I shivered away that memory, refusing to let it carve itself into my brain, mentally thanking myself for looking away before things got creepier. Didn't take too much work, the vision instantly evaporates like air once I entered the palace itself, shimmering polished objects encrusted with deep gold, statues and monuments glossing by the rays of the lights.

As if I walked into Heaven itself, the outside only scratched the surface. My reflection can be seen at the Black and gold tiles of the floor, twin spiral staircases that leads up to six levels of the castle with one lonely door at the very top.

Tiana. My heart soars, the highest door in the whole place. That's the one, that's her room.

Butlers and maids tending to their work occasionally sending us soft smiles and nods, acknowledging only our presence and us being children and not the horrid smell we emanate from our bodies nor the obvious malnourishment. They saw us as children, beings that are meant to be tended to and guarded, but were failed.

Guided to the very center in the palace we stood under a strange light, "Please wait here" the man instructs, a tight smile on his lips before he bows, heading towards a weird door camouflaged in the walls, it spirals open before repositioning itself closed.

My first time ever standing in such fine spaces, amongst the finest riches and etiquettes of rare qualities. The walls decorated with strange multicolored jewels, jewels not even the internet has heard of I bet. Though I was surrounded by all of the wealthiest assets, it still didn't satisfy this strange emptiness in my chest, a hollow feeling as if something was missing, and it was.

Of all things in the palace, the heart was missing, Tiana.

My eyes move up to find the room, Charlotte dancing and playing hopscotch in the background incapable of keeping still, as long as she left me alone she could do whatever. It was strange how of all the floors leading up, that row was the darkest and gloomiest, as if light itself eludes it.

All in all, I wished the man lied to us, I wished what he said was only a joke and that she is here in the palace now, in her room and would open that door to see me standing at the bottom waiting to see her eyes again.

Even if I tried, I couldn't stay away.

Just before a blinked away I catch what appears to be a shadow ducking down hastily, so quick I had to a double take In case My eyes were deceiving me, was someone there?

"Look Nasir!" Charlotte squeals in the background. A shocking tone of voice that startles me from whatever deep stare and I whip my head towards her in curiosity.

"It's a chandelier" She cheeses, dramatically pointing upwards to the ceiling. Irritation sets its course in my system before I breathed out cooly reminding myself to act accordingly.

"Charlotte" I breathed, "I thought you were in danger, stop shouting. I am right next to you." Mentally I count backwards resting my heart rate, bad enough she is now my responsibility and I must see to it she makes it home alright.

Her beaming gaze softens, distantly she stares into my eyes processing my words, You were worried about me?" she questions softly.

"We came here together," I shrugged, "We need to leave together cause I won't leave you behind. now what did you want to show me?"

Ivory arms slowly descends, a sorrowful look in her eyes before she smiles graciously, "The Chandelier" she sniffles, face crimson. "The dancing stars on the ground is coming from that chandelier."

It's no wonder I thought the floor was sparkling, I glanced around to everything in the palace but the ceiling itself. Just up above us was a massive chandelier, like a bright star it starts off mini at the center but blooms symmetrically like a dim silverish flower, like staring at a glacier iceberg it was mounted high up in the ceiling, twirling it's mini diamonds. Indeed projecting what looks like dancing stars on the ground.

Fascination sparks my interest, the whole walls were decorated with art, heavenly battles and strange quotes of a different language, angles triumphing over demons and demons triumphing over angels, but one looked oddly creepier than the rest, hidden in the darkest parts of the golden color by the entrance door.

A design of what looks like an angel descending from heaven, another image beside it was the same Angel cutting off his wings, the next is what shows him in agony, blood leaking from his mouth, with each image my brows only furrowed deeper in fear. The Angle than grows a tail and horns from his head, than the very last is him smiling; deformed and half human holding what looks like a red spear, a background of angry fire with burning bodies in the lakes of lava, a horrid design following down the wall.

Curiosity than peaks my interests, it seems the painting isn't done; they still follow until it curves at the wall to another dining center. I hold my breath to something ominous, did it just get quiet?

