Royal Blood

By Casey Conkling

I dedicate this book to my step Father Chris for helping me and pushing me

to make every deadline.

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Maple Leaf writing project,

Copyright 2014 Brattleboro Vermont

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The myth of Gorshyga

Queen Anneliese and King Finnick were walking in the royal grounds. They saw a dragon with a maiden on its back flying through the sky. With hair that shone like honey colored silk, the maiden Jackalineya, sat on the dragons back. She is the sister of Queen Anneliese. Jackalinya envied her sister so much that she had turned evil and married the devil Izwaya. What turned Jackalinya evil, was that when their father, King Maxwell, wanted to retire from the throne, he handed the throne to Anneliese, because his first choice Prince Noel died of sickness four years earlier.

As the dragon flew by, they could see Jackalineya was holding the royal baby Lia, with hair so dark and eyes so blue. She had taken the baby away from the Queen and King. The King and Queen had balled their eyes out, and went looking for their daughter. In the baby’s room they had found all the maids dead and murdered. Their hearts were ripped out, and scarlet red blood covered the floor. Well the myth goes that the baby got dropped out of the sky in Lewiston Maine, and the baby is alive today.

Chapter one

So point taken, my life is weird. “Annais? Annais, get ready for school.” Says my rushed mom. I slip on some clothes, and hurry downstairs dazed.

“Annais, what is with you this morning? You’re out of thought, out of reality, whatever you call it!” My frustrated mom says. So, I hurry to get done, and wait by the car for my parents and sister. My mother, Octavia Werther, has sandy blonde hair and eyes so green they’re like limes. My father, Maydrick Werther, has bright orange hair and chocolate eyes. My sister, Zoya Werther, is seven years old. She got lucky. She has curly blonde hair that shines like gold and the same blue eyes as my grandfather. I look nothing like them with my dark black hair and blue eyes.

“Annais,” says my sister Zoya. “I'm all done and ready for school!” She comes out of the house in a pink puffy dress with her hair to her shoulders.

“Wow you look very nice Zoya.” I say.

“Thank you Annais. Did you know your name sounds like geese?” says Zoya.

❇❇❇

Across town in Jasons house

“Jason come on, don’t you want to go to school?” says Mom.

“Yes I do Mom, lets go now,” I say. We go, and my Mom drops me off at school. I rush into school and see Annais -- she is so beautiful. So you probably guessed I have a crush on Annais. She is my best friend, but she likes this jock named Marco Capach, All the girls like him except Haley Devilco. Annais thinks Haley is evil because she has devil in her last name. Haley is so mean to Annais. I think she is mean because she, I will only say it once, likes me. Ghh its gross. I think Haley feels cheated by Annais because we're best friends.

❇❇❇

School, a dreaded thing, why did they invent it? “Annais!”, I turn around and find my best friend, Jason Berf, bounding down the hall in my way. Jason has been my best friend since before I can remember with his quirky little grin and blonde hair and blue eyes.

But before he gets in ear shot, Haley crosses his path. “Hi sweet cheeks.” she says to Jason.

“Hello Haley, my name is Jason.” says Jason. I just walk away from them both and open my locker. There’s a note that says:

LEAVE JASON ALONE ANNAIS OR DEATH WILL COME TO YOU!!! HALEY

See how mean that is? I rip out a piece of paper from my notebook, grab a pen, and scribble down:

Haley,

Let’s see about that. Stop acting like a witch. What are cyco you cold blooded witch ! ! !

And don’t be mean to me Haley.

from Annais

I turn and walk over to Haley and Jason. I shove the note in her hand, and walk out the door. I walk all the way to the park. Then, I climb the highest tree, and make a little nook to sit in. “Annais!” I hear Jason call from the ground.

“Leave me alone.” I shut down.

“No, I’m coming up there.” Jason shouts. See, the thing is, I weigh practically nothing. CRACK! I hear a branch break. I look down, and Jason’s lying on the ground moaning.

“Oh my god! Jason are you alright?” I say as I scramble down the tree.

“Yeah, I’m alright,” he says. “Why did you leave school?” he asks. I fish out the note and give it to him.

“Oh poor thing.” I turn my head, and I see Haley.

“What do you want?” says Jason. “Just to say I love you Jason.” Haley says. “Oh, Annais, I forgot you were there.” Haley says.

❇❇❇

Annais scrambles to her feet. The next thing I know, she’s and the other side of the park running. She runs to the other side of the street and across town to her house. I run after her. As I catch up to her, an old man appears. “Your eyes are icy blue and your hair is ebony black. Soon, you will meet your real land, Gorshyga.” he said. Then he disappeared.

