"Good," was all she said.
"So...do you think you can wake me up an hour before my birthday?"
"Why?"
"I want to check out that shrine."
"You don't think it's even real."
"Not necessarily. The chances of it being real are very slim with this random man showing up and no one talking about his arrival or departure, but I'm curious if this shrine is real and why I haven't seen it."
"Why don't we just check now?"
"I...I'm not sure." I frowned at her words of logic. "I guess it feels better to go before my birthday?"
Camilla gave me one of her puzzled, judgmental looks but sighed. "Fine. I'll wake you up an hour before your birthday. Can we go now? I swear I'll die of bleeding if we take any longer."
I rolled my eyes. "At least you have pads for that, and you won't die."
"Dying from blood loss is a real thing."
"Blood loss as in getting stabbed. Not because of the legends of the forbidden apple," I suggested.
"That's not what happened," she countered.
Here we go again.
"If you're going to tell me about the story of how Queen Eve didn't remove the forbidden fruit and that the truth was she got into an argument with King Adam, who tried to control her, I remember it clearly. You don't need to-"
"She left the garden to create her own kingdom because she was pissed off at Adam for trying to tell her what to do. The snake that deceived them turned into a woman, replicating Eve's appearance and seducing him into eating the apple. It caused an uproar, and instead of Adam admitting the truth of being deceived by the snake, he blamed it on Eve. The punishment was placed down as a curse that women would bleed from there lalalas, but men were also cursed without realizing it. If they did not respect the woman that was by their side, they would be cursed and eventually fall from whatever throne or level of success they had reached in life."
"Thank you for the recap." I began to walk. "Can we go now?"
"Sure." She shrugged and walked past me towards the direction of my hut. "I'll wake you up, but don't go whining that I woke you or I'm kicking your booty."
"Yes, ma'am." I smirked. "Thank you."
"You're walking too slow."
"Says the girl who has cramps!" I argued.
"Shut up," she huffed.
"You're always so grumpy when it’s that time of the month. Show more lov-HEY! Don't leave me! You love me, dammit!"
* * *
"Rose. Don't fall asleep on me," Camilla urged.
"Mhm," I replied. "Maybe the shrine thing was a bad idea. I feel really tired."
"That's what happens when you're floating through the air," Camilla muttered.
"Huh?" I asked, followed with a yawn.
"Nothing," she dismissed.
"You said floating."
"You were mumbling in your sleep that you're floating, followed by weeeee," Camilla said with a dull voice.
"Is your time of the month done yet?" I changed the subject. "You seriously have bipolar tendencies when you're 'bleeding to death'."
"It stops at midnight, now get up," she huffed and was already out of my house in seconds.
"Meanie," I quietly muttered.
"I'll leave you to go there by yourself," she called back.
"No!" I rushed to get up and sought out one of the five outfits I owned, two of them being my labor clothes and the other three being pairs of jeans with a coordinated top.
I never needed anything fancy unless there was a specific event I had to attend with Camilla. On those rare occasions, she'd spot me an outfit from her massive closet. Her home alone was a work of art, but that closet was every girl's dream.
I'm sure the other girls in the village were envious of Camilla's good fortune, but material things didn't matter to me. As long as I didn't need to walk outside naked, I was happy with what I had.
I was outside and by Camilla's side in less than a minute, my fingers buttoning up my black jeans before smoothing out my white t-shirt.
"There!"
"You forgot to wear a bra," Camilla noted.
"No one is going to see my nips, Camilla," I noted. "It's pitch dark out. All the men are at the bars, drinking their sorrow away on this Friday night."
Camilla didn't reply, but before I could give her more valid points, she walked away, heading to where the trail towards the peak of the hill and this apparent shrine would be.
C'mon, midnight. Come faster so I can have my sweet bestie back.
I scurried to catch up with Camilla's long and fast strides, and we were approaching the hillside before we knew it. My eyes widened in shock at the site of a large shrine.
The entrance of the structure was bright red, polished so finely that it reflected a shine I'd never gotten the privilege of seeing before. It was like someone had polished their shoes, but with the most expensive wax in the world to give off the perfect final touch.
Little white talismans hung across the top part of the entrance, and the tiny building itself was a mixture of gold, purple, and red. I wasn't sure of the materials they used to create the structure. It wasn't cement, nor was it wooden planks.
Whatever material was used to make the polished poles of the entrance, it was magnificent to look at as the poles held the shrine's main structure. It had to be some rich person's latest invention because it was far too unique to be created by our people in these parts. I wasn't judging, but I knew this village well enough that if anyone accomplished this magnitude of creativity and craftsmanship, the world as we know it would hear their name and offer them a fortune to create more of it.
As shocking and magnificent it looked, I forced myself to keep approaching it instead of stopping in my tracks and gawking at its fine beauty. It reminded me of the fine china tea sets in Camilla's mother's glass wardrobes and how we'd stare and imagine carrying it in our very hands when we were younger.
Those were off limits, though.
I was stunned that this place wasn't heavily guarded so none of us scum could even taint its grounds.