"Hey Charlotte?" I whispered keeping close to her.

"Yea" she whispers back.

Peering around to the empty halls on each side, "Where did everyone go?"

Suddenly footsteps stomp together in a marching rhythm, coming in multiples. Charlotte quickly flings to me and we both watch as figures emerge from a hallway, black clothed figures, faces hidden from view, aside them were three maids and a butler who adjusts his arms to remain in the air. White gloves snuggled around his hands, Charlotte's fingers tightened around my shirt and since our encounter I wasn't bothered by it, at least I knew she was close.

None of them acknowledge us, in fact walking by as if we didn't exist. One destination and they were headed straight for a door, once again camouflaged in the walls, where I saw the first drawing of the painting.

"Nasir?"

We shake from a sudden baritone voice, only we seemed to be affected by the sound whilst the figures continued onwards until they finally disappeared within. From the shadows the man steps out, the same man that brought us, eyes empty and stoic looking straight ahead, as if he is having a reboot in life.

"The king will see you now young Nasir." I noticed his hands weren't gloved, I thought they always had to keep it on. At first they looked as if he clenched his fingers into a fist, bet when he raised a palm to guide us to a room Charlotte gasped seeing what I saw.

All his fingers had been cut off from the knuckle bone. But he touched us? I felt them move, didn't he use it to guide the horses?

"Come Charlotte" I swallowed grabbing her hand, Before taking a step we stopped to the hand motion of the butler.

"I'm sorry sir Nasir, the king will see you only. Company will await in our kitchen where she can dine to her heart's content while you are in the king's company."

I haven't known Charlotte for more than six hours and I didn't want her to part from me, especially now since I feel something sketchy going on. My hands tightened protectively around her wrists. "If I am to speak to the king, I want my friend there by my side for it all. Sir"

This act of bravery is what's digging my grave, but we are all destined for a coffin soon in life, what was the point.

The man's jaw clenched, "No young Nasir, the king orders for company to remain in the dining hall until conversation ends."

Charlotte whimpers lowly beside me hiding her frame, "It's ok Nasir, I'll be fine. I'll go eat some of that pork." A tight smile with glossy eyes.

"No, just -"

"It's ok Nasir," she stepped in closer to my frame, our lips mere inches from each other as she whispered. "We are not on our grounds and were outnumbered, the last thing we want is to start something we can't finish. I will be alright."

Spoken like a true warrior, I had to move back a bit just to make sure this was really her and not some joke, intent blue eyes with a stern face. I nod, "If anything happens, don't wait for me. You run and don't stop until you are free alright?"

"If anything happens I will go and find you and make sure that we both leave together" she says. "We came here together, we are leaving together." She used the same sentence.

I couldn't deny the smile stretching on my lips until the Man besides us clears his throat, out of the hallway an elderly woman approaches, a genuine smile stretched on her lips as she reached out for Charlotte, we nod in one last agreement and she was in hand with the maid headed for the dining room.

"This way now Young Nasir." The man says stepping aside.

I glanced over to the dining hall one last time, Charlotte was gone.

***

The walls were so unordinary, no paintings nor any gold dark colors but a row of bright blue light bulbs hanged up on a string. The steep staircases gave me tunnel vision and I found moments where I thought I missed a step, nearly falling face down hadn't it been for the Butlers quick catch.

"Careful Young Nasir" he chuckles. "The King would behead me if I resented him to you injured" he chuckles before gravely swallowing. "Just down this way."

The deeper we walked in the darker the atmosphere got, so secluded and silent, a silence so overwhelming it would drive one mad, because with those, your thoughts scream louder.

"Just that door down there." baritone voice rumbles my bones but leaves no echo, perhaps it is because I was too close?

My eyes spot a Woodened door frame at the very end, hallways appeared narrow but then again it could have been my sudden tunnel vision.

"I will be out here Young Nasir, please let me know if you require anything" he nods, pausing to return to a stiff position, at ease like a soldier not uttering another word.

