Illusion and Reality

Losing sanity

We stared at each other without uttering any word, fear was clearly visible on our pale faces.

“Stay quiet, it is still far,” Lily whispered.

“Do you know the way to go back?”

She started looking around, searching for something frantically. I looked at her puzzled as she looked at the tree with silver bark on it.

“I know a shortcut.”

I was half expecting her to walk on the same path from where we came, but she started walking on the exact opposite side, “Come on, we have to get out of here fast.”

Skeptically I started following her, we were on a narrow path covered by tall trees with a distinct aroma on both sides of the path with red vines winded around them, vines started moving as we crossed those trees. Looking closely I realized those were snakes, not vines.

I covered my mouth to make sure I was not making any sound. I tried my best not to touch any of the plants on my way, while Lily looked unbothered by everything. I did not believe it was the same Lily who could not tolerate a mud stain on her shoes but the Lily in front of my eyes looked happy.

“Cover your nose.”

Confused, I covered my nose with both of my hands. A bud on a small bush opened and turned into a tiny bright pink flower, with long petals. Just before my eyes, yellow powder appeared from the flower and disappeared into the thin air, it did not take me long to realize that powder was dangerous.

We continued walking and I tried my best to hold my breath.

“We are safe now.”

“What was that?” I asked curiously.

“That was xolfia, a tiny flower that releases poisonous pollen, if you inhale it you will become a sleeping beauty for the next few months,” Lily described everything with a wide smile on her face.

I was too busy in her words that I almost ailed to notice the huge palace in the middle of a garden.

"What are we doing here?" I whispered.

"I only knew the way to the palace,” she replied sheepishly.

"But you know the way to get back from here right?" I asked.

"Well..." she started looking around to avoid looking at me.

"Are you serious? This was your great plan? How will we go back?" I folded my arms and waited for an answer.

"I know a person who will help us, we will go from the back door,” she held my hand and started pulling me as she almost ran towards the backside of the castle. It had similar windows all over it but just one door, comparatively much smaller than the front huge door.

Two guards were standing on either side of the door. One of them looked at us from head to toe, I tried to ignore his harsh stare, reminding myself he was only doing his work.

“We are Liam’s guests. I am Lily.”

The guard gave us one final look and mumbled something. “You both can go,” he said in a croaky voice.

Lily dragged me with her as we reached an unknown hallway.

Lily looked at me, "the ball was held on the floor below this one, this area is for royal guests."

"I will explain everything to Liam….well not everything,” she said as we stood in front of a door.

"You go and explain everything to him, I will just wait here,” I said to her.

She looked at me with uncertainty.

"You both know each other just ask him to help us, we have to get back before Astrid and Lucius.”

“Okay fine. Just keep walking straight and you’ll find a guard there, ask him to show you a room where you can wait for me.”

With a nod I started walking in the direction she pointed at, I tried to look for a guard and avoid the king but to my luck, no one was there in the empty hallway and I felt like I was walking in a maze.

After walking in circles I was staring at a golden door with a purple flower engraved on it. Hesitantly I opened the door, it was a huge room with a crystal chandler hanging from the ceiling, a bed in the center, a large mirror with a golden outline next to the bookshelf, and a fireplace in one corner.

The room was too clean for someone to live in it, the windows and curtains of the room were closed and something above the fireplace was being hidden under the pale cloth.

I walked towards the fireplace, without even knowing what I was doing, I removed the cloth.

A gasp escaped my lips, it was a portrait of me, but those were not my brown eyes. I was frozen in the place as I looked at the painting, it was me but everything was different about the woman in the painting. She had a kind smile on her face but the confidence was visible in her features.

A sound from the outside brought me back to reality, I covered the portrait back quickly.

Slowly I opened the door and peeked outside, when I was sure no one was there, I ran in the direction I thought was right.

And luckily Lily was standing there, who sighed in relief after seeing me running towards her, “Where were you?”

"I got lost,” I replied in a small voice.

"We should go back now,”  Lily said.

"Where is Liam?” I asked.

"He went to search for you,” she replied and went towards the guard coming in our way. 

She said something to him to which he nodded in response.

Lily was holding something shiny in her hand, we got out from the same way. After we were sure the guards could not see us, Lily opened her hand and a bright yellow light appeared from it that turned into a ball of fire.

“We have to follow this, it will guide us.”

We started following the ball, Lily was saying something the entire way but I could not focus on any of her words. I gave her a brief yes, no or you're right.

Everything was quiet as we reached back, which meant only one thing, no one was at home.

"Why was he in that forest anyway?" Lily asked.

"I don't know Lily, nothing about this place or the people living here makes sense anymore now."

"You are right,” she said while thinking about something. I knew she would ask more questions.

"I am tired, I need some rest,” I said before she could say anything else.

So much was going on and I wanted to be alone, I didn't tell anyone, I didn't know what to tell and who should I tell.

Who would believe any of this? Lucius came to my mind immediately but I was not even sure if I could trust him anymore.

What were the secrets he was hiding? Who was the woman in that painting and why did she look like me?

I took my pillow and screamed in frustration.

I didn't realize I fell asleep until a knock on my door woke me up.

"Come in,” I said thinking it must be Lily.

The door opened and Lucius was standing awkwardly there with a plate in his hand "How are you?"

I looked at him in confusion.

"You didn't come for dinner and Lily said you were not feeling good,” -his eyes held concern.

"I am fine,” it sounded rude even though I didn't mean it.

"I brought your dinner here,” he put the dinner on the table.

"You don't have to do that.”

He couldn't just ignore me and then act as if he cared.

He stood near the door looking at me, "I know things have been a little different between us but if you need anything or want someone to talk to I am always here for you. I have promised to keep you safe and I will never let anyone hurt you."

I stared at him not knowing what to believe. One look at him and I just wanted to pour my heart out, I wanted to tell him about my nightmares, about the portrait. I wanted to tell him how I felt like I was losing my sanity.

Instead of saying any of those, I just said, "Thank you,” and watched him leave.