"Tara!" an authoritative male voice called.

I veered around, my body weightless and head light and hazy. I was stuck in an unfamiliar place yet again. I was just with Qia and Tiroa, but now, I felt like I was far away from Udan.

It seemed I was in a throne room, but it was not the same one that belonged to Baria.

A man and woman stood in front of me with their backs turned. The color of their hair was wintry like mine. The walls were not walls, they were instead crimson fabric. The strange place was held up by two posts, yet, it appeared magic was present in the room with me for the walls would not move with the light wind surrounding me.

I looked down. The brown dress I was found in was no longer there, instead, I was dressed in a silver gown fit for royalty. I looked down at my hand, noticing something was in my grip. With a raised brow, I opened it, revealing a dagger with a black hilt and silver vines. I felt like I had seen it before somewhere but couldn't remember where.

"He can't be," I argued, moving back. "He wouldn't be."

"Tara, I know this is not the news you hoped for, but—"

"No!" I shouted, my face burned. "He is going to come home." My voice fell from the room.

He was going to come home. I didn't know who he was.

"Tara..."

"No!" I shouted, the hot tears leaking down my face. "He will be home tomorrow. He promised. He said so. I know it!"

"This is a lot to process," a woman said from her throne. "I know you must be enduring a lot of pain but know we are here for you."

"What happened?" I gasped over the sobs.

The man grimaced. The truth was hidden in the silence. "From the North."

My mouth moved but I couldn't hear what I was saying.

"Tara..."

"I will find him myself," I spat. "I will bring him back alive and well."

"My sweet girl, please, stop burdening yourself with lies," the woman whispered. "Please."

I didn't know who they were speaking of and who they were but the words I said next made it seem like I knew them.

"I speak a truth only my heart would know."

I awoke with sweat beading down my face. Morning came without a sunrise; similar to the lantern in the corner glowing. My back ached from the cot. I groaned as I adjusted, blinking as the dream came hurling back to me.

I remembered a part of myself, but not the man or woman I was speaking to. I wasn't sure who Tara was, and I wondered if this was a piece of the person I had lost in the river. Even though it felt like it could have been a memory, it still felt so distant, so far, like an actual dream.

"Good morning," a voice sounded from beside me. Qia escaped from behind the crate, adjusting her black servant dress. She smiled, fixing her hair into braids. She had a ball of string in her hand, using it to weave her ebony hair together.

"Good morning," I replied.

"I hope you slept well," she answered. "Today is going to be a long day."

I nodded. "I did, thank you." The dream of the faceless man and woman remained in the back of my head but I wasn't going to tell these strangers about it. It was probably nothing important. I imagined it was my mind struggling to fill in the pieces of who I was.

Qia finished her hair and sighed, rubbing her face. "Let me get Mother up and we can begin our day," she claimed, walking away.

As she did, footsteps sounded from the stairs. I looked toward them, spying black leather boots. I froze in place, fearing who it was. With the absence of light, it looked as if it could be Jonga, but I was unsure.

I wondered what kind of cruelty waited this time. I remembered how his fingers laced into my hair, pulling until my skull burned. My breathing stopped as my lip quivered. The thought of suffering through pain was causing fear to arise.

Hona appeared, his golden skin darkening with the dim room. He smiled, staring at the ground as he announced himself to the others. "Good morning," he began, shouting. "Queen Baria has given me your chores for the day."

Qia appeared, Tiroa hanging on her arm. "Oh joy," she joked. "What would they be?"

Hona cleared his throat, ignoring the sarcasm in her voice. "You are to attend to the upper level of the castle where the guest bedrooms are. Including Queen Baria's. Then, groom and feed the horses in the stables."

Qia squealed, almost making Tiroa lose her hold on her. She flailed, catching herself on the side of the cot before she fell. "I would love to see Rohell!"

He continued as if he didn't hear her. "Then you are to prepare dinner and tidy the throne room," he explained. With a nod, and a glance toward me, he said, "That is all."

"Thank you for honoring us with your appearance," Tiroa said, bowing to the best of her ability. Her body barely moved while her head did most of the work. "We are truly blessed for your kindness."

