Welcome to the Shadows chapter 1
Prologue:
Some people think you must be shy if you live in the shadows all the time, but I know that's not true. The shadows are my home, my kingdom, my domain. After all, I am the daughter of the Shadow Man. Hi, I'm Nerissa Shadow, and magic is my expertise. My father is the Shadow Man from the Princess and The Frog. I say "Shadow Man", but he goes by many names. Shadow Man, Witch Doctor, and most know him as Doctor Facilier. I myself, have inherited my father's ability to speak with shadows and ghosts as well as his talents for voodoo. I don't use my powers for bad exactly, it's more like I just do what I want and of course, do whatever I can to mess with the annoying Headmaster Grimm. I can travel from place to place without being seen through shadows. It makes spying easy. Let's see… What else can I tell you about me right off the bat? Well, I have very long dark brown hair that falls past the very bottom of my back. I have my father's darker skin and brown eyes. I wear black leggings with a burgundy skater skirt over it, a purple shirt, and a long, burgundy, velvet jacket that stops at my knees. When it's too hot for my jacket, I have a burgundy velvet vest as a hot-weather replacement. Okay, enough rambling. Let's get on with the story.
Nerissa's POV:
I tossed another shirt into my last suitcase. All of my clothes are burgundy, purple, and black. Those are the colors of basically everything I own. Shadow servants stacked my bags and stuff in front of the darkest and most shadowy part of my room. That's where I'll be traveling by shadows to school. I tossed the last thing into the last suitcase and the shadow carried it over.
"Alright, time to go, then," I muttered.
Father was away on business right now and would contact me to check in later. I waved goodbye to my shadow servants and stepped into the shadows.
I appeared in front of the huge castle-school. I straightened my jacket as I watched the people that were friends from last year hugging and catching up. I didn't have many friends. But I am basically friends with Raven Queen.
I snapped my fingers and two shadow-servants melted out of the shadows and grabbed my bags. I wanted to get inside before Apple White shows up. I hate her so much. All she ever talks about is her stupid destiny and how important it is to her. The way I see it, she's not even her own person. She drives me crazy, as do most of the princesses. I don't care about Royal vs. Rebel, but I'm all about freewill. I do what I want, despite any rules and I greatly enjoy proving to Headmaster Grimm that there's nothing he can do to control me. He tries year-after-year, but he never wins. I can always escape through shadows if he tries to give me detention.
I snapped my fingers and the shadow servants carried my bags as I walked inside and went to find my room. I had no idea who my roommate was going to be this year. My only real friend is Raven and she always rooms with Maddie. I don't mind Maddie. She's a little overly happy for my taste, but she's okay. Finally, I found a door marked: Nerissa and Justine.
"Hmm, I wonder who Justine is. I don't think I've heard that name before," I commented.
I opened the door and promptly choose the bed on the right side of the room. It was more shadowy.
"Set the bags down over there," I ordered.
The shadow-servants set them down and looked at me.
"You're dismissed," I said.
They melted back into the shadows. I sat down on the bed and started searching through my bags for my bedding and decorations. Finally, I found it. My sheets are dark purple and my satin comforter is burgundy.
Each side of the room has a bed, a desk, a dresser, and a vanity. I put my stuff on my vanity and put my clothes in my dresser. Then started putting my school stuff on my desk. Finally, I put some of my posters and stuff on the walls.
I flopped on my bed and pulled my tarot cards out of my pocket. They weren't magical like my father's. They can't change for each person's future. They're just basic tarot cards. I kept messing with those and staring at the wall until I heard the door open and I looked up. Apple White stood there. Pale, perfectly curled blonde hair, red-lipped smile. She wore a white top and red skirt that showed off her curvy figure. Her red high-heeled sandals had apple buckles on them.
"Oh…. Apple," I said in an annoyed voice.
"Hello, Nerissa! As president of the Royal Student Council, I am personally welcoming every student back to Ever After High," Apple said brightly.
"Oh, great," I replied, sarcastically. "You sure must be happy. It's Legacy Year."
"Yes, this year should be memorable," Apple agreed. "Are you looking forward to Legacy Day?"
"I don't really care. I just want to be me. I couldn't care less about destiny."
"Oh, Nerissa, but destiny is everything. You have to follow your story."
I scowled. "I don't like people telling me what I have to do. Why do you think I mess with Headmaster Grimm all the time? Of course destiny is everything for you. You're supposed to be queen. That's basically all your life revolves around. Raven poisoning you, Daring waking you with a kiss, and you becoming queen, blah, blah, blah."
"Well, it's my happily-ever-after. Of course I'm happy. And you get to do what you do best—Control shadows."
"Yeah, and trick Hopper into being turned into a frog until the princess kisses him. Not that I mind that part much. I find Hopper annoying."
"Right… Well, I should be going. I have more students to greet."
"Okay, bye, Apple." Apple left.
"Ugh," I muttered.
I sat back down on my bed and started messing with my tarot cards again.
A little bit later, I heard the door open again and looked up. A girl with darker skin like mine, curly brown hair, and blue eyes. She wore a yellow and pink dress with white sleeves and silver high-heeled sandals and silver jewelry.
"Hi, I'm Justine, daughter of the 12th Dancing Princess. You must be Nerissa," Justine said.
"Yeah, I'm Nerissa, daughter of the Shadow Man," I confirmed.
"Nice to meet you. Guess we're roommates."
Justine started unpacking her suitcases and decorating her side of the room. I didn't mind Justine so far. She's a princess, but she doesn't seem overly-happy or obsessed with her destiny like Apple.
