Innocent Times

by Gemma Owen-Kendall

  Innocent Times.

  By

  Gemma Owen-Kendall

  Message from the author.

  First, I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to read my debut book, I hope you enjoy my collection of YA Short Stories. I have been reading YA fiction since the age of fourteen and have always wanted to write my own stories under this category. I always loved writing stories when I was in primary school then continued with this into secondary school, one of my favourite subjects in school was English. My primary school teacher Mrs June Evans (who I have dedicated this book to) said to me, I had such a wild imagination, she always loved to read my stories. The royalties I receive from this anthology, I will make a donation in December to the Book Trust Charity.

  In loving memory of my Nana, Patricia Jacqueline Turner, it is thanks to you why I love to read books.

  In loving memory of my Primary School Teacher, Mrs June Evans, it is thanks to you why I have chosen to have a hobby in writing

  Contents.

  Girl With The Unicorn Hair

  The Imposter

  Him

  The Text Message

  Witch

  Spaceman Came Travelling

  Feel The Thunder

  The Eve Of Christmas

  Her: A Vigilante in the Making

  Red

  Barge and the fly

  My First

  Isolation

  Girl with the Unicorn Hair

  Grace.

  The night started off so well; I was on a night out with my best friend Charlie, there was a warm feeling in the air as it had been a hot summers day, England was having a forever feeling heat wave that had no intention of ending soon. Not even my magical Parma violets gin and lemonade on the rocks was cooling me down. However, I admired the colour of my drink, it was like a lilac potion complimenting the run-down looking bar table. The drink also suited my unicorn hair colours of pink, blue, purple and silver, everyone always stopped me and asked how I get my unicorn hair so perfect. What nobody realises is that my hair is real, I live in a secret realm on Earth with my race who are known as The Unicorn People. The females are all born with the colours of the unicorn hair, but the males are all born with pure white hair. Our enemies were the Demon People but the Demon King and my father of the Unicorn People have a peaceful treaty that we live in harmony but our races are to never mate with each other. The kings allow our races to live in the realm of the mortals just as long as the enchanted realm is never revealed to the humans.

  I gazed down at the table and saw how various markings appeared on the stained wood; I brushed my middle finger nail over one marking, curious to know whether if it was a scratch mark or chip or maybe both but I thought these tables at the bar could do with a makeover and some TLC. I reached for my drink again and the cool liquid soothed my dry throat but only for a moment as that dry tickly feeling soon came rushing back again. My eyes glanced over to the girl sat on the same table as me, her left arm has the beautiful colours of purple and turquoise; I watched the colours and noticed they are two wonderful tattoos of butterflies. Previously I have never noticed them properly until this very day, as I stared down at her tattoos I noticed the music in the background change to some keyboards, guitars and chimes which caused me to go into a daze of imaging I am a butterfly fluttering about in a haze to the rhythm of the music.

  “Grace don’t, not here as the humans will see.” I came to my senses as the girl next to me was in fact my best friend and guardian, Charlie. I hadn’t realised my powers had created the butterflies. It is often hard as the princess of the Unicorn People mixing into the mortal realm. Before I fully come to my senses Charlie slapped me. It worked as the butterflies soon vanished and luckily nobody had seen a thing. However, a throbbing to my left cheek shot straight through me. “Ouch you bitch.” Was all I could say to her, but I also just nearly jeopardised the existence of the Unicorn People. “I think a thank you is in order. What would your father say if he knew what you just did?”

  I was grateful my father had requested Charlie to be my protector. She was strong and fearless but also so kind and caring. Charlie had trained up to be a guardian for the royal family of the Unicorn People and was given the honour to be my personal protector. Her job was to accompany me every time I entered the mortal realm, this was often on nights out as I loved to go drinking in bars and enjoying a good dance in the clubs, I was eighteen years old so it was natural for me to be out enjoying myself a lot. Charlie loved our nights out, but she was often worried we were always being watched by someone so her guard was always up if anyone approached me or came near me. I can recall on one of the last times we were out two lads about my age approached me and to scare them off as she feared they would be no good for me, she kissed me passionately. Well, I appreciated all she did for me but sometimes I wished I could have gone off with a human boy for a moment or two. But because I am different to humans, things would never work out further than a kiss as I would jeopardise who I truly am.

  Suddenly, this particular night out changed rapidly.He came and took me to his bedsit. The only guy I have ever loved and still do.He betrayed me and now I was under his charm spell. His name was Dominic, and he was the son of the Demon King. I fell in love with him when I was only sixteen and he was twenty-one.

