The white light that had blinded Ashtyn never truly left from his now blinded vision. Instead, little balls of that same vibrant light danced behind his eyelids as if taunting him, making him wonder if he had actually closed his eyes or not. Reading a book would have been rather difficult to do so with your eyes closed, unless you were running your fingers over the raised surfaces of braille symbols. However, that wasn't what was happening with Ashtyn. In fact, he wasn't even reading anymore despite holding the very diary he had been reading into within his hand. He held it as tightly as his delicate grasp would allow him, not wanting to let it go for even a moment. 

Oddly enough, he wasn't even standing anymore either. 

A soft cushion of bright green grass had been deemed Ashtyn's current locale of resting. Each individual blade of luscious green grass tickled any exposed skin that he might have had while resting there. Though, it wasn't much, each brush of the grass was like a gentle caress from a stranger upon his hand or the back of his neck. Goosebumps rose upon the touched skin, his lips parting as a sweet warmth blanketed his body from the comforting touch of the earth. 

Ashtyn slowly opened his eyes, the bright dancing orbs vanishing from behind his eyelids. They were quickly replaced by the blinding rays of the sun shining down on him like a heated blanket covering him in the cold. 

Flinching and blinking back the illuminating brightness, Ashtyn was greeted by a sky of shining blue and billowing white clouds that looked as if they were soft enough to sleep on. The scent of sweet nectar bombarded his senses, but it was only at that given moment did he realize the multitude of colorful flowers that surrounded him, mingling with the lush green grass. Little golden bumble bees buzzed around while brightly colored birds flew high overhead. None of them seeming as if the had a single care in the world and would go wherever their hearts desired them to. 

As if only now just acknowledging it, Ashtyn's silver eyed gaze slid towards his hand where the crimson leather bound diary was being tightly clutched. Its pages white, untouched by the hands of others and its cover was unsullied by dust or dirt that had collected upon its surface overtime. There were no cracks or tears within the pages or upon the journal's ornate crimson binding. The journal looked as if it were just purchased recently and had not been sitting on a shelf collecting dust for years. 

That couldn't be, not when he had been reading the raggedy journal only moments ago. Then again, he had been in a library moments ago as well and no longer was. 

"Young Master!" 

The distant yell from someone had drawn Ashtyn's attention away from his current thoughts on what was going on. His silver eyes blinked rapidly once more, the voice dragging him from his sudden thoughts. It also spun a new realization upon him, one that came way too late and crashed upon him like a wave in a hurricane. He was outside, but that wasn't where he had previously been. To add to the sudden confusion racing around the young man, it was no longer raining and storming as if the weather was trying to take the roof off of the building. 

Well, if there had been a roof to blow off and it was storming. Both of which were non-existent, the complete opposite of what had been transpiring not moments prior to him opening his eyes to this new world before him. 

"Young Master, where are you!?" 

Ashtyn sat upright in such a rush, his head had began swimming while the blood rushed around his skull from the sudden movements. His silver eyed gaze dared around, really taking in his new and unfamiliar surroundings. His heart was thundering in his chest like a runaway train, anxiety clutching at him, trying to sway him from feeling safe where he was. 

Where was he, though?

Beyond the vast fields that he had now been lying in, a small village of farmers sprawled out in what little glory they managed to possess. Ashtyn could make out the small huts lining the muddy streets that ran through the tiny village. There were a couple of locals that were milling about, others were working away to make a living for themselves or their families. Yet, even while staring at the rundown village, none of it appeared familiar in the least to Ashtyn. At the same time, however, there was some sense of familiarity. It was as if he had seen or been to the little village, but that couldn't have been right. It couldn't have been possible. As far as Ashtyn was concerned, he had never been to or set eyes on the tiny village until now. 

"Young Master, whe- oh, there you are." 

