by Alex H Singh
Noelle grinned. Her plan worked seamlessly. Though her smile was also there because the thought of the look on her father’s face, that look of shock as he thought his wife stabbed him. Stupid old man. She huffed.
It was time to consult her book again to make sure she was on the right path.
Once inside her room, she shut the door. The dark spell book was in sight and she felt a sense of euphoria. She picked it up, reveling in the feeling that coursed through her body, and admired the engravings on the hard cover, and the recollection of her first encounter with the book quickly came back to her.
The princess was just seven-years-old, playing in the palace, and she slipped while running through the halls. Noelle tumbled down the stairs, suffering the aches and minor breaks of her bones but more notably, she had badly scratched her face. Pierre had hired the best healers and brought them to examine and treat her as best they could. Many of them had told them that the face wound would never be fully healed, as it would most definitely leave a scar. Plenty others, however, tempted by the huge amount of coin offered, decided to try unorthodox means to make sure the wound healed and left no scar behind. Over the course of a year, Noelle underwent several procedures and had various herbs and concoctions applied to her wound. However, they only served to make her plight worse as the scar became even worse than it had been from the start. Eventually, Pierre ordered the treatment to be stopped as it was doing more harm than good. At around that time, her mother died, and he’d withdrawn into himself. Noelle had felt alone and unattractive and with a determination unlike any an eight-year-old, she decided to find her own way to heal her terrible scar.
Just a few years later, while scouring the library’s medical books, she happened on a book that didn’t quite fit in that section, assuming its former owner had stuck it between two books in a hurry, to keep it from being discovered. Noelle set it back and ran to her room in a hurry, as she knew Tibethia’s stance on practicing the dark arts. If anyone caught her with the book, it would be grounds for prosecution.
Unbeknownst to her, from the moment she touched the book; the damage had already been done.
For days, Noelle was unable to take her mind off the book. She even indulged in other activities to distract herself, but that didn’t work for long. Eventually, the princess returned to the library to check on the book, compelled to see it again. It pulsed with a life of its own, beckoning her in ways she didn’t fully understand. It begged to be used, prodded her thoughts and tempted her until eventually it completely clouded her mind. The book had an immense power and with the few things she’d discovered about it, Noelle knew she had barely scratched the surface. In time, she would unveil its true power. At this rate, she would live forever, thanks to the blood spell she’d found. It would keep her young and beautiful. A blood spell that would maintain her youth.
Immortality.
She was determined to master all of the secrets the book had to offer. This was her destiny. She was to be more than just the Princess of Tibethia. She would rule the world.
While she’d perused through the well-worn pages of the book, she’d discovered a flaw to her plan, a warning. The book may have promised her immeasurable power with unlimited potential, as long as she was willing to shed her humanity. There was also the matter of a person who may stand in her way, given the chance. According to the declaration, a person of pure heart would be able to stop her. At first, she’d taken this warning with a pinch of salt. It seemed so far-fetched, as if there was anyone left in the world with a pure heart. Noelle was sure there was no such thing, that everyone’s heart was tainted with sin. No heart in existence was wholly pure and true.
Then she’d met Esther Anna.
Noelle instantly caught on to her stepmother for what she was: a threat that needed to be removed. It came with a relief that the queen naively latched onto her kindness and generosity as a call for friendship, but Princess Noelle just felt more comfortable having her in her sights as often as possible, as she plotted her downfall. Even the book felt irritated by Esther Anna’s presence, but that had only confirmed what Noelle already suspected. Esther Anna was the person of pure heart that was mentioned.
Noelle had cursed her luck at first. What a coincidence that the very person who could destroy her plan was the very person her father had married? It amazed her and irritated her to no end. However, Noelle was quick to adapt, using all of that to her advantage and her entire attitude had adjusted. The queen had played into her hands so easily. By the end of the night, she would be gone and there would be no one left to threaten her rise to absolute power.