"So, are you happy for Legacy Year?" Justine asked. "I know, total cliché conversation starter."
I laughed. "I mean, I can take it or leave it when it comes to Legacy Year. I wouldn't mind being like my dad. Life ends up okay for me in the end, I guess. It ended up alright for my dad. I like messing with people, so… I don't know. But I just want to be myself. What about you?"
"Well, I do want to be like my mom. I like my story, but after my story ends, I want to open my own dance studio and direct my own music videos and shows."
"That's cool. I'm not surprised that you're a dancer."
Justine chuckled. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
Justine finished unpacking and decorating her side of the room.
"Hey, it's almost lunchtime. Want to go to the Castleteria?" Justine said.
I stood up. "Yeah, sure."
Justine and I walked down to the Castleteria and got food. I saw Cedar Wood, Maddie Hatter, and Raven Queen sitting at a table together.
"Let's sit with them," I suggested.
"Okay," Justine agreed.
We went and sat at their table.
"Hey, Nerissa. Who's this?" Raven said.
"This is Justine. She's my roommate," I answered.
"Nice to meet you guys," Justine said.
"Who's your parent?" Cedar asked.
"The 12th Dancing Princess," Justine answered.
"That's cool. I bet you're a good dancer," Raven commented.
Justine laughed. "Yeah."
Then there were shouts of surprise through the room as Fairy Godmothers in-training poofed around giving students their class schedules.
"Oh no," Cedar said quietly, as she read her schedule. "This year I have… Woodshop. All those saws…"
A Fairy Godmother In-Training poofed in front of me and handed me my schedule with a smile. I took it and she poofed away. I glanced down at my schedule. Lots of "Evil" classes. It doesn't really matter. I'll probably go to about half of them.
Then the doors to the Castleteria opened and Apple walked in with Daring Charming on her arm. Daring's shining teeth blinded people as they past. I rolled my eyes.
"Give me a break," I muttered.
Girls swooned over Daring as he walked past. It was only then that I noticed Dexter was talking to Raven. I didn't care enough to figure out what they were talking about. Apple and Daring walked over to our table.
"Raven, how's every enchanted thing?" Apple asked.
Raven got up to meet her. I got up too, for no real reason.
"Apple White, good to see you. Hey, Daring," Raven said.
"I, uh, have to warn you. Don't stare at the teeth," Daring told her. "Just got them whitened."
The bell rang.
"Oh, oh, there's the bell," Apple said, happily. Why does she have to be so happy about everything, all the time? "Time for Good Kingdom Management. Raven, what's your next class?"
Raven glanced at her schedule. "Uh, History of Evil Spells."
"That is so perfect for you." I rolled my eyes. "What about you, Nerissa?"
I glanced at my schedule. "Advanced Voodoo Magic. Wow, I might actually go to that class."
"Well, that's great," Apple said, brightly.
I fought the urge to gag.
The next day, Headmaster Grimm, made us go to the stage outside to practice for Legacy Day. We stood in a line as he told us what to do, before we practiced.
"So when your magical key appears, you insert it gently into the Storybook of Legends, then stand shoulders back and declare your destiny to the world," Headmaster Grimm said. "Have I made myself clear?"
"Headmaster Grimm, but what if-" Raven started.
"No questions? Good. Now, we're going to practice with this tiny manual of entirely reasonable school rules." Two pigs brought out the huge book.
"Oh, please," I muttered.
"Who will go first?" Headmaster Grimm asked.
Maddie went first. "I, Madeline Hatter, pledge to follow the destiny of dear old Dad, the Mad Hatter of Wonderland. When do I drink the tea?"
"Next!" Headmaster Grimm yelled.
Hunter Huntsman went next. "I'm Hunter Huntsman and I pledge to follow my destiny as the next Huntsman. I'll swing my axe bravely and-" Then Hunter got distracted chasing a squirrel and ran off the stage.
"Next," Grimm said.
Cedar went next. "I'm—I'm Cedar Wood and I pledge to follow my destiny and be the next Pinocchio. Well, I mean, not the next Pinocchio. I mean, actually, I can only tell the truth while I'm in school, but then one day—one day, I'm gonna lie. Uh, but does that mean that I'm gonna be like my dad or not like my dad?"
"Next."
I had to go next. I rolled my eyes as I walked up to the podium. "I'm Nerissa Shadow and I pledge to follow my destiny as the next Witch Doctor/Shadow…. Woman, I guess. Can I go now?"
"No."
Annoyed, I went and sat back down.
Raven went next. "I'm Raven Queen and I pledge to follow my destiny as… Um, I have a question."
"What is it?"
"I was just wondering, I mean, what if I don't want to take the pledge?"
Everyone gasped. I just raised my eyebrows.
"I'm impressed," I muttered.
"What? It's just a question," Raven said.
"And here's your answer," Grimm said. "If you don't pledge your destiny, your story ceases to exist."
"Ceases to exist? So then what happens to me?"
"You will cease to exist."
"Liar," I muttered.
I didn't know exactly, but I'm pretty sure that's not true.
"Now, Raven, continue," Grimm said.
"But, Mr. Grimm-" Raven started.
"Poof, poof!"
"Um… I have to go." She ran off the stage and back to school. I thought for a moment and then stood up to go after her.
"Sit down, Miss Shadow," Grimm said.
I looked back at him and smiled. "Catch me if you can."
I melted back into the shadows and disappeared.
Alright guys, that's it for Chapter One. I'm sorry that it took me so long to finish it. I'm way behind schedule, but I've had a lot of stuff going on in my life. So I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review and tell me what you thought. Bye guys, - Lily
