Prologue

I was walking through the quiet, endless halls again. The ones with the high arching windows and cold stone floors. Its twilight outside. I see him. He is here. King Rex. But how? They had banished him. ”Hello Sara, nice to see you again.” He started to walk towards me. It did not seem like he thought it was nice to see me. “Yes...um...nice to see you, too.” I mumbled. As he got closer, I saw something glinting in his hand. A knife, he had a knife in his hand. He lunged. I ran. He chased. I screamed.













Chapter One

Sara woke up panting in her bed. It was Queen sized with a white comforter with a tree embroidered into it. It was nicer than the one at home. “No, this is my home. I live here now.” Sara thinks. The maid came rushing in. “My lady, I heard you scream! Are you ok?” Julia, Sara’s personal maid, was a worrier. “ I’m fine Jule, just another nightmare. And how many time have I told you to call me Sara?”
“Oh, sorry. But my- Sara, you can’t let him haunt you forever.”
“I know Jule. But he wants to hurt me. For solving that stupid riddle!” Sara said as she gets out of bed. “Sara, you are safe here. Now let’s get you dressed!”

???

A few minutes later, she was walking down the grand staircase into the main room wearing a knee length plain blue dress and white flats. She hated high heels, being 5’7” she didn’t need to wear them. “Wow, you look good.” said a voice. “Why thank you, you look good too, dear brother.” said Sara. They both laughed. Her brother, Alex, was tall with brown hair and blue eyes that always seemed to be smiling. He, along with the rest of her family, had moved to the palace with her.
After she solved the riddle. That silly little riddle. That the cruel King Rex sent out. Any one that answered incorrectly was to be put in jail. And be hanged in the gallows. Her brother, Alex, had answered incorrectly. He was going to be hung. But she jumped up and shouted the answer. It was right. She was Queen. King Rex was gone. Her brother was safe. The rest was a blur. It was her second week on the throne. She was out of her element and scared.
“...So are you going tonight?” Her brothers voice snapped her out of her thoughts. “Um... what?”
“I asked if you were going to the ball tonight.”
“Oh, yeah I am. Are you?”
“Yeah, but I always feel awkward doing these things”
“Well, we can feel awkward together,” she said matter a factly. This got him to laugh. Then Sara remembered something. “Hey, have you seen Mahoovi today?”
“No, I haven’t, he’s probably out in the garden again.”
“Ok, thanks.” And with that Sara left the for the garden. As she left the hall and walked outside, she was happy that she had worn a short sleeve dress. She took her shoes off and carried them. “Hey boy, you like that rock?” she had found Mahoovi. He was sunning himself on a rock. She sat next to him and stroked his belly. Mahoovi was a fluffy white persian cat. He purred and nuzzled her hand. “Hey, Sara.” She jumped then calmed down as she saw her friend Tess. She was a little shorter that Sara, with long brown wavy hair. She was very pretty and was always the one the boys went after. “Hey, T, why is everyone sneaking up on me today?” she said, exasperated. “Well maybe it’s because you and I are going shopping today!”
“Oh, right.” Sara hated shopping. But Tess always got her to go. “We need some dresses for the ball tonight!”
“Ok. Let’s go.”

???

Sara was exhausted. Tess had dragged her around the mall for three hours. Tess was in Sara’s bathroom getting ready. Sara had known Tess since 6th grade. She had always worn makeup. Whereas Sara only wore it for special occasions. This was one. Tess had just finished doing her makeup and was moving on to her own when there was a knock on her door. “Come in.” In walked Saras other best friend Kaitlin. But her middle name was Lucy so everyone called her that. Lucy was short, very short. She was asian and loved video games and hated dressing up. “Lucy! I didn’t think you were coming!”
“Well, here I am. And don’t be expecting me to wear a dress.” This was directed at Tess. Who had emerged from the bathroom. Tess shut her mouth like she was about to say something but changed her mind “Will you at least wear a skirt?”
“Yes, but only because it’s a ball.”
Lucy, usually sarcastic, was abnormally serious. “Lucy... what's wrong?”
“Nothing.” Sara knew she was lying, they had know each other since 4th grade. “Lucy...”
“Fine, he is going to be at the ball.”
“OMG! He is?” Of course this is Tess, romance obsessed. His name is Kris. But as code they called him K. Lucy had liked him since 6th grade, and they were freshman in highschool now! She was freaking out. Tess and Sara calm her down and pick out and outfit. A green blouse and a black ruffled skirt. Tess is wearing a short white lace strapless dress. Sara looks at herself in the mirror. She was tall, medium length brown hair and hazel eyes. Which weren’t bright like Tess’s blue eyes or dark like Lucys brown eyes. She wore a bronze dress that came down to the middle of her shins and had spaghetti straps. Lucy sat on her bed. Mahoovi, who had always like Lucy, crawled into her lap. Lucy had never been allowed to have a cat because both her parents were allergic. “Come one, they will be waiting For me to arrive.”




























