Rapunzel Part 1

The king looked fondly at his three sons as the fenced. It saddened him to think that his queen could not be with him today. She could no longer take part in any of their life.

Esmeralda was from a traveling tribe. When they were wed it aroused quite a scandal.

The witch had plagued since the day he had taken his youngest son hunting. That day a stag was grazing. He had put his hands on his son's hand and the arrow had flown to its mark. That day was a good day for him. The stag was not a regular catch. The witch of the forest or, Elvira left her familiar searching for herbs. When the arrow pierced the heart of the beast she went mad.

A witch's familiar is a lifeline to her human side. Witches are born with a bit of soul left to wander. Soon before a witch is a month old it attaches to something. Sometimes an object, such as a lamp or a mirror. Very few times is it an animal.

After her mind broke, she began her attacks. At first it was simple a few pastures mysteriously died or a herd of cattle was infected with Mad Cow disease or worse. Gossip traveled to her ears and she learned who exactly killed her stag. She murdered the queen. She walked straight up to her throne and muttered a death curse and left. Then the plagues came.

Horrible cysts boiled onto limbs alongside fevers to match the gates of hell. After the slow torture of torture of the plague anyone infected died. Many even took their own life to stop the torture. Tenfolds had died to her wrath already.

The king tried to find her. He tried and tried every day. He stared at maps till his eyes burned. He sent more scouts than any of his forefathers did combined. Eventually he would find her, Elvira, Wrath of Eastern Kingdom.

Elvira sat poised in a clearing of moss. Words of sorcery were directed to a pile of ash and hazel wands.

She left the process of the words and began humming an eerie lullaby. A spark began on the top of the hazel leaf. It progressed down the wand and burst up into a flaming stag. The stag of flames pranced around the awestricken Elvira before bursting into nothing.

Elvira screamed out a wail to quiver anyone's bones. She ripped at her bushy mess of hair. Her nails dugs into her palms leaving crescent moon welts. After her brief episode she hiked up her dress and journeyed home.

As she walked, words fluttered out of her mouth in a million different languages. Her magic started to seep out of her fingers. Elvira pulled her gloves out from her bag and tried to stop it. Even with the gloves you could see it floating through the seams.

Giggling about everything and nothing at all, she finally made it to her tower. Laughing the whole climb up the stairs, she eventually made it to her room. She started quoting nursery rhymes her mother had sang to her.

"Hickory dickory dock the cow jumped over the moon, three blind mice ran away with the spoon, a ring around the rosie…"

With that she leaned back in her bed and closed her eyes.

King William smiles at the news his scouts had brought. They had seen the witch enter her tower. Now he could form an attack group to attack the tower.

He had just finished discussing with his captains when the battle would take place. He would lead his army to attack the tower at dawn. His soldiers were already prepping. Swords had been sharpened and shields had been polished to gleam as bright as the sun.

No doubt rumors had spread about the battle. People in his kingdom loved to talk. They would make rumors from a new baby to an extra foot! But none the less his people were loyal. Already goods and weapons were being shipped in. They had enough food for a dozen wars. William hoped that it would be quick. It was only one witch, right?

He was snapped out of his thoughts by his royal smith, Emmelina. She had sharpened his sword before the battle. He took the sword from her and ran his fingers along the edge.

"Perfectly smooth, once more. How do you do it Emmelina?" The blade was far sharper compared to what his other smiths could do.

"I am just good at what I do, your majesty." She replied smoothly.

He dismissed her with a warm smile. His thoughts were directed to the other matter at hand. He had decided that one son would stay behind. He still would need an heir of his own bloodline to keep the line of Dalle alive, in case of the chance they all fell to the witch's wrath.

His eldest sons was very diplomatic and would make a good choice for the next ruler, but he was very handy with a sword and would make a keen ally in battle.

With a weary heart the king trudged up the stairs ready for an argument. He traveled through the many corridors. He stood in front of his sons door and daydreamed of a moment where his son just accepts it.

Knocking three times on the door he called out, "Joseph it's your father."

"Father, aren't you so excited for the battle. It's everything we've worked for!"

"Yes son, but you will not be taking part in this war." He said solemnly.

"What? I have put as much time into finding her as you have." A frantic look appeared in Joseph's eyes.

"Because, Joseph, I need an heir to take care of our kingdom. Do you really think Marcus or Lucian could make any sort of treaty?" He thought of his two youngest, and how headstrong and arrogant they were.

"But-"

"No more argument." King William left the room before anymore could be said.

The soldiers marched in a rhythmic beat. Horses whinnied as if they knew of how much bloodshed would happen this morn.

There surroundings became eerily quiet as the soldiers march ceased. Many of nature's noisiest aspects seemed silent.

"Witch! Come out of your tower willingly and your execution will be swift."

A woman popped her head out of the window. Wild black hair tumbled in the wind like a storm cloud. He couldn't see what her face looked like.

"All this trouble for little old me?" She mocked in a very unstable voice.

"Surrounded now and your death will be quick" he repeated.

"We'll wouldn't that just be grand if I just gave up? Or maybe I'll just do this." With a flick of her hand the entire army besides the royal guard lit up in flames. The men screamed as their flesh melded to skin. The king looked on helplessly as the soldiers burned to ash.

After the short rage of the fire left all his soldiers either in ash or slopes of flesh. The air was pungent.

The witch cackled madly. Her hair was still tumbling in the wind as she called for the vines. Her vines carried her in front of the royal family. The vines wrapped themselves around William and his sons.

"Aww, I thought this battle would be grander more action and less killing. It was kinda boring." Elvira spoke in pouting voice.

The king began muttering curses at the witch in many different languages.

She clicked her tongue and said, " Naughty, naughty language. Since you're so eager to curse me and my boisterous crows face, I might as well give you a few of my own." With that her addled brain started ticking.

"One son will be forced a life of solitude, always loving something he can't have. A wolf seems to love the moon but can never be loved back." With that Lucian changed into a wolf. The boy gave a short howl before running off into the wood.

"You." Elvira said pointing a finger at the youngest, Marcus. "You shot him and ate him first. You should suffer pain of eating all of your species. You shall crave man's flesh."

i

When the beast that was Marcus didn't leave. She screamed at him, " Run, eat, breed."

"For you I won't be as cruel. Since I loved my stag and you trained the arrow, I curse you to love a woman every year for a century."

With her curses done she disappeared in a crackle of energy.

I'm sorry if the ending seemed a little rushed I'm typing it up really late so sorry. I want to say thank you to the 5 people who have followed and the 2 (don't quote me on that) that favorited. I used to think my writing wasn't very good but now at least I know some people appreciate it. If you notice the mad cow disease thing, I looked up cow diseases and this thing turns a cows brain into a sponge. Also if you see the two youngest sons names are kinda references to underworld, I saw that after I was halfway through. On the other hand I have come up with a new schedule to post chapters. I'm going to try to post by every Tuesday. If you're lucky it'll be earlier. Also I am almost out of creativity juice. So if you can give me some brain food for chapter ideas. I only have one more and that's just part 2 on this.

-allpowerfullnerdqueen