_Middle of the night_
I wake up in my carriage, the darkness outside pierced only by the faint glow of lanterns hanging from the carriage's roof. I thought that this is a dream, but suddenly I fully wake up and see that this is not a dream.
The carriage rattles and sways, throwing me off balance. I call out to the carriage driver to stop, but no one is replying. The silence is oppressive, punctuated only by the sound of horses' hooves pounding the ground.
And then I heard people are saying that... There is a fire in the palace, and it has reached the emperor's chamber. The words send a chill down my spine.
On hearing this, I started feeling very frightened, my heart racing like a wild animal. Since I was not able to get out of the carriage, I jumped from the window, the cool night air rushing past me as I landed awkwardly on the ground.
I don't know who was driving the carriage, I just ran away from there, my feet pounding the cobblestone streets in a frantic bid for safety. I reached the Emperor's chamber, the smoke-filled air stinging my eyes.
_Emperor chamber_ I saw some people who did not seem normal or capable of extinguishing the fire, their movements frantic and disorganized. So I decided to hide, my mind racing with fear.
I looked inside through the window of father's chamber and saw that there was someone there, a tall figure looming over my father's prone form. Father had fallen down, and that man was asking him something, his voice low and menacing.
Till now, the fire had not reached the emperor chamber, the flames licking at the doors like hungry beasts. So I decided to go inside, my heart pounding in my chest. I was about to see that man, my eyes fixed on his back, when someone hit me from behind.
I fell down, the world spinning around me, but I heard a voice and I'm sure that voice was his..
I stood up, my eyes adjusting to the dim light of the small house. The air was musty, and the walls seemed to be on the verge of collapse. I looked around, but there was no one in sight.
"Is anyone here?" I was about to ask, but I stayed silent, my voice caught in my throat.