Another bout of confusion overtook Ashtyn, his eyes shifting and landing upon a young woman running towards him. She had the thick skirts of her gown hiked up enough so she wouldn't trip over them, revealing her white knee length stockings underneath them. From what he could see, she had a very elegant frame to her body. The young woman dainty and thin, but the frustration and relief that scrunched up her face in the oddest of ways. It was honestly the most unflattering look on anyone that he had ever seen within his life, and he had seen some stuff in his short twenty-three years. 

As she closed the distance between the two of them, Ashtyn was able to make out more of her features. 

Delicate blue eyes set into the gentle features that rested upon her face. A tiny button nose resting above her currently compressed thin lips. Each feature was evenly set upon her rounded face, which was framed by her straight brown hair. It cascaded down her back, appearing like a dark waterfall falling from the top of her head. A cream colored ribbon was set atop her head, matching the cream colored gown she was sporting. The whole thing made her look like a fragile porcelain doll, coming at him at full speed for reasons he wasn't aware of. 

"Young Master. . . you shouldn't. . . run off like that." 

The young woman spoke breathlessly, stopping directly in front of him to make her point that it was he whom she was addressing. 

Blue eyes shot straight up as the young woman forced her gown back down and smoothed the pale fabric out. The fiery glare she was giving him caused Ashtyn to tilt his head, completely oblivious as to what she was going on about. Was she referring to him as 'young master'? If so, she must have had the wrong person because he was no master to anything. He was just your average joe, trying to make a living for himself after the trauma he lived through back in highschool. 

"Oh, don't give me that look mister. You know exactly what I mean." 

Her arms crossed over her chest as if she was making a point. However, all it did was point out how highly accentuated her bosom was by the lift her corset gave her. 

Ashtyn made certain his eyes lingered upon her bright blue eyes, not her overly pushed up bosom. He didn't want to seem like a creep or a prude for staring inappropriately at a woman of any age, which despite her young appearance, she must have been older than he was to be calling him 'young'. 

"I'm sorry, but, do I know you?" 

Taken aback by the sudden question, the young brunette's shoulders dropped and her arms slowly unfurled from their crossed position. The narrowed glared she had been pinning Ashtyn with had quickly vanished and other emotions started to take root within her gaze. Within the glare's place, her features had softened sympathetically, but unmistakable worry flooded into her blue eyes like a breaking dam flooding a nearby town. 

"Okay, I know we had our arguments on the way through here, but that doesn't mean you need to pretend not to know me." 

Hurt began to mingle with the worry engulfing the young woman. She didn't think their argument had been that bad. It was nothing short of their typical spats, their differences of opinions starting their normal debates about things regarding the kingdoms. However, when Ashtyn had vanished from their carriage, her heart nearly stopped beating within her chest. All she did was turn away from him for two seconds out of frustration, when she turned back, he had all but vanished. The door to the carriage had even made a sound when he left, which made it even more odd of a situation. 

When Ashtyn didn't say anything and only stared up at her with the same confusion swirling within his glittering silver eyes, frustration and sudden desperation clutched at her like a tightening vice. Now she knew something was wrong. Had something happened while she was running around looking for him? They were close to the border, maybe he had gotten too close to the lingering miasma on the other side? He could have been attacked for all she knew, but he didn't look injured from what her roaming eyes could tell her. Actually, he looked like an over glorified peasant with the attire he was currently wearing. It was most definitely not the same flowing robes he had been wearing within the carriage before disappearing. 

"You really don't know who I am, do you?" 

Ashtyn slowly shook his head, answering the slow and quiet question presented to him. 

Sighing softly, the young woman tucked a strand of her dark brown hair behind one of her ears and raised her ocean blue eyes to look behind Ashtyn. They remained that way long enough for her to scan the distant treeline that spread out behind them for what seemed like miles. Nothing odd appeared to be coming from it, but it had obviously put the young woman on edge for some reason. 

