The Golden Core | Secrets of the Core #1

Chapter Three - Part One

She lifted herself up when the echo of footsteps left her ears, making Winter look up to find her mother standing next to the carriage. The horses neighed when she noticed her mother's foot tapping repeatedly against the ground with her hands rested on each side. Winter stood up, brushing the dirt off her dress and walked forward.

Her mother stretched her arm out. "Come, Winter. We have to go now."

With her hands curling into fists, her fingernails pushed into her skin. She couldn't believe Mother wouldn't even let her cry at her own father's funeral. Being treated as though she was nothing, someone with no emotions, wasn't the way she had ever expected her mother to be yet she was treated this way her whole life. Now, it was time for it to be over.

"No." She straightened her shoulders and took a few steps back, knowing her mother heard her.

Summer came closer and whispered, "What are you doing?"

She crossed her arms and gave Summer a sympathetic look. If he didn't understand now, all she could hope for was that he understood later. The silence built around her as if a volcano was about to erupt.

Witches and wizards around her gasped at her response. Winter never spoke to her mother the way she just did, but it took all her courage, and her father's support from above, for her to even say it. She was irritated even though it was wrong, but after being called The Voided by her own mother and being disliked in general, she couldn't go with her to the castle. It wasn't like Mother ever cared anyway. She was only being this way now because there were people around her. Tears fell onto her cheeks, but she wiped them away as quick as they started to fall. Without moving a muscle, she intended to stay right in that spot until Mother left. She was done letting her mother treat her this way.

Her mother walked toward her until she stood right in front of Winter. She trembled a little, her arms gaining tiny bumps from the shaking. Not knowing what was going to happen next, she tried her best to get the shivering under control so her mother couldn't see.

Mother whispered directly into her ear. "How dare you speak to me like that here. You're coming with me, now."

Winter backed up a few steps and crossed her arms. "I'm not coming with you, Mother." Her mother glared at her, though Winter refused to be intimidated. "Instead, I'm going to take a walk and...and, I'll see you at the castle." A quick glance at Summer told her that, no matter what, he was staying with their mother. In a way, she understood. But, at the same time, he knew how Mother was. He could've come with her to prove a point, though the separation that always managed to get between them showed up once again.

She turned, scanning the area for a place to go until a bench came into her view. As she sat down, she folded her hands but soon a few drops of water touched her head. She placed her head in her hands, letting the water fall on her as the rain came down harder. A loud boom rang across the sky as she stood up and walked forward. Her clothes stuck to her body as the rain poured through them, brushing her hair back with her hand, making the huge drops fall from her locks onto the street.

Winter was proud that she stood up for herself, but she knew this meant she might lose her mother too. She hoped she wouldn't lose Summer. He was all she had. Part of her thought she knew him better and they would be fine, but there was this little voice inside her head that told her he'd be gone forever. No matter how terrible Mother treated her, she just lost her father and wasn't ready for that.

But she certainly wasn't going to go back.

She needed to make a point. That was the last time Mother could walk all over her.

It became quiet outside due to the rain. Most were inside keeping themselves from getting wet, but she saw a few young children outside, splashing around in a puddle of water. The happy screams of the kids overtook her thoughts as she continued toward the castle, passing by many gardens in front of witches and wizards houses. The sun was going down, making the lights that appeared every few feet on the street slowly turn on.

As it got darker and the clouds of rain hung over her head, she could see a shadow of a man every so often when he stood underneath the light. His blonde hair was the first thing she noticed, but she walked quicker down the street, knowing she was mostly alone. He started to come closer to her, his eyes locking directly on hers. She smiled slightly, wanting to be polite. Looking to her left as she was about to arrive at the castle, he was gone. Unable to figure out who it was, she was starting to get worried.

Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as she stepped closer to the door, placing her hand on the door knob when she felt a hand placed on her shoulder. She turned around quickly, her heart still racing, and gasped when she saw the man standing right in front of her. After she calmed down a little, she realized that this was the same man her father introduced her to a few days before.

"You're Phoenix, right?" She crossed her arms, trying to hide the fact that she was trembling while waiting for him to speak. The wind picked up, making her shiver as the rain poured onto her skin. She twisted her hair in her hands, trying to let it dry, as the drops fell onto the doorstep.

He ran his hand through his hair that came slightly past his ears and gave her a small smile. Shaking his hand to free it from the rain, he said, "I certainly am! We met the other day when your father showed up as you were going to your training." He flicked his eyes in both directions before looking at her once again, the guards on both sides of the castle staring at him intently.

Winter remembered him with her father a few days ago. They were close. Was he at the funeral? If he really did know her as a little girl, she would've thought so, but she didn't have a single idea. Looking at each one that attended wasn't on her list of things to do while she was there.

"Yes, that's right. What are you doing here?" Even though she thought she knew, she decided to ask anyways, but she couldn't truly believe him.

He waved a hand at her. "Nothing. Just the funeral, of course. Your father was a close friend of mine." After a couple seconds, he added, "Besides, I saw you here. I just thought I would help you. You've had a few troubling days. It's nice to have someone around for you. Now, are you alright? Maybe you should go inside, we don't want you getting sick."

"I'm fine," she spoke softly, exhaling a large breath before relaxing a little. "You don't need to help me."

Phoenix chuckled, though it sounded off to her. She wasn't sure why. "Don't be silly! You're the Princess and...besides, we just lost someone close to the both of us. Close to you, more importantly. Can't I be there for you?"

Winter's cheeks became a bright shade of red as she lifted her arms up in front of her face, but she quickly dropped them and stood up straight. Still, it was odd that he was trying so hard with her. "Well, I guess you're right. Thanks for checking on me." She smiled and turned around to walk inside the castle when the door flew open in front of her.