The Lost Secret, Claudine Sein

CLAUDINE SEIN, 11

WHAT happened to me was... meant to happen. At least that’s what I tell myself. I have always felt as if a cloud of darkness followed me in every step, that I was cursed even before I was born. Whenever I gave my best effort, evil consequences would quickly rush through, stealing good opportunities and replacing them with nightmares. Not only did I live in a state of depression, but everyone I surrounded myself with perceived a wave of darkness that people started to quickly drift away- until I was left only with the solemn remembrance of my parents. Because I was an only child and the heir to the throne, the expectations increased immensely when my parents suddenly passed away. I was merely sixteen years old when I started learning about the responsibilities and demands of being a part of the royal family. It was the summer of 1968, and I was getting ready for my training. “Keep your head up princess, or your crown will fall,” said Toto, my trainer. “I don’t think I’m strong enough for this Toto, every time you think we are making progress I mess it up and trip over my heels. Why do I need to learn how to walk appropriately and memorize the rules of etiquette? I want to play in the garden not do princess stuff,” I complained. Afraid of saying too much to the little princess, Toto demanded with a tone of seriousness, “Korra, one day you will be the best Queen Emerald City has had, and all evil will perish.” Toto was my best friend, my tutor, and more of a father than mine ever was. His dark and curly hair highlighted his honey-brown eyes, and his strong heroic fi gure made me feel as if nothing in the world could ever hurt me. My parents hired him to “protect me at all costs.” Although I felt safe with him, I knew there was more to the outside world than what Toto imparted in his lessons, and I was eager to explore the outdoors. I had been trapped behind doors my whole life as if I were a prisoner in my own house. Well, not a house. A castle. It was a beautiful one, that I can’t deny. With a shimmering river surrounding it, the big, red castle stood out among the trees, alongside a thatched barn fi lled with royal horses and gurgling hens. Mornings were serenely quiet, but when the soldiers started their training at noon, the chanting of birds were quickly ruptured by the banging of swords and yelling of commanders. After failing yet another etiquette lesson, I slowly walked to the royal garden with Naga, my pet wolf that never left my side. She had beautiful grey fur, and her sharp pearled teeth could destroy the densest rock. Naga was the only thing I had left from my parents, granted to me on my thirteenth birthday. Walking through the gardens, my mind started whirling thinking about all the things that felt wrong in my life. My parents’ death was announced yesterday after they left for a week voyaging through the raging seas to fi nd a lost treasure, but they never came back. There were rumors that fi shermen on the shores saw my parents’ bodies slowly creeping into the scattered rocks, but I didn’t believe that for a second. Part of me thought they were still alive. No, I knew it. Something wasn’t right, and I was going to fi nd out the truth about all

the missing puzzles in my life. More than anything, I was determined to discover why I felt the evil of the world settled in my soul. I quickly escaped at midnight, when the life of the castle fi nally died. I only had a ration of food for two days, but that would have to be enough. I mustered my belongings and fl ung out the narrow window, with Naga soon following behind. I felt a strong rush of excitement I’ve never felt before, how some people would call it, adrenaline. I wasn’t sure where to start- but one thing was certain- I wasn’t stopping. Sprinting towards the daunting woods, the red walls of the castle started to slowly diminish, and the luminescent moon acted as a light guiding my path. Meddling through the trees, I heard a loud thump ahead. Prepared to fi ght, Naga quickly jumped in front of me, and with her sharp teeth she was ready to destroy anything that came our way. “What happened, Naga?” I slowly question as I started to wake up, realizing I was tangled up in a net. We got ambushed. “Well, well. Hello, my lady” said a dirty man wrapped up in rags, holding a sharp knife that could cut even the thickest skin, “You and your savage pet seem lost”. Seeing the royal symbol tattooed on my arm, one of them shouted, “It’s the princess!” “How much do you think we’ll get rewarded, Tom?” The leader of the gang laughed while continuing to strongly grasp the sharp knife. “At least four hundred pounds!” Tom yelled with excitement as the raiders started to celebrate. Thinking of a way out, I hated myself for trying to ever leave the doors of the palace where I was safe. There were so many things I didn’t know about the outside world, and I was shivering as the cold weather harshly took over the night. While the bandits were deciding whether they should eat us for dinner or trade us for money, I heard a familiar voice. “Katara!” Yelled a voice not too far away, quickly approaching us.

Galloping towards us, I saw Toto and his army riding on their white horses to the rescue. “Charge!” Said the leader of the bandits, as everyone collected their swords ready to defend their property. This was it. A life or death situation. Although Toto and the kingdom’s army excelled in fi ghting, the bandits gave a good fi ght. I knew then how much I still needed to learn from this world, and how life is not always a fairytale. Terrifi ed, Toto rapidly cut the net Naga and I were trapped in, and we fell into the muddy fl oor creating a loud stump. Trembling, I swept myself off my feet and sprinted towards Toto giving him the tightest hug I could. “Oh Katara, what were you thinking? The world is too dangerous for a beautiful princess like you,” Toto declared as drops of water started to fi ll his hazel eyes. “I’m so sorry Toto, I thought I could... I thought I could fi nd out the truth about my parents. I believe they are still alive, and I think their death had to do something with the evil that takes place in me” I explained, feeling ashamed of my actions. “Katara, there is something I need to tell you,” Toto revealed as a worry in his face started to take over,” I promised your parents I would tell you when you were older, but I believe now is the best time.” “Well... what is it?” I said impatiently, holding Naga in my arms where I felt sheltered.

Sitting me down, it seemed as if Toto needed a moment to collect his thoughts, and I started to worry as every second passed by. “Katara, I need you to try and understand what I am about to say. It is hard to 38

comprehend, but you deserve to know the truth,” he proceeded. “Before you were born, you had a sister. Not just a regular sister, one that was granted magical powers by a witch that lived in the North. But your sister abused her powers, and your parents, the King and Queen, banished her out of Emerald City forever. Filled with rage, she needed revenge. When she heard she was going to have a sister, she cast a spell on you which made all the evil she had inside of her pass on to you. So every time you tried to do something, you received the worst outcome,” Toto kept on going. “Listen to me Katara. Your parents were on a mission, but they failed.” “What are you talking about Toto...? What do you mean they- they failed? What mission were they on?” My mind started to fi ll up with questions I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer to. “Katara, they were trying to fi nd a cure for you, to reverse what your wicked sister cursed upon you. But while trying to fi nd a cure, they encountered raging waves in the ocean caused by a storm that tipped their ship and left them with no escape,” Toto sadly explained, “Listen. You have to let them go, I am so sorry.” In denial, I started to run. Run as far as I could. It all made sense now, and a void inside me started to fi ll up. All these years I thought I was doing everything wrong, but an evil force had been living inside of me all along. Even though I will always blame myself for the tragic death of my parents, I could fi nally reign in peace. But was I going to let my sister get away with this? No. I was determined to fi nd her, even if it meant looking for a lifetime. And she didn’t know what was coming for her. After all, she made me who I am.