Absolute power. The thought excited her.
Noelle was pulled out of her thoughts by a sound that came from her left, and quickly, she hid the book out of sight as a guard made his way in, his armor clinking and clamoring as he walked. He bowed low and told her that she had been sent to her along with other guards for extra protection until the queen was found, to which she smiled and nodded, appeased by this declaration. The guard rose from his spot and made his exit to take up post at her door.
Everything is going as planned… When I find Esther Anna, everything will be right on track…
Page by page, she flipped through the book, in search of her ultimate weapon. Those incompetent guards couldn’t be trusted to carry out the task she so needed a contingency plan. She’d devised a different plan, one with a lower chance of failure. Failure was not an option.
Aha!
The relentless page turning stopped when she discovered the page she’d been looking for. The creature outlined in the page was exactly what she needed. The illustration gazed back at her, seemingly aware of her plot, as if it were simply waiting for her to say the words to set him free. It was a simple summoning spell. Simple because as far as spells go, she’d carried out far tougher spells than a simple summoning spell. Noelle scanned the page for the necessary ingredients she would need and immediately set about locating them. Her store of dark ingredients would have wowed even the most seasoned of dark practitioners. The final ingredient had already been taken care of, so she didn’t need to worry about it.
She laid out the ingredients as instructed and then took a knife from her drawer. With a flourish, she slit her palm and squeezed the blood onto the mixture. A dark cloud of smoke slowly appeared and spread around the room. It covered every nook and cranny, before reverting into itself and then it vanished completely.
Noelle smirked as she gazed at the subject of her summoning. The Woodsman, Damien. He stood at an impressive height, and his frightening features were only rivaled by his ghastly looking blades. His pointed ears twitched slightly as he surveyed the room, his yellow tinged eyes carefully taking in the sights. His weapons glistened wickedly even in the poorly lit room. If there was anyone who could locate her target and go about stealing her innocence, it would be him. Damien was a mysterious creature who resided in the Black Abyss and stayed there until called upon. He was an excellent tracker. He never asked questions, and always got the job done.
The woodsman regarded her with a kind of detached awareness, though he didn’t move at all.
Noelle studied the brooding woodsman and felt content. Her worries were over. With Damien on her tail, the queen would not get very far, and his success in stealing her innocence would mean her triumph. She rubbed her hands together in glee. This is going to be fun!
“You summoned me?” Damien’s rich baritone rang out.
“Yes, woodsman, I did. How do you fare?”
Damien arched a mangled eyebrow at her feeble attempt at small talk. He was clearly a straight-to-business being and found the idle chatter, humorous and yet mildly annoying. He remained silent for a short while, and then settled back to a relaxed expression, a cold and silent steel.
“Okay, right to it then. Your target is Esther Anna LaPointe. She’s the temporary queen of this kingdom, as I’m sure you’re already aware. This woman is a thorn in my side and I need you to track her down. When y
ou find her, I want you to steal her innocence.”
He nodded quietly, his eyes fixated on her as she moved through the room.
“I’m certain you recognize this, yes?” Noelle asked, as she raised the book, and there was a glint of recognition in his eyes.
“She’s one of pure heart, I presume.”
Noelle simply nodded.
“It will be done.” Without further ado, Damien vanished in a puff of smoke.
Now alone, that sinister smile played across her lips. She twirled in sheer delight, but cut that celebration short when a guard walked in. He looked around curiously, noting the slight mess on the floor.
“Everything okay, princess? We heard voices…” The guard looked around the room, eyes narrowed to slits and hand resting tensely on his weapon.
Noelle opted for a tired look when he glanced at her after searching the room. “No captain, I’m the only one here. Is there any news of Esther Anna’s capture?” She couldn’t hide the anticipation in her voice, but she knew the guard would just assume that she was expectant to see her father’s killer brought to justice.
