Hey! This is a story that I am co-writing with Unofficial Daphne. It is her profile as well, so check it out and review on both stories. Hope you enjoy!
Everything is a blur at first. My wrists are sweaty, and I have a headache that scorches my brain like fire. I feel something coming onto my body. As soon as I notice it, it fades off, almost as though it is hiding. The ground beneath me resembles the texture of flour. I have finally willed my eyes to open. It's then that I realize I'm on a beach. The flour is sand and the hiding "it" is water. I stand up. Half of my hair drips onto the dry grains of sand that refuse to leave my skin. My cloak is soggy and my scepter is on the ground next to me. I pick it up. I look around. The bay is less than a quarter of this place in size. A mass of storm clouds sit in the sky. No wonder it's so dark. An abandoned bridge is near me. Streams of mountains hold curiosity shops, parlors, and restaurants of every kind. Several ships are on the left side of me. To the right, I see the silhouette of a man in the distance. I creep closer, making sure I'm still in the shadows. He's unconscious. The man has shoulder length, raven black hair and a strong, large build. I notice a tribal tattoo on his chest. He pats his eyes fuzzily. He has just woken up like I have. I scurry to hide behind a fallen palm tree. When he sits up, I realize he has noticed me. He staggers towards me. "Hello?" He says. He has a deep voice and a heavy Scottish accent.
I don't respond I only glare at him, not ready to talk to anyone. The last thing I remember before waking up on this beach is a searing pain caused by a sword in my chest. I shudder from the memory. Prince Phillip would pay for that. Oh, if I ever see that princess again - Aurora, her name was - she is also going to pay. She and that little traitor Stefan.
The man grabs my hand. I pull it away grimly. His eyes plead with me to take it. Instead, I reach for my scepter. I point it towards him. Magic pours out of its crystal, surrounding the man. He pleads for mercy. I give him none. I watch as he inhales the poisonous green smoke from my staff I've sent his way. He coughs and chokes, knowing he can't escape his fate. I grin proudly. He lies on the beach, dead within seconds. Then he is standing in front of me again. I tip my scepter to his head. This time there is no reaction. I try again. Nothing happens. I try once more. No reaction. I point again, again, again, again, again, again, and again. Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, maybe even one hundred times and he hasn't died yet.
My magic is gone.
"It's gone," I whisper to myself, "but that is not possible." I had only envisioned the stranger dying. It never really happened. The pride, the wickedness, it was all an act of my imagination.
I attempt to hit him with my scepter instead.
He ducks before it reaches him.
"Are you all right, milady?" He asks. His gentlemanly attitude doesn't match his buff structure.
I scowl at him.
"What's with the stick?" He asks.
"It is not a stick," I say, enraged. He thinks I'm playing some sort of joke on him. "It is my scepter, the Dragon's Eye!"
He face goes blank first. Then, the words, "Well, how would you like to come with me?" come out of his mouth.
I whack him in the head with my staff.
The dock is one hundred or so feet away, placed on the other side of the beach by the ships. The ten minutes it takes me to reach the waterfront feels like hours.
I miss my power.
Catwalks made of molding shiplap are attached to the ships and lead to a tunnel of sorts. I count five ships - a large pirate ship is the tallest small sail boats surround it. I hope I can teach myself to sail. A way off of the coast would be helpful.
I walk through the catwalk and into the tunnel. It's long but eventually I find myself outside of it.
To the right is the ocean. Old shops line an alley to the left. I notice a tower. It resembles a castle.
I walk inside of it. The tower is dark and musty, with cobwebs in every corner.
It is a good size, but not as big as my old castle. Oh, if I ever see that princess again - Aurora, her name was - she is going to pay. She and that little traitor Stefan.
I give myself a tour of the tower, taking note of every room, window, door, crack, and anything of use for an escape route. I don't know who lives here or who lives in the village surrounding the castle but now that I have lost my magic I need to take note of anything that would help me escape a dangerous situation besides throwing my scepter at someone. I made a mental list of everything I needed to take note of.
Everything in This Random Tower That Could Keep Me from Dying Besides Magic List:
1. There are six bedrooms-two with dry-rotted wood king-sized beds, two with rusty metal queens, and two with twin mattresses-,a kitchen, a great room that has a full-sized mattress inside of it, and two bathrooms.
2. There is a total of twenty-five doors-twenty interior and five exterior.
3. The windows have doubled that amount. Fifty. Three windows in the great room are cracked.
4. A latch is next to the pantry door. The space inside of it is large enough for me to sit inside of.
5. The last thing I find is a mouse hole in one of the bedrooms with the queen-sized beds.
I am just starting to get to sleep when I hear someone thumping up the stairs. I grab the Dragon's Eye and go to see who it is. It's the man I'd knocked out earlier. I scowl at him.
"Hello again," the man says, obviously pleased to see me.
"I knocked you out with my scepter," I say.
"You did," the man replies.
"And I will again." I raise the Dragon's Eye threateningly above my head.
The man doesn't even flinch. Instead he bows. "I am Prince Mor'du," he says. "At your service."
I consider what he said. At my service. I could use a minion. "I'm Maleficent, the Dark Fairy."
"Could I stay the night?" Mor'du asks, an evil twinkle in his eye.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because there are plenty of other places to stay, and I don't put trust in people I don't know. For all I know you're planning to kill me in my sleep."
"Why would I do that?" Mor'du asks. "You could be of use to me."
I laugh. "Me? Of use to you? You are at my service!"
"Yeah...I didn't really mean that..."
I whack him on the head with my scepter again.
I lie back down on my bed and sleep for hours. When I wake up, Mor'du is no longer on the stairs. I peek into the other king bedroom and there he is, sprawled on the bed. I glare at him and prod him with my scepter till he wakes up.
"I remember telling you that you couldn't stay here," I say with gritted teeth.
"Then why did you knock me out?" he asks. "I can not leave if I am unconscious."
"Get. Out. Now!"
He throws his hands up in mock defeat. "Alright, I am leaving!" He turns and walks downstairs, obviously wanting me to stop him. I stay upstairs with my head held high until I am certain he has left.