~When getting to the 3rd and 4th chapters, that's usually when the ideas for action and adventure start kicking in. So I had a lot of ideas for this chapter, but it'll get more intense in the upcoming chapters. Hope you guys are liking it so far!~                                                                              —TazTree

Kings have a natural loud voice. They usually don't need to speak so loudly to announce something or express their emotions. But the King today yelled the loudest the people in the castle ever heard.

"WHAT?" the King bellowed.

The guard gulped. "Marvin Graydown, your M-Majesty."

"How? HOW? THE GRAYDOWNS SHOULD NOT BE ALIVE NOW! EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM CEASE TO EXIST!" 

Arine winced at the words. It seemed like a huge threat to feel the need for a whole generation of people to die. 

Arine looked around the room. Everyone else looked stung by the name 'Graydown' and the King's loud voice. 

The King then took a few seconds to compose and calm himself. He squared his bony shoulders. "Where is this Graydown? Have you tried to find him?"

The guard bit his lip. "You see...the thing is that only certain people can find him." 

The King raised an angry eyebrow.

"His ma-uh, specialty makes him visible to some." 

The King was silent for a long while. The guard was starting to shake, and so were Arine's legs. The King sighed and muttered "Nothing is special about them." 

He ordered everyone to go back to their rooms and the workers to get back to their jobs. The King walked to Erik, whispered something, and left. Everyone proceeded to exit the room except Arine and Erik. Erik turned towards Arine. "Aren't you going back to your room?"

"I-uh-I actually wanted to talk to you." Arine said nervously. With all the news they heard, Arine wasn't sure if Erik would talk to her, much less the topic being about what they all learned.

"What honor do I have to get your attention?" Erik teased.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about the Graydowns."

Erik's pleasant smile faded away. "Oh. Them."

"Yes. Them." Arine repeated.

Erik's mouth turned to a tight line. "Come then. Let's sit."

Arine followed Erik as they reached the empty dining room.

"Why here?" Arine asked.

"There's a table and chairs for 2, right?" Erik replied with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"More of chairs for 20 but understood."

They both sat down on one of the seats and faced each other.

"So what do you want to know?" he asked, picking at the cuffs of his yellow and blue pressed noble outfit.

"Why does father depise the Graydowns so much?" Arine questioned.

"They are a family of dark magic," Erik started. "Well, the magic they had wasn't bad, it was the way they used it. Have you—" he looked at Arine's sharp green eyes. "Read the HISTORY OF SEASONS?"

Arine nodded. "I saw it in the library. It said that there are families with so much power that they could change the seasons into anything. And it also said that the Graydowns were gone from this world."

"That is correct." Erik confirmed.

"But now..."

"But now we know that isn't fully accurate." Erik finished.

Arine shifted her gaze to the walls of the castle. It was still shocking to process what she learned, what everyone learned really.

"Having trouble letting everything sink in?" Erik inquired.

"Yes," Arine made a tiny smile. "It's quite unimaginable."

"Indeed." Erik agreed.

They both didn't talk for a while.

"There are other families with dark magic like that. Why did my father only mention the Graydowns?" Arine asked.

Erik ran his hand over his brown hair. "They have affected him more...personally. Your great-grandparents died when the King was 7 years old. He believes that the Graydowns did something to kill them, like steal their crops but I'm not certain." 

"Steal their crops?" Arine repeated.

"As I said, I'm not certain." Erik shrugged.

"Well, what do you think of them."

"I don't exactly have an opinion on them. I know as the King's Right Hand I should despise them, but it isn't certain how they were killed. The King's parents died a few years before you were born, and he suspects the Graydowns set some sort of curse on his family."

"Does that-does that mean I'll die of that curse?" Arine whispered. 

Erik said nothing. 

"Erik?"

"No," he shook his head. "The curse is highly unlikely. You know your father, sometimes having insane explanations to things and not believing the truth, no matter how normal or crazy."

"Okay."

Arine's hands twisted around each other.

"Anything else?"

Arine looked up at him. "Oh just one more."

"Ask away."

"What did the traveling guard mean when he said only certain people can find him?"

"To find Marvin?" he put his hand on his chin, a thoughtful expression on him. "It's quite a mystery. I suppose it means that someone knows where to find him."

"Just know? How?" Arine pushed. 

