Lilura
Memory. I am in a memory. Perhaps not mine, but this is the past. I was carried through time into the past. The Queen looks past me, and looks over the lake, smooth like glass despite my disturbance moments before.
"Go!" She says and the crow takes flight and disappears over the trees. The Queen glides to the shore, but far enough away where the water does not meet the bottom of her black gown. Her hand waves over a particularly large boulder, which carves out a seat for the Queen. She sits on her newly made chair, staring over the mirror-like lake.
"Lilura. Lilura. Enchantment. Captured my boy's heart didn't you?"
"Can you see me?"
"See, no. Sense, yes. You're magic is strong as it should coming from the witches in the forests. It leaves a stench in the air," the Queen says, still looking over the moon water.
"Oh. I apologize for interrupting your meeting, I will leave-" I begin, backing into the water. I'm not sure how I could leave, I don't know any way back to Willa.
"Stay," the barks. I freeze in ankle deep water. "You came for a reason, I'll help you find your answers." Her voice softens slightly, and I glimpse the Queen as she was before her king
was killed. But her face hardens again as she stands. "Follow me." She leads me out of the water and into the trees. We walk on a path I cannot see, but the Queen's step never falters as she weaves through the trees. We walk until the trees open onto a lush, green lawn.
A small man rushes to the Queen where he bows deeply.
"Madam, your Majesty, your crow has retuned with news. And you have a visitor," he squeaks. The Queen nods, and glides past him. I stare at the man. His balding head glistening with sweat in the sun while his fingers fumble over themselves. I rush back to the Queen's side.
"The visitor, you may know. She gave you tea." I look at the Queen. She must be talking about Chaska, the third witch. We enter to cool interior of the castle. Servants dressed in the royal purple and gold. We walk by them and into a long corridor. It's badly lit by flickering candles and with no windows. It winds through the castle and into a part that I'm sure is not open to visitors. After several minutes in the chilling passage, we enter a room. It's bright, and with the drastic change of light, I have to squint. Two large windows open over the forest with a sofa under them. Book cases like the walls with cushy armchairs every few feet. A large desk with golden designs sits by an empty fireplace, a chair behind it occupied by Chaska. She sits spinning in the chair, her beads clinking. She stops and looks at us when we enter, leaning forward.
"The Queen, hello my precious," she says. Her voice is higher and reminds me of snakes slivering in the underbrush of a thorn infested forest.
"Madam Chaska, what do I owe this pleasure?" The Queen's voice is strained.
"Haha, I know you want the girl." Chaska leans back into the chair, her fingertips pressing together.
"I do. But I do not require help from a crazed witch with cursed powers." Chaska hisses.
"Powers you cursed. I cannot grant you a wish if you take away the curse?"
"A wish from you is not worth the trouble your full powers would create." Chaska glares at the Queen and grumbles a string of curses that would make the crew on Everette's ship blush. "If that is all you may-"
YOU ARE READING
The Cursed
FantasíaComplete Lilura woke up in strange arms with no memory of how she got there or what came before. She finds a new beginning with her loyal guard, and a captain to the ship she calls home. But Lilura is not satisfied with her life, she needs to know...
