Golden poison.

It all started with a sip from a golden chalice.

I was celebrating my eighteenth birthday with all the royal families in Elsegaurd. It was a windy day, the clouds were grey and the sun was hidden somewhere beneath them. The weather might have ruined half my plans but it did not nettle me, not even the least bit. I combed my hair into a roach, slipped into my plain blue frock and rushed downstairs.

“Elsa!” My mom screeched when she saw me prancing around the empty hallway. “I bought you that slipover for a reason.”

“It’s only eighteen degrees outside,” I laughed. “Leave me be mother.”

I was too excited to notice the overly grey clouds outside and feel the cold wind brush past my freckled skin. The clock outside sounded. Finally I breathed, it was time.

The gates opened and millions of lionized men and women walked in. Every royal family was marked by its own clothing color.

“Elsa,” my father whispered. “Go and prepare your speech and put on something warm!”

I opened my mouth to complain but closed it again when I saw his arched eyebrow.

“Fine,” I mumbled.

I walked back up the stairs in a hurry and barged in my room. My eyes frantically scanned every corner for a crumbled piece of paper.

“Where is it?”

I was about to give up my search when something shining caught my eyes. It was lying underneath the small desk near my bed. I crawled towards it and cautiously slipped my hand under the desk. It felt small and smooth. When I managed to pull it out, I almost jumped out of my skin. It was a golden chalice with a platinum base. What was it doing in my room? There was a room for such precious objects in the royal chamber.

“Gold,” I said in a hypnotized voice. “Gold.”

I grabbed the slipover mother had bought at one of those fancy malls and slipped it on (stupid itchy thing).

“Mom.” The guests were already in the house.

I pushed through the crowd until I saw my mom’s white wavy hair.

“Mom,” I prodded her elbow. “I found a golden chalice.”

“Sweetheart,” she said deadpan. “Gold doesn’t shine.”

“Oh.” I placed the chalice on the table decorated with various kinds of foods and decided to greet the guests.

Thirty minutes later, my throat was dry and sore from all greeting and fake laughing I had to do. I walked over the refreshments table and picked up a bottle of distilled water. Before the water could reach my mouth, the clock struck twelve. If I drank water now, I would be running to the restroom while giving my speech. Not a good first impression.

The guests were in the large hall seated on separate tables decorated with rayon and peony flowers. Luckily, I was on time and everyone was still smiling. I cleared my throat, put a smile on my face, and gave my speech.

“Elsa,” my mom said after I had given my speech. “That was not the speech we practiced but good job.”

“Thanks mom,” I whispered. “Can you get me some water, my throat hurts.”

She disappeared in the crown and came back a few minutes later holding my ‘golden’ chalice.

“A golden chalice for a golden girl,” she laughed.

I rolled my eyes and took a sip from the chalice. The water had an unusual taste. I couldn’t describe it then and I still can’t describe it now.

“Where’d you get the water?” I asked after a few more sips.

“I just emptied out one of those bottles,” she replied. “Why?”

“Nothing,” I said before gulping down the rest of the contents.

And that was how all the confusion and trouble began. Long story short, I woke up in a strange place called Acapulco de Juarez with strange tattoos on both my hands.

But, that was not the confusing part. The confusing part was how I opened my eyes and found myself drowning. Literally. It was more baffling than all the algebra homework my tutor gave me. See I wasn’t just drowning (I mean, I knew how to swim), someone was drowning me. Someone who I thought had died a long time ago.