"Mommy! Mommy! Look what I found." My shiny ruby boots crunch the leaves on the forest floor as I run to my mom.
My strawberry blond hair is like a flaming, beautiful mess when the sun hits it. My cheery yellow trench coat flaps in the warm spring breeze. Brown eyes bright with eagerness as five year old me bubbles over with excitement to show mom what I have discovered.
"Hey, bumblebee!" My dad picks me up and spins me around. My gleeful giggles lights up the forest.
"What have you got there?" He ask, plopping me down on our picnic blanket.
I hide the object behind my back and give him a funny face- sticking out my tongue playfully.
"Guess."
Mom smiles on while dad tries to think of what my secret object could be. He makes over-the-top, extravagant faces trying to ponder what I'm hiding. Finally he takes a guess.
"Could it be a...fairy!"
"Nope."
"Perhaps a beautiful, golden crown?"
"Na-uh."
He tries a third time. "I got it! A lovely little pony."
I giggle, "I can't fit a pony in my hand."
"Then what could it be?" He smiles back at me.
Slowly I open my hand and reveal a transparent stone, no larger than my big toe. It was chipped a little, but the surface was overall smooth.
"I found it in the river." My high pitched, baby voice said. I hand it to mom, who inspects the gem.
"Oh this is beautiful Mallory. Thats very rare." She gives it back to me with a kind smile on her face. "You should keep this, it might mean good luck."
I stare at the stone in a newfound awe. Quickly tucking it into my pocket I then lean against my mom's leg. She strokes my hair tenderly and hums a pleasant tune. Between that and the sound of dad's pencils as they scratch across the page, I soon drift off into a blissful slumber.
A smile spreads across my face. The sun warming my face, I'm wrapped in the gentle smell of lemongrass and the whimsical forest air.

I fade out of the dream as quickly as I had faded into it. My eyes are greeted to the golden, morning sun rays shining through the tall arched windows. The room is definitely brighter than it was last night, but it's also more inviting with the light than last night.
Sitting up, I survey the room. The fire in the fireplace has completely burned out, leaving nothing but charred remains of wood.
I turn to look over at Xalale, who's still asleep.
"I guess even the most threatening people appear peaceful in their sleep." I usually toss and turn all night- constantly in motion. Xalale on the other hand doesn't stir at all. While my hair is whipped all about, his is still in place. "Some people have all the luck."
I lay back down, staring up at the top of the canopy. I'm already wide awake, but the bed is just too comfortable to leave, besides, every time I get up to face a new day, I just get pounded with a new, more difficult task to complete.
Unfortunately for me, lying in a bed staring up at a canopy waiting for the minutes to tick by, is not my strong suit. I soon grow restless and try to entertain myself with a made up game. I have to name as many things that rhyme with the last word I think of.
"Apple...babble...cattle...dabble...urm? Starting over. Ate...bait..cate. Can I even use people's name? Ok, one more time. Ant..bant-er?" I fortunately don't have to finish my pitiful game as Xalale begins to wake up.
"Morning."
I don't know why, but I can't look at him at all. I try to act natural and push back my hair.
"Morning."
"How did you sleep?" I can tell he's looking at me, but I refuse to meet his gaze.
"Fine."
It was nice to see that our usual awkward conversations were back. Started to miss those, you know.
"How are you feeling?"
I shrug. "My head feels like its underwater, but I think that's the wine wearing off. How 'bout you?"
"Better than yesterday."
"Stop making it so awkward and stiff." I scold myself.
"Mallory."
"What?" This time I do turn my head towards him. His eyes have that intense gaze to them. I want to look away but ignore the urge.
"Nothing."
I couldn't help myself from rolling my eyes and saying, "That is the most annoying thing."
"What?"
"Nothing."
He smiles at me- that's the second time he has done that- but just like the first time, it quickly fades away.
"I need to get ready." He says, already climbing out of bed.
I watch as he goes about getting ready. My mind drifts back to the pleasant memory of my dream that ended too quickly for me. An ache rips through my heart as I dwell on my home, my parents, my sweet, carefree childhood. As I'm thinking on these thoughts, an old one comes to mind.
"Xalale." My voice is barely above a whisper, but he instantly stops and turns his attention to me. I wait three heartbeats before continuing. "You remember that old man yesterday and...and what he said about some dark magic threatening the kingdom?"
He tenses up, but responds. "Yes. What about it?"
I do my usual bad habit of biting my lip.
"He said that you could stop this dark magic from destroying everything, but it has to be retained by someone who possesses magic like it. If you could just use it to-"
"No."
It was so sharp and cold that I was momentarily stunned.
"I don't understand why you don't want to. You can save so many people if you just tried." I could hear the frustration in my voice growing. All he had to do was use something that comes naturally to him and everyone would be saved. I might even be able to return home.
At the same time I was beginning to get frustrated, Xalale was starting to become defensive.
"There's another way to solve this problem."
"What if there's not another way?" I ask.
