Chapter Four

  I wake up feeling a lot more drawn to the woods. It's a strange feeling wanting to see Gabriel again and feel among for once. I've always wanted to be not so different. I walk to the windows, drawing the curtains to let in the rays of the sun into my room. The birds are chirping and flying lowly as I stare out. Several passersby with baskets filled with green vegetables in their arms walk past our house. I walk out of my room to the sound of rustling of pots in the kitchen. My mother is standing by the cooker with a wooden spoon in her hand. She turns to me and smiles. "You woke up early," she says, bringing the spoon to her lips. She is dressed in a blue ruffled skirt with a black blouse. I smell the sweet aroma of the chicken soup coming from the boiling pot. "I've been thinking about them," I say, walking closer to her. She scoops a little of the soup for me to taste. "Them?" she asks, handing over the spoon to me. I nod, grabbing the spoon and bringing it to my lips. The hotness burns my tongue but it is replaced by a savory taste after. "I couldn't sleep much," I admit. I leave out the part where I see Gabriel's face each time I close my eyes. It's just a teenage feeling I'll soon get over. "What about them has got my princess thinking so much?" My mother grazes her fingers on my face and brushes my hair to the side, tucking it behind my ears. I sigh, feeling the warmth of her fingers on my skin. "I finally feel normal when I'm with them. With my kind," I answer. "I want to be around them more," I add. My mother shakes her hear gently in disagreement to my words. "Your father and I have talked about this. We think you need to take this slowly," she says.

"But you told me I could start training to discover my abilities," I retort. "Get some bowls for the soup," my mother says, changing the subject. I walk to the plate rack, feeling a little disappointed. I was really hoping I could. "I'm starting today," I announce, grabbing three bowls. "Starting what princess?" I hand over a bowl to her. She pours the soup in it and sets it aside. "My training," I answer. She stops scooping the soup and stares at me. "We'll discuss that after breakfast." I huff silently. We walk back to the dining table and place the bowls of soup on it. The front door opens almost immediately. "Thank heavens I got to the bakery on time," my father says as he walks into the house. He has a woven basket in his hand. The smell of freshly baked buttered bread fills the house. "I had to force you to go early," my mother replies. She takes her seat on the dining table, beside father's whose is at the edge. I sit opposite her. "I'm glad you did," he replies, walking to the dining room. He sets the basket at the center of the table and bends to kiss my forehead. "Good morning father," I greet. He somehow smells like the buttered bread. "How is my princess doing?" he asks, settling in his seat. His cream tunic clothing is stained with dirt and the chest side. "I want to start my training but mother wouldn't allow," I say with a straight face at mother. She stares back at me with a bit of anger written on her face. "I said we would discuss about your trainings after breakfast Alice." I reach for the bread. It's warm and very soft as I cut a piece and dip it into my soup. "Alice, your mother and I just want you to be safe," my father says. "The woods aren't as safe as you assume it to be," he continues. He takes a piece of bread and squeezes my shoulder gently. "But we would discuss about your trainings. I see you're ready." I chew on the bread lazily and fix my gaze on my bowl. "No more talking while eating," my mother says. I can feel her eyes on me but I don't raise my head to face her. Instead, I think of how to leave the house. It would certainly be an easy task since they are out on the farm most of the time. We eat in silence, stealing glances at each other till we all finish our meal. I clear the table with mother and we both return to the kitchen with the dirty dishes. "I'm staying home today," she tells. I open my eyes wide in shock.

She never stays home with me unless she is sick. "Are you ill mother?" I ask. She cleans the dishes and hands over the wet bowls to me. I arrange them back on the plate rack, cursing under my breath. If she stays with me, I bet she wouldn't let me go to the woods. "No. I'm perfectly fine," she replies, taking a towel to dry her hands. "I know my child well enough to predict the things she does."

