insoiswriting - Tumblr blog

[insoiswriting]

Crystal Heart Chapter 1

This chapter has been redone so many times. I feel pretty good about it. It's an idea I've been playing with for a couple years and while I don't have a concrete plot, I felt like trying to flesh it out a little will help me finalize it. This is not official in my story yet and it may be changed. Please let me know what you think and if any areas need improvement! -Liz C.

“You need to run.”

I took one last look into her grey eyes. She gave me a sad smile and shoved me out the door. I fell into the thick blanket of the pearly snow, making a crunching sound as I met the Earth. The door's heavy metal lock fastened with a loud clunk as I looked back. I scrambled to my feet and ran in the dark day. The crunch of the snow under my boots was drowning out everything else. I continued until I got to the cliffs. The mountainous rock had caves filled with glistening crystals; some gigantic. Panicking, I hid behind one of the amethyst clusters growing out of the ground. I had to control my breathing, but my lungs were burning. The salty tears streaming down my face caused my head to pound. 

Suddenly, I heard the heavy thud of chained boots and the knocking of the pebbles on the cave floor. All fell silent as the steps echoed throughout the cave. I peered from behind the cluster and forced my throat to stifle the scream coming from my chest. There he was with his soldiers, clad in armor with black and silver wisps. All adorned with sheathed swords, sharpened earlier on the whetstone. One soldier had splashes of fresh blood on his boots and chest plate. My eyes widened in disbelief. Because of me, someone killed the person who tried to save me. If I just could’ve stayed, she would be alive. My heart violently beating in my chest was causing my ribs to hurt. The pain intensified as my chest tightened, and then released with a loud crack. This suffering was immeasurable as my body twitched. As the ringing in my ears persisted, I tightened my eyes when a shattering sound interrupted it. All I could see was a ghostly purple light.

“She’s right there! Grab her and bring her to me at once!” he roared as he pointed to the amethyst cluster. I blanked and fell to my knees as their gloved hands tightened around my arms. I lifted my heavy head and stared at a blurry figure that towered over me.

“Take her to the cart. Do not let her escape,” a gruff voice spoke. I felt a tightness around my wrists as they dragged me along the stone ground. When they chucked me into the rotting wooden box, my head collided with the floor.

* * *

I woke up in a dark room, shivering. I struggled to sit up from the cold stone floor while I adjusted my weary eyes to the darkness. Above me, a barred window lets in moonlight. With the faint glow from the moon, I could make out a raggedy bed, a broken mirror in a tarnished frame, and rusty bars connecting the floor and the ceiling. A metal dish with a small loaf of bread and wooden bowl with clear water sat by the barred door. Suddenly, the squeaky sound of a door screeched and a dim light followed suit. Two shadows were marching down the stairs to my cell.

“Well, it’s good to have you back where you belong, Asha.”

I gritted my teeth as the rage took over my body. I lunged forward and grabbed hold of the bars. As the blood rushed to my face, I shook the bars violently. “Bastard!” I shouted, “You dare spill the blood of the innocent?!”

Malcolm Vas, the king of Frost Peak, accompanying him was the captain of his army, Lennox Scotts. He furrowed his bushy eyebrows. “She is the reason you escaped. That wretch was jeopardizing my mission. I cannot risk her repeating such mutiny.”

I inhaled sharply. “Scum,” I spat out venomously.

He chuckled before he spoke, ”Oh, my sweet Asha. Don’t you get it? You are extremely valuable to me. I refuse to let you leave or have anyone stand in my way.”

I fell silent with my jaw clenched.

“May I remind you I can kill you and take your precious heart at any moment?” he threatened. “Don’t you remember what happened in the cave? Another stunt like that can kill you and we can’t have that now can we?”

My grip tightened around the bars. What does that mean? “I hate you. I swear on my mother I will-”

“You will what? You lack weapons and allies. Leaving is not an option for you.” Lennox muttered something to Malcolm. He responded with a nod and started for the stairs. “You could kill me whenever you please, so why are you keeping me alive?!” I demanded. He paused but never responded as he continued through the door. The light disappeared and I was in darkness again.

I banged my fists on the rusty bars. The pain in my hands was numbing; I stopped when blood trickled down my arms and dripped down to the floor. All I could think of was my blood covering the palace after Malcolm harvests my heart. I’m going to die here. The dry blood stains my hands. I trudged to the moth-eaten bed and rested my head on a flat pillow, too exhausted to clean my hands. As I drifted off to sleep, I dreamt of my mother. 

When I was seven years old, a group of thieves kidnapped me. They locked me in a cage for days until one night, when the group drank. They made the mistake of leaving the kegs next to my small prison. A poisonous plant was growing within arm’s reach, so I snapped the plant up and threw it in the extra kegs. The next round caused shaking, foaming at the mouth, and gasping for air. The leader crawled close enough to my cage before the poisons took his life. I snatched the key from around his neck and fled. When I made it home, my mother burst into tears and babbled about how she thought I was never coming back. I thought her silly for panicking, but I let her continue. Such a bittersweet dream.

Someone shaking me interrupted my slumber, startling me awake. Esther, the head maid of the palace, was standing by my ragged bed with her fists on her hips. “Wake up, brat. You are going to bathe and get fixed up,” she ordered.

"I'm not goin’ with you," I said, scowling. Before I could turn over, a yank on my arm forced me to my feet. “Refusal is not an option. You reek of blood and earth.” She kept a firm grip on my arm as she dragged me up the stairs and into the hallway.