The guard turned and shook his head. Her sigh of disappointment didn’t get a reaction from him. “The guards have not yet returned, my princess, but they are scouring the entire forest and town. The queen won’t get far.” He said, confidently. The guard stared at her for a few seconds and looked at the faint smear on the ground once more. Then with a curt nod, he bowed and took his leave.
Her anger rose slightly as he left. Incompetent fools, she thought to herself, calmed only by the thought that Damien was out searching for her now, too.
As she walked towards her bed, she caught sight of the mirror in her closet through the semi open wardrobe door. She wondered if Esther Anna knew what she had in her possession within the mirror. Deciding, or perhaps hoping, that she didn’t, Noelle went and flopped down on the bed.
Her father’s face plagued her dreams.
The tears slowly welled up in Esther Anna’s eyes as she recalled Pierre’s expression when he realized he had been killed, and by someone who looked like her, a woman that he loved. She watched on, as he slowly died right in front of her. Part of her wondered how he would have felt if he knew that his killer was his daughter. She mentally willed the tears away. There would be plenty time for crying later, she didn’t have the time for that now. Escape was paramount, and she’d wasted enough time.
Esther Anna jumped as a bug crawled over her leg, but she gently removed it and placed it on the ground before getting up. Her joints ached as she did, and she swallowed with a level of difficulty as she was quite parched. She listened again for any hint of water nearby, but there was none. With a sigh, she stepped over the bug, and took off on the path she hoped would bring her far away from the palace.
It wasn’t long until she heard the single worst sound that could come for her at this moment: Horses. The galloping thundered though the forest, growing louder as they headed directly towards her.
Dread washed over her, as she kicked herself for resting for too long. Esther Anna cringed inwardly as she thought of what her punishment would be if they caught her. However, she knew that she had to hide, and quickly. She ducked behind a large tree as the guards arrived at her location. She clutched her mouth, shivering where she stood.
The leader of the search party raised his hand to halt them. Once everyone was still, he dismounted his horse and quietly announced that he had heard something.
Esther Anna felt her heart in her throat. They’d heard her! She thought to make a dash for it, but they were on horses and she wouldn’t get very far before they caught up to her and dragged her back to the palace, that evil place. She struggled to keep quiet, leaving hand over her mouth to prevent any accidental whimpers from escaping. Her leg throbbed with pain now, the one she’d hurt when she ducked behind the tree. Esther Anna ignored the pain, and her heart rate had increased exponentially and with each beat it grew louder. She was sure that the search party would hear it.
The leader of the search party said some things she could not hear clearly, since her heart was beating too loudly in her ears. Worried thoughts scrambled for a plan if she’d gotten caught: would she beg for forgiveness? Would that make her seem guilty? Could she try to argue her innocence and point them towards Princess Noelle as the true killer? Would they even believe her? She doubted they would. They would just simply assume that she was trying to point fingers at the princess.
Do they really believe I’m capable of such a thing? She wondered.
That wouldn’t matter. The daughter of the king had expressly stated that she had seen her kill her father. She was just the king’s second wife, and Noelle was his daughter, she knew that no one would doubt her claim. How could they? Noelle played the part of the innocent princess so well. Even Esther Anna had been taken in by the act at first. She had the entire kingdom fooled and she doubted anyone would be curing them of that wrong notion anytime soon.
She feared what angry guards would do to her. Then what of Dormality? What would her father think? Would he believe that his daughter was a murderer? Esther Anna knew he would blame himself and assume that if he had not married her off to Pierre and Tibethia, this wouldn’t have happened. Her heart ached, and the tears threatened again, but she bit them back.
Just then, a torch flashed on the other side of the tree where she’d been hiding. Esther Anna gasped silently, grateful for the hand still placed over mouth. The light moved slightly to the right, and then to the left. She tried to make herself as small and still as possible behind the tree as she held her breath. After what seemed like ages, the light moved on to a different tree and she released her breath slowly and as silent as possible. Shortly after that, the search party mounted their horses and galloped away to comb through another part of the forest.