Chapter Two


The ball was beautiful, as usual. Tess and Lucy were about to walk into the regular entrance but Sara had to make a grand entrance. “Hey y’all want to come and walk down with me?” They both nodded. So they walked to the top of the staircase and stopped and waited till the noise died down and everyone's eyes were on them. Sara didn’t like to be the center of attention but she had to do this. Together, they all walked down the stairs. Once they reached the bottom everyone went back to what they were doing. After wandering around with Tess and Lucy a boy came over and asked Tess to dance. She went off with him. A couple minutes later Lucy freaked. Sara knew why immediately. She had seen Kris. Sara urged her to go talk to him. She left and Sara was alone. She wandered around till she found a nice little corner to hide in. Suddenly hands covered her eyes. Her instinct kicked in, she swung her elbow and it hit their stomach. They doubled over and their hands fell. Sara spun around ready to fight, but then saw a face she knew. “OMG, Jax! Are you ok? I’m so sorry!”

“I’m fine, and I guess I should know not to do that to you by now.”

“I guess you should.” Sara had known Jax for forever. He was taller than her with dirty blond hair and blue grey eyes. He was pretty handsome. “So what are you doing off in a corner alone?”

“Tess went off with some boy and Lucy is talking with Kris.”

“Ah, that makes more sense. So have you seen the buffet...”

“And there you go talking about food. Classic Jax.”

“What more could you expect? So do you want to go to the garden for a minute?”

“Sure, I could use some fresh air.”

???


At the garden Sara was alone with Jax. They had been talking for half an hour when Tess and Lucy came looking for her. Now they were in her room interrogating her, well it was mostly Tess interrogating her. “Why did you go out there with him?”

“He asked.”

“Why did you not tell us?”

“You were dancing with...”

“His name is Damon.”

“Damon, and Lucy was talking to K.”

“What did you do?”

“Talk.”

“About?”

“Life.”

“Could you be any more vague?”

“Yes.”

“That was rhetorical.”

“Why are you asking me all this? I’m not some criminal.”

“I’m the one asking the questions here. Oh, I give up! It’s so obvious that he likes you.”

“No, he’s just a friend.”
Tess had now gotten up and was pacing around the room. Sara stayed sitting while Lucy played on her phone. “You guys should go home soon. I need sleep.”
“Ok, let’s go, Lucy.” Lucy didn’t answer. “Lucy? Dang it! she’s asleep. I’ll wake her up” said Tess.

???


I'm walking through the palace, I see Mahoovi. He walks up to her and rubs against her legs and walks away. I follow him. He leads me to the library. Sitting in one of the high backed chairs is King Rex. Not again. He stands up, not saying anything. He walks towards her; then he’s gone.

Sara wakes up. She realizes that she is calm. He vanished. King Rex is gone. She is finally safe. As she gets dressed, her phone rings. “Hello?”
“Hey, whats up?”

“Oh, hey T. Noting much. Why are you calling? I didn’t think you’d be awake.”

“I barely am. Want to hang out?”

“Sure, lets invite Lucy and meet at the park.”

Sara didn’t have to say which park. There was a park by the house she used to live in when Tess lived across the street from her. The used to always hang out there. As she hangs up, Sara wondered why Tess wants to her see so badly. She says goodbye to Julia and walks to the park. She is wearing jeans and a tee-shirt hoping no one will recognize her. She remembers playing here with her brother. They would always fight for who got the good swing and who has to go into the creek for the frisbee. She also remembered the time she ran into the wall on her bike and her dad had to carry her home. Also the time- “Sara! There you are I was beginning to wonder!”
Tess came rushing up to her. “I have important news. You know how my dad is in charge of making sure King Rex doesn't come back? well there have been some signs that he is on our south border and-”

“Wait, what? He’s back?”






To Be Continued...