He gives me a cold look then turns away from me. "The answer is no."
"So you're just going to let your people suffer and die because of your selfishness?" I'm sure the cold look he gave to me could be matched by my own. The room carried a tense silence to it. Finally as he heads to the door about to leave he stops to say to me.
"Don't tell me how to run my kingdom Mallory. I will find another way to stop this threat."
I'm surprised at how icy my own response is.
"I'll stop telling you how to run your kingdom the moment you start acting like a king instead of a tyrant."
The door slams so hard that I can feel the vibrations through the bed. I bury my face in the pillow, and decide to take the advice of my 5th grade teacher, and scream as loud as I can. Letting out all of the pent up frustration.

I return to my room to rummage through the draws and find my necklace. The pendant of the necklace is nearly converted to stone. Inspecting the ring, I discover that the shank is almost fully stone.
"I need help with this."
I got dress quickly and attempted to do something with my wild hair. I figured Shaykh already passed by my room, but left when I wasn't there.
After getting prepared, I return to the gloomy library where I start up my search again. I check on the journal to see if it's still there and breathe a sigh of relief when it is. Like yesterday, nothing seems to stand out or yield useful information about the topic of magic. Surprising seeing how this world is made up of so much of it. The closest I get is a heavy textbook-like volume about the structure of this world and the universe.
It explains the balance between light and dark, the origins of the light and dark, how the light works and how the dark works. But nothing specific about the magic involved with the light or dark.
I'm pouring over the seventh chapter when an idea hits me. I leave the library and go scurrying the halls, looking for someone specific. A guard lingering in the halls is exactly what I'm searching for.
"Hey you."
The guard stops marveling at the wall of paintings and gives me a weary look. I wave him forward and motion for him to join me in a small office. Once he's inside I close the door behind us and start talking in a low voice.
"I need a favor." I tell him. "Can you deliver a message for me?"
He looks at me unsure if he should answer.
"It's dire." I plead, hoping it'll win him over.
"I- I don't think I should miss...who would you want me to deliver it to?"
I drop my voice even lower. "A young woman named Sephora. I don't know where she lives but if you could ask around, people might know."
"I'm sorry miss, but I only work on the king's orders."
He seems like younger guard. His face isn't completely hardened like the other guards are.
"This message is very important. Please." I try pleading some more, but then add. "You know it's safer out there than it is in here."
I didn't even have to explain that statement for him any further. His loyal exterior faltering a little. Finally my statement makes the full impact I wanted and he gives me a feeble nod.
"You want me to deliver a message to a young woman by the name Sephora. What exactly should I say to her?"
"Just tell her, the girl not from here is requesting her help."
"And if she ask me who the message is from, what shall I say?"
I bite my lip, thinking for a second before replying. "M."
He gives a firm head nod and we exit the office. I thank him as he begins to head down the hall. My nerves are beginning to ease up a bit. The message is being delivered and Sephora should be arriving tomorrow, hopefully.
With my work done, I decide to return to the library to investigate that book a bit more. As I head back I cross paths with Shaykh.
"Hey. Sorry I wasn't in my room this morning." I greet her with a smile, but it fades once I take in her anxious face. "Shaykh, what's wrong?"
She's wringing her hands as she approaches me, concern plastered across her face as clear as day.
"Mallory, I think you need to go to the throne room."
"Huh? What, why?"
"We have to hurry." She takes my hand and we head down to the throne room. She won't answer any of my questions which is making me uneasy.
"Shaykh, what's going on?"
"I heard her say your name and- and they're in great danger." She wasn't even making sense.
We stop at the doors to the throne room. Shaykh says she can't go any further, but tells me I have to go inside. I know on the other side of that door I'll see Xalale and after this morning he's the last person I want to see, but Shaykh's urgent pleading gets me to agree and I finally enter the throne room.
The first person I notice is Xalale, who doesn't seem to be in an improved mood. But the two people standing before him are the ones I take interest in. The girl is ghost pale and shaking like a leave, clutching onto an older teenage boy who is bent over, wiping the blood from where a sword gazed his cheek.
A flurry of emotions overtakes me as I watch them cower in fear. I finally find my voice and call out Elle's name.
She turns around towards me. Her tear stained face lights up momentarily upon spotting me.
"Mallory!"
Coxen straightens up at the sound of my name and also turns around, astonished to see me. I race over to Elle and envelop her in a hug.
"I don't even know what to say right now." I say in her ear. Holding her, I can feel how hard she's trembling. Pulling back, her eyes move all around taking in my face again. I can tell she wants to ask as many questions as I do, but neither of us speaks. I still can't believe they're here.
Our touching moment is over the minute Xalale strikes Coxen again, sending him writhing in pain as he covers his arm. Elle returns to her brother's side, but is met with a kick in the gut. I watch horrified before acting.
"Stop!" I step in between Xalale and my friends. This was beginning to become an all too common theme that I was scared was going to end up badly for me one day.
