Black as Night

Snow Falls

The first snowfall was anticipated. The quicker the winter season passed, the quicker spring would arrive.

Morgan was still in her bed, she watched the morning sun rise into the sky from her window. With a quick wave of her hand the curtains slid shut, blocking out the pesky light.

"Good morning, my love," The Duke mumbled. He wrapped an arm around her waist bringing her closer to his chest. "Did my lady sleep well?"

"How does one sleep with you here?" She smirked and wriggled herself free. She picked up his crisp white shirt and pulled it over her head. Her dress was in pieces on the floor, she would have to get a new one. Morgan tied the up the laces before getting up.

The Duke got up a moment later, pulling on his trousers.

"Morgan, my sweet." He wrapped her arms from behind her, "Shall I find a hunter?"

"Who do you have in mind?" She said.

"Me," he said.

Morgan turned in his arms and looked up at him incredulously. "You?"

"Don't look so surprised," he huffed. "I can kill your sister easily. You said it yourself, she's weak. Besides, my love. It is a small price I shall pay to be your king," he kissed her hand once again, "Was that not the deal that we sealed last night?"

"It is," Morgan wrapped her arms around his neck, "Take care of my sister. Soon."

"As you wish."

When Winter came home from the Village, it was well after the sun had set. Raul had returned to the stables and she returned back to her tower.

She walked down the familiar hallways, no servants were in sight.

'Odd,' she though, 'Usually there's someone."

Winter couldn't help but try to talk to the Stag again. He was still in the same spot, unmoving and unnerving. For a minute, Winter thought it was a dream. Perhaps staying in the tower for so long had messed with her head. But how did the Stag know about Raul? She couldn't have imagined that.

She sighed and looked up at him. There was a bad taste in her mouth since she had gotten back from the Village.

"Mr. Stag," she said. "If there's anything you want to say to me, please tell me."

One minute then two, and eventually five. Nothing. Not even a peep. Winter felt silly, if a servant was to see her, she would have looked crazy. Embarrassed, she turned down the hallway.

"An evil here grows, before it's too late, run to the forest of shadows," she whipped her head back to see if he had moved. When she ran back into the room, he was still as a statue.

"Thank you Mr. Stag," she pulled out a chair and climbed a top of it. Smiling, she pressed a kiss on his nose before running back to her tower.

A choker in one hand and a basket in the other.

That night Winter had only dreamed about blood, several times she had awoken in cold sweat. . She screamed and cried and yet nobody crashed through her door to see if she was okay. Once she fell out of bed, clawing at something. When she was able to light a candle with shaky fingers, she realized she was safe in her tower.

She collapsed onto her bed, one of her panic attacks setting in. Winter curled into a little ball, her fingers clasping the blankets as she rode out the wave of panic.

All she could feel was the all crushing fear of something was not right.

When she calmed down she threw on her cloak, grabbed a lantern, and walked down to the stables. It had been a habit of hers to go see Raul. It had been weeks and she frequently visited him. He wouldn't complain, he would just talk to her and that would calm down her nerves.

Winter wiped her stray tears and walked out into the cold night air, the wind tore at her. A clear indication the the snow would fall soon. So very soon.

The stables were lit by one small candle that was hung in front of the stable doors. Usually they would be open but since the wind had picked up, the royal vet ordered the doors closed so that the horses would not be harmed.

There was always a stack of hay that was stacked against the stable wall and this was usually how Winter would get into the stable.

Tonight, the hay was still there but the horses were silent.

She took a step back and then another, everything sense was telling she was in danger the words that Mr. Stag ran through her mind. She was an idiot to come out here alone. Winter bumped into someone, she looked up to meet cold eyes and a knife

The man was clad in black and he stared at her with no emotion.

"No," she whispered. He grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the barn by her hair. "Raul-!" She called out before his hand clamped over her mouth. A sickly sweet smell invaded her nostrils and she tried her best not to breath it in

But to no avail, her vision went fuzzy and she could feel herself weakening. She tried to make a futile grab for her knife that rested in her sleeve.

"Goodnight, Snow," he whispered into her ear.

His voice. It sounded so familiar, she's heard it before.

"Duke Wendell?" She asked before she pitched forward to the ground and blacked out.

Raul could only watch as the men took Winter away. He couldn't move, his wrists were bound and one of Duke Wendell's goons had a knife against the boys throat.

He felt an overwhelming sensation of guilt, he should have warned her!

"Take care of the boy, I don't care how. No witnesses," The Duke hissed at them. He mounted his horse with Winter in his arms. "I want it done cleanly, you hear? Not a drop of blood!"

His men nodded and he spurred his horse into a gallop, kicking up dust.

"What are we gonna do with him, Gates?" The man holding the knife asked.

"Take him out to the pond and drown him," the one named Gates said, "leave the body in there, it'll look like an accident."

"Right then!" He pulled him up and slung him over his shoulder. Raul tried to yell but it was muffled due to the gag. "Keep it down, you!" One of the goons grabbed him by his hair and hit him with the hilt of his hunting knife.

Raul could feel a trickle of blood. He knew his time was limited, if he lost too much blood he would loose consciousness. He knew the nurses and they've seen their fair share of blood and festering wounds.

He knew where the pond was, he knew every inch of the royal grounds.

Three. There were only three guards with him. All of them were strong and big, no chance that he would be able to fight them. Out run them? Perhaps? But he needed to get away.

The Royal Garden had a grand arch as a welcoming entrance. Raul had been through here many times when he had a day off. Soon came rows of plants and tree the were foreign. Some were a gift and others were rumored to house fairies.

Raul knew he had to get away. He lifted both if his fists up and lunged the mans back, causing his to growl and throw him to the ground. Raul's head hit the pavement and he was nearly blinded by the pain.

Before the other goons could kill him, he got up onto his two feet.

"Don't you dare, boy! I'll throw this knife and I never miss, so you best be coming with us," the one with the knife growled out.

"Long live Queen Winter," Raul said before he ran into the shrubs. The knife wine t past his ear, nicking it.

He knew the best hiding spots and if these henchmen were as smart as a piece of cork, they wouldn't find him. He ducked, jumped, crawled; he did what he could to get away. He could hear his heartbeat and their footsteps.

There was one way that he knew of that he could get out of the place, there was a sewer in the wall that separated the grounds from the village. If he was able to get there, he would lose these morons.

Raul jumped into the ditch and disappeared leaving the henchmen behind. He ran through. The dank and disgusting cellar, he knew of only one place to go and he knew what he had to do.

Princess Winter's life depended on it and so did Morgans downfall.