(Excerpt from my work in progress)
The castle was quiet, it usually was at this time. Nearly midnight, yet Nova was awake. Sneaking through the halls, she noticed a lurking feeling of getting caught. Exhilarating as it was, she didnât quite fancy it. In fact, if the reason wasnât as calamitous as it was, she wouldnât have even dreamt of giving it a thought. However, the circumstances were more than dire at this point. Sheâd held off for long enough. Now, she was in vital need of doing this. The monumental task of keeping this secret, as large as it was. In foresight, it was small, yet when it actually stares you down, looks into your soul, bearing your sins to its monumental immortality; itâs incomprehensible at best, petrifying you to stillness and creating this fear of getting caught. Yet here she was, doing it. In comparison to Nova, this task was monumental. It was a tower of fortitude and Nova was a small rock.Â
   Yet still, she crept. Silently above the shiny tiles, among the statues, she called family, beside the night maids she called friends. They said not a word, but silent pleas for her to make it safely. They knew that should they be questioned in the disappearance of the princess, they could not say a word. A single articulated thought would send the Queen after her. Although it pained them to see Nova go, they understood, as well they could, the maids were kind, and loved Nova. Thus they aided her in the task which befell her. As her journey began, Nova could think but one thought, âIs this right?â. Despite being quite knowledgable, Nova could not, for the life and love of her, answer the three worded question; for it perplexed her, brought her to her knees and brought forth her fear of unintelligence, of negligence to such a simple thing. Simply said, Nova could not yet fathom how she ended in such a position as this; having to sneak away from her home; her life, for freedom, for solace in knowing what lies ahead.Â
   Exiting the place she once called home, her haven of peace, now lay ruined behind her. For in her mind, she was leaving to escape the collapse and yet, it stood; always a place of strength and fortitude. Her home left in the dust of all things known to her, should she turn back now, the sight that would be there is terrifying. So, she pushed forwards, keeping pace, yet knowing, one wrong move, one wrong step or pace, should land her in the path of death and despair. The retched face of whence she called home, peace or even peace, for she left that behind. In favour of a new life, she didnât want it, she wished nothing more than to stay, to be kept within the knowns of her previous life; but she dared push forward, move past the fear that dared stop her, give her pause in such an infallible time.
   She stepped down, off of the last step of the castle, shredding her fears, she faced forward and moved into the darkness which sunk its claws into her flesh and kept her hidden. The town wasnât a considerable distance away from the castle, for the journey was made by many each day, but the path was well-beaten and quickly followed. Despite knowing her fate at home, Nova couldnât begin to perceive what may lay ahead. Still daring to push on, she made quick work of the road to the town, the small community which lay in the face of the castle, which shall hold Novaâs secret forevermore. As the familiar scent of fresh-baked pies and pastries took hold of Novaâs senses, she felt at peace, âfor what have I to fear?â The thought came with pause, for what had she to fear? Surely she could not have made a mistake? She knew what she was doing, she had no choice. Yet the guilt her mother had implanted in her head was yet to be relinquished. As if some beast which wishes revenge on a hunter which slew itâs family. Or a family whose only child was taken by the monstrosities of the world, like the ones who watched as their loved ones withered away at the first feeling of sickness because this was how she felt; as though those she cared most about had, only in her mind, withered away and left nothing but vengefulness, guilt and above all, hatred for the thing that pushed them away, or more accurately, pushed her to leave them behind, to start anew and begin her life again with new knowledge and forget the past. To move on. That was the task which befell Nova, this was the sword which pointed at her and judged her with the knowledge of what sheâs done, the sins sheâs made, helped, aided, abided in, it knows all and has put her into the path of despair and fear.
