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Lover's Call
Deep in the Forest of the Forgotten, ruins of an ancient Kingdom lay. By all accounts, lost from the memories of humans. Faded away further from legends now only a whisper in their stories. Crumbling stone towers, with castle walls covered in vines, and the old rows of villager houses are decrepit and overtaken by nature are all that remain of this once great Kingdom. Deeper you go, closer to the ruins of the castle itself, among the once beautifully tended flower beds and rows of lush vegetables in the garden, a small cottage just peaks out. Weathered stones and aged wood and a moss covered roof create its exterior. Here is where I've made my home.
For the last 300 years that I've called this place home, I've only seen one, maybe two, humans this far every couple decades or so. To get this far into the Forest is a feat on its own, and knowing where to go next becomes harder with each passing year. The paths are far too overgrown and every year brings more and more dangers to defeat. The Darkness takes control over the lands like a creeping sickness, moving closer to these crumbling stone walls closing in around it. And my Curse does not allow me to leave this place.
Unable to escape, I've resigned to never hearing the song of my soul mate, and the likelihood of my song being heard has all but been extinguished. But how I longed for my soul mate. My heart aches from the hole that will never be filled. My soul grows darker with the passing years, and dispare has moved in where hope should be. The song I once thought would bring so much joy is now a reminder of what will never be. The Darkness knows this, which is why it's grown so near.
I've resigned myself to taking care of the flower beds and gardens here. The beautiful flowers, lush fruits, and vibrant vegetables have been carefully cultivated by me a few decades after being cursed to these ruins. They were wildly out growing their rows and suffocating one another and I gave them the love they so desperately needed, making my own small farm. As I cared for and tended to them all, I felt them slowly nurture me in return. They brought peace and tranquility into a turbulent and stormy heart. Once filled with anger, destruction, and carnage, is now filled with patience, understanding, and ambition. They have become the only light in the darkness in my soul.
The day began like any other, sun rays shine brightly into my window, falling on my face. Slowly I blink my eyes open, trying break the sleep from my eyes. The sun streaking across the room reflect off the jars of dried herbs and flowers, all neatly lined against the opposing wall. After all these years, I'm still no closer to finding a way out than when I first got here, I think to myself. I breathe a heavy sigh out, and rise from my bed, throwing my legs over the side and resting my feet on the old wooden floorboards.
Creaking and moaning from age, the floor cries out as I make my way over to the porcelain washbasin and broken mirror. Bending over the basin, I scoop up some of the water and splash it on my face. The water, cold from the previous nights chill, shocks my mind awake. Grabbing the towel hanging off the bar on the side of the basins stand, I pat my face dry, wiping away the water droplets. I place the towel back and look up into the mirror.
A large crack runs down the center and a few pieces are missing around the edges. The crack distorts my face a bit but it does the job. My raven black hair pulled into a braid, now messy from the nights sleep, my pointed ears, with their many piercings, just peaking out through my hair. My lavender angled eyes stare back at me, make me look angry. My lips a soft pink and full, always with a curl at the edges like my own Chesire smile and a small round nose that never felt right on my face.
Undoing my braid, my hair turns into a wavy mess as I begin to brush it out. The unruly and loose hairs begin to lay down and become manageable. I pull it all back behind my ears this time and begin rebraiding it. Better to have it out of my way while I'm working today I think to myself. Once finished, I look my hair over in the mirror for any loose hair or fly aways, satisfied with it, I step over to my wardrobe, leaning to one side and missing a door, I grab the worn green tunic out before grabbing my boots of the bottom of the wardrobe. I finish getting dressed, tying up my boot laces, and grab my satchel, hanging it across my body and walk to the front door. I open it and step outside for the first time that morning.
It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright sun, many of the flowers along the short cobble wall looking like colorful splotches before clearing up as my vision finally returns. I close the front door behind me and take a deep breath of the crisp morning air. Dew and sweet honeysuckle hang in the air. Summer is just around and you can feel it in the air. Walking to the gate, opening it up from the latch and pulling it closed behind me, I make my way to the Orchard to see how the apple trees are faring.
As I walk down my little self made path from my many decades of walking this way, making my way to the other side of the castle grounds, I begin to feel uneasy, like something dangerous is near by. Shaking my head of the thought, I continue down the path, telling myself it has to be one of the many other creatures that call this place home besides me. It'd been 40 years since the last human made it this deep into the woods. There's no way someone has made it this far. The hairs rise from the back of my neck and gooseflesh covers my arms, my senses heighten, becoming more alert as I close the distance to the Orchard. I stop realizing that the woods around have become as silent as the grave; Where did the bird song go?
Silence is all that fills the air, as if the whole wood was holding it's collective breath as it waits, watches. Hell, the whole world could be with the silence that's suffocating me, as if nothing wishes to disturb this moment, this one precarious moment that sits so close to the edge of the cliff to the unknown. As the wind blows my braid across my back, I take a breath, deep as it is long, searching for something in the air. A scent to tell me what or who may be near by and I catch it. My head whips around toward it. Its an unfamiliar smell, but the gooseflesh rising once again says it's something I've oh so clearly been waiting for. A scent I've longed to breathe in, making my heart race, but was it excitement or fear that brought this on is hard to know.
My feet are suddenly moving without me telling them where to go. One in front of the other, absentmindedly I let my feet fall where the wish, as if I had no control of my actions any more. But I could a part of me that didn't want that control anymore, so I let my feet guide me. Taking me where they know to go. My mind entranced by a melody floating on the breeze i didn't notice before, as my feet guide me up stone steps to the Castle itself. I couldn't stop, but did I truly want to?
