The Bloom of the Rose: The Dark Erotic Spirited Away! Book 1: Till
Summary
"ONCE UPON A time; there was a young woman who went on a journey with her friends and stumbled into a dark fairy tale of sorts. Her friends were soon tricked into a trap, cursed and scattered to four realms; the young woman had to make sacrifices as she went on her quest to save them.
Along the way the heroine caught the eye of a sadistic werewolf lord who manages to find her throughout her journey. No matter how she tries to fight; the heroine ends up being seduced into his dark embrace and also falls into the dark pleasures of the rulers of the lands.
The heroine soon faced her final challenge to save her friends and the price would be dire if she fails..."
Story Disclaimer
I am doing a small homage and nod toSen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi orsimply known asSpirited Away; a 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed byHayao Miyazaki but with an adult fairytale twist. I'm also doing a gender-bender twist to the classic Danish fairytale;Snedronningen/The Snow Queen byHans Christian Andersenusing Greek, Slavic, Norse and Japanese Myths.
I do not own the characters of...
Snedronningen/The Snow Queen byHans Christian Andersen
Shogun's Joy of Torturea 1968 Japanese ero guro film directed byTeruo Ishii and distributed byToei
Demigoda 2021 American horror film written and directed byMiles Doleac (who also starred in the film)
This is also an experiment that I am writing with an alternate reality of the Edo Period set in a fairytale setting mixed with a small touch ofAlice in Wonderlandof sorts. This is also my first attempt in writing erotic romance with smut; I'm even experimenting with werewolves and other supernatural beings for kicks.
Welcome to my first modern adult fairytale and I hope that you will enjoy this Fanfic story!
Book 1: Till-Part One
Till First Soil
Introduction
ONCE UPON A time; there was a young woman who went on a journey with her friends and stumbled into a dark fairy tale of sorts. Her friends were soon tricked into a trap, cursed and scattered to four realms; the young woman had to make sacrifices as she went on her quest to save them.
Along the way the heroine caught the eye of a sadistic werewolf lord who manages to find her throughout her journey. No matter how she tries to fight; the heroine ends up being seduced into his dark embrace and also falls into the dark pleasures of the rulers of the lands.
The heroine soon faced her final challenge to save her friends and the price would be dire if she fails...
That is the summary of my story that I am about to tell...my dark fairy tale though the title would be different. Of course no one will believe this to be true as it is a modern dark fairy tale; yet I'm content to tell it anyway and it's time this story was told.
I've cultivated this story like a gardener; tilling the soil, planted the seeds, nurtured as everything sprouted and bud, and now it blooms. This is how I am telling my dark fairy tale in those five stages and each chapter will be different from normal; some will be long and others short.
My dark fairy tale is not for children; it's dark, filled with passion and untold pleasure, and descriptive in detail. Though I remember everything, if felt like a dream and my friends don't remember how long we had been gone; but I hope my story will help even though they won't believe or understand or maybe they will in time.
Anyone who reads my dark fairy tale will only think it's a fairy tale but a bit gothic of sorts; they'll read it once and then put it on a shelf to gather dust until someone finds it, and reads it before returning it to the shelf once more. I won't tell you my real name or my friends' names or where we lived; it's better as names have power and one must be careful who speaks it.
Call me Serena and my story begins with a road trip...
Chapter One
I don't know why I got talked into going on this trip by my friends; it was unexpected, last minute importuned and hurriedly organized. We pack what clothes to wear for a week, gathered necessary feminine products, grabbed some cash and our bank cards, etc.
We piled into Gerda's old camping van and spur of the moment drove out of our small city-town, Northfield, and headed on the road. We filled two coolers with sandwiches and drinks; we even left messages to our families before we left, they won't be happy and will try to call us, and demand we return home right away.
But this was our chance to be adults, make our own choices, have some fun and be rebellious; my friends will be going to college soon and their families want to move to other states before that happens. The five of us have been friends since we were toddlers, we were neighbors living on the same street, went to the same school, etc.
