Prologue
Most would say that this kind of night was dark, and dreary, but it was a forest. And all forest's seemed dark and dreary at this time of night. The full moon shone brightly over the treetops, shimmering through the dark, dense leaves that seemed to reflect the light back toward the glowing orb in the sky, just making it twinkle even brighter. The night's sunlight that did filter their way through the great oaks, maples, and birches, along with a few pines scattered here and there, a swirling mist gladly meet the moonlight like a companion as it continued down to the forest floor. All was still and silent, for the moment.
A flash, staggered between trees trunks, some left, some right, The brush crackling loudly, a loud snap like a broken bone, could be heard every time the streak landed upon a dry, decaying branch. It wasn't going very fast, but the edges around the person's body couldn't not be defined in any way. It still kept weaving its way through the trunks, as if someone was on its tail, and it needed a fast escape. Although, nothing could be seem of this pursuer.
Finally, everything slowed down. The woman was finally walking, but still at a high pace; still skirting twigs, fallen logs and trees silently. Her white gown was fluttering in the breeze that she stirred up as she trotted along. After a few minutes, the woman stopped dead in her tracks. A quick breeze caught her long tangled golden brown locks; her vibrant violet-blue eyes scanned the horizon for intruders. Once she was sure there was nothing there, she scurried down a tunnel, barely seen with a naked eye. In the dark, underneath the intertwined roots of a tall, proud, young willow tree and a crooked, old elm she slipped between and disappeared out of thin air. The dark shadows and silence resumed once more again in the dark and dreary forest.
Now the violet-blue eyes shimmered as the firelight flickered from the chamber in front of her. A tall, pale faced figure stood before the woman, his long, gangly-looking fingers beckoned her forward, and outstretched for something. Timidly, the woman looked up, her bright orbs gleaming with unshed tears. "I'm s-sorry, m-my lord," she replied, stuttering a bit, "b-but I have f-failed to re-require w-what you asked m-me to s-seek." Her eyes sifted downward, and she started at her feet, before the reply she feared reached her ears.
The dark figure swooped down from the few steps that he was standing upon to glare with pure blood-red eyes into the soft ones that never meant any harm. "I know. We have been watching. I know you have failed, and I wouldn't have punished you. But you disobeyed the rules of all your people have to follow." The figure replied, his voice surprisingly smooth and silky.
The woman didn't move from where she stood. Instead, she still continued her posture from before, her eyes still filling up with tears as she stared upon the stony ground at her toes. "I'm sorry, my lord." She replied once more in a monotone voice, obedient as ever.
The "lord" shifted his gaze to glance around the room, a pondering and thoughtful look on his dark featured face. "But seeing as you're mine alone to control, while the others have other masters, I will let you go this one time. Out of all this, you have learned your lesson, and when it's time I will have gained another servant out of all this. But that will take a few years I think. Now go, go rest and eat. You've had a long journey and I have work for you in the morning. Something simple, for you effort that you put on your last mission. Go." He gracefully turned his black cape billowy as he retreated into the darkness, and out of the chambers door.
The woman, now surprised at what her master had said, looked around the room in a hurry. Her hands now, automatically to her swollen stomach, now visible from the firelight as she stepped forward. She stood for a moment at another one of the chamber's doors, but then thought better of it. She really didn't want to be there if the master changed his mind about what he said. Swiftly, the woman jerked open the door handle of the old rickety door in front of her, and dashed inside. The chamber empty once more.