Princess in the Rough
Chapter 22

Echo

“Echo Kaya?” Night Cry lifted her head when she saw me emerge from behind a tree. “What are you doing here? Where’s Amber?”

“She’s, um, asleep.” I said, careful not to get too close to the wolf. I needed a ride to Maleficent’s castle, and my best bet were the wolfs, I doubt Prince Chance or Zavana would let me go anywhere near her.

“What do you mean asleep?” She growled. It was only me and her in a wide open meadow where she was sunning her back. Don’t ask me how I found her, I got lost as soon as I stepped into the forest.

“Have you heard the story of Sleeping Beauty?”

“No.” She stood up, eyes razor focused and ready to pounce.

“Amber-kind-of-fell-asleep-for-a-hundred-years-because-shes-the-lost-princess-of-Forest-Majesty.” I blurted out all at once.

“What?” She asked. Part menacing, part confused in every way possible. “Just get to the point!” She barked.

“I didn’t do it. Maleficent did, so please don’t kill me.” I put my hands up in surrender, hoping she would show mercy. These wolves care for Amber even more than I do.

“Who’s Maleficent? How do we save Amber? How do I know you didn’t hurt her?” She growled.

“Maleficent is an evil fairy, I think I can get her to undo the curse, and, you don’t know, you just have to trust me.” I said.

“If Amber’s dead, you’ll wish you were dead by the time I’m done with you. Hop on.” She presented her back to me. I clambered on. “Where are we headed?”

“South, towards Maleficent’s castle. At least, I think that’s the way.” I said, not exactly sure. She huffed and started running what I’m guessing is south.

Three hours later, Night Cry and I pulled up in front of Maleficent’s castle, but I wouldn’t call it a castle, more like a very large tower.

I hopped of Night Cry as soon as I could see it, not wanting to tire her too much.

“I don’t like this.” Night Cry growled.

“I don’t either. We should rest for a while, you look exhausted.” I suggested.

“I’m not tired.” She said in between breaths.

“You just ran with me on your back for three hours at top speed, don’t tell me your not tired.” I put my hands on my hips in a stubborn way, letting her know I wasn’t budging till she rested.

“Fine.” She huffed, laying down on the dead grass. On the way here, I noticed the plants closer to the tower looked dead, all brown and wilted.

I looked up at the dark tower looming ahead of us. I’d hate to live there, with dark clouds unnaturally swirling above the tower and dead plants everywhere, with a few bones from many different animals here and there. Not a place to take a vacation.

“Hello?” A young girl poked her head out from behind a tree to my right. She had wild, short, black hair, mischievous green eyes, darting around and looking at everything, very, very white skin, like she’d never seen the sun, and a mole, right under her left eye.

“Who are you?” I asked, putting my hand on the dagger at my waist. After my last couple of experiences, I wasn’t taking any chances.

“Ela, one L, I don’t like two L’s. It looks weird. It’s short for Elleona. Elleona Gold.” She explained. She only looked about seven. My brain was torn between friend or foe with this child. “I’m lost, do you live here?” She asked cluelessly.

I looked to my side where Night Cry was sleeping peacefully. How had the girl not noticed her?

“Not exactly. Where do you live?” I decided I might as well try and help this child.

She crept out from the tree line and turned in a circle. “There, maybe.” She pointed behind me. “Or maybe there? Or…” She trailed off as she pointed in every direction. “I can’t remember.”

“Are you messing with me?”

“What? No! Okay fine. I live back there, down aways. I saw you riding a wolf so I wanted to check it out.” She pointed to back where she came from and scooted back. There was something off about her that I couldn’t put my finger on; but she seemed harmless enough.

“Alright, you’ve checked it out, now you should go home, you don’t want to get hurt.” I answered, still weary.

“What’s your name?” She insisted and sat down.

“Echo.”

“What’s the wolf’s name?”

“Night Cry.”

“What is this place?”

“Someone’s house. You really shouldn’t be here, it’s dangerous.”

“But, but I’m lonely!” She whined.

“How come? You said you live down there, don’t you have a family?”

“Yes, Ma is cooking supper and Pa is at work, tending the fields. I have no siblings to play with, will you play with me?”

“I’m really sorry, but I’m a little busy.” I sighed, can she just go away now? Not that I hated kids or anything, I was just on an important mission trying to save Amber.

“Doing what? Your wolf is lying on the grass, sleeping and your just standing there.”

“Oh.” I guess she was right. I had some time before Night Cry would wake up.

“Let’s explore the castle!”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” It was too late, she had already grabbed my hand and started dragging me to the castle. Now, you’re probably wondering why I just didn’t jerk my hand away. I couldn’t! The girls grip was amazingly strong, my hand started turning pale, and then purple, from the lack of blood flow the girl was causing.

“Here’s the living room. It’s pretty dusty. Oh, uh, the woman who lives here must’ve not cleaned it in a while. Maybe she got lonely and lost hope of ever having friends because of her reputation.” She said it almost as if she was talking about herself.

“You’ve been here before?” I asked. The room we were in now was kind of sad. There was a fireplace, but no fire, a chandelier, but no light, a table, but no food.

“I visit quite often. It gets lonely and sad here though so I don’t stay long.”

“Why do you come here at all? From what I understand, the women who lives here is evil, she cursed a child into a slumber for a hundred years. Now anyone that shares her blood sleeps for a hundred years, or until their true love replaces them.” I huffed, than coughed because of the dust in the air.

“That’s not true.” She pouted. “She’s not evil, she’s misunderstood.”

“How do you know?” I asked sassily. Crap, my teenage girl is showing.

“I, know, the woman.” She groaned.

“You do!” I immediately put my hand back on my dagger, in case she was more dangerous than she appeared. Never judge a book by it’s cover. I said to myself. I really needed to make that my motto for now on. Ela looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Please,” she croaked. “Follow me.” She walked to a dark corner of the room and walked up quite a few steps. I sighed and reluctantly followed; curiosity taking over. She sat in a rocking chair, the only thing that wasn’t dusty, that had a perfect view out the small stone window. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

“What do you mean lied?” I asked, cautious all over again.

She whined and reluctantly shifted into a sitting up position facing me. Her form started to change, features becoming different, and growing a couple feet taller. In the place where little seven year old Ela sat, was an old woman, same looks as Ela, just older, and salt and pepper hair. Ela was Maleficent.