The Dark Queen

The Dark Queen- Prologue

 The carriage sped down the wooded path taking me away from the Kingdom of Orla, and looking back, I remember the castle being illuminated by the crescent moon. My eyes were still wet from the tears that splashed my face; what was supposed to be a grand evening had turned into a nightmare. My father was hosting a masquerade ball, as usual during the Harvest Festival, but during the festivities, Gladys returned. She is better known as the Dark Queen.

 Gladys practiced magic--dark magic. In my father’s kingdom, magic has never been outlawed, but there were certain restrictions that were enforced. For instance, anyone caught using magic to steal, cheat, or kill someone would be penalized. Of course, it was always hard to find proof of such acts, so convicting a person of a magic crime had become rare.

 I was only seven when I was forced to leave, so the exact details of that evening are fuzzy. I barely remember seeing a garish green light appear, the guests screaming in terror. Gladys, with her fiery red hair and mesmerizing emerald eyes, snarled at my father. Her lips were bright red against her fair complexion. There was no denying how beautiful she was, especially to a seven year old with frizzy brown hair, dull blue eyes, and gangly arms and legs. Compared to her, I felt unattractive.

 Gladys marched up to my father, her eyes boring into his. I was standing near the servant’s entrance behind a curtain. I was actually supposed to be in bed for it was almost midnight. Since I was not tired, I had snuck out of my room to wander around. The servants were too busy tending to the guests, so they paid no attention to me, even though I should have been reported to my father.

I stepped out further to get a better view as the guests stood and watched the scene. The Dark Queen had a smirk upon her face as she began to initiate her plan. She wore a vile necklace that looked a lot like a timer, but with a green liquid inside. She took off the necklace and closed her eyes. My father sat there motionless as she began to chant in a language that I did not understand--the Kiae.

 The Kiae is a language used specifically by those who practice magic. The words rolled off her tongue with ease, the room becoming dark as the green liquid began to glow. Soon, snake-like figures danced around the reliquary. My eyes were transfixed upon the snakes; where they went, my eyes followed. I do not know how long I stood in that trance, but when the room was bright once more, Gladys finally started to speak in the common tongue, snapping me back to reality.

 “Why Edric, you look really scared and confused.” Gladys manically laughed. “Perhaps I will enlighten you. I have just cast a spell that bound your daughter to me.”

 My face paled as my knees became weak. As the words sunk in, my father stood up, his hands clenched. “No magic words can bind my daughter to another. No matter what, my blood will run in her veins, binding her to me.”

“Yes, but she will no longer serve you. Whatever you do, she will come to me one day.”

 The look upon my father’s face was of absolute horror. He tried to act strong, holding his ground long enough for the Dark Queen to leave. When she was gone, my father ordered me, Princess Serefina, to see him. His visage turned to anger when he noticed that I was already in the room, witnessing the entire encounter. Since I knew the truth, he told me to flee--to leave for the Winhelm Kingdom. Their king was an ally to my father and would protect me from the coming danger, or so we had all hoped.

                                                                   © 2012