"Again, it's a mystery. Instinct? That's the only thing I can think of," Erik said, mildly annoyed. "That was your last question? I need to go."

"Yes, that's it. Thank you."

They both stood up. Erik ruffled her hair. Arine smiled. Erik felt like a brother to her.

"Go back to your room now Ari." Erik instructed.

Arine gave a thumbs up and left.

...............................

For many days Arine did not go outside at night to see her garden. It didn't stop her from thinking of ways to get past the guards.

In fact, it was what she did every night. Of course, most of her plans were wild and would never work. She couldn't pretend to be anyone— no one was allowed to go out. She couldn't just hope the guards wouldn't see her if she went through the main doors. She definitely couldn't magically change into an ant and crawl there.

The only method, that was a horrible idea, was to climb down her window. Sure, her window was out of sight from any people or guards. But it was risky, she could lose her balance and fall. And that could cause injuries. And how well could Arine really climb down?

She tried to push the temptation away, but it was urging. Risk your life for a garden? Sure! There was more to it than that. Arine couldn't name it exactly but she knew it was a special place for her. 

Arine folded her knees and hugged them tightly to her chest. She just wanted to be outside now, more than anything. When she went out last time, it didn't really feel chilly. It was...warm. So she wouldn't get cold...

Arine finally surrendered her common sense to stay put and instead started unfolding herself and getting up. She took out appropriate footwear for climbing from her drawer and took out a cloak from her closet. 

She put the 2 items on and slid open her window. A cool breeze came, making her more convinced to climb down. Slowly, Arine put one foot out the window, holding the window frame tightly for support. Her foot held onto the rough material on the walls. She put her second foot out on the wall. She was out of her room now. 

She was grasping the frame hard, afraid to let go of it. She took a deep breath, and let one hand go to the wall and willed her feet to move down. The strain of it made her other hand move down from the window frame. 

She felt as if she wanted to let out a loudly relieved laugh. She looked back at the window and felt her giddy sensation die down. The window was open. It had to be closed. 

Suddenly it felt as if the air went away from her. She didn't know how to close the window at this height and if she didn't close it, someone was bound to find out she left. Arine cursed herself, thinking back to the time where she wasn't here, instead in bed, the window closed...

The window shut down automatically, making a loud clang. The sound shocked her so intensely that she lost her grip on the wall and was falling. Arine scrambled to get her hand to hold something, and it caught at the wall when she was nearly on the ground.

It was just surprise after surprise. Arine thought. This whole day.

She reached the ground safely, hugged the cloak tightly around her to make sure she was still alive, and started running to find the garden. 

She was starting from a different point than she usually did when going to the garden so Arine had to pause every few minutes to know where she was going. 

Eventually, she realized she was lost. Well, lost wasn't right. She was still inside the castle's borders, just an unfamiliar section. 

She saw a fountain nearby and she sat on the edge of it, attempting to cool down. Cooling down was nearly impossible with all the climbing, falling, running and panicking she did. 

And the worst part about this was she couldn't ask anyone for help if no one was around. It seemed that Arine's goal to stay away from people worked...in a more unsuccessful way.

"Someone looks a little lost." a drawling voice called out.

Arine jumped, her right arm dipping into the water, making it wet. She landed on her back, blinked, and whipped her head up to see Harris, the noble who badmouthed Erik. He was grinning at her mockingly, all teeth. 

Arine let out a growl. Out of all the people she could ask for help, Harris was the last person she'd ever ask. Actually, she would probably never ask him at all and would instead be in a state of dread for eternity. 

"What are you doing here! You're not a night guard!" Arine glared at him.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Harris said, feigning politeness.

"Whatever!" she threw her hands up in the air.

"You want to go to your little garden, don't you?" he cooed. 

"Yes, I do." she grumbled.

Harris smirked. "Looks like you're far from your originated destination."

"Will you help me or not!"

"Patience and manners, Arine Thorne," Harris said slowly. "You can be in your selfish, happy land all you want, with the spring weather on you."

"I'm not selfish," Arine picked herself up. "And there's no spring weather. It's winter stupid."

"Oh but there is. It's spring, all right. All warm, nice, and cozy."

Arine's mouth twitched. "Will you start speaking sense?"

"What's so difficult to understand princess? It's winter everywhere here, except your garden. It's spring weather. Surrounded by sun, water, everything spring has."