We reached the top step of the place, and I literally froze. It wasn't out of shock. It was the sight of the glittering purple roses that struck a chord in the depths of my mind.
Purple. Roses. Silver glitter...
"Rose?" Camilla called out to me, but it was far away.
"Rosadette?" Again, her attempts were useless, even with the upscale of urgency. I was far too focused on the sight before me, and without thinking, I strode forward towards the center of the shrine.
There was a mini platform, the three tiny steps easily skippable. How I reached the middle of this sacred place was beyond me, but my eyes now stared into the stone bowl that sat there.
Though it was made of stone, it had a purple tinge to its color, and the water inside it was crystal clear. The rays of the full moon shone down on us, the illumination and power they held tinkling into the very surface of the water.
I saw my reflection like this bowl was now a mirror, but the image was stunningly different.
My usual purple eyes were now a striking red, the glimpse of silver still radiant as my pupils dilated with my shock. My skin was pale but flawless, with no blemishes or imperfections in sight, while whatever contour and blush I wore made me look like a model from the rich lands.
My slightly red lips reflected a glossy finish, and my platinum blonde curls were tightly bound and carried strands that glowed mystically.
From the hint of my chest, I wasn't wearing my basic poor clothes. My shoulders were on display, revealing sets of markings in various swirls and lines that glowed a light purple against my pale white skin.
I had to be wearing a strapless dress, one of purple with silver glitter, but I didn't focus on it for long because my eyes centered on the single rose design that sat in the middle of my chest, just above my cleavage.
It glowed like a tattoo, the rose design a well-blended mixture of purple, red, and gold. How those colors seemed to go t
ogether was beyond me, but as they blazed brightly against my skin, it was enough to take my breath away.
Turning my head to the side, I noticed how much pointier my ears were, almost like I'd turned into an elf or other mystical being. I ended up taking yet another look at my chest, noticing that even my breasts had grown in size.
I knew it was time to look away. To return to whatever reality I'd come from and not get lost in this new fantasy. This illusion was too good to be true, but my body remained in place and my eyes glued onto this new image of me.
Why couldn't I be this woman in the mirror?
My hand lifted on its own accord, reaching towards the water's surface. My index finger paused an inch away from it, fear spiking through me.
If I touch it, the image will disappear, and I'll return to who I was. I haven't changed though...not physically. It's just a picture. This can't truly be who I am. I...have to accept that.
"What if it is true?"
A voice spoke into my head. It reminded me of Camilla’s, but it was different. Stronger. Rich with a level of power and authority.
My eyes continued to stare into my reflection, but the question remained.
"What if this is who you've always been destined to be, and the humans hid it from you this entire time?"
My eyes pulled away from the image, noticing the woman who stood opposite from me. She looked so similar to Camilla that it freaked me out, but her characteristics were different.
Camilla was surely beautiful without a doubt, but this person had set those levels of attraction to another level. Her long brunette hair had red and silver highlights and was left down in beautiful waves, her silver eyes were glowing, and her flawless, slightly tanned skin couldn't be more outstanding to stare at. She wore what looked to be battle attire, or at least a combat outfit like you'd see in old fae picture books.
Her arms were now crossed as she looked directly into my eyes.
"What if the village raised you to hide who you were? To hide that you were truly destined to rule and were of fae origin."
"W...what?" I tried to fathom her words, and I quickly shook my head. "That's impossible. I'm not fae."
"Your family's blood runs through your veins, Rosadette Campbell, only daughter of the king and queen of Rosadette Kingdom. The kingdom has withered and perished by the hands of those who seek nothing but evil for you and your family. It was all thanks to the humans and as punishment, they laid you upon these lands to die. Doesn't that make you want to take revenge?"
I absorbed her words slowly, unsure of what was truth and what was a lie. To be dumped with this information was far too much for me to handle, my head pounding in defiance.
Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and let it out.
Do not be influenced by fear. Do not jump to conclusions without all the facts. Breathe and think, Rose.
Self-talks were the best way to make sure I didn't make stupid decisions.
"Regardless of whether that's true or not, I don't want to take revenge," I answered.
"They placed you in this dump of land, made you work in the fields for hours on end. They mock you for the very circumstances they created, and you don't want revenge? You’d rather they get off scot-free? Where is the justice in that?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, the word justice striking yet another chord within my heart. This woman had a point. Whether she was Camilla or not was still a mystery, but if what she said was true, these people had ruined my entire life.
They set me up to live in this land when I could have been a fae. I could have lived a life with pretty clothes, loving friends, and maybe find my true family. Did these people really deceive me to such an extent? Was I born to be an outcast and shoved into a lifestyle I was not destined to live?
I wanted to be angry. I should have been furious with the revelation of this information, but I continued to stand there with a calm expression on my face.
"Why aren't you reacting?" The woman sounded upset by my lack of emotions. She was right, I should have been fuming in rage, but the thought of me being of fae blood still hadn’t sunk in.
Even if this is all truth, do I blame the people in the village?
If it was a plot to make me an outcast...to isolate me from my birthright, why did they raise me? Why did they teach me the ways to survive the harsh colds, or offer clothes and blankets when I had no means of acquiring them on my own?
