Secrets

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.

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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.

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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?