Gerda, Kay, Molly, Alice and I have grown up together; did things together [good and bad, protected each other, became soul-sisters, never tattled against each other unless something dangerous were about to happen or one of us threaten harm to one-self [which thankfully never happened]. We wanted to doone thing together before being separated and the road trip was decided when news of my friends going to move came up.
We had no set destination, we were prepared to camp out, sometimes got lucky to share a room in a motel for a night or pay to use the shower to clean up, we've even used the laundromat and did our laundry on a Saturday or Sunday. We bought bread, cold cuts, cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and marshmallow fluff to make our sandwiches as well as drinks-soda, juice and water; we were careful in our spending and checked our accounts daily as our first month passed.
We kept in contact with our families despite their pleas to come home; we continued our road trip into the forests, wildlife and camping states. My friends and I were of age; yet we never drank alcohol, never smoke nor did drugs, we were careful were we went and always stuck together as a group.
But we also had fun and I began to relax more as we travelled; I've packed a few romance books and used my phone to look up erotic romance stories online to read for free [my guilty pleasures]. We chipped in to pay for gas, groceries and one-night stays in a motel or on a campsite, and we learned or discovered the local shortcuts to avoid traffics if needed.
Soon we decided to drive through a forest up in the mountains before making our way home; we filled up the gas tank and chipped in to buying extra gas containers for the van in case of emergency. The local youths tried to flirt with my friends and I was ignored; I didn't mind as I watched the interactions, my friends were beauties and I was a plain mouse.
Chapter Two
Gerda was the eldest of our group; she was blond with jade green eyes and buxom figure. She was smart and dreams of being a lawyer, many underestimates her and assumes she gets by on her looks but Gerda proof them wrong.
She studies hard, not afraid to ask the tough questions and always thinks outside the box; Gerda has been defender on anyone who needed help. She even became Class President throughout Elementary, Middle and High Schools; Gerda fought against bullying, argued for freedom to read banned books in school, even argued to allow banned books in the school library, she won the right for students to read banned books openly during lunch, and freed period but lost to having banned books in school library.
Students were allowed to bring in banned books to read during lunch and free periods but the books must be kept out of sight in lockers or schoolbags during classes. It was a small win and Gerda was voted to be the best lawyer the students had, and even called on her to help them on school problems...even after graduation!
Kay short for Kaylee was Gerda's younger sister and the second eldest of our group; she was a brunette with aqua blue eyes and the athletic tomboy. But don't let her tomboyish nature fool you as Kay can be quiet feminine if she wants to be; she even has her own female fans who idolize her.
Kay was they only girl on the boys' baseball team; she played pitcher, hitter and fielder, and became MVP of the team throughout the school years as she won games. She also played soccer and basketball; Kay was nicknamedWonder Woman by her peers.
She was admired by both genders and even went on a few dates with a boy one week, and a girl on another week. Kay was open about being drawn to both genders ever since Middle School when she started to date; she was loyal to both her girlfriend and boyfriend but it only lasted for three years, and she's never spiteful on break-ups.
It's even known that Kay is very discreet in matching her ex's with each other depending on who they're drawn to and sometimes the matches click, and other times they don't. Kay has maintained friendships and cordial relationships while continuing her sporting career.
Molly was the mother-hen of the group; she was a redhead with the rare purple eyes and she had a lanky figure that she kept in shape. Comfortable in boy clothes more than girl clothes; she was known to be a Butch but she also had a gentle side and she was open about being drawn to girls over boys.
Molly had a maternal side and hoped to work with toddlers, and younger children about to start school. She wanted to open a daycare and prepare children for Kindergarten; she had practice as the eldest with five siblings and developed patience, tolerance and calm nature.
As her friends; we know Molly will never have her own children but she'll adopt a child when the time comes if she decided to start a family. With us; Molly can relax and act her age without her family burden, and the road trip was just what she needed.