If they hated me, why didn't they let me fend for myself? Though I was poor, Camilla herself didn't push me aside or abandon me. She may not have been a part of this village, but I'm sure her family would have known about this, right?
They would have said something...I think.
Glancing back into the water, I stared at my reflection, and the previous image of radiant elegance was gone. The real me was back. The imperfect woman with purple eyes, blonde hair, a few blemishes and scratches from the last few days of labor, and the normal wretched clothes that clung to my skin.
I gulped as waves of disappointment hit me, and I tried to fight the urge to cry.
"Can't you feel it?" the woman whispered, her footsteps approaching my right side. "The disappointment. The anger. The desire to get back at those who robbed you of this magnificent future. You should be wearing a crown, and instead, you work like a slave in the dirt fields, as they laugh and shake their heads in dismay. You have but one friend who cherishes you, but it's only a matter of time until you two drift apart. You are from two different worlds. One is from a world of power, beauty, and everlasting abundance, while the other is of low status, ugliness, and everlasting turmoil. These people want you to be stuck in this life forever. Is that what you want? To never find where you are destined to be? Will you let them get the last laugh?"
My eyes seemed dull now as it all sank in, my mind flooded with memories of my childhood and the daily taunts and ridicule. Their laughter haunted me, the giggles and glee over my suffering made my hands clench in anger.
They bullied me. Hated me for the color of my hair and rareness of my eyes. Their belittling stares and the tiny whispers among the adults of how sorry they felt that I was abandoned by the very parents that conceived me.
A laughing stock wasn't enough to describe my childhood, and yet, even with everything that had occurred, I kept my head up high. I continued to walk the unknown path that was destined for me because I wanted justice.
I wanted a day to come when karma would do its part and change my life around. A day when the people who made me feel inadequate would hear of my success and livelihood.
It was impossible to predict if that would ever come to pass, but it was worth hoping for, and it was why I continued to live on.
"Revenge isn't the answer," I finally spoke what was running through my mind. "They may mock me now. Laugh and rejoice in my suffering and obvious isolation. However, they won't get the last laugh, for we haven't reached the finished line. My life is just beginning, and when the clock strikes twelve, I'll be eighteen. Will this suddenly change my life? No one knows. However, I'll be an adult and will be able to change my circumstances if I truly want to. We're not bound to these lands. We aren't forced to remain in these circumstances. If I want to venture out into a new world beyond these walls, I most certainly can, and when I have enough courage to do so, I'll prove to these people that life can change with the snap of one's fingers."
Raising my gaze until it locked with hers, I smiled.
"Let them laugh. Let them mock and belittle my very existence, for this is only my beginning. No matter what I am, whether it be a human or a fae, I've learned things I surely wouldn't have if I’d been raised in a rich home, and maybe that change will aid me as I embark on this new journey."
Looking back in the reflective water, I then closed my eyes.
"If there is power in this very shrine, I ask to find where my heart lies. To discover my family's past, follow the present laid out for me, and discover my future. Look past my wretched appearance and imper
fections. Ignore my upbringing and the physical traits that bring judgment from those of higher status and power. Review the depths of my heart and allow my pure intentions to be judged. And if I am worthy of discovering the truth of who I am, give me the chance to find who I am destined to become. If that brings me to my destined partner, so be it, for I am ready to journey towards my rightful future!"
A shrill scream shot through the air, snapping me out of my peaceful state to look behind me.
My eyes landed on Camilla, who was on the ground. She was glaring daggers at a tall man with short, tousled blond hair. His clothes were clearly not from this world. He wore a golden cape, and his high golden boots looked to meld with the very stone itself. Twenty guards in full armor stood around the shrine, surrounding us like we'd walked right into a trap.
I peered back at Camilla, noticing how her silver eyes began to glow as she gritted her teeth menacingly. It was the hint of blood that rolled down the left side of her face that caught my attention.
And sent me straight into combat mode.
How I got from where I stood in the middle of the shrine platform to the spot between Camilla and this tall giant of a man was the least of my concern.
My daring purple eyes locked onto his blue ones - familiar blue eyes that I could guarantee I'd looked into before.
"You..." I trailed off as my eyes narrowed and I took a better look at this individual. There was no way he was the same drunk wise man I'd encountered a few days prior.
"Rosadette! Get out of here," Camilla ordered, but I stood my ground.
"Are you the one who hurt my best friend?!" I snarled at the man. He rolled his eyes and let out a huff.
"If she hadn't waltzed in my way when I came here to retrieve you, she wouldn't have gotten hurt," he snapped back like I was a nuisance.
I was taken aback by his response, but he couldn’t care less as he reached for my arm and squeezed it firmly.
"I can't believe you passed the stupid test again. Unbelievable. A human scum is my destined one. What did I do to deserve this? It has to be my attitude problem. I bet my mother is laughing right now."
He was speaking utter nonsense, but I wasn't paying any mind to that. My focus was on his hand that was wrapped around my left bicep. With a deep frown, I slowly peered up until our eyes met again and then growled at him.
Fae Rose Academy: Year One (For The Purely Divine Book 1) Page 6