“Annais, why did you run off like that, and who was that old guy?” I ask.

❇❇❇

I take off running again, and feel Jason hot on my heels. I run in to Zoya’s school, and lie that are grandmother had a heart attack and take her out. The second we’re outside I ask Zoya, “Have you been seeing grandpa? Zoya you have to tell me.” I say in a rushed tone.

❇❇❇

“Zoya, did he tell you about the land Gorshyga” I ask.

“Wait, so I wasn’t imagining him?” Jason says.

“Grandpa died two years ago. He investigated the myth of Gorshyga. He was always telling me about Queen Anneliese and King Finnick’s baby daughter. She fell from the sky right here in Lewiston 16 years ago. Grandpa thought that I was the baby because I match the description of the baby, and I’m adopted. He believes that I am destined to become the next Queen of Gorshyga.”

“This is all so shocking I could pass out if grandpa was right.” says Zoya. “So let me get this right. You are a princess from Gorshyga?'' All of a sudden, I feel my self black out.

“Annais, are you ok?” I hear Jason say. I open my eyes, and find that I'm back in my room at my house.

After Annais fell back to sleep, Jason and Zoya started talking about Gorshyga. Zoya said, “I’m tired. I’m going to take a nap.” Zoya was awaken from a dream filled sleep by Annais’s screaming. Jason goes running up the stairs holding a knife, and yelling for me to get in there. When I get there, I find Haley, the mean girl from Annais’s school, holding a knife to Annais’s throat, and saying she will kill Annais. “Get away from me or I will kill her, and take her body to Gorshyga to burn it in front of her real parents!!!” Haley said.

❇❇❇

I was so scared when I saw Annais with that knife at her throat. All I could do was panic.“What are you doing Haley. How did you get in here?” I ask. Then it occurs to me, the window is open. “Jason, I am Annais’s cousin. I am her mother’s sister’s daughter” Haley said. Annais tried to say something, but Haley dug the tip of the knife into Annais throat. Like trying to cut her head off. A stream of scarlet poured from her neck. I saw in Annais eyes, she was in pain. I am blown away as I watch Annais go limp. I went for her, but Haley, with Annais, disappeared.

❇❇❇

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Annais!!!!!!!!!!!” I scream. “JASON” I scream. What the hell is going on. If mom and dad were here I would be punished for like seven years. My big sister was just kidnaped, and she disappeared with a monster. Hunger is rushing through my tummy. “Jason shes gone. I'm hungry and parched, but we will find her.” I say. Jason is just standing there white and scared. I march down stairs and find mom and dad are still at work. I find some egg salad all made and make two sandwiches, one for me, one for Jason. Jason comes walking down stairs. “Thats for you.” I say and point to the egg salad sandwich. We eat our lunch, and the phone rings. We share one quick glance before he picks the phone up. “If you want your precious Annais come to the park.” I hear a voice say.

❇❇❇

Zoya and I rush out to the park, and to the clearing where Haley told us to meet. “ANNAIS!!!” I scream. Annais is hanging with her hands tied by ropes on a branch high in a tree.

I hear screams in the distance, and Haley yelling at someone on the ground. Then I am released from the ropes, and laid on the ground. I feel the heat of fire on my skin sizzling. I open my eyes and see Haley standing by a fire. “If you get to live. I get to Die of failure my mother will kill me any way!!” Haley says. Suddenly she steps into the fire. Marco Capach comes bounding into the park yelling stop. He grabs Haley, and begs her to live while saying he loves her. Jealousy is shooting through my heart. I am in love with Marco. I thought he loved me not Haley! “I really loved you Marco, not Jason.” Haley said. “I love you too Haley.” Marco said as Haley died in his arms. Marco took the knife, the knife Haley try on me and stabbed himself in the heart. With scarlet pouring down his shirt, he died. They both collapsed in a pile of scarlet blood. Jason, before I know it, is down next to me telling me to be quiet. I stay still and let Jason see my neck. “Annais, are you ok? God …..” I blank out.

❇❇❇

God Haley sacrificed herself so Annais could live because her mother Jackalineya was trying to kill both of them. My day keeps getting worse and worse. What else could possibly happen?

Chapter three

“Jason.” I mumble. I don't know where I am. The last thing I knew was in the park.

“Annais, I'm right here.” I hear Jason say.

“Annais, we are at the common. You, Zoya and I.”Jason says.

