Sleep wouldn't come to me. It was a stranger.

I watched as the canvas of the tent transformed from red to black as night robbed day. From the entrance of my chamber, slivers of moonlight poured in, creating malevolent shadows. I stood, touching my pale flesh, missing Ronian's touch immensely.

I imagined his rough fingers tracing my throat until they touched my lips then explored, learning every part of me. Just like the first night when we entertained lust.

Later in the night, after the confession of love, Ronian took me to his home. He had lived there, alone, since his parents passed when he was six. It was the perfect place to hide. Loneliness would have to find a new mistress tonight.

We snuck through the night, bound to steal away hearts. The lights in the tenements were off, shadowing our crime. The forbidden love we sought to share was a secret only the dark knew.

We moved beyond the bridge between the houses and toward the edge of town where his home stood. Though it was small compared to my tented fortress, it was comfortable. I had not been here in a long while.

The last time I remembered being here was when I was small. Ronian picked me a red dahlia from the pathway and placed it in my hair. I remembered the smile on his face as we walked, hand and hand. There was a flutter in my chest with each step we took.

As soon as we were in the shadows of his small home, he took me into his arms, and drove his lips hungrily to mine. My body filled with want and desire as the taste of sweet honey appeared. I kissed him madly, cupping my hands to his face.

I wanted every part of Ronian because it was forbidden.

His hands traced my body from my waist to my stomach, stopping at my breasts. As he went higher, I gasped and shuddered as a euphoric tingle touched my spine. His hand continued its path until it came to a stop at the base of my collarbone. His fingertips touched my skin, soft and wanting. I felt his fingers delicately wrap around my throat.

"You're mine now, Tara."

I abandoned the memory, no longer subjecting to my own torture. Though sorrow struck my heart, my mind was convinced he was out there, alive and well like I stated to my parents.

I wanted another moment like this.

I walked to my wardrobe, and flung the doors open. Ignoring the flamboyant gowns I normally wore, I grabbed one I hadn't seen in a long time. I used it once ago, when I was just a child and smiled, thinking of the absurdity of the memory. How I conned many with the ruse. I played the servant girl rather than the king's daughter, striking a nerve within my father. He wasn't thrilled when he learned I was the culprit behind the fuss.

Undressing out of my silver clinging gown with gold threads and inset ruby jewels on the trim, I traded it for a brown tattered dress usually worn by a servant. I placed it on my body, my figure straightening.

For a moment I thought I looked like a servant or a peasant but... I looked like a savage. A monster, like my father called those heartless beasts. I was ready to infiltrate and blend in.

I took the dagger from the bedside, remembering how my love gifted it to me long ago when we were younger. The hilt bound together with black cord and was crafted with silver. The color of honor and glory, worn by warriors of our kind. I gripped it tight in my hand.

The decision came to me easily while I was avoiding sleep... I would find my Ronian and plunge the dagger into the heart of his captor.

My bare feet pounded against the ground as I left my room and a trail of dirt behind. Rocks pricked the bottom of my toes like tiny needles. Even though I had a mountain of shoes in my chambers, I opted for none. The pain reminded me of my mission and drove me to stay the path.

I took one last look at the thrones before I left the tented fortress. The gilded bodice of the thrones reminded me my father and I saw things differently, and the crimson fabric reminded me even though I was running away from my kind, I was searching for an enemy. Bound to spray blood. In a way it wasn't betrayal like he claimed.

I tried to imagine myself on the throne with Ronian by my side, but it was not a vision to come. My parents took our place, showing these thrones were fit for them, not us. I had no honor without a fight. So a fight was what I needed to make myself truly a warrior and queen in Father's eyes. Then perhaps when I returned, I could ascend the throne.

"I will come home with him," I promised, entering the night, the wind brushing against my face. "I will bring honor and glory to our name."

The sky was black and dreary, devoid of stars. The air thickened, cold and freezing. The smell of rust and earth reappeared. The entire world was missing a part of itself, since the summer days were cold and so were the nights. It felt like winter was upon us though it was months away.

