Chapter 13.
EVANIA'S POV
It was one of those days when we would take a carriage ride to the village and mingle with the people.
I was six at the time, and I loved sightseeing-the markets, the festivals, the music, and the day-to-day life of the people.
Mama would hold my hand as we strolled through the streets. I would collect flowers and give them to anyone I came across.
As we stopped at a hair shop to visit one of Mama's old friends, an old lady who was sitting just outside the shop on a log suddenly started coughing.
I looked around, hoping someone would rush to help her, but no one noticed.
On impulse, I rushed outside with a cup of water I had fetched from the stream beside the shop.
"Here, drink it slowly."
"Thank you, my child," she said with a smile.
Thank goodness she was okay.
But then she started coughing again, and this time, something strange happened.
As I looked at her, I saw an obstruction in her chest. It was clogging her windpipe.
I was shocked. I almost fell backwards.
What was I seeing? And why was I seeing it?
But since I could see what was going on, I could help her. The problem was how.
I could go and call Mama so we could take her to the palace and get the obstruction removed.
But with the way she was coughing, I feared it might already be too late.
Unsure of what to do, I placed my hand on her chest, trying to calm her.
As I did, something unbelievable happened.
A golden light shone from beneath my hand and found its way into the woman's body.
Her chest glowed with a bright golden colour, and in no time, she coughed up whatever had been clogging her chest.
I was surprised. Scared. Confused.
What had just happened? Did I just perform magic?
The lady turned to me with gratitude and a big smile on her face.
"Oh, thank you, my child. Thank you!"
I smiled back. I was glad she was okay.
"You're welcome!"
"I see humanity has been blessed this time," she said, taking my hand in hers. "I'm glad. Thank you, Vessel of the Golden Pegasus."
She gave a slight bow.
~~~~~~~~~
As I watched the memory replay before me, bits and pieces of that time that I couldn't remember came flooding back to me.
That was two years before Grandma passed away.
"Impossible... how could this be?" I muttered.
The mirror disappeared, and my blood ran cold.
"Please... please..."
"Shh, don't think too much about it, darling," the mermaid said, holding my chin again.
"It will only hurt at the beginning," she continued.
Slowly, she brought out a blue sword from beneath her dress. I struggled, trying to wriggle myself free from the chair.
She drugged her nails into my skin, blood seeped through immediately.
"No one can save you now" She grinned wickedly.
"Ahh!! Help!...Help me, please!" I shouted.
My mind wandered to the King, hoping he would come.
"There's no one who will hear you. This castle is enchanted. No one knows where it is," the werewolf said with a wicked grin.
The witch and wizard held me in place with magical chains to stop me from squirming. It hurt.
The mermaid raised the sword and aimed it at my heart, but as she was about to strike, it broke into pieces.
"What? What's happening?" the mermaid asked, looking furious.
I turned towards the entrance and saw the King with another man standing at the door.
The moment my eyes landed on him, a sense of relief washed over me. I couldn't help shedding tears of joy.
"Your highness" My voice came out, barely a wispher.
He looked so happy to see me too. His hair was messy and his clothes wrinkled. It looked like he had run here.
His eyes wandered to the wound on my hand. Where the mermaid had dug her finger nails.
I could have sworn I saw a flicker of flame in his eyes.
'Evania, wait for me,' I heard him mouth silently as he gave me a reassuring smile.
I was so happy he came. I was so scared, thinking I won't make it out alive. Thinking I won't see my family again.
Thinking...i won't see him again.
"How... how did you find this place?" the enraged werewolf asked.
"We should have known it was you, traitor!"the witch called out.
The man standing next to the King suddenly appeared beside me and knocked the wizard and witch unconscious with just one finger.
"Hello, my lady! So sorry for the inconvenience, but we must leave now," he said with a wide smile.
He had only touched them with his finger, and they both fell unconscious.
It happened so suddenly.
His speed could rival that of a vampire.
He untied my chains and helped me up from the chair. My knees wobbled slightly.
"Thank you," I said.
"You're welcome, my lady," he replied with a slight bow. 'But we must leave now.'
I looked in the direction of the King and saw him staring daggers at the mermaid and werewolf.
He looked furious.
"What about the King? Isn't he coming with us?" I asked.
"Ah, don't worry about him, my lady. He'll be fine. This is a piece of cake for him. But if I don't get you to safety, I'm quite sure I won't get to see the sunrise tomorrow."He grinned.
I was taken aback.
Before I could protest or comment on it, he picked me up and dashed out of the back window with an insane speed I had never felt before.
"You're sure he'll be alright?" I asked.
I was worried.
"You have nothing to worry about, my lady. He's just going to teach them a little lesson."
He looked ahead with a serious expression.
"And it's best you aren't there because things are going to get bloody... very bloody."