Her legs threatened to give way beneath her. She huffed a shaky sigh of relief and slowly sank to the floor, not feeling strong enough to continue running after what had just happened. She peeked on the side of the tree to catch sight of the group. When they were nowhere to be found, she rested her back, struck by the exhaustion.
What did I do to deserve this? She asked herself, idly rubbing at her injured leg. Her body was bruised and broken, and she was more tired than ever. The stress was starting take a toll on her body, and she realized she desperately needed sleep. Esther Anna struggled to get up, her mind swirling with the horror of being discovered as her body succumbed to the tiredness. The nocturnal songbirds sang their song, unaware of the lulling effect it had on Esther Anna and she rode the waves, dozing slightly as she clung to her leg. All her bruises stung slightly, but the cut on her cheek was already scabbed over. She drew her legs closer to herself, realizing that it was better to fall asleep in a place that had already been checked that to go somewhere new and be discovered. Moreover, she was certain she wouldn’t be asleep for long, her mind was too disturbed for the doze to last too long.
A squirrel raced across her lap and she almost squealed, but she caught herself in time. She was antsy in her delirium. Esther Anna rested her head back on the tree and felt the call, the need of a nice long rest, beckon her. Her exhausted mind saw the innocent, smiling face of Princess Noelle and she wondered how she became that way. Blood rituals and foreign languages, shapeshifting and murder? What had she become?
In her heart, Esther Anna felt pity towards the princess. Evil had claimed her, corrupted her and commanded her to kill her own father, and used her face to commit the heinous act. What would be gained from that, framing her own stepmother, other than sentence her to an inevitable death for treason? Perhaps that was it, Esther Anna thought, or perhaps something else. Then she thought again: Noelle was evil enough to kill her own father for personal gain. It gave Esther Anna a chill.
Slowly, sleep fully enveloped her as Esther Anna dozed off.
Chapter 3
His breathing came at irregular intervals, far apart, and shallow. Though he could easily do wit
hout breathing, he did it anyway for the sake of practice and blending in. Damien’s yellow eyes scanned the forest as he sniffed the air. She was close. He peered over at a nearby log and sniffed it, and it created a mental image of her travel path. She is smart, he thought, and he noticed she had avoided leaving tracks in the mud by running in various patterns. Damien was intrigued by that trick, instantly fascinated by her.
The leaves crunched, and branches snapped under his bare feet, though it was barely felt, as his other senses were heightened to dizzying levels.
At the sound of horses approaching, Damien ducked. He was unwilling to tangle with the King’s guards, even if they were no competition for his strength. Damien didn’t like that these guards were around, but he understood the need for the princess to keep up appearances.
The feeble humans wouldn’t stand a chance… Damien’s favorite blade, worn across his shoulder pulsed with anticipation, and he willed it to calm down. His one kill to track for the night was Queen Esther Anna, as the princess commanded.
The horse passed, and he waited for their gallops to fade away before continuing his search.
He scoffed. Did they really expect to find the quarry before I did?
It occurred to him, however, that the princess had given the guards a reasonable head start. It would all cease to matter soon since she was in possession of the dark book and there was going to be no stopping her, especially if they succeeded in taking care of the problem with the queen. He wondered what his next move would be if they managed to find her before he did. As unlikely a scenario as it was, he still had to consider it. He would do anything he had to, to get his prize.
The gallops faded into the distance, and he moved out of his hiding place. Damien peered out in the direction they’d gone, and his senses told him they were aimlessly scouting the forest, without plan or strategy, and he knew this would work to his advantage. At this rate, the guards had probably unknowingly passed over her. Damien contemplated his next move for a moment before he set out in the opposite direction. As he ran, he sniffed the air, seeking out the scent given off by a person running from danger. So far, he’d only picked up faint traces, and he knew he was on the right path.
