Once Upon a Time in Anadiea

Prologue

Once Upon a Time: Nineteen years ago

This ongoing nightmare always finds me at the worst of moments. It makes me relive the scariest moment in my life. I’m seven years old again.

Crouched on my knees with my trembling hands digging into the dew covered grass. I peak around the bush I am hiding behind and my eyes frantically search for poppa. Instead they land on the back of a stranger, with what I believe to be a sword in his hands. I lock eyes with my poppa and his brown eyes widened with what I think is fear. He shoots me a look of panic as the stranger looks over his shoulder toward me. I duck quickly back behind the bush. Holding my hands to my mouth to cover the sob working it’s way up my throat. Poppa shouts at the man, hopefully trying to drag his attention away from me.

“What do you want with her? She is only seven years old.” Poppa pleads.

“What we want is to control that power of hers. The power that lies dormant in her veins. Waiting to be brought to the surface. Something you and the king are too cowardly to unleash.” The stranger snickers back at poppa. Before poppa can say anything else, my mind is already reeling with his statement. Most people in Anadeia don’t have powers. So why would he believe I do?

The sound of metal clashing draws me out of my thoughts. I peak back around the bush and see poppa’s back to me, swinging his sword at the stranger. Normally I would wonder where he pulled that from but I am distracted by the face of the stranger. I remember seeing him back home. He was always watching me from the distance. When his observations became frequent, I started to fell wary of him. I immediately told poppa about him. Poppa told grandpa and I stopped seeing him after mamma died.

Poppa is grunting as he swings his sword at the man. I have only ever seen poppa fight when he is sparring with Nicolas. Training only. Blood was rarely ever drawn from either of them. I don’t know sword play, but poppa never won against Nicolas. The man grabs one of poppa’s arms as he kicks poppa in the stomach. Poppa’s sword falls from his hands. He falls to one knee. The man is now laughing as his sword comes slashing down across poppa’s open chest. I whip back around the bush, bringing my knees to my chest and cover my ears with my hands. Before I know it, there is someone towering over me. Large hands shake my knees. I look up to see a familiar set of hazel eyes and brown curly hair. Nicolas Dumont pulls me to my feet.

“Ariana, are you okay? Your not injured at all are you?” I slowly shake my head, unable to speak words. I wonder when Nicolas got here?

“Ariana, listen, Esmee and Remy are here too. The man ran away as soon as we got here.” He stops and puts hands on my shoulders. “Your father is hurt…. badly.” He drops his hands and I immediately turn to see poppa laying against a tree.

My legs take off and his name bursts as a scream from my throat. I feel like I can’t get to poppa fast enough. Once I am close enough I notice how unwell he looks. He no longer has olive skin, its ghostly white like mine. His eyes are cloudy. He has a blanket covering his chest. One of his hands in laying on top of the blanket, stained red. A sob breaks from my voice and I bury into him. He winces and I quickly sit back on my knees.

I look at his face.

I am greeted with a soft smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. He reaches out for my face but halts once he notices I flinch. Instead he places that hand on one of my knees. “Poppa! What is wrong?” I am not naive enough to believe he is okay. Seven years old and I have already witness the death of one parent. How will my soul survive two? How do I go on with out him now? I feel like I have barely made it with out mamma.

Nicolas Dumont comes to kneel besides poppa across from me. Mrs. Dumont comes to stand next to him. Then a light touch lands on my shoulder. I don’t need to look to see it’s Remy. I keep my focus on poppa as his smile becomes red.

“My sweet Ari.” As he finally speaks, I can tell there isn’t much time left. Red drips from his lips. “You are too young to see the death of both of your parents, but we raised you to be brave.” Brave? I’m seven. How am I supposed to be brave with out him. His stained hand leaves my knee and spreads across my chest. “Like your mother, we will always be here.”

Nicolas reaches over with a cloth and wipes the tears that fall from his eyes. His breathes start to slow as he grabs my hand and squeezes as tight as he can. “I love you Ariana. You are the perfect little flower. Be. safe.” The last of his words come out slow. His smile begins to fall and his hand loosens in mine.

“Poppa?! Poppa? Please no poppa! Stay with me!” The words are pointless now but I can’t seem to keep them away. A loud thunder clap shatters over us. I stare blankly at the figure that was once my father, when the most unnatural scream leaves me. Rain starts falling around us. Remy wraps his arms around my shoulder. I don’t know how long we sit there in silence. Soon a chill sweeps through all of us. Remy stands and grabs my hand and leads me away from the tree.

