The Forbidden Lands (Wattys 2015 Winner)

Chapter Three

Chapter Three
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My sisters were surprised by the sudden change in me. The Sewing teacher asked me if I was ill. I replied, as sweetly as sugar, "No, I don't believe so, madam." Then, I finished embroidering my sampler with twelve red roses on it while the Sewing teacher looked at me with her mouth open wide.  Inside, I was groaning at the fact that we always embroidered roses. Couldn't we at least embroider lilies?

However, it was funny, the reactions I got when I performed a perfect waltz, or sewed a perfect stitch; it made the act tolerable. Soon, my actions blended in, and so did I. Though I despised that part of it.

A month was soon up, and I had earned my trip to Castle Twein.

"Oh, you are so lucky," Ava said as she brushed my hair the morning of my departure.

"You have to come back and tell us everything about Prince Artair!" said Margareta, the elder of the twins.

I gritted my teeth. The brush was stuck on yet another knot in my wild, unmanageable hair. "I probably won't even see the prince," I said. Ava ripped through the knot, and I winced. Then, she tied it away from my face with a wide, red ribbon.

"Thank you, Ava," I said, giving her a hug. "Farewell." I embraced each of my five sisters, and grabbed my luggage.

The carriage was waiting outside, with the Headmistress already inside. I put my trunk in the bag and slid into the carriage, opposite the Headmistress. She tapped her timepiece, indicating the fact that I was late.

The driver cracked his whip, and we were off. It didn't take long until we arrived at the coast, where our ship was. I could see the Forbidden Lands more clearly now that we were so close to the sea. It was fascinating. The land stretched as far as the eye could see. People said it was as large as Krialle. The beach looked ordinary, but beyond that was a wild, twisted wood. And even further to the west, a hazy mountain was visible.

On the ship, the Headmistress and I shared a small room with two tiny beds. The Headmistress scarcely spoke, and sitting in that little room became tedious very quickly. So I decided to go on the deck and watch the sailors.

They pulled on the ropes, and called out things about starboards and hulls, whatever those were. It was fun to watch. The sea felt good on my face. I edged as close as I could to the side, staring at the deep sea.

"Whoa, there, missy," said a middle-aged sailor with a faint accent and dark beard. "Don't get to close, or you might fall off. I don't want a man . . . er . . . girl overboard."

"It feels like flying!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, siree . . . er . . . Yes, missy, it does. But, let me tell ye, it's even better when yer up on the mast lookin' out at the sea. It's much bigger than anythin'. Except, the Eastern Sea's even wider."

"Wider than this?" I was incredulous.

"About as big as Krialle and the Forbidden Island together."

"Amazing," I gasped.

"Sure is," he agreed.

"Have you ever seen the west side of the Forbidden Lands?"

"You mean the Forbidden Island?" he asked.

"Is that what you call it?"

"Yes. I'm from Vemira--the kingdom across the Eastern Sea from Krialle. We call the Forbidden Island many different things. Island of Peril, Western Land, Forgotten Nation, Forbidden Land, or its original name from legend: Havene." That explained his accent and foreign, olive skin.