Alice was the party-girl of the group; long flowing sandy blond hair and sea green eyes with a curvy figure, and natural long legs. She loved to sing and dance, strut into a room and turn heads; Alice dreamed of being a singer/songwriter, dancer, model and actress.
She was Head Cheerleader in Middle and High Schools, sang in the choir and danced in a dance group. Alice worked hard behind the scenes of plays in the community and schools before she started acting, and fell in love being an actress.
As her friends; we were the first to hear her sing, see her dance and model, and helped her practice her lines for the stage. My friends had their skills and talents, and they were going to go far in the world; they'll be famous in their own ways.
As for me, Serena, I was the daydreamer and storyteller, and youngest member of the group; I had dark brown hair that I always kept short, hazel brown eyes, a fluffy figure and dusting of freckles. I was the plain mouse and wallflower; I wanted to be a writer but I was stuck in a rut with nothing to show except maybe Fanfic writing.
Hence why I was dragged into this road trip; my friends wanted to give me inspiration but also to make memories before we separate!
Chapter Three
My friends and I were soon back on the road after sightseeing of the small town we had stopped in; it was a small farming community raising sheep and alpacas for wool. Though the most strangest things were the Missing Persons posters, there were even older ones preserved and framed in the small museum, library, community center, church and city hall dating back to the town's founding.
People had gone missing deep in the woods overtime; a few locals have been lured into the forest by mysterious forces, even travelers have gone through as a shortcut, sometimes the travelers make it through and other times they're never seen again. We were advised to take the longer way around as chances to make it through were 50/50; but we wanted to try our luck and asked for advise.
"If you're driving through the forest, stay on the path-like road and don't leave the car at night unless you have have to answer the call of nature; tie a rope around your wrist and stay in the light!"
"Be wary of strange lights, sounds and sights; the forest will try to trick you!"
"If you come to a fork in the road, go left and always stay together!"
"It's a three...no...six day drive through the forest though it'll feel like a week or two; don't dawdle too long and if you come to a crossroads keep going straight!"
There was much more advice but it was becoming hard to remember everything that was said; we stocked up on extra sandwiches and drinks. I know we should be sick of eating sandwiches but they're cheaper to make, they last longer and easier to make.
We called our families to let them know that we'd be driving through a dead zone for nearly a week and will be back in contact when we are through the forest, then turned our phones off and locked them in the glove compartment to be safe. Gerda had a new radio installed in the van to play CDs and we all had our favorites to listen to in turns.
We even bought some rope, battery-powered lantern, a shovel and a portable toilet chair without the removable pot, and Lysol to clean the seat after use as well as toilet paper on a very good discount. We were even given a small trailer hooked to the van to hold the gas cans, shovel and chair; the rest were carefully stowed in the van.
Once we were ready; Gerda drove the camping van with connected trailer onto the forest dirt road and we entered the trees after we passed the town sign at the forest edge...
FOREST ROAD...ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK...STAY ON THE PATH BE SAFE!
Chapter Four
Sunlight dappled through the trees as we drove down the path; it was quiet in that forest with the wind rustling the leaves and birds singing somewhere. The forest felt untouched as if it's only used as a shortcut as a last resort; we found campsite areas that the people forgot to mentioned and set up our first night in camping.
We dug a hole in the ground and set up the portable toilet over it, ate our supper, did our call of nature and got ready to sleep in the van together. We slept on the folded out backseat in our sleeping bags and slept through the night without disturbance; doors locked and windows covered.
For the first three days we drove for an entire day, stopped to stretch our legs and eat lunch; we played our CDs and sang along, I brought out my romance books and we took turns reading a chapter each before bed. Driving through the forest on our fourth day; we became a bit lethargic and falling into a slump, nothing but forest on either side and staying on the same path.
"Break time;" declared Gerda stopping after driving into a clearing leading to a ledge overlooking a valley, "everyone out, stretch and refuel the van!"