From the man I loved more than everything.

Away from the sin that took away my family.

I feel numb.

Sitting in a car. Watching the streams of water through the window. When it rains in Anadeia, we aren’t protected like this from weather. So it’s a nice change to have the comfort here. Remy keeps hold of my hand as he sits next to me. We watch together as flames ignite where my poppa was laying. I don’t see fire magic often but now, it doesn’t seem as incredible. Not amazing like when Remy shows off some of his magic. He is still too young to be able to control big flames like his father. All souls born in Anadeia are gifted with magic. Magic from the land. Mine however hasn’t developed so I still don’t understand why people are hunting me for it. Nicolas waves his arms around as the blaze turns into a tornado. The rain can’t put out this type of fire. Slowly Nicolas brings his hands back down to his sides and the flames follow the motion. And just as he magically made flames appear, now they are gone.

Nothing is left of my poppa.

Or the tree for that matter.

Nothing is left of my heart. The rain is washing the ashes away and my happiness along with it.

He points towards my heart. He’s saying goodbye. “Nicolas and Mrs. Dumont are going to take you to your grandparents in Seattle. Nicolas will be your guardian until you’re twenty. I wish I could be with you to watch you grow up. I hope your grandma let’s Nicolas take you to Anadeia to visit. It’s definitely not safe out here for you. The last words come out slow. As I cry out for him, his chest stops raising. A loud feral scream leaves me.

Crouch behind a bush, my poppa is away from me. The field where we are are misty with fog. There are too many clouds to see the sun. He’s waving his hand toward the bush. He is talking to a man, someone I don’t know. The mystery man follows poppa’s stare, looking over his shoulder. I duck back behind the bush before he can see me. Poppa is yelling at this man and the man sounds very angry. What sounds like metal clashing, both men are grunting. Screams flood my ears. I hold my hands up to my ears and I can feel the tears pouring out of my eyes. I squeeze my eyes shut and wish my mamma was here. A scream bursts out of my throat when hands land on my shoulders. Luckily it is only poppa. But something is wrong with him. His olive skin is paler almost like mine. and he is holding his stomach. I glance down at it and he quickly takes off his jacket and wraps it around his stomach to hide the red liquid. He takes my hand and leads me out from behind the bush. A figure run toward us in the distance.

“Gabriele, what happened?” Remy’s dad sounds upset. Poppa answers, “They took Ari and I followed them. We were able to escape but they were following us. I fought them off as well as I could but one of them ran away. Where is Esmee and Remy?” Mr. Dumont points behind him and we can see Remy and his mom coming from the shadows. Mr. Dumont tells his wife and son to stop where they are. Poppa tells me to go to them. I can hear my poppa and Mr. Dumont talk as I run to them. Esmee is waiting for me with an arm open and one wrapped around Remy. I can tell that Remy has been crying as well. Watching them, Mrs. Dumont usher us to the car. I keep peaking behind us to make sure poppa is following. He must have told Mr. Dumont something he didn’t want me to hear. We almost reach the car when Mr. Dumont yells. My poppa is laying down clutching his side. I run out of Mrs. Dumont’s hands. As I reach my poppa, I notice that the red liquid leaving his stomach is actually blood. I sob and Remy comes up behind me and grabs my shoulders. His mom is crouched down next to his dad. Poppa grabs my hands and presses a bloody kiss to my knuckles.

Chapter 1:

Remy was watching some warriors train when suddenly his vision went blurry. He instead saw a beautiful female walking down the street. She had a book bag and was listen to music through her head phones. Some one came up behind her. The man stopped her and either asked or told her something. Remy could feel the dread coming from this woman. His heart squeezing tight. Could feel that something was wrong. From his years of training, he learned these moments had to do with his bond. Any strong emotions would push through that bond, like anger, fear, and pain. Right now, Remy felt all of those things. But never has he been able to see things through the bond. That woman was Ariana and the man was his father. Remy takes off from the training grounds, through the castle corridors. Sprinting past other guardians, his destination is clear. Find King Victor.

