Two

Waking with a start, I gazed around my room as if the man holding the gun would appear from thin air. Yet there was nothing. Only the sounds of my breathing filled my ears. Touching my forehead, I was shocked to find it damp with sweat. With a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes once more. These dreams were getting more and more real. I could've sworn I felt his bloody fingertips that still lingered on my face.

Throwing the covers away from my body, I heard a loud thump hit the hardwood floor below. Leaning over the edge of the bed, I was shocked to find the old leather diary from last night now on the floor.

With a confused frown, I gently grasped the diary in my hands. "How did this get here?" I whispered.

I placed the diary back on the desk and gazed at the old cover. I thought I had left the diary on my desk before sleeping. The only rational thing I could think of was that I suddenly began to sleepwalk. Surely that was the answer? Rubbing my eyes, I pushed the diary and the dream away from my mind as I realised what I had forgotten to do.

"Well, today's going to be interesting." I groaned.

After getting dressed, I made my way into the kitchen, where Grandpa seemed to be making breakfast. In front of him, Grandpa had two pieces of toast that looked a little overcooked. The edges were burnt, and as he spread the butter onto the toast, I noticed a small frown gracing his usually smiley face.

"Everything all right, Grandpa?" Grasping an apple from the small metal fruit basket, I took a bite. "You seem off this morning."

Turning to me with a forced smile, he shook his head. "I'm all right, Helena. Just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

Frowning, I lowered the apple from my lips. "Is Grandmamma okay?

Dropping the butter knife into the sink, Grandpa gave a small nod. "Everything is all right. Grandmamma just had a bit of trouble sleeping last night."

Nodding, I lowered my gaze. For the past month, Grandmamma had been having issues breathing when trying to sleep. I knew her lungs were terrible, mainly due to smoking when she was young, but it still hurt seeing her struggle so much. Even with all her health issues, she always tried to smile when she was around us. "Please tell me you have booked to see Dr Kim."

"I have. Dr Kim was the first call I made this morning." He replied. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he gave a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry too much. I'm sure everything will be fine. I want you to worry about your schooling, all right, Helena?" Giving Grandpa a small smile, I nodded. "Good, now go to school before you're late."

***

Opening my locker, I gazed at the contents inside. It was mostly empty apart from a few photos that I had stuck on the wall. The only books inside were my maths and history books. Hence, I didn't do my homework last night. Not having the right supplies to finish something made it extremely hard to work. At least that was the excuse I was going for. As I gazed at the photos, I spotted one of Grandmamma and me standing on a pier. Grandpa had wanted to go fishing, and because Grandmamma and I didn't want to smell like fish, we decided we would have a small photoshoot instead. Although it was a happy memory, I couldn't help but frown at Grandmamma's smiling face.

Grandmamma was the only person in this world who understood me. Even when I was younger and chose to write rather than go out and play with the other kids, she never complained and always encouraged me to be the person I wanted to be. She was my rock, my everything, and I knew each day that passed, her sickness was getting worse. Frowning at her smiling face, I couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips.

"Well, don't you look like a ball of sunshine this morning?" Came a sudden snarky voice.

Closing my locker door, I turned my head with a frown. Leaning against the wall next to my locker was Trisha, a smirk gracing her lips.

"Hi, to you too." I groaned. Laughing, Trisha pushed a red lollipop into her mouth. Trisha was the embodiment of a bad girl with a weird, sweet, girly personality. With a nose piercing and blue eyes, made to stand out with her dark brown eye shadow and dark purple hair, she was one girl that always stood out amongst us mundane-looking people. "You ready for the field trip at the end of the week?"

"What, the one to that old manor where some rich old man lives?" Trisha stares at me with an are-you-serious look. Throwing my backpack over my shoulder, I made my way towards my class, closely followed by Trisha.

"I heard there's a ghost there and secret tunnels." Her enthusiasm and interest in all things old and spooky had me laughing. Of course, she was more interested in all things spooky, rather than the history of the actual manor itself. Turning to her with a small smirk, I threw an arm around her neck as I began to sing. "When there's something strange in your neighbourhood. Who are you going to call?"

Gazing at me with that look of irritation once again, I couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, you're so funny." Came her sudden dry reply. Throwing my arm off her shoulder, Trisha pulled the lollipop out of her mouth. "Did you finish your homework?

