her,” Tia said with a sigh. “But thank you.” And then Tia walked past Vivilyn and Ally as she moved next to Nell.
“If you’re sure,” Vivilyn said.
After the two women entered the cavern, Vivilyn and Ally turned and made their way back to the manor.
Chapter 11
“Finally!” Ally yelled as the two of them walked through the last of the trees and could see the fountain and manor in the distance. It hadn’t taken them nearly as long to get back as it had taken them to get to the cavern, probably due to Ally walking so fast that they were both practically running.
“I thought I’d never see this place again,” she exclaimed, falling to her knees. Vivilyn was sure the woman would have kissed the ground if the camera hadn’t prevented her from it.
“It wasn’t that scary,” Vivilyn said, half under her breath.
“Everyone’s aversion of wanting to be your cameraman is entirely warranted.”
“Everyone avoids being my cameraman?” Vivilyn asked, looking down at Ally as she started getting back up.
“I mean… oh, dear, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just that bad things tend to happen around you,” she said.
Vivilyn glanced over to the sun above the manor in order to have an excuse for the tears welling up in her eyes.
“Nothing against you, you’re a nice enough girl,” Ally could tell she’d upset her, but the words were said. Vivilyn had heard them. Now she’d never be able to unhear them.
People avoid me, she thought to herself. I’m a fraud that people avoid.
Ally looked up toward her and shook her head.
“I didn’t mean that how it came out at all,” the camerawoman said. “It’s just, most of us prefer to avoid being put in danger and things have a tendency to explode around you, literally. I mean, you’re different from all the other ladies.”
Vivilyn saw movement near the manor, as though someone was running towards them.
“They run away from danger,” Ally stated, still trying to make up for what she said, but not making Vivilyn feel any better. “You run towards it like a cat towards a bug. Except you don’t even take the time to shake your butt.”
“What?” Vivilyn looked back at Ally, unsure what the woman meant by that statement.
“You know, when a cat is hunting something how it will lay down its front half in order to focus and then shake its butt?”
“No,” Vivilyn said. “I’ve never seen a cat in real life, just pictures.”
“Oh, you need to see one.” She seemed to be trying to change the subject now. “Prince Aiden has a little fluff-ball who loves hiding around the palace.”
“VIVILYN!” The running figure yelled as she approached.
Louise stopped and leaned against Vivilyn’s shoulder.
“We’ve… been… looking everywhere…. for you,” she panted. Then she took a few deep breaths. “I saw you two come out of the forest and knew I had to be the one to invite you!” Louise stood back up as she rapidly caught her breath.
“Invite me to what?” Vivilyn tried to distract herself from the thought that the cameramen don’t want to be assigned to her because she was different from the other ladies. She didn’t always run to danger, did she? All she wanted was to make sure her friends were safe.
But the words just replayed over and over in her mind. Between the woman who said she was a fraud because she wasn’t of the people, to the other women here who knew she was a fraud because she wasn’t of Rank, and now this?
“To Teatime, of course!” Louise said proudly. “Will you join us? Pretty please?” She pulled at Vivilyn’s sleeve in order to emphasize the invitation.
“Sure,” Vivilyn said. Maybe Teatime would give Ally a chance to realize she was a safe person to follow. She didn’t always run toward the danger.
Part of her felt even more guilty for continuing into the forest even after Ally had expressed her fear. She shouldn’t have done that. What kind of person did that make her? A horrible one that’s for sure. Her entire family would be so disappointed.
“Oh, goodie. How wonderful!” Louise exclaimed, as she turned around. “I’ll see you there!”
Then she ran off, back the way she came.
“Um… Louise?” Vivilyn started to shout after her. She didn’t know when Teatime was or even where it was.
“It starts in an hour in the parlor on the second floor,” Louise said, as though she’d read Vivilyn’s mind. “It’ll be so much fun!”
Vivilyn walked as she watched her friend run all the way back up the stairs into the manor.
“I guess I’m not going to work on sketching for the time being,” Vivilyn said aloud, more for herself than for Ally or the camera.
With one hand she tried to run her fingers through her hair, but her trip in the forest had left it tangled and unruly. She didn’t even have to look in a mirror to realize she needed to change clothing and make herself look more presentable.
It wouldn’t do to show up to Teatime looking as though she had just pranced through the wilderness.
She walked silently back to the room she shared with Darissa; Ally remained just as silent behind her.
All she could think about was how Ally said the cameramen avoided her. They didn’t want to be assigned to her. She hadn’t ever done anything to them. It wasn’t as if she sought out the dangers.
Why hasn’t Maxwell ever said anything to me about it? Vivilyn thought. Is he just always drawing the short straw?
She tried to throw the thoughts from her mind, but they kept returning, growing and becoming more and more menacing as her brain kept gnawing at the ideas. Fraud, fraud. You’re just a fraud. A fraud that no one really likes.
Why was the prince even keeping her around? Did he even really like her? If he didn’t, then why would he have said that if he had to choose right then in the greenhouse that he’d choose her? Did he actually say that? Or did he just say he knew who he’d choose if he had to choose someone right then? She couldn’t remember anymore, not clearly.
