Prologue
The morning of her tenth anniversary, Emma wakes up with the strange feeling that her day is going to be unlike any other. The sun has yet to arisen and the crickets are still singing their ode to the moon when Emma crawls across her mat to pull open the threadbare curtains of the home she shares with her grandfather.
"Emma," Leopold whispers through the last remains of darkness. "What are you doing up so early?"
The golden-haired child turns towards him, a shy smile making the corners of her lips twitch.
The look he gives her in return is unsettling, affectionate yet filled with unusual sadness. Emma wipes her runny nose with the back of her hand and walks across the room to sit next to her grandfather. Her heart is beating unsteadily against her chest when she finally reaches him. There's an odd tension lingering in the air and the small child has the strange feeling that her life is about to change forever.
The poor man runs his hand through his granddaughter dirty hair. Emma closes her eyes, appreciating the tender contact. She can't remember the last time her grandfather has shown that much care for her. Since her mother's death, the elderly man has fell into despair. His joyful smile has turned into bitterness and he seems often forgetful of his granddaughter's existence.
"I was thinking of going to the Dark Forest today. I could try and hunt for food and you could pick up some fruits. If we're lucky we would have enough to sell at the market."
The way his fingers draws patterns on Emma's scalp is soothing. She forgets her rumbling stomach for a moment and smiles.
"Yes, grandpa," she murmurs with her eyes half-closed.
Emma has heard many tales about the Dark Forest. None of them are reassuring. But desperate times call for desperate measures and the young child trusts her grandfather more than anything.
When they reach the Dark Forest, it's almost noon and Emma's feeling of anxiety resurfaces.
"I'm not sure it's a good idea," she mumbles as they reach the Dark Forest's entrance.
Her grandfather turns around to face her. He stares at her for a long moment, his eyes as lifeless as the day his wife died. The old man shuffles from one foot to the other. His hands twist around the rope he uses as a belt.
"I'm sorry," he tells her. "I'm sorry, I was not able to take care of you like I should have after your mother died."
Emma travels the space between them and pulls him into a bone-crushing hug. Tears are free-falling from her eyes. She tries her best to convey her emotions in the only way she knows.
He leads her through the woods. The first hour is spent walking through the forest at a slow uneven pace. Emma doesn't dare to question why her grandfather's step isn't as purposeful as usual. The elderly man has been haunted by his daughter's death for the past two years and his features are often clouded with a sadness close to despair.
"I think I saw something," he whispers to her when the second hour passes by. "Stay here, don't move!"
He bends forward to kiss her on the forehead. His hand lingers protectively around the nap of her neck for a long minute. When he rises back up, his jaw is firmly clenched. He turns around and disappears through the leaves.
Time goes by, the sun goes down, and her grandfather her doesn't seem to come back. Emma starts to wonder if something could have happened to him. Heart filled with fear she rushes through the woods in the hopes of finding her grandfather back.
She walks between the trees, passes by a river, and comes across an animal or two, but her grandfather is nowhere to be found.
The young child has been walking in circles for hours and she is starting to feel desperate. The forest is dark, suspicious forms are moving everywhere, and she is starting to wonder if she will ever be able to get out of these woods alive.
It's at this moment, when all hopes seem lost, that a cloaked figure appears from between the shadows.
"Child!" The voice of the woman is sharp, intimidating, and cold. Emma can barely distinct her features in the dark. Half of the woman's face is concealed behind the hood of an luxurious looking imperial purple cloak. Only her mouth remains unhidden from the shadows, crimson lips curled into a treacherous smirk. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
Emma moves towards the cloaked figure, her small hands curling into fists.
"I'm looking for my grandfather," the golden haired child hisses, her head held high and her stare defiant.
"Your grandfather?" the woman's voice falters a little. "No grandfather would leave their grandchild alone at night in the middle of these cursed woods. There are dangerous creatures crawling in this part of the kingdom, few are the ones that walked through these woods and lived to tell tale. This man must have wanted to abandon you here."
