Hi everyone! Today I have another entry for TIWC! By the way, I’m reallly sorry that I haven’t been posting many crafts lately. I have several made, but what with school and all I just haven’t had the time to post them.
Today’s prompts were:
My Main Character, Adele Alena Royale, is an elvish princess of the Bauregarde Woods, an enchanted forest in the elven kingdom of Gaolin. Her older brother, Finn, has gone missing, and the whole kingdom is searching for him. Some of the animals in the woods have been cursed, or “charmed”, by a witch, making them inedible. And as if that weren’t enough, Adele’s weird dreams have been haunting her like a ghost…
I rode through the woods, feeling alive and invigorated. Beside me, Quinn Arsingale, my cousin, rode on his coal black stallion, a stricken and lifeless stag draped across the horse’s back – the fruits of today’s hunting excursions. This stag, thankfully not charmed, was one of the many that my companions and I had caught, but good food was small comfort to me. I wondered for the hundredth time why my brother Finn had to go on that silly fox hunt; all the foxes are charmed anyway! He had never returned.
“Adele,” Quinn said, breaking through my thoughts, “it’s no good worrying about Finn. He wouldn’t want it. You know that the whole kingdom is out looking for him, and that it’s all we can do. Come on, let’s go home. There’ll be a wonderful feast tonight.
“I guess so.” To be honest, I didn’t care in the slightest whether we were having stag or dried mud for dinner. But of course I didn’t say this.
We rode on for a while until we got to my father’s palace. My mother, Queen Reyna, died in a mysterious accident few years ago. It was just me, Father, and Finn at home, until my brother vanished.
The feast and festivities were wonderful, and I’m sure everyone else enjoyed them, but I was much too preoccupied with my worries. I didn’t even touch my dinner, but slipped away early to bed with the excuse of a headache. And in truth my head really did hurt with anguish and distress.
That night, the dream returned. I had been having it for weeks now. I was in a dark cavern, so deep into the heart of the woods that no hunter has ever ventured there. Then the face appeared. It was the face of an old woman, bent and shriveled with age, but with malice and cunning in her eyes. As always, she began her nightly speech with, “Hello, my dear. I hope you have finally come to your senses.”
“If you mean killing my father, betraying the kingdom, and joining your forces, then no, I haven’t,” I said.
The old witch chuckled. “Come now, my pretty one. Don’t you want your brother back?”
My chest tightened. The witch had struck a sore spot. “We’ve had this conversation.”
“But it was never over, child, never over. On your side, you can never win. On my side, I could give you power, wealth, anything you wanted. You could have Finn. But of course, by rejecting my proposal, you lose him.”
“I will never join with you,” I said, my voice cracking. “Yes, I want Finn back, but not at such a cost. I would never use evil to get something I wanted. I’m not like you!”
“My child – ” the witch began, but I broke in, screaming, “I’m not your child! I’m not your anything! You took my brother, and you probably killed my mother too, but you will never, never get me!” And with that, I woke up.
There were still a few hours before dawn. I got up, dressed, and packed some essentials. I was going to go find my brother, even if it meant losing my life.
I left the castle in the chill morning air and started walking towards the stables. But before I got there, my mare, Aoife, stepped onto the path. As usual, she had escaped from the stable. I would have to barricade her door when – if – I got home, but right now I was glad for her appearance. There wasn’t a moment to waste. I mounted her, whispered our destination in her ear, and together, we set off, riding like the wind.
About three hours later, the early morning sunlight started streaking across the sky. I wanted to stop to admire it, to watch the sun begin its daily journey across the sky as Finn and I used to, but I couldn’t spare the time. By now, someone had probably noticed my disappearance, and people would be searching for me. I spurred Aoife on. We needed to find Finn.
We rode on for a while, by now so thick into the trees that they blocked out almost all sunlight. Even the tiniest pinprick of light would be easy to spot. A few minutes later, Aoife stopped. I nudged her, whispered to her, offered her treats, but she wouldn’t budge. I would have to continue on foot. But when I dismounted, I saw why my horse had ceased to go on. We were less than five paces from an old wooden door, with light pouring out of the keyhole. I had been unable to see it because of Aoife’s head being in the way.
I took a step. Then another, and one more. I put my shaking hand on the doorknob, turned it, and creaked the door open. Behind it was the cavern from my dreams. And in this cavern, tied to a rock, stood my brother.
I stifled a shout. The witch might be near! A million questions ran through my head, but they would have to wait. I ran to Finn and began to untie his bonds.
“Adele!” Finn whispered. “What are you doing here?”
“Come to rescue you, of course,” I replied.
“No!” My brother protested. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous! The witch might come back any second -”
“Quite right, my pet, quite right.” The witch floated into the cavern. She was dressed in robes of darkness, and she carried a cane made from human bones. She shifted her attention to me. “Well, well, have you made your choice, my dear? Will you join me, and set your brother free? or will you be my slave? I have no choice if you refuse, you know. You’ll just have to bear it.”
I drew my dagger. “I told you. I will never join you, never be yours. I will get my brother back, but not on your terms. Never.”
“Well, then,” the witch said. “I’ll just have to kill you.” She raised her cane, and brought it down on the floor with a smash. Instantly, I felt my life draining away. I raised my weapon, but faltered. It was no use. I was going to die, but not without a fight. I raised my arm, and delivered one last blow to the witch’s staff. And miraculously, it cracked. The crack spread around the whole surface of the staff, until finally it shattered.
I could feel my strength returning. I got up, lifted my dagger, and positioned myself for combat. But to my surprise, the witch was cowering in a corner. “I give up,” she said, “you win.”
I was greatly miffed by this, and turned to Finn for an answer. He shook his head, mouthing the word, trick.
I nodded to say I understood. I spun on my heel, and said to the witch, “All right. We’ll take you to the palace, where you will most likely be tried and hanged, but you have to go with us. You did surrender, you know.”
“Of course,” said the witch, trying her best to look defenseless, but I could see her barely contained excitement. She wanted to go to the castle, because once there, she could poison, charm, and kill anyone in the palace. But I had a plan.
I helped the witch get up, and led her and Finn to my horse outside. Luckily, she had a horse, and Finn rode it. We rode for about an hour, faster because now I knew the way. Once we got home, I dismounted, and started leading Aoife to the stables, but I had barely taken a step when the witch leaped off and began running to the open gates, rummaging in her pockets – for some potion, no doubt.
I was at her side in an instant. “Not so fast,” I exclaimed, pushing her against the wall and holding my dagger at her throat. The gate guards and Finn hastened to run over.”You will listen to us, because if you don’t, we will kill you on the spot. Now, come inside with us. I think the king would like to speak with you.”
After we had led the old witch, whose name we later found out was Minerva, to the throne room, and Father and Finn and I had gotten over our tearful reunion, Finn and I wandered the hallways, talking about the last few months. “I don’t remember anything before I was captured,” he told me. “Minerva must have wiped my memories away. They are starting to come back, little by little, and I think that’s because I’m not under her spell anymore. She left me just enough to remember you, probably as bait. She wanted me to join her army, to fight for her and bring you to her. But these hallways, these rooms, my old friends, even Father – I don’t remember any of it.”
So that was why Finn looked so dazed! Honestly, I had never seen anyone look so lost in their own home before. Thank goodness Finn’s memories were returning. The witch had been caught, my brother was found, and life was back to normal – for the time being, at least. You never know what will happen when I’m around.
Did you like it? I think it was pretty good. Thanks for reading!!! Bye!!
Adollable AG 