Approaching the fountain, I dipped my hand in the water despite the chill outside. It cooled my flesh, and cleared my mind. My shoulders fell as I released a breath. The fountain always brought me peace.

I continued my way, staring at my home. Bridges tethered with rope leading from atop one tenement to the other. The lights were vacant from the windows and I thought of the villagers inside, slumbering. Friends and family. People I've known my entire life.

I tried not to think about it and started down the path of dirt, finding my way toward the woodline leading out of the kingdom. Shadows played with the trees as a breeze rushed through. The shadows turned into the appearance of monsters—tall and brooding—dragging one into somber darkness.

My hands shook as the last villager's home passed me by and the blackness reminded me of the unknown world beyond. I took a deep breath and realized I reached the woodlands. My feet touched the border between my home and the woods. One more step. The path to Ronian stood before me.

I'd never left the kingdom before and only knew what Mother told me. I had no notion how distant the river was, or how far the river near Udan was from me.

Udan, a place hardly known as a kingdom. I took another deep breath and walked into the trees, the earth moved beneath my feet. They slipped into muck instead of soil.

As the cool muck dissolved between my toes, a knot formed in my throat. I inhaled deeply again, allowing Ronian to comfort me. His lovely voice, sweet smile, and compassionate eyes. I exhaled deeply and gazed forward into the seething blackness. The moon did not accompany me tonight and I wished it had.

I felt my way with my hands, careful to stay as vigilant as I could. As the darkness pooled around, I thought of the world and its legends. I heard of them as a child. I continued to think of them, keeping me from turning back.

Legend foretold, in the woods, a creature fed on human flesh. It was said to live right outside our kingdom, luring in men with a lyrical call. A Kaijan woman who was walking into the woods was lifted from the ground and brought into the trees. From what the legend said, she never returned and the sole thing left of her on the ground of the forest were her bones.

I blinked, pushing through more trees. Fear was only felt when one let themselves feel it. Fighting fear made a person stronger.

I remembered the river's monster. A dangerous beast no one would realize was present until the water changed. Hidden under the water, it devoured its prey. Legend claimed this creature tore an Udanian man into two and his body washed up on the shore, leading to the sea-side village, Amar. A woman found him on the shore and the legend traveled the content since.

I shuddered, attempting to clear my thoughts of the stories. In the back of my mind, fear was sneaking in. I couldn't let it win.

As I passed through the branches, they trembled and pulled back. I had never gone inside the forest before, and I had always heeded my mother's cautions, never imagining I would leave my home. But infatuation drove mad lovers to do insane tasks, and risking my life was one of them.

My hair thrashed against my face as my pace increased. As possibilities filled my mind, my gut wrenched. I feared what my father was saying was true and Ronian was dead.

It just wouldn't be possible. Ronian was strong, capable, and intelligent. If Udanians were to attack him, he would fend them off or outsmart them. He wasn't savage. He was astute and controlled. One of us.

His strategy always won him battles. Ronian wouldn't lose to our weakest enemy of all.

My lungs burned, feet growing numb. I paused in my stride, leaning over. Bile expelled from my mouth. The putrid taste lingered on my tongue. I had not eaten anything since this morning and it showed. I was over exerting myself, hunting down my lost love without any direction. Perhaps I should have waited till the sun rose in the west, but love waited for no one. Especially when it was on the brink of being lost.

I continued walking, attempting to keep my thumping heart contained inside the confines of my chest. As I swept through the branches once again, my hands trembled. The trees moved in time with the rhythmic patter of my steps.

Despite the pain, I persisted. I wouldn't be able to face my people if I returned right now. They were smitten with Ronian. He was practically their king—except he didn't have the throne.

I narrowed my eyes, thinking there was a gap in the oak, only to be betrayed. The river was nowhere near.

I wasn't sure how long I had been wandering through the woods for, but feared hours passed me by. The sun was not seeming to bless the sky anytime soon, deep blackness still surrounded me.

Gulping, I ventured, shaking my head as the tears came. I was lost. I had to be lost. All the hope I had before vanished.