We were all groaning as we stumbled out; stretching until our joints popped, jogged and walked around, we even laid down in the grass and did a few sit-ups followed by push-ups. Kay did the refueling of the van as the gas will last us for another three days.
"The view is beautiful;" said Molly as we stood on the ledge, "another three days and back in civilization!"
"As much as we have enjoyed driving through thisvery lovely forest scene there's just one thing missing;" Alice pointed out in thought, "Where's the wildlife? Granted we have heard birds but we haven't seem them including deer, bear, wild cat, etc!"
"You have a point, Alice, we haven't seenone wildlife while driving;" agreed Kay as she removed her gloves that she wore in handling the gas cans and I said in thought: "Maybe the wildlife are hiding deeper in the forest; I mean this forest road isvery rarely used as a shortcut and people have gotten lost if they left the path!"
"Still feels weird though;" said Gerda looking around cautiously, "feels like something out of a movie or book or Serena's Fanfic stories!"
"Whatever this is I hope I'll remember to write all this down once we're back home;" I said looking around also cautiously.
We got back into the van and continued our journey; but we were also a bit paranoid as we eyed the trees that now enclosed us.
Chapter Five
Our fourth night was uncomfortable and we spent most of the night reading my romance books, it was after midnight when we finally slept huddled on the fold-out backseat and our sleep wasn't restful. We normally drinkMinute Maid's Lemonadeor Snapple at breakfast, split a liter ofDiet Mountain Dew at lunch and water at supper; but with how tired we were, we cheated and had soda for the caffeine to wake us up with breakfast before we were back driving.
Gerda drove slow as we were still tired and wasn't paying attention when she turned right at the fork in the road; I watched her throw something out the window. We were pretty much dozing until we were jolted awake when the van went over something.
Gerda was now awake but she didn't dare stop as she continued driving over what felt like stones and roots; it's also when we noticed how dark it suddenly got. The headlights were quickly turned on and we saw the tree branches overhead while there were speckles of sunlight through the trees everything else was darkness.
"I'll keep driving until we reached a clearing and go back the way we came;" said Gerda as she stayed calm and I stated looking out the windows: "I think we left the path!"
"We'll be back on the path again soon;" said Kay calmly, "I see light up ahead and where's there is light there's a clearing!"
Gerda drove a little faster; we can hear the thumps of the van going over the stones and roots, bushes hitting the windows and doors, and branches smacking the roof as we practically flew towards the light at the end of the tree tunnel. Upon entering the clearing; Gerda slammed on the brakes and we all hanged onto something as the van skidded to a stop with a near roll.
We all got out and inspected the vehicle for damages, apart from some scratches and some dents, there was no serious damage and the trailer with the rest of our things were still safe, and undamaged. Then we all got a good look of the clearing we were now in; it was big and wide, and ringed by trees and bushes.
The Sun was warm and a nice breeze blew through; we took a moment to relax and weren't in a rush to go back through the dark trees right away. We walked around the clearing, stretching our legs and settling our nerves; it was peaceful and quiet.
Suddenly a great stag came trotting into the clearing and this was no ordinary stag; it was pure white like snow, the horns were like miniature trees the color of gold and sparkled with jewel flowers, the hooves were black as ebony and the eyes were emerald green. We stared mesmerized of this White Stag that seemed to have walked out of a story almost.
The White Stag knew five young women were watching him as he nibbled on some grass before looking our way. I felt a shiver go down my back at the emerald gaze; the stag made his way to a path into the forest and looked back as if beckoning us to follow him.
Don't know why we moved toward the stag, we seemed to be compelled and we followed the White Stag onto a new path; leaving our van and everything behind!
Chapter Six
This new path we were now walking on and following the White Stag was a dirt path lined by flower bushes; every fifteen yards a pair of arches shaped into rampant Sphinxes marked the path. Kay, Alice, Gerda, Molly and I would pause to admire these statues; the faces worn away over time by the elements but still beautiful to look at.
