Short Horror Stories

Blue roses

I barely hear the mockery they make of me and just keep my gaze fixed towards the crackling flames before me.

With my fingers I study the gift my parents gave me just before I left.

Tools to make fire, such as the one before me, allowing me to see what is in front of me.

It's way too ornate, I'm afraid it must have been expensive.

While handing it to me, they seemed a little worried. Of course not that I would soon break it. They know I am a very careful person, but there seemed to be something else, almost as if they were afraid that I would never come back.

Recently our lord asked for strong young men to accompany his son to visit a neighbouring castle up north, one from which all contact seemed to have vanished.

The contact used to be frequent, but now the castle has gone completely silent for about a month now.

No more people from there visiting us.

There are many happenings to cause something like this, for example it could be that the kingdom has been attacked or might be planning some kind of rebellion against us. But especially the last one seems almost impossible.

Then there are the rumours, the soft spoken, secretive kind, only whispered when two people are alone.

Rumours about something bad happening, stories about witchcraft.

The contact always used to be quite good, both lords are good friends and frequently send one another letters, and yet recently all have been left unanswered.

It's still not soon enough to send the army, so they send my group to scout ahead.

Me, a farmer's child, two lords and another noble.

Lord Lucien being the son of the one who reigns over my parents farm.

If you are wondering why I was chosen, my father is good friends with our lord as well and both deemed me fit enough to travel with the others and be of great aid to Lucien.

I promised to do all I can... but something about this situation feels wrong.

It takes about three days for us to get there by horse and the third one is tomorrow.

Just a little more.

"He is more useful than the few words of Latin you barely speak!" The young lord next to me snaps, pulling me out of my deep thought and back to the fire.

It is very annoying, but what can I do? Their families are rather respected and if I don't be careful...

"My lord, it's fine." I smile at Lucien.

His face shows a feeling of guilt: "But-"

"He says he doesn't mind." Lord Abel laughs in a joking voice, making me wish I could have slapped him.

Perhaps I can assume that his mother did not care about her noble son actually being noble. Though she might also not have been the one who raised him now that I think about it.

The teasing goes on for a bit, but eventually we are able to go to sleep.