SpellCast: Short Story Series

Story One: Truth or Lie

For my first narration, I must add that the girl isn't quite as wonderful as a normal princess is known to be.
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I was in the Kingdom Desire, a land where I heard that people had everything they needed, irony that Desire was the name.
I was there to study the area, for it was far from my Kingdom, Lastgrane. When I reached the town square, I heard the sobbing of a child.
There was a small girl sitting on the rock near the pond at the corner of the square. She had blonde hair and wore an apron over her dress. She was crying, whilst no one proceeded to ask her what was wrong.
"Hey, there." I crouched by the girl. "What's wrong?"
The girl looked up. Her sobs subsided. "You aren't from here. That is why you do not know."

"Know what?" I said gently.

"Can you keep a secret?" The girl asked me.

"Of course! Unless, I am not supposed to know." I said eagerly.

"There is a secret of our land. Why we get everything. It is because our princess lies." The girl whispered.

"Does everyone in the kingdom know this?"

"Yes." The girl sniffed. "I didn't. But I heard my mother say to my father, and there I knew the entire tale."

"Could you tell me this tale, please?" I asked, happy to be on the tail of something intriguing as such. "What's your name?"

"My name is Abby." The girl pointed at a house on an adjoining street. "And that is where I live. Now listen close, and I will tell you."

So I learned of the secret of Desire. And now, so will you.

Truth or Lie:

T'was a princess named Faina as fair as dawn, her dress sown of snowbells, and white ribbon laced in her hair. Queen Reja was proud to have such a child for her new kingdom, along with her King Tassolone.

"She will be a wonderful princess. How beautiful she is! She will be as just as her beauty!" The philospohers promised.

Queen Reja and the king were pleased. They grew the child well, but with one flaw. They constantly reminded the child of her appearance, by complimenting her and buying the best for her. The princess became as vain as beautiful, as opposed to her valor.

There was soon a miracle. Two weeks after Faina's tenth birthday, a son was born to the King and Queen! Over eleven years, they decided he would be the heir, instead of Faina, for he was as charming as her, and he had brilliance, modesty, and intelligence, that Faina didn't have.

Faina was appalled. She pleaded with the Queen and King, but they had lost their love for her. She had playing them all along.

With tears in her eyes, Faina ran away to the nearby woods. She found a tree to hide under and sobbed. They say her tears lighted the ground, and summoned the witch.

The Witch was a young woman who was wise and knew who couldn't handle her deals. She saw immediately that Faina was weak, and easy prey. So, she appeared beside Faina, and sat down next to her.

"I can help you, if you can't help yourself." The Witch said gently.

Faina saw the young woman and saw her as a friend. "I am alone here!"

"I can help you find riches and gold if you don't have them." The Witch suggested.

"I have enough of riches!" Faina sobbed. "It's my family. They left me over my eleven year old brother."

"Perhaps I can give you something that will give you a new family! Of course, then, you will need to switch lives with someone. Find a young soul that would like to have your life, then come back here and call for me. Say, 'I found my second life'. I will come. Oh, and make sure they live in this kingdom, for they need to know who you are, since they need some knowledge of you to make the switch." The Witch pleased Faina with this thought, and Faina was sure that everyone wanted to be her. So she left, thinking she could find someone.

'Of course, then, I will lose my riches! But this Witch will transport me gold if I pretend to be sad! I will take advantage of her!' Faina laughed and decided to ask the poor villagers if they would be interested in having her life. The villagers thought she was rubbing her wealth in, and brushed her off. Most told her that with her poor character, they'd never want to be her.

Faina was left with no options. She had to go out of her kingdom and find someone. She had to.

So, Faina went to the Kingdom Grasi and found the young princess Salina. She saw and envied this new girl's beauty. When Faina promised her a new, better, life, Salina was skeptical. She said she loved her kingdom, and wouldn't go for the world.

Faina backtracked and said that they needn't switch lives, just looks. With that fake promise, Faina and Salina ventured into the forest and summoned the Witch.

Though Faina did not know it, the Witch knew all that had happened. But, she happily asked. "Young lady, by the name of, what?"

"Salina." The clueless princess said.

"Ah! Salina, are you aware of the deal, the rules, and what it has to offer?" The Witch asked.

"Yes!" Salina replied.

So, the Witch used the spell, and Faina was suddenly thrown backward. She found herself, not in Salina's palace, not in Salina's clothes, but in the Woods, with the Witch's clothes on. Faina screamed. She was rooted in place.

"Filthy child!" Someone was collapsed on the ground, across from her. It was...herself. And if the spell worked, that was Salina. So why was Faina in the Witch's clothes?

"Salina! I told you! You have my beauty!" Faina said, smiling placidly, wondering why she was being called a filthy child.

"It is not Salina! It is me, the one who put the spell on you!" Faina's body got up. "I am the very sorceress, Witch, wizard, that gave you the rules! You did not follow them! You have killed Salina! All you had to do was say the truth! That you didn't find anyone, and I would have found another way to please you! You are a liar! So, you will now be the Witch. No choice! And your newfound magic will never help you! You will help those who find you!"

The Witch showed the horrified Faina a lamp. "I still have my magic, however!" She used her spell and pulled Faina into the lamp.

"Now you are trapped! You can only help others, if they find your lamp.This curse makes sure of that! You cannot back down! I will change your name, Faina! Be happy that at least, the rest of the world thinks you have changed for the better!" The Witch called into the lamp. She threw it into the tree hollow nearby, and did her word.

The Witch and Faina's brother ruled together, until fifty years later, the Witch chose to leave Faina's body. This meant she was to die.

The Witch told Faina's brother this tale, and told him to remember Faina. Her brother tried to find Faina's lamp, but it was gone from the hollow, probably used by a person who found her. In pity, the Witch promised that anyone that was his ancestor would have the power to give the villagers anything, and they would have the aura of a perfect town. In return, The Witch asked the kingdom to be named, 'Desire'.

"If you find the lamp, you can wish for her freedom." The Witch whispered into Faina's brother's ear. With those last words, she left Faina and disappeared. Faina's brother left the kingdom to his son and went to find the lamp. The Witch went to find a new land, a new person to test on the truth, or another lie.

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That was the tale I was told. I myself would like to see the Witch, or Faina. But I would not choose to have a second life. I would choose to free Faina from hers.

A/N:

First story in the book! I hope you can differ from Arabella's point of view and the actual story. A change of narration like that will have a dash line like the one at the end of the short story, or a double indention, like the one above this note.

By the way, for those who are curious, Queen Reja is pronounced "Re-ha", and Faina is "Fie-na".

Thanks, readers! Suggest away, for more ideas and I will give you credits! Tell me if this story was bad or good from 1-10. Thank you, once more!

And for good measure, THAAAAAAANKS!!!!!!

-SapphireMoon2