Ronian and I were doomed to never see each other again. I was bound to die within these woods, sinking into the dirt until I was bone.

As time passed and more walking pained my being; misery ensued. It slid up my legs and sides like thread, as if sewn together. Pushing through more trees, I winced. This time, the moon and a canopy of stars could be seen through the crevice. It gave me hope, and I believed I was getting near Ronian and Udan.

I became aware of how filthy my body was from the visible dark dirt or possible blood caked to my skin.

I smiled and ignored the pain. If I left my thoughts in the back of my mind, maybe I could focus on finding the river sooner. Passing under another archway of trees, the moon vanished from view. I collapsed to my knees, in exhaustion.

My free hand clawed into the earth, anchoring me to the ground, keeping me upright. My breath stung my throat as my chest heaved. I took a deep breath and leaned my head back, opening and closing my eyes.

I was never going to find Udan or the river. I would die in these woods...

Then I heard it. My breathing slowed and returned to normal. Hope blossomed throughout my being and as the sound of flowing water merged with my heartbeat, it jumped and thumped.

My fingers slid into the earth, dirt embedded under my nails. I stood, unfazed and fixated my gaze on the last of the trees ahead. I was close. One more push and I would be there. In the dreaded place I despised now more than ever. I would be saved from death.

I laughed a humorless laugh, ignoring the tremor in my legs.

As I walked, my knees shook and I stumbled into a briar. My skin was wounded by the tangle of thorns. I looked down at my feet, which were now bleeding and matted with muck. I held back tears and carried on because it was the only thing I could do now. As though they were alive, the thorns continued to fight. The openings in the undergrowth let in a sliver of light, then...

I saw it. The river.

The place I heard stories of all my life.

The waves roared, falling heavy as they passed downstream. I swallowed again, tasting metallic in the back of my throat. I cleared it, searching the water. Anticipation and excitement rose within me.

I wanted more than anything for my chest to stop burning and to see Ronian again. My one, my only. He was the only thing keeping me from failing and succumbing to exhaustion.

From the otherside of the riverbank, the trees reshaped. My brows narrowed as I got a better look at them. The sun rose from behind, shining a golden light on pine trees instead of oak. We did not have any back home but my mother used to tell me about pine trees in the North.

My feet burrowed into the cold sand, as I leaned down, using my hand to spool the water. The silky touch was refreshing against my face. Blinking, I looked again to the river, thinking to call for him. The earth underneath me trembled before I could speak. My breath seized in my throat, intensifying the burn. My heart's beating came to a standstill.

As I composed, sand leapt. A surge of wind rustled the trees from behind. I listened, realizing a gust of wind could not possibly be as powerful; something else must have been present. I thought to flee, to tell my mind to escape, but my body wouldn't obey. I was paralyzed, frozen to the ground.

The tremor faded. The waves weren't crashing any longer, they were still, like me. The air became heavier and warmer, making it more difficult to breathe. I felt like I was choking on a cloud. I took a step forward, stumbling, but my back twinged in warning before I could steady myself.

I caught my breath as I spun around, locking my gaze with a beast I hadn't expected to see. When my mother told us the tale, she warned us of it.

This creature was one of the most dangerous.

I was thinking of the creatures lurking on my side of the woods, not the one prowling near Udan. Its aglow orbs seared my vision, revealing a look of wrath within its irises. Its gaze was as penetrating as a sword. This was the creature that kept me awake at night as a child. My dagger slid from my grip and plunged into the sand. I remembered the one bone-chilling tale because it could have been true, now I knew it was.

Way down in the belly of the world, hidden in the depths of the dead land stirred divinity. It waited in the world of Solace, like a seed in the dirt to grow. One day divinity discovered the seed. It sprouted, planting roots into the walls of our world.

The silver beast clawed its way out of the soil until moonlight touched its flesh, causing silvery armor of fur to appear. Until the sun kissed the sky, the silver beast scoured the region, searching. When it opened its eyes as the sun rose, a fragment of yellow sunlight embedded in its irises.

