This is a short story based on the NightWorld concept of L.J. Smith.
Her characters are borrowed. No profit, let alone any money, was made with
this endeavor. Some minor inferences are included that you would have had
to have read "Witchlight" and "Soulmate" for understanding, but these
mentions are not major parts of the story. And I hope you guys read
"Spellbinder." Ugh, I even double checked the spellings of names as
compared to how L.J. spelled them. And now, for your reading pleasure. . .
Once Upon a Time: Hellewise and Maya
Prologue: Story Time
A young mother was holding her young son, sitting on a rocking chair, enjoying a sunlit porch on a warm afternoon. Iliana admired her son's ebony hair, downy skin, incredibly small fingers, all evidence of a living miracle. Her son. The rocking motions that allowed little Tristan's nap soon lulled Iliana to sleep also.
Then those small fingers curled around a lock of Iliana's hair and pulled. "Mama, mama, when I started school today, everyone was very nice, just like you said. But I have a question mama."
Iliana might not have started school that day but her day was still pretty tough. She really wanted to ignore Tristan and finish her own nap, but she knew better than to ignore her son. "Mmm. . .What is it sweetheart?"
"A boy said that my name is Harman, that means I'm a prince. But I thought princes save princesses from dragons and stuff. Where is my princess? When do I get to rescue her?"
Iliana chuckled. She never thought she would hear those words spoken earnestly by a member of the male gender. Well, no time like the present to teach Tristan that girls don't require male rescuers. Time to introduce him to his witch heritage.
"Tristan, I want you to listen carefully. Our last name, Harman, is short for Hearth woman. A woman of the hearth, a witch. Our family is considered the royalty of all witches because of our ancestress. You remember grandma, right honey?"
"Yes, the short lady with the same eyes you have mama."
"Okay, you know that your grandma is my mother?"
"Yes, mama."
"So an ancestress, is like a mother of a mother of a mother, and you keep on going. A whole lot of times."
"How far?"
"All the way."
"How far is all the way?"
"Twenty thousand years."
"Humph, that sounds silly. Well, who are you talking about?"
"Hellewise, the first Hearth Woman."
Tristan stopped fiddling with a toy model he was playing with. He raised his head and violet eyes met violet eyes. There is a question burning in his young eyes, thought Iliana. Iliana was impressed with the strength of will her son showed with just one look. A true Harman in the making.
"Okay, I'll tell you the story of Hellewise and her sister Maya." * * *
Part I: King
Legion marched down the Road of Kings, head of his father's army. A squadron of eagles brought up the rear guard, following the dense sea of darkness below. All participants were dressed in black. Because its the color of dreams, the color that one sees when their eyes are closed.
Legion stood out because he was of the House of Draco, the highest and most powerful of the shapeshifters. He had the family ebony hair, and eyes that were multi-faceted, they changed color depending on the light. A walking pinprick of hell in a parade of dark dreams. In his right hand, he held a black pike. On top of that pike was the bloodied head of the last human king. After almost ten thousand years since the founding of the House of Draco, the last source of human rebellion was squashed.
When the procession reached the Dark Palace, Legion's father was waiting on the front steps. Legion never saw his father's face in his excitement. He kneeled before his father, head touching the floor. The riving sea of black halted, waiting for what would happen next. Legion then stood up, and passed the pike to his father. The father kept his face still and pretended to smile at the appropriate moment. After the father accepted the offering with royal grace, the crowd roared their approval of the gesture. It was at this moment that the son proved that he could do what his father couldn't. The roar of the crowd sealed Legion's fate and crowned him king. Azhdeha, the father, was not pleased.
This was Legion's defining moment: he didn't notice his father's unhappiness. He could only think of the success. Though nobody, except the father remembered the prophesy of every ten thousand years.