Stopping in my tracks, I sighed. "I'm doomed."

"I take that as a... no?" Laughed Trisha. Glaring at her, I chewed on my bottom lip. "Yes, that's a no."

"Well... Mr Stevenson's not going to like you today, is he?" Snorting, I pulled the straps of my bag tighter. "When does Mr Stevenson ever like someone?"

Rounding the corner into another hall, I sighed at the group of people standing around the hallway. Tanya Douglas. Only one word would describe her, and that is a righteous B.I.T.C.H.

"You just going to stand there or are you going to go into the room?" Stepping beside me, Trisha, too, stopped in her tracks. "Oh, now I see why you've stopped."

"Let's just go in." Grabbing her wrist, I pulled her in after me.

Taking one of the desks in the back of the classroom, I threw my bag onto it. Emptying the contents, I reached in and pulled out the last book, only to freeze. "What?" I was confused by what I saw. Grasped tightly in my hands was the diary from this morning.

"I swear I had left this on my desk..." I whispered. Thinking back to this morning, I wondered if Grandmamma-.

"What's that?" Came a sudden voice. Snapping my attention to where the sound came from, I froze.

Turning to Trisha with wide eyes, I quickly pushed the diary back into the bag. "Oh, nothing... I think I got the wrong book." With a nervous laugh, I turned to face the front of the class as I took my seat.

"Right... and I forgot to put on underwear." Trisha snickered. Rolling my eyes, I ignored her as the teacher walked into the room.

"Good morning, everyone!" Walking to the front of the desks, Mr. Stevenson smiled at everyone. Mr Stevenson was a man in his late forties, with slightly greying hair. He was kind, I'll give him that, but mess with his classes, and he became the worst teacher in the history of teachers. I had seen him pick up a student's phone and throw it out the window, and all because it started to ring.

"I hope you all did your homework..." He said, groans soon following after. "Luckily for the few that didn't do their homework." Mr Stevenson's eyes snapped to me. Lowering my head, I bit my bottom lip. "-You are in luck. We have decided to move the field trip to the Pinewood Manor for today"

Cheers echoed throughout the classroom, causing Mr Stevenson to bang his books on the wooden desk. Once everyone was calm, he continued. "So, grab your things and head out to the bus pick-up zone."

With a contented sigh, I repacked my things. I was glad that I would now be able to finish my homework and not receive a detention. The last thing I wanted was the detention and having to write, 'I promise not to be lazy. I will do my homework starting today, one hundred times. Shuddering at what my Grandmamma would do, I quickly followed Trisha out the door.

"You are one lucky girl right now." Trisha laughed as I caught up to her.

"That or she bribed the teacher." Came a sudden snarky reply.

Biting the inside of my cheeks, I plastered a smile on my face before turning around. "That's your specialty, not mine."

With a roll of her eyes, Tanya stepped up to me. I wasn't about to let this girl treat me like other people in this school. I didn't care that her dad was rich and sponsored the school, that doesn't give her the right to treat others who are less than her like they are trash.

Lifting my chin, I gazed up into her dark brown eyes that looked to have way too much concealer around them. "What, did I upset you with the truth?" Smirking, Tanya poked my forehead with her fourth finger. With gritted teeth, I glared at her as she spoke. "You're just jealous because your father isn't rich..." Tilting her head to the side with a finger placed to her lips, a smile graced her makeup-caked face. "Oh wait... he's dead." She laughed.

With shaky breaths, I resisted the urge to punch her. My hands clenched and unclenched at my sides, as anger radiated off me. What would my dead family think if they saw me hurt someone else? Closing my eyes, I pictured their smiling faces.

"You're right," I said. Opening my eyes, I smiled at Tanya. "They are dead, but that doesn't give you the right to speak wrongly of others. You're no different to me."

Stepping beside me, Trisha pulled the lollipop stick out of her mouth. "I suggest you get your fake ass self away from this situation before I grab a pin and pop those stupid duck lips of yours."

Tanya glared at Trisha before licking her lips. "Whatever... you're not even worth my time."

"Ditto." Smirked Trisha. Watching Tanya leave down the hall, I released the breath I was holding. "I can't wait for the day I can show her what for."