“Zoya, where is Zoya?” I look around. Where is she? Oh, there she is over on the swings crying. Oh god, why is she crying?

“Zoya, are you ok?” I call over and stand up pain shooting to my head. I look down at my hand. Sores and blood around my wrists, blood pouring down my hands, dripping to the ground.

“Why am I crying? I just saw my big sister almost die.” Zoya says. Then I realize that she is only seven. I am seventeen, and I was scared to death. But I am the victim. What am I thinking being selfish.

❇❇❇

Zoya, just seven. So young to have this happen to her. I walk over to a tree and start to climb. Up and up I find a hole in the tree and bury in it. Whoosh... I feel the ground give a way under me.

“AAAA!!!” I scream. The ground catches up to me thud. A doorway shines of gold at the end of a tunnel in the thick wood.

“Jason!” I scream up the tree.

“Annais, where are you?” Jason says. What should I say? In a underground tunnel, or a tree?

“Climb up that tree I climbed up, and tell Zoya to go in a hole.” I scream up the tree. Boom, someone hit the ground. I run over to see Jason dusting the dust off his jeans.

“In coming.” Zoya yells down the hole. Jason puts his arms out, and Zoya falls right in. I walk down the tunnel to where the door was . I start to reach for the door when Jason says “Stop”

“What? Why?” I ask.

“Let me go first.” Jason says. He reaches to the door knob and twists the door opens. I walk into the other side of the door. I feel gravel at the bottom of my feet. I look around flowers and a castle gleams in the distance. I start to walk toward the castle, and I feel Jason and Zoya hot on my heels. I start to run toward the castle, and I see a girl about thirteen with a sword swinging high and mighty. I run farther toward the castle, and rush past the servants. I go through the castle doors. Marble gleams in the main hall. The voice of a women comes thru the air. I look at the stairs. I see a women all in red with black hair like mine and dark green eyes just like the girl with the sword but she had copper colored hair.

“Queen Anneliese.” someone says to the women in red. I turn around and Jason sees what I see -- my real mom Queen Anneliese. I start to walk over to her when I see a man with copper hair and icy blue eyes like mine. He is my father, King Finnick, and the girl with the sword is my sister-- my real one. God I found my new family, my real one. I start to walk over to my mother. As she looks my way, her smile fades from her face.

“Lia?” She says. My father sees me now and walks over. I don't know what to say.

“JESSAMINE!!!!” my father screams. The girl with the sword comes running in toward me and my real mother. I look back and Jason and Zoya are watching me.

“Hi, its me your daughter Lia but I am called Annais.” I say to my real family. All with their mouth hanging open.

“Thats not possible.” Jessamine says. I think for a moment. I look around, and I see a picture of my face as a baby hanging on the wall.

“Lia it really is you I mean Annais, it really is you.” my father says. They all are looking at me like I am a angel.

“I thought my sister killed you, my baby. My first child, Jackalineya that devil. I couldn’t believe she took you.” my mother said. I see Jessamine’s eyes drop. Gloom comes over her face. I bet she spent her whole life trying to make her parents happy. I just ruined that for her.

“It wasn't just Jackalineya who was trying to kill me. Haley, her daughter, was also trying to kill me.” I tell them. “Haley died. She killed herself because her mother would have killed her even if I died she would have died. I don't really know why.” I feel sick. God, I think I am going to throw up, but instead I turn around a run over to Jason. I plant a big kiss on his lips and pull back. I look at Zoya she is starstruck with her mouth hanging open. I turn to look at Jason. He is in awe. I can't believe I just did that. “Annais,” my mother says, “let me show you your room.” So I go with my mom. I have found my new family.

Epilogue

12 days later

Blurry visions fill my head. I open my eyes, and I am in my room -- my purple room. Wait was it all a dream, or was it real? ''Annais, something came for you.'' my mom yells up the stairs. I blink my eyes, and go to see what is here for me. It’s a letter. I rip it open, and there is an index card that says “When are you coming home Lia?” From your mother, Queen Anneliese. So it was not a dream. I really am a princess. A thought fills my head. How do I get back? “Mom, how do I get back to Gorshya?” I yell down the stairs.

“Annais, don't you remember. You go to the park, and down to the golden door.” she says. Everything up to this point is a blur. I remember how Jason saved me a number of times, and how I kissed him. I think I might have fallen in love with Jason. But now I remember Jason lives in Gorshyga too we told his mom and she said he had to visit a lot and how I told my parents and the same reaction happened to them. Well, I am of to Gorshya.