Note: This story is going to be quite heavily edited, in the near future. Forgive me, because new chapters will probably take a while to arrive. I apologise, and the new-and-improved version will be posted shortly, but for the moment, I suppose you'll have to make do with this. Thank you for your patience! :D ~Rose 7/16/09
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A lone silhouette stood solemnly on a hill. It was that of a dark sturdy stallion, with muscles that shone in the moonlight and wild hair that danced on the breeze. A twisted cone of ebony jutted from his forehead. His ruby eyes were intense, scrutinizing the disastrous scene below him. He had seen an immeasurable amount of people fall prey to the Darkness, time and time again over the centuries that spanned his life. And now he would witness it for the millionth time, unable to say or do anything to stop it.
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I sat in my ridiculously large bed, holding a book that was very old and worn, and half my size. I read by the light of the candle that sat on my night-stand.
"And they both lived happily ever after..."
What a dull ending. Is that stupid, or what? That never happens in real life at all! Why are princesses always the prissy, perfect little damsels in distress, that have to wait for some guy to show up and save them? I don't want to have to live like that! But no, I have to do pointless things like embroidery, and wait until a prince from some far-off place (and a pompous nut case, no doubt) shows up at my home and wants to marry me.
Frustrated, I slammed the book shut and sighed. Why don't I get to fall in love? Travel the world? Make friendships worth having? I glared at the stars that were disappearing slowly outside my window spitefully. Really, I loved fairy tales with a passion. I just didn't want to live them.
Straining my ears, I heard soft little patters, like the sound it would make if dolls could run, but that was preposterous, seeing as I didn't even own any dolls. I furrowed my eyebrows together. The pattering grew louder as it drew nearer, until I heard frantic footsteps.
Pulling the covers over my head, I blew out the candle and pretended to be asleep.
"Lyssa! Wake up, dear!" Mother's eldest servant came rushing into my chambers, and shook me anxiously. A worn leather bag was hung across her shoulders. She set the candlestick on my nightstand, then rushed to my wardrobe to pull out a cloak and spare blanket.
As soon as I had gotten up and uttered a hopefully-convincing yawn, she had thrown the cloak over my shoulders, fastened it, and had ushered me out of my bed-chambers and into the corridors. "Where are we going?" I asked, trying to sound tired instead of curious and confused. She didn't reply, and gave me a sharp look. She was one that you knew not to mess with as soon as you'd met her the first time. She could command a room without uttering one word. She must've been dreadfully nervous about something, because she always prided herself upon her appearance, (Now she looked ruffled and was wearing her nightgown, while her long gray hair wasn't even pulled back properly.) and she was taking me along as so brisk a pace, I had to run with my short child-legs to catch up.
We went down the corridors, to the main entrance, and sped down the beautiful marble staircase. I looked remorsefully at the white lions that stood on either side of the railing, protecting us. They looked, rather oddly, like they were going to cry. I gave them meaningful looks as my feet hit the bottom of the staircase, colliding with the crimson carpet. We raced down to meet the elaborately carved door on the other side of the vast entrance hall. The servant pushed them open easily, as though they were made of cloth rather than iron and mahogany. By the time we'd finally stopped, we were outside the castle, and I was gasping for air. My faithful white mare was waiting there for us.
"Do not hesitate, or It will consume you as well. I only had time enough to save one of you. Someone has to inherit the throne someday, and you, my dear, are their only child." I finally felt the urgency of the situation as she hastily made a step with her entwined fingers, so that I could place my foot there and pull myself onto Adelaine's firm back. There was no time left to fetch a saddle for my poor mare, so I was forced to ride with only a blanket and my flouncy white night-skirts between my body and hers. Thankfully, I wasn't scolded for straddling my horse, with a leg on either side. I was only able to ride like this when the servants weren't looking. I would be able to stay on much more easily now.
As I noticed she didn't make any move to join me, but stood rather quite still, I said, "Why aren't you coming with me? What's going on? Where are my mother and papa?" I wailed desperately through tears that I stubbornly refused to shed. The old woman fastened a quiver of arrows to my back, and an ornately carved bow she laid onto my lap. She put the worn leather bag over my shoulder, overflowing with its contents. She looked me straight in the eye, the ghost of a smile there, seemingly straight to the farthest corner of my soul. "I'm off to a better place now. My work is done here. Now go. Run straight ahead, and don't stop until your mare gets too tired to walk." She smacked Adelaine's rump one time, and then my little mare and I were off at a gallop, my arms clinging helplessly around her neck. So much for all those riding lessons.
I stole one last glance at my beloved home as it inched rapidly toward the horizon as it was being devoured. The once-pure and romantic white castle, with its weeping willow trees, rose-gardens, cool blue ponds filled with ivory-toned sea creatures, and elaborate stone sculptures was now consumed in a swirling black uproar that looked like fiery death and hate and shadows. Everything that it touched turned charcoal black, withered, and died. The roses shrivelled up into black nothingness, and the animals tried manically to get away, but were drowned as the pool turned to dark marble. But the worst part of it all was knowing that somewhere amidst all that madness lie my sweet mother and papa, as well as everyone who had worked in the castle, bodies completely devoured in black flame. As I watched, eyes flooding with tears of rage, my mother's servant was swallowed by It as well, smiling mysteriously, as if she had a secret. She had never smiled before, at least not that I remembered. And then it all disappeared, covered by the Darkness against a pale sunrise.