  I first met Dominic when I was swimming by a waterfall in the enchanted forest of our realm, I loved swimming as it always relaxed me and whisked me away from knowing I was a princess to just feeling like a normal person. No one knew where I would disappear to, so I was always alone until that very day I met Dominic. I remember it so well as I had fallen completely in love with him but also it was like my heart was ripped out from my chest. I know it was crazy to fall in love with someone straight away but I had seen him often from a distance away when we had to visit each other’s kingdoms to keep up with our peace treaty. My Father had forbidden me to speak with him and from the way Dominic always distant himself from me, I believed his Father had done the same about me. On this very day, I had just had a fallout with my father as he wanted to organise an arranged marriage for me to marry a nobleman of our people but I was not having any of this. I had lost my mother when I was a baby and I was not prepared at the tender age of sixteen to have my life planned by the king. The argument was that heated he threw his drinking glass of wine in my direction which only just missed me by an inch, things went too far that day and I ended up running out the kingdom to my secret location in the enchanted forest. It was such a beautiful and magical forest, it sparkled in the creases of the sunlight. If you looked close enough, you could see the forest fairies fluttering around. I always felt so safe and tranquil here. I ran as fast as I could to the waterfall, I wiped my teary-eyed cheeks and gazed down at the stream to my reflection, my Unicorn hair had changed to one colour, blue which was a sign of sadness. I gazed further down the stream in the waterfall's direction and wished for my father to change his mind. Rumour has it that the waterfall possessed magical wishing powers, so on this very day I had hoped my wish would come true.

  I removed my gown and undergarments to take a swim to help relax my mind, I stepped into the cool flowing water that felt so soothing against my pale white skin. I had noticed by my reflection that my hair turned back to the original multiple colours that it should be. I took a few steps further into the water to my waist when I heard a branch snapping, worrying that someone had seen me as I was, I turned around towards the direction of the sound and quickly gathered my hair to cover my chest. “Who goes there?” I yelled, and hoping it was just my imagination from the start. From behind a nearby bush Dominic appeared wearing only a pair of shorts, I felt my insides burn up with embarrassment and yet I could not take my eyes off him. His skin was
tanned so nicely as though he spent most days sunbathing, my eyes wondered along his ripped chest and torso. You could tell he was the son of the Demon King.

  “Oh Dominic, my lord, please forgive me. I am not dressed appropriately for your presence.” I had never said a word to him before and this was all I could scrabble out to him, I would have been surprised if he understood a word I had just said to him.

  “Princess Grace, please, it should be myself apologising to you. I should not be spying on you.”

  Dominic spying on me? Really? How did he know where I was and I wondered if there had been many times he had watched me from this same spot every time I came here and seeing me swim? I turned my head away from him, feeling so ashamed of myself and for being so careless for not double checking I was alone. He walked right over to the edge of the stream, I felt his presence close by to me but I still could not look at him.

  “Please princess, please do not look away from me, I am sorry I have startled you.” His voice sounded so gentle and soothing.

  “I am sorry my lord, I can’t. I feel so embarrassed right now.”

  “I will close my eyes so you can dress again.”

  As promised he did so, I kept my gaze onto him whilst I reached for my over coat just to cover myself, he didn’t peak at me or so I thought he didn’t. The water dripped from my cool flesh.

  “My lord, you can now open your eyes.”

  He slowly opened up his eyelids and revealed the colour of hazelnut brown eyes, I could feel myself being drawn into his gaze. He was even more handsome up close. I forgave him for spying on me, as we got chatting to each other I discovered he had also found this same spot and it was here that he also had to clear his mind, from knowing he was of royalty and wanted to feel like he was a normal person, the same reasons why I came here. That afternoon I had learnt so much about the Demon Prince, he was in the process on purchasing a place to stay in the mortal realm as he wanted to live there for a bit whilst his services weren’t required in the kingdom of the Demon People. But he knew one day he would have to become king as he was the only heir to the throne. I had been to the mortal realm twice and had often wondered what it would be like to live there. He had a charming smile that was complimented with two dimples on his right cheek that caused me to go all weak at the knees and nearly making me drop my over coat.

  “I have been watching you come here for quite some time princess, you are so very beautiful for a young lady.” I blushed again and I was made to feel so special.

  “Can I see you again, my lord?”

  “Princess, meet me here tonight?”

  I nodded as I was hoping I could meet him again like this in secret just the two of us, it was forbidden but at that moment in time I did not care what my father thought but I hoped he would not find out about this. Before Dominic left me he placed his soft lips onto mine, it was so nice and gentle, my first ever kiss with a boy and it was the Demon Prince. It might have sounded crazy,but I fell for him after our first proper meeting. When he left, I gathered my belongings, I even ensured I was dressed correctly and headed back to the kingdom of the Unicorn People. For the rest of the day I could not get Dominic out of my mind, this had been the first time a guy had been so close to me and had kissed me but also doubt sprung to mind, what if he had not enjoyed the kiss and would not turn up tonight? Worry stung me like a bee sting thinking if he would be waiting for me by that gorgeous waterfall.

  I had not passed my father for the rest of that day, I just assumed he was living up to his royal duties as king by spending time outside our castle within the kingdom, thinking of him just bought back the hurt from earlier about how angry he was because I refused to have an arranged marriage. I was still so young, a virgin and there was so much more I wanted to do with my life, travelling the entire world visiting the unique countries on this planet and finding the other realms was something my heart desired. My father would still be king for many more years yet so a suitor for me could wait. But after seeing Dominic that day it drew me to him, there was just something about this dangerous boy that I was so attracted to.