Sunlight illuminated the path and kept the shadows of the forest at bay; there was movement among the trees but we couldn't tell what they were, we catch glimpses and they melted into the shadows, and still couldn't tell what they were. We don't know where we were going as we silently followed the White Stag, it was as if we were in some kind of trance and yet we were also still aware.
The White Stag led us into another clearing and in the clearing...was awall!
Ahuge Wall with a capitol W...
The Wall was like straight fromGame of Thrones but it wasn't made of ice but but some kind of obsidian stretching into the forest on either side and trees pressed against it. There was even a open doorway flanked by sitting Sphinxes robed in vines and the stag grazing nearby.
"Holy shit;" we swore together as we stared up at this badass Wall in awe and curiosity.
"How theHell did a Wall appear in the middle of this forest...in the middle of nowhere?" Molly exclaimed and Alice added plainly: "I'm more curious about...How the Hell satellites never noticedthis and alerted the governments?"
"This forest is very old;" I said in thought as I looked around, "I wouldn't be surprised if we had stumbled onto something supernatural!"
"Does anyone else hear the Twilight Zone theme song?" Kay asked and her older sister starts whistling theTwilight Zone theme song; Alice and Molly chorused: "That's creepy!"
I couldn't help chuckling as I approached the Obsidian Wall; I could hear music coming from the stones and felt the wind hit me, and made me nearly stumble. It felt like the wind was trying to push me in and the music of the Wall seem to get stronger.
"I think the Wall is singing and the wind was trying to push me into the doorway;" I said as I back away very quickly and rejoined my friends.
"That issoOutlander;" said Gerda as she moved a bit towards the Wall and added in awe: "Serena wasn't kidding; this Wall is practically singing!"
Soon Kay, Alice and Molly came forward and they too were listening; it felt like a Siren song calling sailors to their doom and I felt uneasy.
"I think we should head back;" I said finally, "it's time to head home!"
"No need to be scared, Serena;" spoke Molly as she came and took my hands in hers, "we went on this impromptued trip to have an adventure and we stumbled onto something amazing!"
"You always said you wanted inspiration to write and here it is;" adds Kay with a smile, "opportunity of a lifetime and you want to say no on it!"
"We left everything in the van when we followed the White Stag here;" I explained in hesitation, "our families will start worrying if we are gone too long. We should go back and make our way home!"
"If you're that uncomfortable you can wait for us here or at the car;" said Alice in thought. "Gerda, Kay, Molly and I will go through the tunnel; see what's on the other side and be back in fifteen minutes!"
I took a look back at the path and hesitated; fifteen minutes is along wait by my-self and there's no way I could wait that long for my friends. As much as I hate this; there's no way my friends were coming back once they go into the tunnel and being alone in this forest isso unfair.
"Have youseen horror movies?" I stated deadpanly as I turned back; "First person dies is the one who stays behind and I can't help imagining serial killers or killer clowns or even murderous bears lurking in the shadows, I'm coming too but under silent protest!"
The White Stag came and stepped through the doorway, and into the darkness; he paused within and he began glowing. His body shone like moonlight, his antlers were like gold flames and the jewel flowers shimmered like a rainbow as he looked back at us.
"I think the White Stag wants to be our guide through the tunnel and be our light;" I said and Molly exclaimed: "That's so cool; let's go and start our adventure!"
As we started to enter the tunnel; I couldn't help pausing and looking back, it felt weird going into the Obsidian Wall and a inner voice was telling me...Don't go in, turn back and run!
"Serena, hurry up or you'll be left in the dark;" I heard Gerda call.
I turned and jogged to my friends with the glowing White Stag; we held hands and followed the stag into the tunnel. I held Kay's hand at the end of the line, I turned and walked backwards, and watched the light go farther until darkness swallowed it!