"Every ten thousand years, a new race shall rule the world." * * *
Part II: Queen
Azhdeha retreated to his rooms feeling extremely frustrated. He lost his throne because his precocious son, a son he purposely gave bad tutors and ignored, grew up into an eighteen year old who can fight and, more importantly, could lead. He didn't know whether to be proud of the effectiveness of his good lineage or to pound his head to the wall in disgust.
"Out! Everyone out!! Call in Diana and have her dressed properly!"
He proceeded to throw off the clothing of the office that he just lost. Naked, he sat at a chair and turned to face the vineyard window. Grapes grown not for the sake of shapeshifters, who only ate meat, but for the enjoyment of favored human slaves. A slim shadow proceeded to approach him and stopped at the threshold. "I have need of two of your services, meat."
He raised himself off the chair and met her violet eyes. Broad shoulders and athletic frame were highlighted by the sun at his back, but neither of these endeared him to Diana. No, not even if he were the most handsome man in the world, she would never forgive him for the way he used her. He knew this. An unbroken slave. What an oxymoron he sneered to himself. He then allowed his eyes to wander down her transparent robes. "I'll give you only one guess as to what service I need first." * * *
For a long period of time, Diana used all the skills she acquired as a courtesan to lighten her master's mood. Despite her disgust at the task she had to give her master credit. Keeping the position of favorite whore took a lot of stamina.
Slowly her master reverted his shape back to human form. Abruptly he lifted himself off of her and allowed her to brush the dirt of the floor off her back.
"Hmm. . .your daughter Hectate is being trained as an assassin. Have Legion killed by her at the Festival of Flesh tonight." * * *
"Tristan?"
"Yes mama."
"The former king dragon picked the prince's wife, Hectate. With her beautiful blond hair, and violet eyes, he fell in love with her and married her. Unfortunately, there was a war between the father and son and Queen Hectate had to escape alone, heavy with child. . . * * *
Part III: Princess
The wilderness is all that the twins have known. But when their mother got really sleepy or angry, she would hint at a world of soft luxury. Food given by servants, not hunted by hand. The luxury of baths of clear water to remove travel dust whenever needed, not the daily struggle to find small amounts of muddy water to drink. So when their mother Hectate died, they were not shocked to learn their mother's past.
"She was a trained assassin. Her last mission was to kill your father the King of Shapeshifters. She approached him as a courtesan, but she failed to finish the job and kill him. He was wounded though, so she was able to escape and his father was able to reclaim the throne for himself. So he remains king to this day." Diana was at this time a withered old woman, her former beauty dissolved by hard living.
"The king has no heirs-"
"I thought shapeshifters were not allowed to have children with humans-"
The enthusiastic statements of both girls were cut short by their grandmother. "Yes, the both of you are first living examples of hybrid human and shapeshifter. It also appears you are the only heirs to the shapeshifter kingdom. You both could be princesses. However, half humans are unheard of but if you want to go for it I'll help you. This was your mother's dream for you."
Hellewise and Maya now kept quiet, hoping to hear more about their heritage.
"Here, take this book of shapeshifter magic and see what you can do with it."
The girls learned how to read from their mother. Assassins were often literate because of their other use: spying. The title of the book read "The Book of Shadows." * * *
Eventually the girls recovered from their mother's death and mastered the spells in the book. They even found that their magical capabilities went beyond those of the book: they could even invent their own spells, something that the book said is impossible to do. The girls often discussed what they would do with their powers.
Theorn, a young boy in their tribe, passed by and offered both girls two presents: a carefully chipped spearhead and berry paste. Maya, who was just learning about the weapons women had in the war of the sexes delighted in letting him sneak peaks down her leather tunic.
*Stop that, that's embarrassing,* mentally projected Hellewise. Theorn, oblivious to the mental conversation, continued to look.
*Stop being such a hypocrite, I know you think about the making of babies as much as I do,* scolded Maya. Maya then flicked her hair back and smiled at Theorn. Theorn then fainted dead away. Hellewise really hoped that the heat had a factor in the faint, and rushed to catch him before he crashed into the ground.