"You think you can stop me from going by keeping your eyes on me? I'm not a child anymore," I reply. My voice has gotten a little higher. "You are still my child. It's dangerous out there," she yells back, matching my tone. "What's going on?" my fathers asks concerned as he walks into the kitchen. I grunt, feeling too angry to form a response. "You can't stop me mother!" I walk out of the kitchen to my room, slamming the door hard. I can hear their whispers as I slip on my black boots. I don't want to be anywhere around them. I change into a pair of black breeches and a red shirt. I slip my dagger into the side of my left boot and open the door slightly to peep. My parents walk into their room as I keep my gaze on them. I tip toe out of my room few seconds after I hear their door shut. "I have to," I whisper to myself as I begin to have second thoughts on leaving the house. I hurriedly step out quietly before I talk myself out of it. I'm doing what I want and not my mother's. I'm living for myself now. I run to the woods as fast as I can, dodging the sight of people walking to their farms. I'm almost out of breath as I run further. I hold onto a tree, panting hard as I try to catch my breath. The birds are louder in this part with their sound, echoing loudly. The wind is blowing gently. I can somehow pick up the faintest sounds of movement of tiny animals. I begin to walk in the direction I took yesterday. It looks familiar. "Arggh," I scream, slipping into a ditch covered in leaves. I fall hard on my face into a big dark hole. I touch my face as I feel a wet warmth on my skin. My blood stains my fingers as I touch my new cut on my cheeks. I stand to my feet, dusting off the dirt on my cloth. The whole is a few meters away from the top. I try to climb out of it but my fingers fail to grasp the hard soil. "Help," I yell. I hear an echo of my voice but no response. I yell repeatedly, feeling my throat hurt with every scream. It makes no difference as I try no response or hear anyone around. "I should have stayed home," I whisper to myself, feeling pangs of regret. My feets hurt from standing for long. I squeeze my eyes shut, screaming for help once more. My voice fades into a sob. I swallow hard, holding my tears back.

"I could swear I recognized that voice," someone says.

"I'm done here. Help," I cry out. I hear footsteps draw closer to me. "Gabriel?" I say, staring at the familiar faces above me. "Alice," Tad replies. Finally.

  I wake up feeling a lot more drawn to the woods. It's a strange feeling wanting to see Gabriel again and feel among for once. I've always wanted to be not so different. I walk to the windows, drawing the curtains to let in the rays of the sun into my room. The birds are chirping and flying lowly as I stare out. Several passersby with baskets filled with green vegetables in their arms walk past our house. I walk out of my room to the sound of rustling of pots in the kitchen. My mother is standing by the cooker with a wooden spoon in her hand. She turns to me and smiles. "You woke up early," she says, bringing the spoon to her lips. She is dressed in a blue ruffled skirt with a black blouse. I smell the sweet aroma of the chicken soup coming from the boiling pot. "I've been thinking about them," I say, walking closer to her. She scoops a little of the soup for me to taste. "Them?" she asks, handing over the spoon to me. I nod, grabbing the spoon and bringing it to my lips. The hotness burns my tongue but it is replaced by a savory taste after. "I couldn't sleep much," I admit. I leave out the part where I see Gabriel's face each time I close my eyes. It's just a teenage feeling I'll soon get over. "What about them has got my princess thinking so much?" My mother grazes her fingers on my face and brushes my hair to the side, tucking it behind my ears. I sigh, feeling the warmth of her fingers on my skin. "I finally feel normal when I'm with them. With my kind," I answer. "I want to be around them more," I add. My mother shakes her hear gently in disagreement to my words. "Your father and I have talked about this. We think you need to take this slowly," she says.