  Evening soon came around, I dressed myself appropriately like a princess should tonight in my gown made of the finest silks, tonight’s colour was blue and purple. Pink was my favourite colour, but I wore it too often so as I did not know what to expect I just dressed up how I should on a royal social. I strolled cautiously to the enchanted forest in the hopes to have not been seen by anyone heading straight to the waterfall, the forest glowed at night so beautifully and peacefully, as I approached towards the waterfall, a forest fairy fluttered by gracing me with her charms. It was like she knew what I was doing and who I was meeting, but accepted it. I could not see Dominic to begin with and feeling disappointed with myself I perched onto a nearby rock and gazed over to the waterfall.

  “Psst…… Princess, is that you?.” He whispered at me close by.

  “Yes, my lord, I am here waiting for you.”

  There he was right by me, clothed in his royal suit and boots, he looked perfect for such a dangerous boy, the prince of the Demon People. Again, I could not take my eyes off him and still, only drawn to him.

  “Please, when it is just ourselves, let’s be on a first name basis.”

  I blissfully smiled at him to show I agreed with him, he was so much taller than me and his frame was twice the size of mine, if our parents could have allowed us to be together I knew he would protect me.

  “I see you’re now fully dressed Grace on this occasion.” The cheek of it.

  “Well how many times have you been watching me when I come here?”

  “I think I have lost count.” He smiled at me, I was so curious about him and without focusing on my emotions my hair glowed a dazzling pink, I had never seen my hair do this before but from my understanding, it could only mean one thing. I had fallen in love with the Demon Prince.

  “Wow, your hair its magnificent, what is happening?” he reached for a stem of my hair with two fingers and brushed them along it. How could I tell him what I was feeling, this was just so wrong and yet it felt so right being in his presence. There had only ever been one situation in history when a Unicorn boy had fallen for a Demon girl which had ended up in war over the two species and if we get caught now, it could bring another war. Dominic pulled me closer to his embrace, I liked the feel of his arms wrapped around me.

  “Grace, I hope you don’t mind me asking you this and forgive me if I over step the mark but I can’t help but feel you are pure, have you not laid with anyone?”

  Such an awkward question to ask, I had always thought about my first time and wondered what it would be like to choose a mate for my first time.

  “I am pure.”

  “Wow just wow you are so exquisite Grace, I just can’t resist myself for you. I want you, just all of you. I have seen how much you have blossomed over the years, seeing you grow to be the young lady you are today at the tender age of sixteen. I have been waiting for you to be the right age for this, in the hopes you will lay with me.”

  I just did not know what to say and answer back to him, I just wrapped my hands round the back of his neck and pulled my lips to his. I felt his hands rub down to the small of my back. Then the sound of footsteps approached at us in the distance, we were no longer alone. The prince’s guardian, Michael, had found us together, he had been sent to look for Dominic under the command of the demon king.

  “Dominic, your father requests your urgent attendance in the dining hall, he asks you to bring along the princess too.”

  “Oh shit... how did he find out.” He barked at Michael.

  “He spotted you on his hunt entering the forest. Then not far behind was the princess, stepping gently in the same direction.

  Dominic clung to me tightly for a moment then he let go, Michael escorted us both to the kingdom of the Demon People towards the castle of the Demon King. Dominic walked a couple of steps behind me which made me feel slightly uncomfortable but it was the right thing
to do as we could not show his people we had been together. Both him and Michael made it look like I was popping in for a visit to see the king himself. The kingdom of the Demon People applauded and bowed down as I walked on by, I nervously smiled, but more worryingly I could feel inside of myself ,wondering, if anyone else knew I had been with the prince. We approached the palace, the king’s guards cleared a pathway to the doors. As always, the kingdom of the Demon People always felt so doom and gloom but always so warm as there were fires lit up on every single lantern and fire pit. The sun hardly ever shone over the kingdom, so the fires were a substitute to bring light.

  The King wore his crown, it was made of black gold and jewels with a replica of a pair of demon horns on either side. Like his son, he was broad and muscular, the Demon Queen was beautiful with her jet black hair and well-toned physique. No wonder the Demon Prince was so good looking, having inherited both his father’s build and his mother’s looks. However, they were not happy to see me.

  “Princess Grace, thank you for taking up my invitation for a visit but I am afraid it is not on acceptable terms.” The king came across stern but kept a straight face, I went down to my knees and dropped my head in shame.

  “Father it is not her fault.” I heard Dominic defend me to his father, “I asked her to meet up with me.” The prince was defending me, but I could tell he did not want to disappoint his father anymore.

  “You both know this could jeopardise the peace between both Kingdoms, I am ashamed of you my son and Grace you should know better than to betray your Father.” He said sternly to us both, he was so right on everything but I could tell he would give us both a chance, I hope he would agree to us meeting up in secret still without my father knowing. I just could not go through with an arranged marriage as it is, especially to someone I do not know.