Samara Shaw

"You were told strictly, do not touch her. How is that instruction so difficult to follow?"

"What did you expect me to do? Leave her so she'll keep screaming at me? She was freaking out, what more do you expect from a normal human? Things like this are new to her and I can't be the one to explain that"

"Regardless, you shouldn't have hit her Lucinda. Take a look at her, face looks all swollen now"

"I'll hit you next if I hear another word from you and yours will be more than just a swollen nose"

"She's been unconscious for hours now and no one has any idea when she'll wake up or if she'll run away when she does"

"I'm not joking Rapunzel_"

"I'm not Rapunzel. Have some respect Lucinda, at least for yourself"

"Silence!"

I'd been conscious for minutes, if not hours. I felt the fresh air hitting my skin and the warmth from the sunlight but chose to stay paralyzed. I didn't feel a thing. My face was numb, I could remember breathing but I didn't feel the hot air fan my lips. My nostrils felt restricted, I couldn't take in deep breaths. Just shallow ones that kept alive. My eyes were sealed shut and I didn't have the will to open them either.

The first few minutes had never been so peaceful. It was deadly silent but this time, made me feel better. Maybe it was because I didn't remember a thing when I first woke up or because that moment felt like the best in my life.

What if I froze orange juice? What if I saw ghosts? What if the people were not normal? What if I felt insane? At least it was better than being locked up in a castle. It was far better than feeling like a prisoner in my own home, if that is what a home felt like. I spent years and years living like everyone expected me to be perfect. I wasn't permitted to make mistakes, not even once and it made me believe it was normal to live that way. I didn't have anyone growing up, not even a friend. All I had was myself and the person I was meant to be closest to, my mother, judged me for every single thing.

There was a specific way to walk, a specific way to talk, a specific way to act, a specific way to look, my whole life was controlled. I felt like a robot, always being told what to do and I didn't have a say on what I wanted. I couldn't dare look my mother in the eyes because I feared something bad would happen and my father, he wasn't even a part of my life. He didn't speak to me, he didn't check up on me and didn't act like I existed. He wouldn't even care if I died. All my life, I only saw my father during parties and that was once in two months. Even when I got the chance to be a few feet away from him, we never spoke. In fact, I only recognized him because I had seen his pictures. That was how bad I didn't get any love.

After all I went through, they didn't appreciate it. Instead, they chose to sell me out like a bar of gold. I was just an investment, nothing more. They kept me in there to polish me till I was grown enough to make money from so yes, a school with weird creatures was better. If I found happiness in insanity then I'd like to stay insane for the rest of my life. It was worth it.

"I've had just enough of both of you and I certainly would not tolerate you hitting anyone else Lucinda. For the sake of Astra"

"I don't care what Astra feels, she spent years roaming around and this is who she chose? A princess?"

"If you're referring to me, I'm not a princess. I'm a Dutchess" Those were the first words I said and after, I opened my eyes. Sitting on my bed was Vince, he was a few feet away from me right at the edge. He wasn't in uniform but in thick leather pants and a top made of the same material. It covered his neck and exposed both his pale arms.

The man behind him was the one I saw during dinner the last night. He was the man with the ankle length hair and most probably the one I heard Lucy refer to as Rapunzel. I guess that comment insulted him cause he didn't give the best reaction. He was also in leather like Vince but his was like a dress. It covered his arms, neck and flowed down to his ankle. His hair was up in a ponytail as it usually was and in his hands were a bunch of knives.

He noticed my gaze on them and said "You can be assured this aren't a threat to you in any way"

Lastly, Lucy was a few feet away from him in leather clothes similar theirs. She looked even more dangerous in hers. The top was armless and exposed her shoulder blades and arms. Arranged in front of it were knives like the one with the man but she didn't say anything like he did and I certainly did not expect her to. She had her arms folded on her chest and her gaze on the man next to her was like she would hit him.

"Samara, are you okay?" Vince helped me sit up and when I did, offered me a glass of water. I peacefully declined it because it brought back the memories of what happened earlier.

"I will be if you tell me who Astra is"

"You won't unde_"

"I think I would. After all, it seems to me whatever is happening is all about me and I'm not angry if that's what you're wondering. I'd like to know what's happening to me please"

"You would but this isn't the best time_"

"Once upon a time, many many years ago" Lucy cut him off in my favour and went straight to it. She obviously was just as tired of the delay as I was. "Everything was peaceful till one sister got jealous of the other, took her position and everything went wrong and our king and queen didn't make it through. They left with twins and no one knows who the next king is meant to be but when we got a queen to and choose whoever she wants as the queen, she went indicicive and passed away too. Sadly, reincarnated as you. Tada"

"I don't get it"

"What's there to not understand? That's the story"

"You're not meant to get it now" Vince reassured and rested his palm on my hand "But you will, slowly"

"We came from a land called Bellum in Anel" The man with long hair piped I to the conversation "Anel is divided into seven tribes to maintain peace and unity, each one of the tribes with specific responsibilities. Pax, Vide, Veritas, Tandem, Vita, Anel itself and Bellum which is us. The rulers of Anel had two daughters and out of jealousy, one planned a rebellion against the other. No one knew what was going on the walls of the castle till the day it happened. A lot of us died during the rebellion"

"How come I didn't hear of this?" The way he spoke of this rebellion was as if it was serious and those states and the country Anel, I'd never heard of. If something like that truly happened and so many lives were lost, it had to make a mark in history and I would've heard about it from my homeschool teacher. "Where is this place you call Anel?"

"It's another dimension"

"Those don't exist, do they?"

"Neither does freezing a drink with your bare hand but you did it so nothing should look impossible to you at this point"

"Okay, I believe you but does that mean I'm in another dimension too?"

"No"

"Okay, carry on"

"Most of our rulers died too, the king and queen. They did not make it out of the rebellion and sadly died trying to protect us. We took shelter here on earth and till now, we don't know where the other tribes are or if they too died during Anel's destruction. Not all of us made it, we lost at least half of our entire population including the strongest ones that stayed behind to fight for us, including the king and queen. The had twins before they left and no one knows which one would rule because those that knew which child came out first are dead. We did find the destined queen of Bellum but she passed away years ago and since then, we've waited in patience till the day she comes back to choose our king."

"So she reincarnated?"

"Yes, as you"

"Unfortunately" Lucy added "So she wasted our time for years and came back as a princess, one that has a problem with everything if I might add"

"You may not" Vince replied to Lucy "That's why things have been looking so strange to you these days Samara but don't worry, I'm very sure you'll get used to it"

"Yes, and when you finally do, make it quick this time. Choose the twin you want and maybe then you can leave and come back as anything you want, nobody cares"

"I don't get it, who are these twins?"

"Snow White and the Grinch"

"What?"

"Vince and Accius"

"You're both twins?"