Why did Darissa basically force her to stay with her while in the manor? Is it because they’re actually friends like she claims or is it to keep Vivilyn away from the others?
Keep the dangerous fraud contained? Maybe I should just go hide out in the old throne room with the dark mass.
The last thought made her freeze as she reached to grab the handle into her current room. Why would I ever think that?
She opened the door and entered the currently empty room.
It surprised her slightly that Malcolm wasn’t in there waiting in order to get her ready for teatime. Anything even remotely resembling an official event, both her handler and his assistant were always there, waiting to tell her what to wear.
So far at this place, she’d been left relatively to her own devices. No one was there to tell her what to wear or how to act or anything. Although Andrea wasn’t technically with her at Crysteal Manor, Malcolm still had been strangely absent.
Perhaps it’s a test, Vivilyn thought to herself. Maybe they’re trying to determine if I’ve learned anything so far.
Vivilyn walked over to where she stored her clothes and pulled out a light blue dress with a flowered belt around her waist that matched the wrists of the long sleeves. Anytime she wore blue these days, Vivilyn couldn’t help but think she matched the décor of the manor. As she walked over to the mirror in hopes of fixing her hair, Ally shuffled uncomfortably still near the door.
With a quick glance over to the cameraman, Vivilyn picked up a comb.
She began to brush the knots out of her hair. With each stroke, her mind drifted back to home. She wondered how Duncan and Iza’s trip was going. They would be nearing the end of harvest season very soon, which meant the annual harvest festival would be planned. This would be the first year she wasn’t there.
Why shouldn’t I be there? Vivilyn thought to herself. If no one really wants me here, if I’m just a danger, then I should just go home.
Prince Aiden’s face filled the mirror in front of her. She knew it wasn’t real, but the smile he had on his face was the exact same as the smile he’d worn when she handed him the jasmine flowers the night of the first ceremony.
She closed her eyes and shook her head, attempting to shake his face out of her mind.
No. I’m not here for him. I never was. I am here to get my name out there. I am here until I have enough exposure to make it as an artist.
When she opened her eyes, Prince Aiden was still there, his silver eyes looking up at her through thick eyelashes. Worry wrinkled around his entire face. When have I seen him look like that?
His face was dirty, thinner than she had ever seen it. He pulled his hand up to his face, revealing blood dripping down his fingertips. A woman’s scream pierced through her mind as the prince collapsed onto what appeared to be a forest floor.
“Here, let me,” Ally’s voice pulled her out of whatever her mind was conjuring up. The mirror revealed only Vivilyn’s face and her static-y hair. After setting her camera down, Ally gently pulled the brush out of Vivilyn’s hand and started slowly taking care of her hair.
Why would she do this? Vivilyn thought as the brush made soothing strokes against the back of her head. If she doesn’t want to be here with me, why is she helping me?
“Thank you,” Vivilyn said.
When Ally finished, Vivilyn looked into the small case of makeup that Tia left in the room and considered throwing some on, but she didn’t know what each item was for and decided it was better to go without.
&nbs
p; With her hair tamed and her clothes changed, she sighed and then left the room.
“Vivilyn,” Lance said, as she stepped onto the second floor. “How wonderful to see you.”
“Hello Lance,” she said, with a smile as she turned toward the Chosen’s area of the manor. If she remembered correctly, the parlor was on the far end directly next to the smaller sub-library.
“I never got the chance to thank you,” he said, matching her step for step.
“Thank me for what?” Vivilyn said as one of the ladies stepped out of her bedroom.
The woman’s almost white hair was pulled back tightly into a bun. It was Brayleigh’s signature hairstyle and Vivilyn swore it had to give her a headache.
Vivilyn consciously tried to shift her posture to match the other woman’s.
“For choosing Fiona,” he said. “She told me all about how you chose her immediately and I just wanted to thank you for that.”
“It isn’t a big deal,” Vivilyn said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
“But to me it is.”
Really, it’s not like my whole team hasn’t been here since the split up. Fiona probably would have shown up eventually as well if I hadn’t chosen her to come, Vivilyn almost said, but since she wasn’t sure if it would get any of them in trouble, she kept quiet.
It wouldn’t do to have her own team mad at her, or not want to be near her. They at least didn’t seem to think she was a fraud and wanted to be around her.
“Well,” she said instead, “you’re welcome.”
“I really owe you one,” he said.
Vivilyn shook her head.
“What are you doing here?” Brayleigh sneered before looking Vivilyn over. “Don’t tell me you were invited too? I thought this was just for those of us who mattered.”
“If it is, then why did you get invited?” Vivilyn snapped back. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with Brayleigh being rude.
She didn’t know what response she’d been anticipating from the other woman, but it was not Brayleigh’s sneer turning into a look of confusion and then a smirk.
“Maybe there’s hope for you yet, peasant.”
Lance fell back so he walked behind the two ladies and their cameramen. With a few side glances at Brayleigh’s current cameraman, Vivilyn couldn’t help but wonder if he also tried to avoid being assigned to her.