Laughing, Trisha threw an arm around my shoulder. "We both know you don't have a violent bone in your body."

Shrugging her hand off my shoulder, I shook my head. "Come on, before we miss the bus."

Arriving at the bus drop-off zone, I noted that only our class was present. "I thought all of the year twelves were going on this trip?" I said, closer to Trisha. She, too, had a confused look.

Shrugging, Trisha turned to me with a smile. "Same. Maybe we get better treatment because we are awesome?"

"Or maybe because they knew the losers of the school were going," Tanya laughed. As she passed by, I took a deep breath. Now was not the time to start an argument. This trip was worth ninety per cent of our marks, and right now, I needed all the marks I could get.

"You're right." Laughed Trisha. "But I feel bad that you're calling yourself names. That's very detrimental to your overall mental health. You should speak to someone about that."

Quickly covering my mouth with my hand, I tried to hide the laughter that bubbled up in my chest. Trisha was always a quick and witty one. Glaring at us, Tanya took a step forward.

"What are you girls doing?" Asked Mr Stevenson. "Get on the bus before we are late."

Biting her bottom lip, Tanya shook her head before leaving. As she began to walk away, I turned to Tanya, giving her a playful shove. "You nearly got us both in trouble!"

"Oh, please, you know you loved seeing her caked-on make-up face get angry."

Nodding, I couldn't help but agree. "Come on, before we get in trouble again." Once seated, Mr. Stevenson began to speak over the speaker.

"Now, I'm sure you are aware that our class is the only one going today." A few students replied with yeses or yups. "Our class was picked by the owner himself to have a private tour of the castle. We'll be having a grand tour and an in-depth history lesson on the background of those who used to live there."

Nodding, I couldn't help but become excited. I almost felt like a kid again waiting to receive her favourite toy. "You ready to see some skeletons and ghosts?"

Turning to Trisha, I couldn't help but stare at her. "Tell me again as to why I'm friends with you?"

Jutting out her bottom lip, Trisha looked at me with a small pout. "Because no one else wanted to be your friend?"

Glaring at her with a small smirk, I shook my head. "True, but you are one strange unit."

"And that's why we're best friends." And I couldn't agree more.

"If you look to your left, you will see the castle as we begin to pull into their driveway."

Snapping my gaze out the window, I become awed by the beauty in front of me. Standing tall with many high-peaking towers, stood an utterly beautiful castle. It looked as if time had not touched it. Even from this far away, I could see the sun's reflection off the gold trimmings. As we began to descend the gravel path to the castle doors, I again became awed. Large golden gates were open for our arrival, and as we neared the front door, a beautifully large water fountain had many of the students gasping in awe. Everyone seemed excited to be here now.

"Alright, listen up!" spoke Mr. Stevenson. The owner of the manor will be greeting us shortly. He is a direct decedent of the original Lord that owned this castle."

"Does that make him a king?" Shouted a female student. Sighing, Mr Stevenson shook his head. "No. Kings and queens no longer exist in our time. If you were to go back to the 1700s, then technically yes, the current owner would be a king or Lord."

Turning my attention away from Mr Stevenson, I gazed at the beautiful fountain. Behind it, I could see the large double oak doors that were open. As my attention focused on the doors, I watched as a young man in a white army suit walked out and down the steps. A bright smile was on his face, and as he neared, I felt oddly drawn to him.

"Hey, Trisha." Turning to get her attention, I turned back to point at the man, only to see him gone. "What?" She asked.

With a frown, I moved around in my seat to try and find him. Trisha laughed at my actions before getting off her chair. "You right there, Helena?"

Gazing at her, I shook my head. "I swear I saw a young man in a white army suit walk down those steps just then."

Gazing at me with a small frown, Trisha spoke. "I was looking out there at the same time you were, and I didn't see anyone. Now come on." As she grasped my hand and began to pull me off the bus, I felt a strange tug at my heart. I swear I had seen him. He looked so familiar to me that I couldn't place where I had seen him.

Once outside, I took a deep breath of the fresh air—the birds sang so loudly here that I couldn't help the contented smile that crossed my lips. The area seemed to hold so many untold stories, and as I moved my gaze to a large rose bush, I found my smile falling. A beautiful pink rose bush was in full bloom. Many bees swarmed around it, collecting the nectar its beauty gave.