Their gazes once more locked with one another's, the brunette before him squatting down so they were at eye level with one another. Her dress immediately poofed out around her, making it look as if she were sinking into the thick fabric. Her arms wrapped around what he could only assume was her knees, holding herself in place so she didn't fall backwards or in any other direction that may embarrass her. 

"Ashtyn, it's Mediline. It's Medi, you're betrothed." 

Shaking his head once more only elicited a groan of frustration to force its way out of Mediline. However, a panic was rising up within Ashtyn slowly, it was like a slow burn coursing through each part of him. He had a betrothed? 

His silver eyes followed Mediline as she shot back up onto her feet and immediately extended both of her hands out to him. As frustrated as she was, she couldn't leave him out there confused and as lost as he seemed. To her, Ashtyn reminded her of a lost puppy, searching for familiarity and some clarity to the situation and make sense of it all. Though, it was obviously failing on Ashtyn's part and she felt for him. 

"Come on, let's get you back to the palace and the doctor can take a look at you there." 

"Palace!?" 

Ashtyn's silver eyes went as wide as they could possibly go, his stomach dropping as if it were going to fall right out of his ass. Why to the palace? Why not anywhere else? Surely there had to be other doctors around that they could see. Why did he have to see a doctor anyways? He felt perfectly healthy, but to her, he apparently seemed very unwell for some reason. 

To a palace? He wasn't royalty, he wasn't anything special at that, he was just Ashtyn Nightingale. He was a nobody that only wanted to figure out what had happened to himself all those years ago. How was he going to do that if he was stuck in a palace, surrounded by guards that more than likely wouldn't allow him to leave without him trying to sneak away. 

Hanging her head once more, dark brown locks fell in front of her face like a dark veil. Mediline growled in frustration, done with playing any games that Ashtyn seemed to want to play with her. She wiggled her fingers frantically, urging Ashtyn to take hold of her hands. 

"Just take my hands and lets go home." 

"Okay, I'm sorry." 

Ashtyn apologized under his breath as he reached out with his free hand to take hold of Mediline's outstretched one. Hoisting himself to his feet with a slight grunt, he stretched out his legs for the first time since opening his eyes and steadied himself so he wouldn't sway from some minor fatigue that wanted to slip around him. Oddly enough, he felt light, yet wobbly at the same time. It was an odd sensation, but one he was trying to overcome. He wondered if this was how a toddler felt while learning how to walk for the first time. 

His thoughts snapped back to the present situation when he felt a hand swiping across his body for no apparent reason. When he looked to see what it was, Mediline was brushing stray blades of grass and tiny particles of dirt off of his clothing. 

"Geeze, you are covered in grass and dirt, and what are these clothes you're wearing?" 

What was wrong with his clothes? Ashtyn thought he looked just fine dressed the way he was. If he didn't, he wouldn't have gone out looking the way that he was. 

Before Ashtyn had a chance to fully question Mediline about everything happening, she was standing up straighter and pulling him off towards the village where he assumed their ride was awaiting them. His feet automatically began to follow after her, but even as they walked away from the fields, something was still bothering him. No, it wasn't so much bothering him, it was more of a niggling feeling as if someone was nearby and watching them. 

Glancing over his shoulder out of curiosity, Ashtyn allowed Mediline to lead him while his silver eyes scanned the area behind them. 

Trees that stretched out in every direction aside from the one they were going was all he saw. However, if he hadn't really been looking like he was, he was certain he would have missed the shadow darting back into the trees. Something was out there, but whether it was animal or human was yet to be determined. 

"What was that?" 

Ashtyn whispered, suspicion and curiosity twisting around his words. At the same time, it drew Mediline's attention from their current destination point. 

"What was what?" 

"Oh, nothing. I was just talking to myself is all. Didn't realize I was speaking aloud." 

