The Crimson Night

Prologue- The Meeting

I was sitting in my favorite secluded corner in an abandoned barn, at the far end of our estate where the forest begins and civilization ends.

Tears streak down my face as I stare at the broken roof, the fading light of the day streaming through it’s holes. Birds hop from rafter to rafter trying to find the best place for their nests. Spring, what a horrible time of year; everything seemed so bright and new when I felt the exact opposite.

My grandparents are the problem, always yelling at my father or hinting over dinner that, if they could, they would banish his children. For my mother had been a peasant before marrying my father, this was against tradition and therefore a strike against my grandparents.  Out of the three princesses they hated me the most, my straight black hair and dark eyes stuck out from my family's traditional caramel brown hair or golden ringlets.

As of today I finally knew why I was so different. Mighty King Edward wasn’t my true father, rather his brother Prince Charles. The banished Prince Charles. The same who was said to have made a deal with the devil. How could they have kept such a thing from me for so long! How could I be the child of a disgraced prince! I stubbornly slammed my fist against the ground.

Not to mention I was the only one of my sisters that ever talked out against our grandparents. I defended my sisters but they only ever glared at me in return. Amelia and Gemma were the polite, golden children. They were sweet and happy all the time, while I would much rather be alone; I don’t know how they kept up such a rues. Sometimes I even felt the only father I had ever known pull away from me, he obviously favored Amelia and Gemma, for they were his true children. Though he would shower me in gifts to console his guilt. I buried my face in my hands trying to shut out the wretched world and everyone in it. No one wants me, no one loves me. My real mother was dead and my real father banished.

A small screech reached my ears from the barn doors.

“Is someone in here?” a timid girlish voice asked.

“Who’s there!” I whispered back frantically.

No one ever came here, it was supposed to be out of bounds for everyone even Warriors. I quickly wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand. I had been raised a princess and had to look it at all times. There was a crunch as the girlish voice made her way in my general direction.

“Oh,” she stepped into the last bit of light shining through the rafters, “I did not know such a lovely lady would be in such a place as this.” The girl gestured around her. Light reflected off her fiery red hair.

I didn’t know what to say. This girl looked eerily beautiful, I had never seen anyone like her.

“I order you to leave me alone,” my voice shook, “freak!”

The girl looked at her tattered shoes, “I know I’m different but I can help you.” She looked up and the streaks of sun glinted off her pointed tooth smile, “We can be friends, best friends.” she paused, “Right?”

She stuck out her hand, this girl was strange but I had never had a friend before not in all my twelve years of life, no one had ever offered me their friendship, “I’ve never had a friend before.” I could feel a strange air about the girl. But who was I, the daughter of a banished prince, to question others sincerity.

“That’s alright,” the girl squat down to my level, “I haven’t either.” She offered her hand again her sharp black eyes cutting into me. She was different like me, I liked that.

“Okay, though  if we are to be friends you have to promise never to leave me.” I allowed her to pull me up, and tug me out of the barn and into the forest.

“Of course, I promise.” She said giving me her sharp toothed smile, “My name is Sarine. What’s yours?”

“I’m Jasmine, Princess Jasmine. And where exactly are we going?” I giggled. Having friends was fun, surprises are fun as well.

“My favorite place!” the girl Sarine exclaimed as we finally reached the mouth of a cave. She turned to me, “Now you have to promise me, as a friend; that you won't tell anyone about this place or about me.” Her black eyes shown with mischief. “Promise?”

“I promise, as a friend.” I smiled at her as she pulled me into the mouth of a cave.  Secrets seemed fun too.

Her hair shimmered in the dark bowels of the cave. She had lead me through a labyrinth of tunnels, it felt as though we had been wandering in circles. There was no way I would ever be able to find my way out on my own. A cold drop of water hit my forehead, "Where are you taking me?" My whisper echoed back sending a chill up my spine.

"I told you my favorite place," She purred.

"But my feet hurt! I'm tired! And I'm getting wet!" I complained as another drop of water slid down my face.

"Stop complaining," she snapped, "we are almost there."

Is that how friends spoke to each other? She had said we were friends so it must be. Finally the tunel let out into a large cavern. It's walls illuminated by torches sending dancing shadows over the painted walls. I stepped closer to one of the paintings, it looked as though blood was leaking from the wall swirling into faces of demons. Their black eyes followed me as I stumbled back horrified.

"What is this place Sarine!" I shrieked whipping around. Her face was inches from mine, teeth glittering in the torch light. I fell back against the wall. She pointed a dagger at my heart stepping close enough that I could feel the tip biting into my chest. "I thought you we were going to be friends," I whimpered.

"Friends? No. We will be much more than friends my dear princess."

She jabbed the dagger into my heart her eyes flashed black and her skin sagged dropping from her bones. "You will be mine."

A blood curdling scream rang through the abandon caverns.