I sigh cooly, calming my racing heart, so far being here in the palace is not all it has cooped up to be, but regardless it was better than the one I called home. Speaking of home, how would my father react knowing I am about to sit before the king, surrounded by gold and expensive assets. But to his dismay won't touch a surface of any of it.

The temperature on the other side of the door freezes my lungs, why so cold? a hammering in my butt but forced myself to think like a man.

"Come in Nasir."

Said a powerful baritone voice on the other side of the door just as I was mid air raising my hand to knock. Was I thinking too loudly? how did they know I was out there?

Rusty door knob twists open with a ear clenching creak, room engulfs in darkness but lits u to my presence. A mere office, warm compared to the hallway, different designs of red and brown, a bear rug on the floor, stuffed animal heads hung on the wall. Cherry woodend high desk with the back of a dark red swivel chair, I know someone was in here, I can feel their heat or maybe that was the fire place.

"Nasir," A voice says shaking me from my wonderment. "Or young Nasir my butler says. Either way it is my pleasure to meet you" chair maneuvers around on cue revealing the face of the man himself, the King.

Starstrucked and frozen, I gaze at his deep copper complexion, the gold of his earring's standing out, a man surely to be in his late forties and yet the natural barrier of his skin prevents any damage leaving a radiance of youth in his appearance.

"Nasir?" he questions, he rumbling voice shakes me to the core. tongue tied, I nod.

The king's face muscles relaxes, a clean cut brow raises in concern and annoyance, "I heard you speak before young man, have you decided to keep mute?"

"N-no, no I'm sorry sir" I croaked, still stunned to see him. Even as he sits the power he radiates is astronomical.

"There we go" he smiles waving a hand for me to sit. "Please excuse the mess, I figured we could meet here since I am having a ... Ceremony tonight."

Comfortably I sit sinking into the cushions, "It's an honor to meet you sir" i cheesed, a giggity feeling leaving me restless, I have always known of him, he visits he town every so often. But this interaction was different this is Tiana's father I am speaking with, a good impression is all I can leave with him.

"Nonsense, the pleasure is all mine." He waves, fire dancing behind him with popping sparks, "I have actually been wanting to sit with you ever since that day." He says leaning in, resting his elbows on his desk to interlock his long calloused fingers.

"Yes, sir I wanted to meet you too."

"Oh, and I why is that" he sings with a smirk.

Shoot, have I said too much, "I- I uh" I debate on what to say, what if Tiana sneaks out to see me and her father never knew?

He roars in laughter at my stutters, "It is alright son, I know of your adventures with my daughter, you are all she speaks about when she is at the palace. 'Please take me to the field, or please invite him over so we can never stop playing' she'd say around the house".

A wave of warmth rushes through me leaving tingles at all ends of my fingertips, I feel my face heat up and I force away the smile creeping in, she thinks about me when were away? I stare distantly smiling at nothing in particular forgetting I am in the presence of her father, the king. How rude to blush at his daughter like this. yet he doesn't interrupt, watching me very intently.

"You are all she talks about, it's a shame she couldn't be here, during my ceremonies I prefer it when she was away until things settle down."

Things?

"Look son, I know it is getting late and I won't keep you. I was shocked when my butler tells me he even brought you along. I'll admit I wasn't too happy at first hearing she had been playing with someone I have never met, I was planning on cutting the friendship that day until I saw how you protected her. That was interesting, almost as if you didn't care what happened to you as long as she came unscathed."

He was right, I wasn't even thinking.

"Let me ask you something. Forgive me for my bluntness but why? she has guards in every corner and shadow, she is never alone no matter how the situation, even when you think it is just the two of you, there are twelve men hidden in the bushes watching for any danger."

I nod.

"So why would you put yourself on the line? when you don't have the same kind of connection?" he questions furrowing his brows deeply.

Not even I knew the answer, It never occured to me at that fact, obviously the Princess is never alone but why put myself in harms way? "I don't know sir, it just ... I ... It's on instinct. She is my best friend, I can never let anything happen to her." I smiled.

"Hmmm, I see. Well young man, what if I told you she was in grave danger?"

My heart froze.