"But you told me I could start training to discover my abilities," I retort. "Get some bowls for the soup," my mother says, changing the subject. I walk to the plate rack, feeling a little disappointed. I was really hoping I could. "I'm starting today," I announce, grabbing three bowls. "Starting what princess?" I hand over a bowl to her. She pours the soup in it and sets it aside. "My training," I answer. She stops scooping the soup and stares at me. "We'll discuss that after breakfast." I huff silently. We walk back to the dining table and place the bowls of soup on it. The front door opens almost immediately. "Thank heavens I got to the bakery on time," my father says as he walks into the house. He has a woven basket in his hand. The smell of freshly baked buttered bread fills the house. "I had to force you to go early," my mother replies. She takes her seat on the dining table, beside father's whose is at the edge. I sit opposite her. "I'm glad you did," he replies, walking to the dining room. He sets the basket at the center of the table and bends to kiss my forehead. "Good morning father," I greet. He somehow smells like the buttered bread. "How is my princess doing?" he asks, settling in his seat. His cream tunic clothing is stained with dirt and the chest side. "I want to start my training but mother wouldn't allow," I say with a straight face at mother. She stares back at me with a bit of anger written on her face. "I said we would discuss about your trainings after breakfast Alice." I reach for the bread. It's warm and very soft as I cut a piece and dip it into my soup. "Alice, your mother and I just want you to be safe," my father says. "The woods aren't as safe as you assume it to be," he continues. He takes a piece of bread and squeezes my shoulder gently. "But we would discuss about your trainings. I see you're ready." I chew on the bread lazily and fix my gaze on my bowl. "No more talking while eating," my mother says. I can feel her eyes on me but I don't raise my head to face her. Instead, I think of how to leave the house. It would certainly be an easy task since they are out on the farm most of the time. We eat in silence, stealing glances at each other till we all finish our meal. I clear the table with mother and we both return to the kitchen with the dirty dishes. "I'm staying home today," she tells. I open my eyes wide in shock.

She never stays home with me unless she is sick. "Are you ill mother?" I ask. She cleans the dishes and hands over the wet bowls to me. I arrange them back on the plate rack, cursing under my breath. If she stays with me, I bet she wouldn't let me go to the woods. "No. I'm perfectly fine," she replies, taking a towel to dry her hands. "I know my child well enough to predict the things she does."

"You think you can stop me from going by keeping your eyes on me? I'm not a child anymore," I reply. My voice has gotten a little higher. "You are still my child. It's dangerous out there," she yells back, matching my tone. "What's going on?" my fathers asks concerned as he walks into the kitchen. I grunt, feeling too angry to form a response. "You can't stop me mother!" I walk out of the kitchen to my room, slamming the door hard. I can hear their whispers as I slip on my black boots. I don't want to be anywhere around them. I change into a pair of black breeches and a red shirt. I slip my dagger into the side of my left boot and open the door slightly to peep. My parents walk into their room as I keep my gaze on them. I tip toe out of my room few seconds after I hear their door shut. "I have to," I whisper to myself as I begin to have second thoughts on leaving the house. I hurriedly step out quietly before I talk myself out of it. I'm doing what I want and not my mother's. I'm living for myself now. I run to the woods as fast as I can, dodging the sight of people walking to their farms. I'm almost out of breath as I run further. I hold onto a tree, panting hard as I try to catch my breath. The birds are louder in this part with their sound, echoing loudly. The wind is blowing gently. I can somehow pick up the faintest sounds of movement of tiny animals. I begin to walk in the direction I took yesterday. It looks familiar. "Arggh," I scream, slipping into a ditch covered in leaves. I fall hard on my face into a big dark hole. I touch my face as I feel a wet warmth on my skin. My blood stains my fingers as I touch my new cut on my cheeks. I stand to my feet, dusting off the dirt on my cloth. The whole is a few meters away from the top. I try to climb out of it but my fingers fail to grasp the hard soil. "Help," I yell. I hear an echo of my voice but no response. I yell repeatedly, feeling my throat hurt with every scream. It makes no difference as I try no response or hear anyone around. "I should have stayed home," I whisper to myself, feeling pangs of regret. My feets hurt from standing for long. I squeeze my eyes shut, screaming for help once more. My voice fades into a sob. I swallow hard, holding my tears back.

"I could swear I recognized that voice," someone says.

"I'm done here. Help," I cry out. I hear footsteps draw closer to me. "Gabriel?" I say, staring at the familiar faces above me. "Alice," Tad replies. Finally.