Bursting through the door of the tactical war room located in the fortress side of the castle. There are several guardians and warriors around the wooden table with a map of Anadeia on it. Camps where warriors are stationed outside towns. Guardian outpost and last known location of certain important figures in Anadeia and the outer world. Friendly and unfriendly. Heads turn towards Remy as the door nearly comes off the hinges. Remy’s grandfather is standing with his arms crossed across his chest, next to a stool. The king is sitting on that stool, leaned over the map and fear laces his green eyes. King quickly stands, the stool topples behind him. “Everyone out. Please” Every command Victor gives is followed but more panic was hidden beneath that command now.

Remy stands straight up, shoulders back and hands laced behind his back. His heart isn’t steady but they already see the terror that Remy is facing. He doesn’t need to hide his concern. His grandfather comes up to him, clasps hands on Remy’s shoulders. “What is going on Remy?” his grandfather asks. With a deep breathe, Remy loosens his shoulders and looks to Victor. “I think something is wrong with Ariana. I was just standing by watching some of the warriors fight as I felt a strong emotion float along the bond. It was fear, with anger and pain. It’s unlike any emotion she has had in the past, this one is like she is in trouble.” Remy didn’t mention that he could also see through the bond either. He didn’t want to mention anything until it happened again. Remy looks between both men as they look at each other.

The king motions for Remy to sit down at the table. “Remy, there is something we need to discuss with you.” Remy grabs a seat at a stool and his eye brows borrow together. Why aren’t they as worried as he is? This is the king’s granddaughter they are talking about. Someone that Remy has a guardian bond to. Remy could barely breathe with all the emotion Ariana is feeling. “Listen, we know that Ariana is in trouble. We have already been searching for her for awhile now. We lost contact with your father a few weeks ago and we have sent our best to their last known location to search for what could have happened.” Remy felt like he was just punched in the chest. They knew. They knew and didn’t tell Remy. The person who was born to be a guardian. The only person who is bonded to Ariana.

“Why the FUCK didn’t you say anything?” He slams his hands down on the wooden war table and huff as stars fill his vision. “And how did you lost contact with my father when he went into hiding with Ariana thirteen years ago! No one has heard from him since.” Remy started pacing. “Were you going to tell me any of this before you sent me out there to see her again. I’m twenty one now, that means I become her lead guardian and you were just going to let me believe she was okay?” Remy couldn’t believe what he was saying. Because these two men were his role models. These two men have taught him and cared about him and he never thought they would keep things from him.

“Remy, you weren’t ready for this responsibility yet. We think that your father is still with Ariana but until your twenty first we couldn’t risk losing you too. You are the only link to finding Ariana.” Victor tries to reason with Remy. Sensing the anger flowing out of his body. The tension that is so thick in this room that Remy could hardly see beyond his nose. Maybe that was just the anger.

“The bond you have with Ariana would be stronger at the age of twenty one. At twenty one, you can now find her through that bond. Your sense of her feelings are stronger and the bond will be able to lead you to her. We had to wait as you are the only hope to save her.” Remy forgot about that. He could always sense what she was feeling but now they were intensified. His bond to her can help him find her. Remy lets out a shaky breathe. “When do I leave?” There is no time to waste when its Ariana’s life on the line.

Chapter 2:

When Victor told me that he knew where my father was this whole time. I didn’t understand. Mostly the explorers who did travel beyond the Alwin Caves never strayed too far. They remained just in the towns along the mountain peaks. Communication past that wasn’t probable. At least that is what the king told his citizens. Apparently only select few knew that you can send communications between the two worlds. All those years, I could have been in contact with my father. All those years that mother could have talked to him. There are a lot of things that I have learned since Ariana’s disappearance that have pissed me off. All the secrets they have kept from me. Rage when they told me they knew she was missing. Disappointment when they told me that they said others to search for her. She was my responsibility.

Since Anadeia employed explorers. Their occupation was to travel to the outer world and bring back as much current knowledge as they could. Those explorers were able to help me get some outer world clothes, currency, and maps. Things they used when traveling outside Anadeia. Although the king employs explorers to travel it doesn’t mean the rest of our people were restricted to only our world. It is more so, our people wish to stay in Anadeia. Our world knew of all that went on outside. So the people are given the choice to live their lives how they wish. Most liked our way of life. Myself included.

With the outer world clothes, map and currencies packed into a travel bag. I head from one of the explorers suites and at the end of the hall waiting for me is Victor and my grandfather. My grandfather was the first to speak. “Remy, I want to apologize about Ariana. We knew you were going to take her sudden disappearance negatively. However, it still doesn’t change the fact that you can now head out to find her.” Biting my tongue, I let out a deep breathe.

To Be Continued