He offered a smile, turned, and retreated up the stairs once more. I couldn't help staring as he left. I wondered what happened to the man. The one that sought to keep me alive. Now, he looked as if a little piece of himself was dying within. I knew Queen Baria declared he wasn't allowed to speak to me any longer, but I didn't imagine it would ail him greatly. I knew myself as much as I knew him.

"Well, we have a busy day," Qia said, interrupting my thoughts.

I got up from the cot, feeling spry. My leg no longer ached as it did before. It seemed the more I dreamed, the more my wounds healed or maybe it had something to do with the blood Baria gave me. Mentally, I felt clouded like I was still stuck in a dream. But with the ability to move, my head was starting to clear.

Qia sat her mother on the edge of my cot and rummaged near the bottles on the ground. They clinked together, the sound echoing through the small cellar. She pulled rags from the crevices and a box full of what looked like cleaning supplies.

"We better start now if we want to make dinner in time," she whispered. "Baria does not like tardiness."

She helped her mother up once more. Tiroa hung onto her arm as we made our way over to the steps. White light illuminated from upstairs. I took a last look at the room I slept in before ascending with them. The glare from the room above blinded me. I squinted, feeling them ache until they adjusted.

A pristine white kitchen laid before us. The counters were spotted in white and black like marble. Vegetables, fruits, and other delicious foods were waiting to be used. I marveled, my stomach growling like a tremor in the earth. Tiroa picked up an apple from the counter and threw it my way as we made our way to the exit.

"To keep up your spirit," she said.

I took a bite out of the apple, stopping as I met their gaze. I looked at their hands, they had not eaten anything. "Do you not eat in the mornings?"

Qia looked back, trying to keep a straight face, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. "We eat when there isn't work," she explained. "Right now, there's too much to be done."

I set the apple down, but Tiroa's words stopped me. "You need to eat, Mara. Strength is needed when cleaning. You'd be surprised. Please eat, don't worry about us."

I picked it up once more, guilt plaguing me. I held it in my hand as we exited the kitchen and entered the hallway. The hallway was forest green, reminding me of the oak beyond the river. It extended long and doors to unknown rooms were on either side. I looked back, the hall ended with a black door at the end but on the other side appeared to be the full wooden doors leading to the entrance of the castle.

As we walked, Qia spoke. "This is where Baria spends most of her nights," she explained. "She hardly seems to sleep in her bedroom. We have never entered the room so I couldn't tell you what it was, but now it is off limits."

It was strange to hear that, but after meeting Baria for myself I was certain she had many secrets to hide.

We passed another room with two ornate large doors. They stood tall and stretched wide. They did not match the lutrious hall but instead were white like the entrance. "This here is the dining hall," she explained. "Though it isn't much of a hall." There was a sour tone to Qia's voice.

"What do you mean?"

Qia stopped in her tracks, and opened the door. The dining hall was painted in white, bare and empty. Inside was a long table and a sole chair at the head of it. Not another stood by its side. The air was tense inside of the room. I imagined Baria sitting by herself, partaking in wine and selfishly indulging in meals.

"She dines alone," I gathered.

Qia nodded. "Baria enjoys her solitude."

"I see."

Qia shut the door and we continued, entering the foyer. It was different in contrast from the hallway. The walls in the hall were green while the foyer like the kitchen was white, pristine, and elegant. A chandelier with large crystals hung near the ivory stone steps. On the other side of the foyer stood the entrance to what looked like the throne room. The door was thrown ajar, showing the stone throne awaiting. It towered tightly, haughty with a vacant seat. My attention turned to my surroundings when Qia started to climb the steps, stopping to wave at me.

"Come on," she ordered.

I listened, taking the stairs. As we climbed, I noticed a small hall leading to an unknown and unlit place.

"Baria's room will not take long," Qia called.

I blinked, surprised. The walls on this level of the castle were lined with statues holding onto what appeared to be real spears. They were made of stone, bearing sunken eyes and bulky bodies. The stone was carved to make it look like the statues were wearing armor. I turned my attention to the wall. As we reached the landing, we paused to take in the decor. Paintings of Baria lined them. Young and what appeared to be old. She still had honey-blonde hair and a petite figure. The only difference I saw between them were in her expressions. It seemed Baria had never aged.

"She is divine," Qia explained. "Baria holds immortality."

I blinked. "Immortality?"

"She doesn't age," she explained. "She was gifted the blood of the Guardian and with it, she never aged."