"Everyone, line up!" Came Mr. Stevenson's voice. Running to stand beside Trisha at the front, I gave her shoulder a little shove. "You left me."

"You walked off. Not my fault." She smiled. Shaking my head, suddenly heard squeals from the girls caught my attention. Many of the girls held onto their friends as they began to smile up at the giant castle doors.

Following their gaze, I now understood why they were so obsessed. In front of us stood a tall man with dark brown hair. His smile was truly breathtaking, and as I watched him walk down the steps towards Mr Stevenson, I couldn't help but become smitten with him.

Shaking Mr Stevenson's hand, he turned to the crowd of students. "Welcome, everyone." At his voice, a small shiver ran down my spine. It was low and masculine, causing a few of the girls to fuss even more.

Smiling, he continued. "Firstly, I would like to welcome you to my home. It's not very often we have students come here for their assessments."

"As I have told you all, this is the current owner of the castle and a direct descendant of the original owners."

"Is it true you're a king?" One of the girls asked. A small chuckle left my lips as I turned my attention back to the man. He, too, had an amused smile on his face. "If we are talking technically, then yes, I am classified as a king. Due to the government's changing over the years, I am now nothing more than an owner." As he moved his gaze around the students, I sucked in a breath as his eyes connected with my own. This close, I could now see they were honey-coloured, and they seemed to sparkle as he smiled.

"I would like to welcome you to my home and share the many secrets of its history. The first secrets will be told here." Gesturing with his hand around the landscaped area, he began to move towards the rose bushes. "These roses never used to flower. It is said that the first King who built this castle was unable to get any of the many plants to bloom."

Snorting, Tanya moved closer to the man. "Then how did he get them to bloom, Mr..." Smiling, he said. "William. Just call me William." Nodding, Tanya bit her bottom lip, causing me to roll my eyes. Was she seriously flirting with him?

"It is said a young lady came to stay at the castle during one of the many celebrations held here. On her second day of staying, the flowers began to bloom. Now, if we head this way..."

As the class began to follow William, I stood in my place with my gaze locked on the rose. "Miss?" turning at the sudden deep voice. Standing with his hand outstretched to me, William gave me a small, gentle smile. "If you would be so happy as to follow?"

Nodding, I quickly ran towards the rest of the class. "Loser." Laughed Tanya. Ignoring her words, I grasped hold of Trisha's arms. "Stop it." I hissed. Laughing, Trisha pulled me along with the rest of the students. Walking up the long steps to the front door, I couldn't help but become more in awe of the decor. Everything was so well kept and seemed as if time had not harmed it.

As we entered into the grand opening of the castle, gasps echoed throughout the students. Above us, a grand chandelier hung from the ceiling, its crystals glistening within the light coming from the open doors. Around the room were vast portraits of what seemed to be the owners of the castle throughout the years.

"As you can see, these are the owners who lived throughout the Kingdom. Most of them were war heroes, with some even helping build new districts within this area." Spoke William.

Gesturing towards the last portrait, William spoke. "This is King William Henry, the man I am named after. He was the last living King in this manner."

"He looks so young compared to the other portraits." Spoke a student. Quickly gazing at the other portraits, I couldn't help but agree. The past King's all seemed old compared to this one. The last portrait looked strikingly like William, and now I could understand why he was named after this king.

"Yes, I'm glad you picked this up." Said William. "King William passed away young. Compared to his predecessors, his reign was short-lived."

"What happened?" It was as if my mouth moved on its own, and I couldn't help but blush when William's eyes snapped to my own.

With a small smile, William moved towards another portrait. This one had two people in it. Standing side by side was King William and a lady, but her face wasn't finished. "It is said that the king was killed by the lady in this portrait."

"Why would she kill him?" Asked Trisha.

Shrugging, William continued. "I don't believe she did, for you see the King's diary was found a decade later voicing he felt someone within the castle was plotting his death. He spoke only fond words of the lady, never speaking ill of her. If anything, she seemed to have helped build and care for the vast neighbouring districts."

Nodding, I gazed back at the unfinished portrait. You could see King William smiling fondly down at the women, with no hint of distrust seen within those honey eyes. You could tell just by looking at his face how much he seemed to adore the mysterious woman.

"Now, if you would follow me, I would like to show you around the rest of the castle."