Premonition (Chapter 1)

The storm raged on as Arista continued to stare into space. It's been a month since her last letter from home and already she's racked her over-stressed brain countless times judging, calculating and attempting to forecast when word of familiarity would reach her. Arista practically jumped out of her skin as a crude leather whip landed upon her desk. "Clearly, our attention seems elsewhere, isn't that right, Miss Pendragon?" spat out Mrs. Greenwood, the head of women's etiquette. She had a toucan like beak for a nose and far too many warts in Arista's opinion. How she ever succeeded in finding a husband, she could never understand even if she DID find out. Once class was over, she hurriedly saw herself out and headed somewhere less crowded. However, the Lilian Girl's Academy was never such a haven for loners like herself. Noisy chatter and juicy gossip constantly filled those corridors, over-flowing from the busy lips of school girls and occasionally, teachers as well.

They say the gardens on the fifth floor were haunted with the ghost of a broken-hearted girl whom committed suicide out of anguish. Needless to say, the plants were left to fend for themselves. The result was quite extraordinary, as you walked beneath the overgrown archway of morning glories; you seem to have warped yourself into this paradise of greenery. You would swear you were in some sort of tamed jungle, and this was Arista's sanctuary. Apart from the overgrowth of undergrowth, what once were breathtaking fountains and ponds resulted into breeding grounds for frogs and the birds own personal baths. However, not all people saw it this way, as you pass the archway, the light would begin to dim down because of the plants that overtook the greenhouse ceiling. The more one walked, the more eerie and foreboding the path seemed to stretch on. It was either Arista's bravery or stupidity that lead her to explore the dark forest, it was to her surprise that there was indeed an Eden hidden beyond where the eye could see, from the entrance anyway. In this oasis, the plants mysteriously failed to shield the sunlight and it shined more brightly than ever as it reflected across the inbuilt river. Fruit trees towered above and served both as housing and pantry for small animals.

Arista's white pressed skirt often met bark and moss as she often sat to read or write on a branch that was conveniently positioned like a bench. There, was a place of which her ideas of poetry were born and where her mind would escape in endless fantasies. Word often spread that she was possessed by the ghost and forced into entering its lair due to the fact that it seemed ludicrous for anyone to choose a dirty overgrown greenhouse when one could lounge upon plush couches and dance upon marble floors. Like everything else that was too much over-exaggerated, Arista ignored the rumors and petty lies told about her. Although, sadly, her family was never as thick-skinned as her and she only ever received lectures and letters of being a disappointment to the family. Hard as it seemed, those were the only letters she ever received since she had transfered to that school. 5 years had gone by in a blink of an eye and she remained reserved as ever.

Arista pushed back her glasses as she turned to stretch in her seat. All around her, the girls were in a flurry as they had received word that they were finally old enough to attend the annual winter ball. Arista buried her head in her arms and resisted the urge to fall completely asleep, which was surprisingly a challenge even though the market-like chatter only seemed to heighten with squeals and boasts about whom was wearing what. It's been a fortnight since those dreams of hers started. Each time leaving her more in a daze than the last. Prophecy or coincidence, she just wanted them to stop so that she'll finally be able to get some sleep.

In her first dream, she felt herself break into a run. She felt lonely although surrounded by a sea of people. Everything seemed to slow down and then she saw him, a silhouette of that of a tall man against a starry sky that turned to look over his shoulder, as if he noticed her presence. The most recent dream though, was of her being cornered against the wall, being smothered by passionate kisses by this strange person, though this time it was daylight in her dream, which allowed her to see that he had jet black hair, just trailing down his neck. The intimacy manifested through each progressing episode of her dream leaving her to fear and wonder in curiosity, what could only happen the next time they met, or if they would meet at all. All in all, she had told herself endless times, never to hope in such fantasies ever becoming real, so that she wouldn't be setting herself up for more disappointment than she could have handled. Besides the fact, of all the times she had seen him in her dreams, she could never remember his face.

It wasn't exactly the best time for romantic fantasies either, the war between The Old Kingdom and its neighboring country was reaching its climax and the country was in turmoil. Lilian Academy however, seemed to have been spared, for the moment. Other schools however, weren't so lucky. The Northern Lights Elite School For The Gifted had been burnt to the ground, and sharing a bond with the academy, regardless how thin it was, most of the students had been evacuated and ushered into the fortress-like gates of the school. Everyone was expected to bunk in with at least 1 of the newly arrived immigrants, which also became one of the many many topics of which the girls chose to "discuss".

On that night, a large group of cloaked figures had entered Arista's classroom. Apparently, they were told to make nice with the girls and choose someone to bunk in with, but surprisingly, it was the other way round. The girls fought with each other when it came to choosing their to-be roommates, they however didn't seem to have a say in anything. Feeling more like shelved goods in a sundry shop than needy guests, one by one, the girls came up to pick who they wanted to share their rooms with. Arista scoffed as she looked on. "Absolutely shameless..." she whispered as she got up to leave. Other than being extremely annoyed by the ruckus, she was slightly agitated that the teachers had forgotten to tell them that The Northern Lights were an all boy's school. If she'd known, she would have made herself scarce in an instant. The vision of a poor frightened little girl awaiting her rescue, was not to be.

Nobody took notice of Arista's sudden leave, which didn't seem to surprise her as she made her way down the moonlit corridors. "I won't be able to sleep anyway." she huffed as she turned to enter her private getaway. She took with her, only her book of self made-up tragic tales of despair and the pen that held her hair in a feathery bun. Arista crossed the littered floor, her steps echoing all the way. She sensed that something was amiss. Tonight, the jungle seemed strangely quiet, almost too quiet. Soon, moonlight broke unto her path as she reached the oasis. She had noticed the vines and bark had marks of being hacked at. Someone had been there, before her. As she ran a finger across the tree's cross-hatched scars, a glimpse of something metal caught her eye as she looked into the muddy pool. She looked above her by instinct, and saw that a hooded figure say upon the branch she had so often reclined on. Its gaze seemed locked on her, Arista though, only stared back in response. After a few uneasy minutes, Arista sighed and sat herself upon the overgrown grass choosing not to be bothered by her intruding guest. He merely did the same and turned his attention to the full moon, half hidden by wispy clouds.