"How old is she?" I questioned.

"Thousands of years old. Maybe more. She was around when the Guardian first arrived in our world."

I heard of that name before.

"The Guardian?"

Tiroa interrupted, "We don't have time to chit-chat," she explained. "We are busy!"

Qia blushed and nodded. "Yes, Mother."

I sensed there was something the two of them did not want me to know.

We arced down the hall filled with many rooms. On the second story of the castle, everything was colder as if a malevolent presence was there with us. I shivered, staring at the plain doors, they were black unlike the white ornate one downstairs.

"Baria's room is to the left," she said, pointing to a frosted glass door. "I will show you it then you will be responsible for tiding it up," she explained. "I promise it is a simple task."

I nodded, hearing the door click as the knob turned. Baria's room was fit for a queen. Her bed was massive in size, sporting elegant white furs and blankets. Two massive pillows sat against the wall, a wardrobe adjacent. We entered, closing the door behind us. It was white and warmer compared to the rest of the castle. Unlike the dining hall, I felt more welcomed.

"I always feel blessed to be in this room," Tiroa began. "I never would have known the queen if it wasn't for the accident."

Qia tossed her a look. "Mother," she hissed.

"Accident?" I pried.

Qia shook her head, her voice sombering. "Not now. We don't need to discuss that."

I nodded, not willing to pry any more. Since Qia and I just met, I did not want to bring her any ill will. She walked her mother to the edge of the bed and sat her there. Tiroa waited, holding a rag in her hand. She busied herself with fluffing the pillows and taking the creases out of the blankets. There was a strange smell that hung in the air, like must.

Qia turned, tossed me a rag and it fell to the ground. "Pick it up and follow me."

I did so, following her to another room joining with the main one. In the center was a bath with gilded feet and large mirrors that took up the entirety of the wall. It was white like her room was but smaller.

"Your task today is to clean the smudges off the mirrors," she explained. "It's simple and shouldn't give you a hard time. I will tend to the main room."

I nodded. I wasn't certain if I had ever cleaned before.

She walked over, using the solution in one of the bottles and sprayed it. A foul stench smelling of sweat filled my nose. I began to wipe, doing my best to rid the glass of smudges. Beyond the reflection was a girl with blue eyes. Before I could identify myself in the mirror, Qia's voice rang.

"Simple?" she asked, turning back to me.

I nodded, fearing to look at my reflection once again.

"Grand. If you need anything, please, call me."

Qia left me with many reflections of a person I had forgotten.

The person in the mirror had ivory hair and pale skin. She did not fit in with the people in this kingdom. She was an outcast and a stranger. An intruder as they called it.

Her eyes were deep blue, almost cold like the river. No wonder they were afraid of me. They were fearing my appearance. I was strange and unknown to them. I was what they called a "Kaijan'.

I polished the mirror, trying not to look at myself too often, but each time I caught a glimpse, I wondered who this person could be. I wondered if Kaija was my home or if I belonged somewhere else.

I thought of the view from the tower and the kingdom I thought I saw beyond the river, but it faded from my mind before I had a chance to know if it existed or not. The river rushed through my head and I remembered the dagger from my dream. I wondered if somehow the two related to one another.

Time passed with my thoughts. A knock on the wall surprised me. My heart jumped as I turned. Qia had beads of sweat down her face. "Done?"

I stared at the mirror, unsure if I was. I did not see smugs like before.

"Looks great," she declared. "The sun is above the treeline so I think it is best that we move on to the other rooms."

I nodded, pulling to my feet. I had been kneeling for so long that my legs hurt.

"I have a question, Qia."

She tilted her head. "Go on."

"How do you feel about Kaijans?" I asked. She had treated me much differently than anyone else had other than Hona.

She smiled. "I have no quarrel with them. After all, we all bleed the same blood." We walked into the main room. Tiroa leaned over the bed, fluffing pillows. She composed when she saw us.

I was surprised to hear Qia's opinion and remembered how Baria and I bled the same when she cut into her arm and I bled from my wrists. She was right. Even though we were different by hair, skin, or eye color, we shared the same blood. 

I absolutely love this chapter. Mara learns there is more than hate to Udanians. What is an aspect you love in fantasy novels? Get ready, the horror only awaits as the story progresses. <insert evil laugh>