*I do think of other things, you know.*
*Like what Maya?*
*There are three things I want most in this life: to live forever, to meet my soulmate and to become the princess in truth and live the life that is ours by birthright.*
Hellewise got exasperated and talked aloud without knowing it. "Falling in love is easy, you know that, you fall in and out of love many times a day. The princess dream is something we both are working hard at. The living forever bit is something you should forget though."
*Why should I?* Warm brown eyes met eyes of deep opal, constantly changing color.
*You'll buy your eternal life with the life of others, that's why.* * * *
"Diana, Maya wants to live forever."
"I know, I'll keep the child away from her."
Diana couldn't keep her promise. There was no way. She died a week after this conversation. * * *
"Tristan, the day the old king died, Hellewise looked for Maya frantically. She gave up her search when she heard that the baby was also missing. The spell for eternal life needed a baby sacrifice so Hellewise knew that if the babe was missing, that Maya already completed the spell. Hellewise gathered her strength and went to the old capitol. At the Dark Palace she proved her heritage as princess when she burned the armies of the King to dust. That day she became the princess royale and ruled the shapeshifter kingdom. Hellewise became the witch queen and Maya started the vampire race." * * *
Epilogue: The Last Straw
Ten years later, Maya visited the grave of her mother. Sensing a presence, Maya turned around. Hellewise.
They both stared at each other, wondering about what might have been.
"Maya, I suggest you stop looking for your soulmate."
"Why?"
"I double checked the spells for confirmation. The reason why you couldn't find your soulmate was because he was that baby. You killed him. You knew I wouldn't hide a baby from you just because I felt like it. You didn't only kill the baby, you also murdered his soul in exchange for your long life. He won't be able to be reborn."
The color of Maya's ever changing eyes settled on black. Maya turned around and left her mother's grave, and her sister. The next time Hellewise saw Maya, it was on the battlefield. * * *
". . .so you see, real princesses don't need rescuing. They are powerful enough to make their own destinies."
Iliana looked down and saw that her son was asleep again. Oh well, she thought, I can teach him about the strength of princesses another day. She lifted him up and returned to the inside of the house.
The End * * *
* * *
Once Upon a Time: Hellewise and Maya
Prologue: Story Time
A young mother was holding her young son, sitting on a rocking chair, enjoying a sunlit porch on a warm afternoon. Iliana admired her son's ebony hair, downy skin, incredibly small fingers, all evidence of a living miracle. Her son. The rocking motions that allowed little Tristan's nap soon lulled Iliana to sleep also.
Then those small fingers curled around a lock of Iliana's hair and pulled. "Mama, mama, when I started school today, everyone was very nice, just like you said. But I have a question mama."
Iliana might not have started school that day but her day was still pretty tough. She really wanted to ignore Tristan and finish her own nap, but she knew better than to ignore her son. "Mmm. . .What is it sweetheart?"
"A boy said that my name is Harman, that means I'm a prince. But I thought princes save princesses from dragons and stuff. Where is my princess? When do I get to rescue her?"
Iliana chuckled. She never thought she would hear those words spoken earnestly by a member of the male gender. Well, no time like the present to teach Tristan that girls don't require male rescuers. Time to introduce him to his witch heritage.
"Tristan, I want you to listen carefully. Our last name, Harman, is short for Hearth woman. A woman of the hearth, a witch. Our family is considered the royalty of all witches because of our ancestress. You remember grandma, right honey?"
"Yes, the short lady with the same eyes you have mama."
"Okay, you know that your grandma is my mother?"
"Yes, mama."
"So an ancestress, is like a mother of a mother of a mother, and you keep on going. A whole lot of times."
"How far?"
"All the way."
"How far is all the way?"
"Twenty thousand years."
"Humph, that sounds silly. Well, who are you talking about?"
"Hellewise, the first Hearth Woman."