Turning back around, Ashtyn met Mediline's gaze with a reassuring smile upon his lips. His cheeks had tinted in a soft, embarrassed blush that he easily could have blamed on the warmth of the sun. However, he wondered exactly how convincing his smile actually was, especially since Mediline was eyeing him with her own suspicious look. 

Instead of pressuring him on the matter anymore, Mediline nodded slowly a single time before turning back in the direction they were walking. As off as everything felt, she didn't want to overwhelm her future husband with questions until she found out if he was going to be okay.

"If you say so." 

The moment Mediline turned away from him and focused on getting back to the village, Ashtyn looked back over his shoulder towards the treeline in the distance. His eyes searched the shrinking area he had seen the mysterious figure darting around before disappearing from his view all together. However, he didn't see whatever it was, let alone anything else hanging around the treeline to indicate something had been here moments ago. 

"I guess it's gone, but what was it exactly?

**** **** **** ****

The carriage ride had been rather uneventful and rather nerve wracking, at least for Ashtyn it had been. Mediline on the other hand had taken the opportunity to chatter away about anything and everything she could possibly think of. Ashtyn had made out some of what she had been saying, basic scoldings, something about not going near the fields or the forest near them ever again. She had even gone so far as to tell him he couldn't go there even if he had guarded supervision. It seemed a little bit of an overkill, overly demanding and extremely controlling if one were to ask Ashtyn about it. 

Honestly, he didn't like being told what to do or being put on restrictions like this, not when he was very capable of taking care of himself. Not only that, but he saw no threats near that tiny village or in the fields that he couldn't take care of on his own. 

Well, even if a few of the local villagers had watched on with pitying and sympathetic glances that hid the greed and want that broke through the cracks in their gazes. 

Ashtyn blocked out most of what was being said, his main focus being that of the nearby landscapes and little houses that sprinkled the side of the road. 

The path they were taking was nothing but large stones and mud covered rocks that seemed to make traveling by carriage more difficult. Trees speckled the area, but for the most part, the lands were open and filled with fields of grass and golden dandelions. Small huts with occupants dressed and raggedy old tunics or browning cut off pants seemed to be the norm, a few passing by here and there. A couple had owned a few horses or a cow, more than likely their way of making a living out in the countryside. Peace was one of the biggest things that Ashtyn had noticed in the outdoors. There were no car horns, no cell phones ringing off the hook, no one was shouting at someone to get out of their way. It was only nature and the peaceful enjoyment of those who had the pleasure of doing so. 

This was nothing like it was back home. 

While his gaze was fixated on all that was outside of the carriage, Ashtyn made quick work of ignoring the cold looks he was garnering from Mediline. He was in awe of the open surrounding, but nothing compared to when they reached the towering palace and the forest seemed to once more close in on them. 

The palace was magnificently large with a stone wall that was just as big as the basic structures around the palace. It was obvious the stone wall with its iron gates was meant to keep things out, rather than let some bandit come in and rummage the place. Towers that stood tall and proud within the sky could  be seen way above the trees, their coned tops staring down at the ground below. It gave the castle such a menacing appearance, he was surprised that they allowed that design when it was built. Maybe he could have some changes done, make the palace more of a welcoming place. 

Multiple smaller buildings could be seen speckling the palace's main property, spread out on both the left and right sides. They were surely made as housing for those that worked in the palace, that way they wouldn't have to worry about staying in the palace itself and have some form of freedom. Others he was certain had been for barn animals or the storage of crops and other fine goods, somewhere where things could easily be found and gotten to when the time came. The place was glorious in every aspect and Ashtyn couldn't believe this was the home that Mediline was speaking of back when they first met in the fields. 

As the carriage ride was finally coming to an end, they went through the set of wrought iron gates and slowly pulled up to the main door of the palace. They stopped within the front courtyard, a singly large, marbled fountain sat at its center spewing crystal clear water from the mouth of three flopping stone fish. The design was definitely interesting, but it could have been better placed and maybe something more beautiful than fish out of water having been designed. 