"I-That's not possible!" Arine wanted to push him into the fountain but he was much taller than Arine. 

"Why don't you look at it yourself? I'll take you there now."

Arine stiffened. She didn't want to trust Harris, but at the same time, she hadn't seen the garden in so long. She didn't know what changes occurred.

When Harris started walking away, Arine hesitantly followed. He looked behind at Arine, giving a superior smile.

Arine tried to pretend Harris wasn't there when following him. She was still trying to understand what "spring in the garden" meant. 

Arine looked at Harris. He was walking with his posture straight, as a noble would carry themselves. His had the fair blonde hair as a lot of nobles had. There was a scar that ran through his entire jaw.

Arine then realized something and frowned. "Did you go to my garden?" she directed to Harris. 

Harris turned to face Arine and laughed. "Taking ownership of a garden, huh? Well I didn't go there, if that reassures you." 

"Then how do you know that it's spring in the garden?" 

For a moment, his face turned serious. "I don't need to see it to know it." Then his features smoother and he said cheerily "Oh look! We're here!"

Arine looked in front of him and saw the glass box of the garden. Immediately she acted to feel warmer, though because of the garden's presence, or the so called spring here, Arine wasn't sure.

Arine walked toward the garden and opened the door. The scent of flowers greeted her. Arine smiled and looked at Harris. "So how do I know it's spring?" 

"Well princess," Harris said, ducking inside the box. "There's a little something called light." Harris turned on the light switch and the sight made Arine catch her breath.

Above them was a sunset. It was the beautiful mixes of red, blue, orange and the selection of hues that created a sunset—instead of the dreary dark blue and gray sky of winter. 

"How-is this-I-" Arine started.

"Well now you believe me, don't you?"

Arine balled her hands to fists. "Well, I suppose, yes. But the sun can't pass through with the glass ceiling blocking it." Arine pointed up. 

"Ah, but it can." Harris drummed his fingers on the glass walls.

"Explain..."

"This ceiling protects anything harmful and gives anything needed to the garden. Because someone owns it. Someone is its protector."

"Who?" Arine raised her eyebrow.

"Oh, you don't know?" he murmured. "Perhaps I'm talking right in front of her...?"

"I don't—I don't protect this garden!" Arine stammered. "Well I mean I can't protect it like that."

Harris started to leave the garden and from Arine. Before he left he said "You have seen it and you should know it, Arine Helly Thorne, that almost anything is possible."

"What?" Arine demanded but he had already left.

Arine huffed. She sat on the bench and focused on the plants. She wanted to hold a plant, hold one and see what would happen. Arine looked at her left and picked up a daisy. It was a pretty color, and it's smell was pleasant.

Arine couldn't help looking up to see the sunset. She hadn't seen one in so long. It was a tradition that when the vernal equinox or summer solstice began, everyone went to see the sunset. But seeing it now made her miss those traditions.

Her vision then started blurring. Arine blinked and rubbed her eyes. Her legs and arms started feeling numb and slowly she felt herself fall forward. She hit the grass face first.

.............

Arine saw a tall soaring white and pink castle, with intricate patterns on the walls. There were 2 guards in front of the door, which were also tinted white and a light pink. What was most         eye-catching were the clocks. They were everywhere. Large and small ones, all ticking at the same pace. 

The outer rings of the clocks were the same color as the castle walls. It seemed that the place had a same ordered color. 

Arine had never seen this place before, though in her dream she seemed to know what it was called. Tempus Castrum—Time Castle. 

In the left side of her vision, she noticed a boy, around her age, about a year older maybe. He had dark red hair, light brown skin and gray eyes. Arine had never seen people with gray eyes and it fascinated her. The boy seemed familiar to her in the dream, but she never met him. In the real world, she may know the name. 

He is wearing a ring with dark colored clouds around it. A name clicks to place—

Arine jerked her head up. She got up nimbly from the ground, ignoring the ache in her left arm. The daisy she had held had withered to ash, as the rose she held did once before. Arine ignored all of this for she could only think of one thing, and she had to say it out loud to fully believe it.

"I know where Marvin Graydown is."

~This took a long time to make. I'm excited to write Chapter 4 and see how you guys will like it. You'll just have to deal with the cliffhanger for this chapter for now :)~

-TazTree