Loving someone evil

Ch.1 My Destiny

The air smelled sweeter and I knew I was getting closer to the grove.  The wet dew on the grass brushed against the hem of my skirt as I scurry through the overgrown grass. When I arrive to the grove the aroma of the wildflowers instantly calms me down. My feet seem to carry my distressed body to the mossy rock, which has been my escape since I was a little girl. I sit down and cross my legs like I used to do when I first started coming here. The thoughts that had escaped me have come flooding back in strong currents and I instantly start weeping once again.I can hear my father's strong voice booming those terrible words throughout our cottage. 

"Marisole, I have found you a wonderful husband. He is willing to pay a plentiful dowry for your hand in marriage. He is a little older than what you might have been looking for, but he will take great care of you."

"But Papa, you know I wish to marry someone I love. Who is this man?"

"It's Mr. Kissinger the blacksmith." My Mother's words seemed to ease into my core and burn me spitefully.

"Why he is almost your age Papa." I said in awe

"I'm sorry but I can't. I yearn for romance and adventure and I just cannot have that here. I am a woman now and I should be able to leave and go out on my own." I pleaded.

"Oh Marisole you are just a child and you still must do as we say. This dowry will save our farm and you will learn to love this man just as I did with your father." They exchanged an awkward glance and it furthered my distaste for this arranged marriage.

"Marisole, I am sorry but you have little choice in this matter. You are my only child and I have already agreed to give your hand to Mr. Kissinger." My father said this in such a solidified tone that I knew he was serious and I knew I was in trouble.

"Marisole it is your destiny to live here. You were born here and you will die here. Just as we all will." 

My mother's words seemed to break the only resolve I had left. With all my power I held the tears that kept threatening to spill out of my eyes and left the house as fast as I could. Now sitting here on this green velvet rock the word "Destiny" cannot stop ringing in my ears. My dreams have been shattered into pieces, I had longed to travel through the enchanted forest and seek out adventure. Now I was to be trapped in a loveless marriage in a village that continually suffocates me. 

I inhaled the scent of the beautiful flowers, trying to calm myself once again. If only I could find a fairy godmother to grant me a wish or a prince that could sweep me off my feet. But who was I kidding, I lived in the Dark King's kingdom and the only magic here was the dark powers he possessed. If only everyone wasn't so afraid then we could all leave. I pushed my hands into the spongy surface beneath me. I knew that I had to return for supper or my parents would come looking. 

Each step further towards my house took an enormous amount of willpower to return to my horrendous fate. When my home came into view something was strange. There was no smoke coming from the chimney as there usually was when mother was cooking. That's when I noticed the black cloud billowing in the distance. As I ventured further into my village I began to hear the high pitched shrills and screams of the people. Fear seemed to paralyze my body, I couldn't continue forward. I heard footsteps behind me that seemed to reanimate my body and I hid in the alleyway that was to my side. That's when I saw them. The Dark King's soldiers. I recognized their black armour and his crest that was on their left breast plate. They had blood dripping off their silver blades and I felt a knot in my stomach. I cautiously peered around the corner of the building and could not believe my eyes. 

There, in the town square, was the slashed remains of the people of my village. The children were tossed aside in the corner looking like little dolls as they laid limp in the mud. The adults were in a growing pile which a soldier was lighting on fire, producing more and more black smoke. I had to bite my tongue to keep my screams from escaping I could already taste the blood in my mouth. People in the pile were screaming as they were being burned alive and the soldiers were just standing and watching. If you could not see the atrocity that was happening you would think they were just watching a puppet show in the square. Some were laughing, others were killing, and the rest were just watching. 

I heard the footsteps before I saw the soldiers and their voices drifted along with them. 

"The Dark King will be pleased we suffered no casualties in this village." 

"Oh yes he will, this village will make a nice new stable for the King's livestock."

That's when the vomit escaped my lips. When I found out that my village, my friends, my parents had been killed so the King could put his animals here. I had always heard he was cruel but as the lumpy bile escaped my stomach onto the dirt ground that's when I felt how evil he truly was. I wiped the clammy sweat from my forehead and started making my way out of the alley. I ran like hell through the backwoods of the village until I could no longer smell the burning flesh and was safely hidden by the forest. 

I walked until my feet were raw with blisters and the fatigue could no longer be kept dormant. I collapsed into some soft pine needles. Sleep however I could not succumb to, it was as if my eyes were glued open and could not rest. I no longer felt the anger and grief I had for the last couple of hours. Even though I had lost everything, this was my chance to start anew. I broke down again in fitful sobs for everything that had kept my heart for the last 17 years, especially my parents. Once sleep had begun to overcome my sobs I made a vow that I will never be afraid. For if I am not afraid then I can shape a new destiny. My destiny.