THE BLOOD PRINCESS

CHAPTER 1: PART 2: DESTINY

I followed him into the basement. It had been emptied and the walls had been covered with strange symbols drawn with chalk. The servant boy went to stand in a circle that had been drawn in the middle of the room and gestured for me to join him. I walked cautiously towards him.

He smirked and lifted his hands, “Magnitudine Helbania vocamus.” The symbols on the walls began to glow. “Superant in terram sanctam!” The symbols pulsed almost violently. “Superant in terram sanctam!” he repeated. I felt a sharp pain sear through my body and a white light flashed before my eyes.

As soon as my vision cleared, I was met with a lush expanse of green meadows and obnoxious hills, glittering in the sunshine. I felt the soft touch of grass under my legs as I attempted to stand.

“Welcome to Helbania!” The servant boy exclaimed as he helped me up.

“Do you even have villages here?”

“Yes, they’re right this way.” He gestured towards a small, shady blob in the distance. “Wouldn’t want to be caught teleporting people into the village.” He chuckled.

“So, servant boy, -“

“Please, call me Aron.”

Well, I guess he did save my life… “Sure. So, Aron, how exactly is this going to work?”

“We’ll get there eventually. Right now we just need to get you into the village and find you somewhere to hide.”

We travelled the rest of the way in silence. I hadn’t a clue what to say. I just had so many questions, it would be impossible for him to answer them all! I’ll just have to –

“Hey, Aron, who’s your girlfriend?” someone called as we neared the village.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” Aron chuckled and hugged his two friends. The girl seemed nice. She smiled at me, so I guess we could be friends. I liked her hair, blonde and curled. I wish I had curly hair, but my mother would never let that happen, nor would she let me dye my hair. I guess I’ll just be stuck with this boring brown forever!

The boy was the one that yelled. I didn’t like him very much, at least not right now. His hair was scruffy and it was obvious that he was in dire need of a visit to a hairdresser… and a dentist... He eyed me with a look I cannot describe. All I can say is that I didn’t like it, not one bit.

“So who is she then?” The boy asked persistently. I hate persistent.

Aron sighed. “I can trust you guys, right?” Was he going to tell them?

“Of course, Aron.” The girl smiled cheerfully.

“She’s from…” he paused, “Royalia.”

There was a heavy silence that dropped in like an unwelcomed guest. What did that mean? I had never even heard of Helbania before! We couldn’t possibly have any rivalries with them, or could we?

“You mean…?” the boy grinned.

“She could be…” They all turned to face me.

“I could be what?”

Aron looked at me with a deadly seriousness in his eyes, “The Blood Princess.”

THE BLOOD PRINCESS

CHAPTER 1: PART 1: DESTINY

I stared at the locked door. It was large, wooden and unpainted. A dusty light ran down from the window on my left. Seething, I stood for the hundredth time today and stumbled to the door. Still locked. I should’ve known. Who said they had the right to do this to me? How dare they?!

Knock. Knock.

My ears shocked at the first thing I’d heard in hours.

Knock. Knock.

It repeated.

Knock. Knock.

It was so rhythmic, so precise. Who could it possibly be?

“If you’re afraid they’re long gone…all of them.” Came a husky masculine voice from behind the door. I froze and felt a shiver creep up my spine.

“Can’t speak?”

“Wh…who…are…you?” I stuttered. It shocked me that I could not speak. I had not been in here for too long. I should not be having problems.

“My name is Aron and I am here to get you out of there.”

“Why should-“

“I promise I’ll keep my word, but you have to have complete faith in me. Now, for heaven’s sake, open the damn door!”

I hesitated, listening to him whistling outside of the door. He was definitely human. I inhaled deeply and slowly wobbled over to my bedside table, pulling out the key from its top draw. I clutched the doorknob with what little strength I had and opened the door. I was instantly met with the sight of a young man. Definitely human. He had a messy poof of bronze hair that hung ever so slightly over his left eye. His eyes. That was what got me. They were a shade only comparable to that of the ocean at daybreak, only comparable to that of the morning sky.

 “Hello?” I quickly jumped back to my senses.

“H-“ I opened my mouth to speak, but I could not. I don’t know if it was out of sheer nervousness or that I genuinely couldn’t. I just didn’t.

He was one of the servant boys. I’d never really spoken to any of them, only seen them around the palace. Why would my parents send him to fetch me?

“Are you OK?” he asked in genuine concern.

I nodded, peering over his shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of my parents. I saw a patch of the royal cape and, just as quick, the servant boy moved to cover it.

“I demand to see my parents!” I yelled.

“They...” he cleared his throat. “um…”

Enough of this! I shoved past him, despite his resistance, and ran straight down the corridor. That was when I came face to face with the disheveled corpses of my parents. I collapsed onto my knees and bawled. The servant boy ran up to me and tried to pat me or something of the sort, but I slapped his hand away.

“I know you’re grieving right now, but I have something very important to tell you.”

“What could be more important than this?”

“Your parents told me that if they did not survive the battle against the Griebons then I should take you somewhere safe.”

“Why you?”

“I am not just a mere servant boy. I am a Helbon.”

“A what?”

“A Helbon. We live at peace with your people. The king and queen were the only two that knew that we are here.”

“How does that help me and where is this ‘safe place’?”

“Follow me.” He gestured towards the side of the corridor and a frame began to burn its way through the wall. The wall melted and a spiralling staircase was revealed. “After you.” He grinned. Helbon, did he say? Interesting.

Forest

The grass of bronze and faded coal

So still and so untamed

Dances angelically

To the beat of the wind

Keeping the pulse

For the music of the trees

Their leaves singing adagio dolce

Against the appassionato of the wind

So still

Yet so free

Encircled with a golden halo

Giving rise to new life

Born from the heart of mother Earth

All shade of green and blue

On her paintbrush poised

And the vision of spring

In her eyes

farfalla