Tristan stopped fiddling with a toy model he was playing with. He raised his head and violet eyes met violet eyes. There is a question burning in his young eyes, thought Iliana. Iliana was impressed with the strength of will her son showed with just one look. A true Harman in the making.
"Okay, I'll tell you the story of Hellewise and her sister Maya." * * *
Part I: King
Legion marched down the Road of Kings, head of his father's army. A squadron of eagles brought up the rear guard, following the dense sea of darkness below. All participants were dressed in black. Because its the color of dreams, the color that one sees when their eyes are closed.
Legion stood out because he was of the House of Draco, the highest and most powerful of the shapeshifters. He had the family ebony hair, and eyes that were multi-faceted, they changed color depending on the light. A walking pinprick of hell in a parade of dark dreams. In his right hand, he held a black pike. On top of that pike was the bloodied head of the last human king. After almost ten thousand years since the founding of the House of Draco, the last source of human rebellion was squashed.
When the procession reached the Dark Palace, Legion's father was waiting on the front steps. Legion never saw his father's face in his excitement. He kneeled before his father, head touching the floor. The riving sea of black halted, waiting for what would happen next. Legion then stood up, and passed the pike to his father. The father kept his face still and pretended to smile at the appropriate moment. After the father accepted the offering with royal grace, the crowd roared their approval of the gesture. It was at this moment that the son proved that he could do what his father couldn't. The roar of the crowd sealed Legion's fate and crowned him king. Azhdeha, the father, was not pleased.
This was Legion's defining moment: he didn't notice his father's unhappiness. He could only think of the success. Though nobody, except the father remembered the prophesy of every ten thousand years.
"Every ten thousand years, a new race shall rule the world." * * *
Part II: Queen
Azhdeha retreated to his rooms feeling extremely frustrated. He lost his throne because his precocious son, a son he purposely gave bad tutors and ignored, grew up into an eighteen year old who can fight and, more importantly, could lead. He didn't know whether to be proud of the effectiveness of his good lineage or to pound his head to the wall in disgust.
"Out! Everyone out!! Call in Diana and have her dressed properly!"
He proceeded to throw off the clothing of the office that he just lost. Naked, he sat at a chair and turned to face the vineyard window. Grapes grown not for the sake of shapeshifters, who only ate meat, but for the enjoyment of favored human slaves. A slim shadow proceeded to approach him and stopped at the threshold. "I have need of two of your services, meat."
He raised himself off the chair and met her violet eyes. Broad shoulders and athletic frame were highlighted by the sun at his back, but neither of these endeared him to Diana. No, not even if he were the most handsome man in the world, she would never forgive him for the way he used her. He knew this. An unbroken slave. What an oxymoron he sneered to himself. He then allowed his eyes to wander down her transparent robes. "I'll give you only one guess as to what service I need first." * * *
For a long period of time, Diana used all the skills she acquired as a courtesan to lighten her master's mood. Despite her disgust at the task she had to give her master credit. Keeping the position of favorite whore took a lot of stamina.
Slowly her master reverted his shape back to human form. Abruptly he lifted himself off of her and allowed her to brush the dirt of the floor off her back.
"Hmm. . .your daughter Hectate is being trained as an assassin. Have Legion killed by her at the Festival of Flesh tonight." * * *
"Tristan?"
"Yes mama."
"The former king dragon picked the prince's wife, Hectate. With her beautiful blond hair, and violet eyes, he fell in love with her and married her. Unfortunately, there was a war between the father and son and Queen Hectate had to escape alone, heavy with child. . . * * *
Part III: Princess
The wilderness is all that the twins have known. But when their mother got really sleepy or angry, she would hint at a world of soft luxury. Food given by servants, not hunted by hand. The luxury of baths of clear water to remove travel dust whenever needed, not the daily struggle to find small amounts of muddy water to drink. So when their mother Hectate died, they were not shocked to learn their mother's past.
