Valley of Shadows and Roses | ONC 2024

Chapter 14

In the Rose Valley, the people were preparing for one of the last joys left to them after the shadows came to their kingdom. During the summer solstice, they celebrated the longest day of the year and chased away the darkness by lighting fires that lit the night into the day. Luna adored the summer solstice celebrations. She participated in them every year. There was dancing and fun. Celebrants wore masks of different animals, so no one knew who was who. That was all the better since she hadn't had the best reputation lately. No one knew that the cursed princess was walking among them.

High fires were built at the border where the Dark forest turned into the tamed ends of nature. They stretched to the heavens. The sun was bending low over the horizon made of treetops. People gathered to celebrate, and as dusk came, fires were lit. Tongues of flames touched the ebony skies, tasted the stars. The wood was silently cracking. Sparkles flew around like fireflies.

Luna went to the summer solstice celebrations. The guard commander was supposed to escort her in case someone recognized Luna and there were problems. Just in case the shadows of the Dark forest get too close to the festivities. However, Luna disappeared from his sight after a few dances, changed her fox mask to a hare mask and ran away. She got lost in the crowd of many different masks.

The guard's commander was in charge of guarding Princess Luna during the summer solstice. But she, as always, needed to make trouble. They danced together, and then, like the vixen she pretended to be, she slipped away from him and disappeared. He lost her among the celebrants. The Commander tried to find the princess. He found several women in fox masks, but none of them were Princess Luna. She was cunning and managed to get lost perfectly. She saw him but he did not her. And she was laughing.

The Commander remained to look for her until midnight approached, then he was forced to return to the castle. As midnight was approaching, so did the princess's curse. She couldn't stay at the celebrations any longer.

Luna walked among the revelers, celebrating with them. She danced with strangers to the sound of drums and violins. Their sweet melody was carried throughout the surrounding area. They drank and had fun. Joyful laughter filled the air. Tonight, everyone could forget their daily troubles for a moment. Tonight they shone through the darkness, and there was only joy.

Midnight was dangerously close, but Luna kept telling herself, one more dance, one more. Just one last dance. She didn't want to go back into her life. She liked to dance lost in a crowd of people. She could at least forget for a moment and be normal again.

The Shadow Lord bowed before the princess and kissed the back of her hand like a true gentleman. "Dear Princess Luna, will you dedicate this dance to me?" he asked her.

"I would be honored, Your Majesty, the Shadow Lord," Luna replied, a wide smile blooming on her lips.

She already had quite a lot of alcohol in her veins, but his presence genuinely pleased her. She wasn't expecting him. She was pleased that he had arrived.

The Shadow Lord took the princess's hand in his, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer to him. He could feel the warmth of her body through the soft fabric. Luna shivered at his gentle touch. She lost self-control thanks to alcohol. Princess pulled herself even closer to him. She wanted to feel him. This was the man who had cursed the princess, and she wanted him for some twisted reasons. Luna refused to admit the thought. But now she was drunk and controlled by her hidden desires. Nothing mattered now.

The Shadow Lord and Princess Luna stepped out to dance together. They jumped to the sounds of the music. Luna let herself be guided by him like an obedient puppet, let herself be carried away by the moment. The world around faded away. They looked deep into each other's eyes. They perceived only each other. He spun her around and pulled her back against his chest. They were laughing. They had fun. Energy flowed through Luna's entire body. She wanted more. More of him. He was able to make her feel like nobody else.

"You fit in here, Your Shadow Majesty," Luna told him.

"You too. princess," he said. "But only until they find out who we really are. Then fear creeps back into their veins and takes over their minds."

"I'm not afraid of you."

The Shadow Lord gave a fleeting laugh. With a gentle touch, he smoothed an unruly strand from her eyes behind her ear.

"Perhaps you should, dear Princess Luna," he whispered in her ear.

"But I'm not."

In the back of her head, Luna felt the tap of her old, familiar curse friend summoning her back. Midnight was here, and she was running out of time.

"I'm afraid I'll have to go now," Princess Luna said to her dark prince.

Luna was about to leave, but the Shadow Lord pulled her back onto his chest.

"Tonight is a festive night. Stay a little longer, dear Luna," he said.

"You yourself know that I can't," Luna replied. "You want me here, but your curse will summon me in a few minutes."

"As I said, tonight is a festive night, dear Princess Luna. What if I give you a gift? You will not be touched by death tonight in exchange for dedicating this whole night to me." he proposed to her.

Luna wasn't thinking. She traded this night with him for one night of freedom. She didn't care that she would have to spend it with the Shadow Lord.

"In that case, I'm all yours tonight. Only yours and only tonight."

They made a deal. The Shadow Lord lifted the mask from the princess's face. He leaned towards her. Their lips touched. And with this kiss, they sealed what they had agreed on.

He led her into the darkness of the forest. They disappeared from everyone's sight. Only he and she existed there. Luna returned his kisses, his touches. She liked it when he ran his palm up her shaft and down. He picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. His gentle yet predatory touch on her skin was the greatest pleasure.

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The princess woke up in the morning as usual in her bed. She had dim memories of yesterday. She remembered having a lot of fun. She danced. She drank. The fire warmed pleasantly on her skin. She remembered that the Shadow Lord had appeared there.

The Commander ambushed Princess Luna in her chambers.

"Princess, what happened last night?" he asked her with confusion in his voice.

"What do you mean, Commander?" Luna asked him, not understanding his question.

"You didn't... die tonight. And now you are here. However, no one saw you all night," the Commander explained to her. "How is that possible, princess? What happened at night?'

Princess Luna's memories were hazy, but she vaguely remembered the deal with the Shadow Lord. She remembered the kiss, the touch of his lips on hers. She remembered spending the night with him. In the shadows of the Dark forest.

"I don't remember," Luna replied with fake confusion on her face. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. She drank a lot, but she remembered enough to know what had happened. Ignorance played very well.

All day Luna wondered why the Shadow Lord did it. Was it his way of wooing her? Show her what freedom with him would look like? Was he trying to make her fall for him?