"What do you think is going to happen? Do you think Marie is coming back?" Alaric asked as him and Vianna sat on a bench in the garden. A spread of pencils and paint was everywhere as they designed their own blueprint of a treehouse they were determined to build in the garden.
"I hope she does. I heard she might be in danger. My mom doesn't want to tell me everything that's going on. She hasn't let me see my dad yet. She keeps saying he is going to be fine. She doesn't want me to worry, but she looks so sad all the time with him being sick and all. I know she really likes Marie too. I wish I could do something to help."
"Your dad is the beta! He has no choice but to be ok. You will see." He said with not an ounce of doubt in his voice.
"I feel like you're right." She agreed.
"You know, I think we all like Marie. She is really nice."
"Yeah, I think your dad loves her. They look at each other like how my mom and dad used to look at each other." Vianna said with a slight smile.
"If she is in danger, whoever put her in danger better watch out! My dad won't let anything happen to her. He's the best. Don't mess with the Alpha King's lady!" He said with confidence.
"Imagine if she comes back and my dad and her get married! I would have a mom, like you! I think she would be an awesome mom." He said as he lay down on the grass with his hands behind his head, looking at the sky. Vianna joined him shortly after.
"Do you remember your mom?"
"I remember some things, but I was too little to remember much. Dad told me she had a good heart, and she would have loved me if she was still here."
"I am sorry, Al. Everyone should have a mom and dad. It wasn't fair what happened."
"It is ok. At least my dad is a really great dad!" He said as his eyes lit up.
"He sure is. He is one of the best, next to my dad." Vianna exclaimed proudly as they both slapped their hands together in a high-five.
"What do you see?" She asked looking at the clouds float by. She always loved to play, 'guess the cloud' with her dad. They would do the same thing with the stars sometimes. The clouds were always more fun.
"Hmm…I see a wolf on the hunt! Grrr…" Alaric said excitedly while he formed his hands as though bearing his claws to the sky.
"No, you don't! Where do you see that?" She laughed as she punched him playfully in the arm.
"Ouch…that hurt! It's right there Ana! Look! See the tail and the ears?"
"Whatever. Don't be a baby. Sometimes I think your imagination is wilder than mine." She giggled.
"Well, sometimes your imagination can help you to escape the real world." He said with a seriousness to his voice. He knew Vianna was going through a lot and he couldn't help her much, except for being a good friend and trying to distract her from getting sad.
"Come on, let's finish these plans so we can build this house. It will be the best treehouse ever! We should get a guard for it too." He said as they both laughed, and he sat up.
He looked over at Vianna who had not sat up yet as she gazed into the sky. Her pupils became dilated as she breathed slowly.
"Hey, cut it out! That's not funny, Ana. Get up!" He said as he became flooded with concern and shook her gently. She wouldn't move. She just kept still like she was looking at something beyond the sky.
"Guard!" He shouted as the guard assigned to them rushed over.
"What is the matter, Prince Alaric? What is wrong with Vianna?"
"I don't know. Bring her into the castle. I have to get help fast!"
"Yes, sir." The guard complied as he carefully lifted Vianna up and head towards the castle as quickly as he could without hurting her.
"Don't worry Ana! I'm going to get my grandma and Dr. Brinks! Everything is going to be ok." He said, then ran off at full speed to find help.
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The sky spiraled as Vianna gazed at the clouds. The sound of the garden and Alaric's words became muffled then slowly disappeared. She felt cold suddenly as she stood up. Where was this place?
She walked through a pathway with trees on either side of the small brick path, rubbing her arms briskly as she searched for warmth. A familiar scent filled her as she breathed in. She couldn't remember where she knew it from.
The trees suddenly turned into rose bushes as the sounds of hummingbirds echoed way too loud in her head. She looked over and saw a beautiful purple, blue and yellow hummingbird fluttering its wings. The wings were moving slowly as it hovered through the air. She could hear the wings as they moved through the air.
The roses were bright red and beautiful as she walked by. She stopped, reaching for a large rose that stood out from the rest and gently touched one of the petals. The entire rose garden changed to black roses beginning with the one she touched, all the way down beyond where she could see. They dried into dust, dispersing through the cold breeze.
She looked behind her at an opened wooden door. Beyond the door was complete darkness. Voices were whispering incoherently. Her heartbeat sped up as fear began to flood her.
Her chest heaved as she tried to control her breathing while she reached for the door. It slammed shut as she squeezed her eyes tightly and placed her hands over her ears at the loud echo of the door slamming closed.
After the sound subsided, she opened her eyes and looked around her. The door was gone. A brick wall stood in its place. She placed her hands the stone wall. It was real. The door was gone. Turning around, she continued on the pathway.
"What is this place." She whispered as her own voice echoed in her head.
At the end of the brick path, she entered what seemed like a garden. A stone fountain stood in the center of the clearing shooting crystal clear water in arches, splashing into its pool. Flowers and more hummingbirds lined the circular perimeter of the garden.
She walked over to the fountain and looked over to find a large house. On the side of the house, she noticed a tiny window that she couldn't see through. Suddenly, in a blink of the eye, she was in front of the window.
Vianna placed her hand on either side of the window and looked around. The voices whispered again but there was no one there. How did she get there so quickly?
She moved her hands to her stomach feeling the urge to throw up. She was afraid and alone.
Focusing on the window, she looked inside, barely able to see through the filth on the glass. The room looked childlike, but no one was in it.
Confusion plagued her as she turned around to an evil presence. Her eyes burned into Vianna as she pressed her little body against the house to place distance between her and the monster in front of her.
"How did you get here? Who let you in here! Only a witch could get you in here!" The woman growled as her eyes began to glow.
"I don't know! I am sorry!"
"I will teach you to trespass on private property!"
"Run!" She heard a voice whisper.
"Please! I didn't mean to come here. I will leave! I don't know how I got here! I did not mean to." She shouted through tears as she slipped out of the woman's hold and ran back towards the rose bush pathway.
She felt as though she was running in slow motion no matter how hard she pushed herself to run. She was so afraid that she would be caught. The cackle of the scary woman rang louder in her ears the harder she tried to run.
Vianna looked back to find the woman's claws reaching for her face. She turned back in front of her and ran into the brick wall as she fell into darkness.