"Mallory, what are you doing here? I didn't call for you."
"You don't tell me where I can and can't be." I snap back. I see our argument from this morning was beginning to start up again- how pleasant.
"This is my house."
"And these are my friends."
I regained my frustrated attitude that I left behind in the bedroom. Xalale's defensive behavior and his short fuse was not something that should be mixing with my anger at this point. The tension was like a tight cord being strained to its breaking point.
"This does not concern you."
"What have they done?" My volume was increasing steadily.
"They have threatened my authority."
"How!? How can two people threaten someone who clearly has the advantage over them?"
He's pissed at me, but he doesn't make a move. My eyes are daring him to do something and I can tell he wants to but he instead backs off. I catch my breath.
"Arrest them."
Before I can react, Elle and Coxen are ripped away from me by two guards. Elle's terrified expression returns as well as her ghost pale complexion. The heavy stone doors slam shut before I can follow after them. Even if I wanted to follow them, Xalale is already gripping my wrist.
"Why do keep fighting against me?" There's still hostility in his voice, but there's also a real question behind it as well.
I yank my hand free from his grip and scowl. "Because, everything you're doing is something I don't agree with. You keep hurting people for no reason."
"That's just it Mallory. You don't know the whole picture."
"Well that's why I keep trying to find the pieces." I walk away over to the windows, staring out of the glass and into the tranquil valley beyond.
Xalale follows me over but doesn't say anything. My anger begins to fade away as quickly as it had come.
"I don't have all the pieces but I need them all to make the big picture." I think to myself.
"Don't hurt them." I'm not facing him but the command is to him.
"I do what I please."
I turn to face him. "Do not hurt them." My voice is as hard as my stare.
He doesn't say any in response, but turns and leaves the throne room. He clearly hasn't calmed down completely and needs to be left alone.
I linger by the windows for a few more minutes before heading out of the room and making my way to the dungeon. As much as I hate the place, I needed to make sure Elle and Coxen were alright.
Traveling down the spiral stairs, I'm stopped by a guard at the bottom.
"I need to see the two new prisoners." I tell him, using my most authoritative voice.
The man gives me a cold look. "Do you have the king's permission to do so?"
"No, but it won't please him to find out that you declined my request."
My strategy works and the guard's tough stare begins to falter. He finally cracks and leads me to the cells where they're being kept.
Elle gives me a relieved look the moment she sees me. Coxen, in an adjacent cell, is lying on the floor, grumbling about some pain in his back.
As the guard walks away, Elle dashes to the bars and I reach for her outstretched hand. She looks seconds away from falling apart.
"Oh Elle! I'm so sorry I let this happen."
"None of this is your doing Mallory. You saved us from a more deadly fate."
Her hand is shaking in my grasp. Coxen crawls over to us, reaching through his bars to grab Elle's other hand. It must be hard for them to be separated from each other in such a scary time.
"What happened? How did you guys get dragged here?" I want to know answers so desperately at this point.
Coxen clears his throat and speaks up.
"Well after you were taken and half of the village was set on fire, everything was a frenzy. The storage house was burnt to the ground so we were beginning to rebuild it. People are on high alert and are weary about there being another attack. After the attack I was angry and for good reason. I started trying to build a resistance again the king and I guess I got reckless and got found out." He sighs and leans against the bars. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this Elle. You were the only one that stood by my side this entire time and- and I failed you."
Elle squeezes his hand. "You didn't fail me Coxen. I will always stand by your side no matter what."
It's moments like these where I wished I had a sibling. Someone to stand by me so I don't always feel alone.
"This is all of my fault guys. If I just went along with the program then your village wouldn't be half destroyed."
"Mallory, we don't blame you for what happened." Coxen says firmly.
"We don't." Elle reaffirms softly.
"It's everything that he's doing." Coxen hisses. "The king. He kills innocent people without thinking about the value of their lives."
"That's why we're so surprised to see you here." Elle says, her voice cracks as she continues. "We thought- we thought you would be- be-"
Coxen shakes his head, cutting her off. "That doesn't matter now that we know you're alive."
I look at both of them. "I don't know what he's going to do, but I need to get you out of here."
"How?" He ask.
"I don't know, but I'll figure something out."
"Come with us." Elle pleads. "We can all escape and we'll finish our promise to you about getting you home."
I don't know how, but my heart soared and sank at the same time.
"I can't. Leave that is."
This time they both give me a incredulous look. "Why?"
"I- I just can't at this time, but I promise I'll get you both out of here safely."
I can hear the guard approaching us. I spent too much time here, I needed to go but, Elle still has my hand in her grip.
"Mallory, we can all escape together, safely. Please don't stay here, please don't stay with him."
I gave her an apologetic look, but reclaim my hand. "I'm sorry. I'll be back soon."
Getting up, I walk past the guard and head up the stairs, out of the dungeon. My heart is torn. I want to go with them, but I still have things that need to be sorted out here. And they wouldn't understand.