Secrets: Chapter 3

Malia kept walking until she collapsed on a
field. She felt herself being carried by gentle
hands that felt like home, so, she decided to
relish in that comfort until reality kicked in.
Fire...that was the first thing she noticed
when she took in her surroundings. She
was standing on a cliff and there was red
and orange flame everywhere, but she
didn't feel heat instead, she felt warmth and
comfort. Something was flying towards her.
It was a huge bird and as it got closer she
noticed that it had red feathers, its beak was
golden yellow, its feet were a mixture of
shades red,orange and yellow. The feathers
were red at its back, but on the inside were
golden yellow and its eyes were golden
yellow too. It looked like it was in flame and
when it got closer after circling around from
a distance, she realised that it was. When
the bird got closer, she couldn't help but to
reach out to touch it but suddenly
everything disappeared and she was
thrown into darkness.
Malia woke up to strange but faintly familiar
voices. She was lying down on the softest
bed she had ever slept on. It felt like soft
feathers and suddenly she remembered her
dream. It had started a few weeks before
her sixteenth birthday and when she tried
to tell someone about it, she couldn't bring
herself to. She knew she probably should
have been terrified, but she wasn't and it
always ended the same way except as time
went on, it began to seem more real. She
slowly opened her eyes and realised that
she was in a new surrounding. Judging by
the look of the place, the owner must have
been really wealthy.
There was a knock on the door followed by
a voice "Are you awake miss?".
Miss?... Malia thought. "Yes" she replied and
realised how dry her throat was. Thankfully
whoever it was that had asked her opened
the door, and carried in her hands, a tray of
water and food.
She looked at the woman sceptically but the
woman merely smiled and urged her to sit
up and when she did, she placed the tray on
a small stool and placed it on either side of
her laps.
"You should eat first. You need to get back
your strength".
Malia obeyed the woman. After eating (she
hadn't realised she was hungry), there was
a knock on the door before it opened and
an old man walked in. The woman who she
suspected was a maid, removed the stool
from her bed and took the tray, then she
walked out of the room.
The old man moved closer to her bed and
smiled at her. She recognized him. She had
seen him in the market a few times but only
had one close encounter with him.
************************
It was one evening during fall. The trees
were shedding their leaves leaving golden
brown leaves all over the village. She was
only ten and had wandered into the artist's
shop to look at paintings, when she saw
him looking at several art tools displayed in
a corner. He had smiled at her and beckone
her closer, she walked closer to him and he
explained that he was looking for a brush to
write. She decided to assist him and picked
up a golden yellow feather and gave it to
him.
He smiled at her and told her that it was a
phoenix's feather and that it was a sign of
greatness, then he gave her a silver necklace
with a phoenix bird on it. At first she had
rejected it but he said "It belonged to my
granddaughter but she's gone and you're
the next best person who would be worthy
of it. Please take care of it for me"
She had accepted but when she got home
and showed it to her parents, they had
seized it and she soon forgot about it.
***************
Looking at the man now, she felt slightly
guilty but then remembered the household
that he came from and whatever guilt she
felt turned into anger.
"Are you alright" he asked kindly.
"Where am i?" she replied ignoring his
question "how long have i been here?".
"You have been unconscious for two days
and you're in the Richards home...your
home".
"Two days?" she asked incredulously "wait
I'm in the Richards home?!...my home?!
That's impossible".
"Oh but it isn't my dear. Your name is
Matilda Richards, daughter of Luke and
Emma Richards and you're my
granddaughter, heiress to this household
and estate.You were kidnapped in a planned
accident by two rogues who pretended to
be your parents but now you're home to
take your rightful place" the man explained.
Heiress?!... Her? That was impossible. This
wasn't real.This was just a really weird
dream or some sick joke because why in all
the noble homes in the kingdom, did it have
to be the Richards'?. Why was she of all
people an heiress in the first place?
♠ ♠ ♠
t help but to
reach out to touch it but suddenly
everything disappeared and she was
thrown into darkness.
Malia woke up to strange but faintly familiar
voices. She was lying down on the softest
bed she had ever slept on. It felt like soft
feathers and suddenly she remembered her
dream. It had started a few weeks before
her sixteenth birthday and when she tried
to tell someone about it, she couldn