Things began to move rather quickly the moment they stopped, footsteps coming around to the side of the carriage and reminding him he wasn't in some fairy tale land. He needed to remain aware of everything, keep his guard up so he wasn't blindsided by whatever world he had fallen into. 

"Fetch the doctor and have him meet us up in the Young Master's chambers. He isn't feeling well right now." 

Mediline hadn't even opened the door to the carriage yet, instead, she had yelled out the window to a couple of the nearby guards awaiting them to disembark from their ride. In fact, it was someone else that had opened the carriage door just as Mediline barked out her orders. A footman that couldn't have been more than five foot five stood off to the side, one hand remaining on the door at all times while the other was extended to aid in stepping down from the carriage. 

"Wait, I'm fine. I promise you I am, couldn't we just walk around for a moment so I can catch my bearings and maybe. . . talk?" 

A rush of panic quickly flowed through Ashtyn as Mediline stopped halfway out of the carriage door, one foot on the step and a hand on the handle within the door. Her other hand was carefully placed within the footman's that was helping her down, but her gaze slowly turned to look at him. 

Ocean blue eyes pinned Ashtyn back into his seat, narrowed and glaring as if he were no more than a mere child getting scolded for doing something wrong. The look had his heart stopping, only to start up once more and begin racing. He thought it was going to explode with as dangerous of a look Mediline was giving him. 

"No, you're going to be seen by the doctor. Especially with the way you're acting and the way I found you dressed out in that field." 

Ashtyn could have swore she was making a way bigger fuss over the situation than was needed. It wasn't like he was found out in the field running around in his birthday suit. No, he had been completely clothed and was just laying there, enjoying the sun and calm that the field had to offer. 

Then again, he still didn't know how he had gotten there. 

Flipping her dark brown hair over her shoulder at the same time that she turned away from Ashtyn, Mediline stepped out of the carriage and took a couple steps forward to make room for the young master to exit. Her attention, however, landed on the few guards standing off to the side, an authoritative tone rising into her usually sweet voice as she spoke to the group; 

"I want a guard on the Young Master at all times. Don't let him out of your sight for a second, not till we know what is going on." 

A round of 'yes ma'ams' echoed throughout the courtyard in unison, each guard that had been addressed answering as they were expected. Ashtyn could hear each and every one of them followed by the sounds of a single footsteps working their way to the other side of the carriage door. The sound kicked Ashtyn's brain into gear, getting it to work as it finally should have. He bolted from his cushioned seat and the safety he found within the carriage and made his way right for the door. 

"Come on, can't we wait at least before seeing the doctor? Medi!?" 

Ashtyn jumped out of the carriage, ignoring the step all together and the hand that was offered to him by the footman, stumbling a little as his feet hit the hard stone beneath him. Managing to catch himself before he ever face planted and embarrassed himself, he got his feet moving and jogged to catch up with Mediline. He hoped that he could persuade her to change her mind. However, he had a feeling that was going to be a failure no matter how had he tried, but he was still going to try regardless. 

Both the soldier that was meant to guard Ashtyn and the footman who had been awaiting the chance to aid the young master out of the carriage slowly turned a confused gaze onto one another. They had no idea what was going on or if they should even intervene in the matter, especially with what they had seen just now. 

"He seemed well enough to me, aside from his sudden change in attire and the personality difference. I see no reason why he would need the doctor unless something happened we aren't being told." 

The guard had stated, confusion turning to curiosity as he looked back towards the palace where the young master and his betrothed were disappearing inside. 

"Who knows, but the madame may only be worried about his health regardless, if nothing more." 

A single shrug was shared between the two men, figuring it best to remain on the sidelines and let the doctor take a look. It couldn't hurt, especially if they wanted a clean bill of health. 

Without hesitating any further, the guard turned away from the carriage and followed after Ashtyn and his future bride while the tiny footman closed the carriage door and returned himself to his duties.