Chapter 16

**Acacia Point of View**

I took uncertain steps towards the main door and stood in front of it a minute to see if the doors are really open or I'm just imagining it.

Gulping down, I touched the opened door and immediately knew how heavy it is. I mean, it easily weighs equal to one fully grown elephant.

Considering that, isn't it hard for one person to open it?

Even if he somehow accomplished it singlehandedly, doing it quietly without making any sound is not possible.

But the most important question now is, why, of all the time, the doors are open now?

I couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse for this hidden person to open the main door. This is certainly the most bizarre thing that happened in months of my stay here.

If he is so bent on locking me up here, not to forget that I'm pregnant now, why am I suddenly given a way to escape?

Gaping at the view outside that I haven't seen in months, I twirled around tentatively to look if there was something I'm missing. When all I found was just the new décor, I turned back to step outside.

When I reached the threshold, my leg hovered over it for a few moments still contemplating if I should step out or not.

This whole place is a pit of danger, who knows what happens next.

Deciding to just get out, I stepped out and the first thing I felt was the cool breeze of freedom filling my lungs. I inhaled the morning rays of sun, mist of early day and the scent of being unbound.

So this is how freedom feels like!

An automatic smile came over on lips. To say this is the happiest moment I felt in months is an understatement. Well, second happiest, the day I found the window of my room opened was the happiest one.

I took my time in observing everything and found that the stone path, the garden and the fountain is looks still the same as I remember from the other night which happened to be nearly half a year ago.

Only, everything is finely renovated and decorated in the same way the interior of the castle was. It doesn't look abandoned and haunted anymore. More like proper kingdom that would float with people and buzz with daily activities.

Setting aside all the changes, the events are just getting confusing. Everything I see tells me that there might me several people living here but I didn't see any one of them.

Heck, there are not even traces of someone living here except for me. How can there be traces of someone's presence and still not have traces of someone's presence?

"Hello!" I called out in a low voice, at least giving it a try that someone might indeed respond.

Although, by now I know I would never receive any response.

My eyes trailed over to the active fountain overflowing with water but what took my interest was not the fountain itself but the reservoir that situated in the middle of it.

The water reservoir was extended on the top by a pillar and on the top base of it is a torch lit with fire. The fire torch looks just like that of emblem. The fire is alive despite the morning fog and chilled breeze.

This must be some ritual! Otherwise, who in their right mind would light a torch in broad daylight?

I circled the fountain and appreciated it's beauty. There are several flower trees around and wind carried its petals in what looked like a petal rain.

The beautiful water fountain and petal rain surrounded by sweet scents, my goodness two eyes are not enough to behold such beauty.

The scent of cherry blossoms mixed with some other flowers cleansed my suffocated body. My mind felt so at peace and when the soft petals landed on me, soul left my body and went to heaven.

"How beautiful" I breathed out a chuckle when flower petals touched my skin and tickled the place it landed. My long hair flew along the direction of the gentle wind and saw few flower petals stuck there.

Taking a step back from the fountain, now that I look around clearly, the whole garden and the stone path and porch is filled with flower petals and it seems like the whole island is raining flowers.

I've seen many things in my life, many beautiful events and sceneries but nothing can beat this.

If there is a heaven up there somewhere, then it wouldn't be any different than this. I don't even have right words to express the beauty in front of me.

For a moment, I forgot all the suffering, all the fear, all the atrocities I've been through from past few months. I even felt the baby kick in joy.

"Oh yes, isn't it so beautiful." I pat my stomach with a smile. "You can feel it, don't you?" I asked as I rubbed my hand over my belly.

I'm sure the baby can feel it. I can feel the baby's happiness. Don't ask me how because even I don't know how I can feel it.

It must be the motherly attachment a mother would have towards her baby.

At that point, talking to the baby, feeling his emotions didn't feel as awkward as it always seemed. I realized there is a certain acceptance in my heart towards the baby.

After all it's as much my child as the mysterious person's.

And with that realization came another; I need to find my way out from here when I still have the opportunity.

And so, with determined steps, I walked through the long stone path and soon out of the premise towards the forest where there is a path to go down the hill.

Just at the edge of the path down, I came to a screeching halt when I looked at the crooked steep steps. My eyes found my belly and a loud scoff left my mouth.

"Of course. Of course I forgot about the pain that came with climbing the hill on this path." Another scoff of disbelief left my mouth.

"Of course you opened the doors for me. You knew I cannot go anywhere, cannot take risks while pregnant." This time, I did not talk to myself instead I said loudly knowing all well that the words would reach the right ears.

Biting down on my lower lip nervously, I stared at the crooked path that leads me down the hill and contemplated if I can safely go down.

"No no I cannot take risk with the baby's safety." I told myself as I grudgingly decided to go back to the castle.

If the main doors are still open tomorrow and the day after and the days after, I can try and find a safer way to go downhill. For the sake of escaping this hell I cannot put my baby's life in danger.

What if I stumble down on my way? No!

Stomping away towards the direction of the fort, I mumbled profanities at the damned person who put me in this situation in the first place.

How clever! He used the motherly instinct against me!

One day - One day I will hurt him and kill him with my own hands.

My previously brighter mood soured when yet again the damned haunted castle stood proudly before me in all its glory. Not wanting to go inside yet, I dragged my feet in the garden to enjoy the little fresh air I was allowed to have.

Fifteen minutes in my walk, I have reached the other side of the castle that wasn't visible to me from my window. Walking there, I saw a part of castle that was not attached to the one I'm living in.

This part of the establishment has its own grand entrance and a tower raising over it. The doors were wide open and by the looks of it, it must be some huge room that is fit for balls.

I wasted no time and passed through the doors and the first thing I noticed was two torches of fire lit on over the threshold on the top on either side.

I entered in a small room that looked like one of those waiting rooms from olden days. Few benches were arranged by another door that leads to alternate room.

Just like the castle this place is also similarly decorated. Looking around carefully, I walked into the adjacent room mindlessly.

Is this where the mysterious person hid himself all these days?

Are there more people here?

The moment I stepped into the adjacent room, the first thing I saw was how huge the hall was but again my attention was instantly grabbed by something else.

"My, my!" This isn't just any room.

There, in front of me, is room with chairs arranged on either sides and on the front, over the platform sitting proudly is a throne.

A throne fit for a king and queen to take their places.

This is isn't just any hall. This is a throne room!

**~*~*~*~*~*~

Hello Sweeties,

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