"She was a trained assassin. Her last mission was to kill your father the King of Shapeshifters. She approached him as a courtesan, but she failed to finish the job and kill him. He was wounded though, so she was able to escape and his father was able to reclaim the throne for himself. So he remains king to this day." Diana was at this time a withered old woman, her former beauty dissolved by hard living.
"The king has no heirs-"
"I thought shapeshifters were not allowed to have children with humans-"
The enthusiastic statements of both girls were cut short by their grandmother. "Yes, the both of you are first living examples of hybrid human and shapeshifter. It also appears you are the only heirs to the shapeshifter kingdom. You both could be princesses. However, half humans are unheard of but if you want to go for it I'll help you. This was your mother's dream for you."
Hellewise and Maya now kept quiet, hoping to hear more about their heritage.
"Here, take this book of shapeshifter magic and see what you can do with it."
The girls learned how to read from their mother. Assassins were often literate because of their other use: spying. The title of the book read "The Book of Shadows." * * *
Eventually the girls recovered from their mother's death and mastered the spells in the book. They even found that their magical capabilities went beyond those of the book: they could even invent their own spells, something that the book said is impossible to do. The girls often discussed what they would do with their powers.
Theorn, a young boy in their tribe, passed by and offered both girls two presents: a carefully chipped spearhead and berry paste. Maya, who was just learning about the weapons women had in the war of the sexes delighted in letting him sneak peaks down her leather tunic.
*Stop that, that's embarrassing,* mentally projected Hellewise. Theorn, oblivious to the mental conversation, continued to look.
*Stop being such a hypocrite, I know you think about the making of babies as much as I do,* scolded Maya. Maya then flicked her hair back and smiled at Theorn. Theorn then fainted dead away. Hellewise really hoped that the heat had a factor in the faint, and rushed to catch him before he crashed into the ground.
*I do think of other things, you know.*
*Like what Maya?*
*There are three things I want most in this life: to live forever, to meet my soulmate and to become the princess in truth and live the life that is ours by birthright.*
Hellewise got exasperated and talked aloud without knowing it. "Falling in love is easy, you know that, you fall in and out of love many times a day. The princess dream is something we both are working hard at. The living forever bit is something you should forget though."
*Why should I?* Warm brown eyes met eyes of deep opal, constantly changing color.
*You'll buy your eternal life with the life of others, that's why.* * * *
"Diana, Maya wants to live forever."
"I know, I'll keep the child away from her."
Diana couldn't keep her promise. There was no way. She died a week after this conversation. * * *
"Tristan, the day the old king died, Hellewise looked for Maya frantically. She gave up her search when she heard that the baby was also missing. The spell for eternal life needed a baby sacrifice so Hellewise knew that if the babe was missing, that Maya already completed the spell. Hellewise gathered her strength and went to the old capitol. At the Dark Palace she proved her heritage as princess when she burned the armies of the King to dust. That day she became the princess royale and ruled the shapeshifter kingdom. Hellewise became the witch queen and Maya started the vampire race." * * *
Epilogue: The Last Straw
Ten years later, Maya visited the grave of her mother. Sensing a presence, Maya turned around. Hellewise.
They both stared at each other, wondering about what might have been.
"Maya, I suggest you stop looking for your soulmate."
"Why?"
"I double checked the spells for confirmation. The reason why you couldn't find your soulmate was because he was that baby. You killed him. You knew I wouldn't hide a baby from you just because I felt like it. You didn't only kill the baby, you also murdered his soul in exchange for your long life. He won't be able to be reborn."
The color of Maya's ever changing eyes settled on black. Maya turned around and left her mother's grave, and her sister. The next time Hellewise saw Maya, it was on the battlefield. * * *
". . .so you see, real princesses don't need rescuing. They are powerful enough to make their own destinies."
Iliana looked down and saw that her son was asleep again. Oh well, she thought, I can teach him about the strength of princesses another day. She lifted him up and returned to the inside of the house.
The End * * *
* * *