The beast lived for centuries, walking the planes of our world. It stayed dormant, hiding, before it discovered its destiny. Many queens and kings went before it, hearing of its divinity. They sought power and justice, bringing the creature gifts.

But the beast was uninterested and denied them, consuming their flesh. In a blind rage, it destroyed their homes after.

But there was one queen more exceptional than the rest. She fascinated it as much as it fascinated her.

The beast was found in the middle of the forest by a Lady of Kair, who was able to reach out and touch it. Her palm gleamed as it brushed across its head. Their spirits united, and the beast compelled her to drink its blood in order to obtain the divine power craved by all monarchs. She swallowed the creature's blood and vowed to protect it, giving it her name.

For thousands of years, Baria was the Queen of Udan.

The beast was named the Guardian, and she and it were one and the same. It was her protector and she was its.

The Guardian blessed the queen, giving her a kingdom and followers. She promised when Udan needed a change or her time was through, she would find another protector for the creature. For the time being, it circles Udan, searching for danger to protect her in return.

My mother always warned us, if found in its grasp, death would be certain.

The legend faded from my mind, reminding me I was tangled in its stare. This was the last creature I wanted to encounter, and now, seeing it myself, with its massive, fortress build, I feared it.

My entire life my people advised myself and all others to be wary. Instead, I eased into the jaws of its territory. A lump grew in my throat. It was not a legend. It was history.

The beast's gaze broke as it stalked toward me. Its enormous, silver paws cemented into the earth, leaving deep prints. It snarled, baring teeth like moonlight. I attempted to move but was unable to do so. I was fearful that if I ran, I would be ripped to bits. The Guardian was entrusted with eradicating intruders, and I was one of them.

I twitched, losing my footing under the sand. With a curse from my lips, its hulking body lurched, its paw smacking against me and flinging me back.

Air passed by, whistling, and I flew like a bird until landing into the cold water. My back pierced the sharp rocks in the river and pain arose, pricking my flesh. My eyes burned as my vision adjusted.

The Guardian was within sight, gray saliva hanging from the sides of its mouth. There was nothing I could do now. A low growl made me realize this would be the last breath I took.

It's hot breath licked my face, distorting my thoughts. It lurked around my body, until deep burrowing shock waves of pain stung from my arm. My eyes widened, forgetting about the creature. I gasped out, screaming, my throat raw.

Crimson rivulets covered pink blistering skin of my arm. My breathing staggered as my eyes welled with tears. Panic overwhelmed me, distracting me from the pain.

The tears stopped. I lost a battle I could have never won and accepted defeat. Wincing, I fell into the water, my arms burning like a fire. I sobbed, waiting for the beast to take my life.

Using its paw, the Guardian moved me on my side, exposing my arm. It leaned in, no longer showing malice in its gaze, but sorrow. I stared at the creature, feeling the deep pain in my heart rather than in my body. Our minds were two alike, and I felt like they connected as one.

"Help me, Rei."

It touched its heavy head to mine and huffed, blowing a veil of gray mist. It whirled around us like a dancer, and fell onto my skin.

My mind began to clear. All my worries were dissipating. Ronian was disappearing and so were my people and my family. Everyone was becoming strangers to me. Empty slates of a tabloid.

As the clouds dissipated, I gazed at the sky, trying to recall who I was and where I was, but nothing came to mind.

My eyes rolled, hitting the back of my skull.

Euphoria.

A splendid feeling I wished to hold onto forever.

I wondered if death felt as liberating as this. As freeing.

I smiled, my thoughts gone. I was lost in elation.

An essence of fatigue cloaked over, drowning me. The sunrise, the beast, and the world disappeared. I was nothing but darkness. A blackness that felt soft against my flesh.

I opened my eyes, finding myself on the other side of the river again, but I couldn't remember where I was or who.

A strange feeling overcame me. Lost, scared, and alone. Sleep made the feeling disappear.

And so a new story and journey begins. I am new to the fantasy realm but hope it do it proud. What fantasy story is your favorite? Thanks for reading and voting!