Emma pushes a dirt covered strand of hair away from her delicate face. Her soft features turn into a scowl, her upper lip twisting into an animalistic snarl.
"Liar!" she shouts, one of her arm moving forward to deliver a punch.
Her little fist meets an invisible wall. Emma gasps, her eyebrows arch up as she watches her hands being pushed back to her side by an unknown force. Heart drumming wildly against her chest, she looks back up at the woman standing in front of her.
The cloaked woman chuckles.
"You are a fierce, little one," she muses, amusement colouring her voice. "But none of this temerity will be useful to you here. There are things even the most courageous child can not face alone."
"My grandfather will come and get me at any moment!" The small blonde growls in reply.
The woman bends forward, a dark lock of curly brown hair escaping from her hood. Her lips curl into a vicious smile, revealing a set of perfectly aligned pearly white teeth.
"Keep telling yourself that, dear," she whispers harshly to the child. "That will certainly get you somewhere."
The woman rises back up. She pulls back her hair under the cover of her hood. Her hands run over the fabric of her dark purple cloak, adjusting her slightly rumpled outfit. After throwing one last glance to the child, she walks away, almost gliding above the ground.
Emma watches her part with wide eyes. A rush of adrenaline courses through her veins as she is suddenly fearful of being left alone in these treacherous woods.
"Wait," the golden haired child squeals. The woman twists around in a swift graceful twirling motion. "Where are you going?"
The corner of the woman lip twitches and that dangerous smirk resurfaces.
"How is it any of your business, child?" she asks, her voice laced with mockery.
"It's not," the child replies, shuffling from one foot to the other, "but you said these woods were unsafe. I wouldn't want you to want to face any danger alone."
"Is that so, dear?" the woman asks, her smile becoming suddenly much softer.
"Yes, I might be little, but I'm really strong," Emma replies, lying through her teeth. "I've never once lost a fight."
"Mhm," the woman hums.
She takes a few step toward Emma. Her gaze moves up and down, seizing the young child up.
She sighs.
Her glove covered hand swishes elegantly in front of her.
A small brisk rushes through the branches above their hands. Colorful leaves suddenly rise above the ground spinning in circle around the young girl's tiny frame.
Emma's mouth fall open.
"Come here," the woman orders the small child.
A gust of wind pushes Emma towards the mysterious cloaked figure, almost making her lose her footing. She stumbles on her feet, hands flailing in front of her as her body is propelled forward.
"Don't lie to me, child," the woman tells her, grasping Emma's ragged shirt. With an unexpected strength, she lifts the young girl's small body high above the ground. "I know you do not care for my safety. You only worry for your own. I usually do not suffer such impertinence, but your audacious spirit impresses me. You are quite brave for your age, a rare quality. So listen, dear. I will make a deal with you. There is no way you will survive this night on your own which is why I am offering you my help. I will lead you out of this forest, but do know that I never give my help freely. This time won't be an exception. In ten years from now, you will come back here to offer me a year of service. One year for your life is what I am asking of you."
The woman's lips are spread into a catlike smile, her bright white grin seems more dangerous than the woodland creatures lurking at them under the obscure cover of the gloomy night. Paralyzed with fear, Emma stares at those blood coloured lips unable to decide whether the woman's deal is worth it or not.
"Now, I will not make this offer twice," the woman continues. "Think wisely before making your decision."
"Yes, I'm taking your deal," Emma whispers, afraid of her own reply. "Get me out of here!"
The forest setting fades away in a cloud of purple. They reappear in small field near a small town.
"Welcome to Avon," is written on a wooden board at its entrance.
"Where are-"
When Emma turns around, she realizes that she is alone. The mysterious cloaked woman is nowhere to be seen.
She wraps her arms around her waist. Her eyes turn to the starry sky, taking in the beautiful wonders of the night.
She sighs, wondering if the witch is right or if her grandfather is still looking for her somewhere in the woods.
She throws a glance over her shoulder, towards the dark forest behind her.
Her shoulders shrug and turns towards the village, her small feet carrying her towards her new life.