The melody was sweet like the honeysuckle floating in the air. It was hauntingly beautiful, calling to all the lonely areas of my soul and body. Pushing open the floor to ceiling doors to the main hall wish all my might, I make my way up the stairs into the towers above, the caramel smooth voice draws me deeper into the castle. The familiarity in it is terrifying, putting me on edge and yet soothing me all the same. My mind screams to run away as far and fast as I can, but my body isn't listening, only pushing forward to hear more of that beautiful voice. Winding up the staircases, I keep going, feeling as though I must make it all the way to the top. To the King and Queens chambers.
I stop outside a once grand door that could only lead to the bed chambers of the old King and Queen who once ruled these lands before they were overrun. The intricate details faded with age and neglect softly swirl over the door, handle rusted and worn inconspicuously hold powerful secrets inside the room it guards. My hand reaches for the handle to open the door, rough against my skin with flakes falling off as I grab hold and push it open. I could feel my heart racing, banging against my ribcage threatening to escape my chest as a deep moan escapes the hinges, complaining at the movement after so long without use. I poke my head in and look around before entering the room entirely, looking for the owner of the enticing voice that lead me here. I take a few steps inside, cautiously, as I scan the room from left to right before my eyes land on a figure by the window. I stop dead in my tracks, that silhouette all to familiar. I'm frozen in place staring at his back, but I would know him anywhere.
"You", I say to the man as he slowly turns around to face me. A smile crosses his lips as he turns to face me. "I've been waiting for you", he says in response.
© Dani Campbell
For the last 300 years that I've called this place home, I've only seen one, maybe two, humans this far every couple decades or so. To get this far into the Forest is a feat on its own, and knowing where to go next becomes harder with each passing year. The paths are far too overgrown and every year brings more and more dangers to defeat. The Darkness takes control over the lands like a creeping sickness, moving closer to these crumbling stone walls closing in around it. And my Curse does not allow me to leave this place.
Unable to escape, I've resigned to never hearing the song of my soul mate, and the likelihood of my song being heard has all but been extinguished. But how I longed for my soul mate. My heart aches from the hole that will never be filled. My soul grows darker with the passing years, and dispare has moved in where hope should be. The song I once thought would bring so much joy is now a reminder of what will never be. The Darkness knows this, which is why it's grown so near.
I've resigned myself to taking care of the flower beds and gardens here. The beautiful flowers, lush fruits, and vibrant vegetables have been carefully cultivated by me a few decades after being cursed to these ruins. They were wildly out growing their rows and suffocating one another and I gave them the love they so desperately needed, making my own small farm. As I cared for and tended to them all, I felt them slowly nurture me in return. They brought peace and tranquility into a turbulent and stormy heart. Once filled with anger, destruction, and carnage, is now filled with patience, understanding, and ambition. They have become the only light in the darkness in my soul.
The day began like any other, sun rays shine brightly into my window, falling on my face. Slowly I blink my eyes open, trying break the sleep from my eyes. The sun streaking across the room reflect off the jars of dried herbs and flowers, all neatly lined against the opposing wall. After all these years, I'm still no closer to finding a way out than when I first got here, I think to myself. I breathe a heavy sigh out, and rise from my bed, throwing my legs over the side and resting my feet on the old wooden floorboards.
Creaking and moaning from age, the floor cries out as I make my way over to the porcelain washbasin and broken mirror. Bending over the basin, I scoop up some of the water and splash it on my face. The water, cold from the previous nights chill, shocks my mind awake. Grabbing the towel hanging off the bar on the side of the basins stand, I pat my face dry, wiping away the water droplets. I place the towel back and look up into the mirror.
A large crack runs down the center and a few pieces are missing around the edges. The crack distorts my face a bit but it does the job. My raven black hair pulled into a braid, now messy from the nights sleep, my pointed ears, with their many piercings, just peaking out through my hair. My lavender angled eyes stare back at me, make me look angry. My lips a soft pink and full, always with a curl at the edges like my own Chesire smile and a small round nose that never felt right on my face.
Undoing my braid, my hair turns into a wavy mess as I begin to brush it out. The unruly and loose hairs begin to lay down and become manageable. I pull it all back behind my ears this time and begin rebraiding it. Better to have it out of my way while I'm working today I think to myself. Once finished, I look my hair over in the mirror for any loose hair or fly aways, satisfied with it, I step over to my wardrobe, leaning to one side and missing a door, I grab the worn green tunic out before grabbing my boots of the bottom of the wardrobe. I finish getting dressed, tying up my boot laces, and grab my satchel, hanging it across my body and walk to the front door. I open it and step outside for the first time that morning.
It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright sun, many of the flowers along the short cobble wall looking like colorful splotches before clearing up as my vision finally returns. I close the front door behind me and take a deep breath of the crisp morning air. Dew and sweet honeysuckle hang in the air. Summer is just around and you can feel it in the air. Walking to the gate, opening it up from the latch and pulling it closed behind me, I make my way to the Orchard to see how the apple trees are faring.
As I walk down my little self made path from my many decades of walking this way, making my way to the other side of the castle grounds, I begin to feel uneasy, like something dangerous is near by. Shaking my head of the thought, I continue down the path, telling myself it has to be one of the many other creatures that call this place home besides me. It'd been 40 years since the last human made it this deep into the woods. There's no way someone has made it this far. The hairs rise from the back of my neck and gooseflesh covers my arms, my senses heighten, becoming more alert as I close the distance to the Orchard. I stop realizing that the woods around have become as silent as the grave; Where did the bird song go?
Silence is all that fills the air, as if the whole wood was holding it's collective breath as it waits, watches. Hell, the whole world could be with the silence that's suffocating me, as if nothing wishes to disturb this moment, this one precarious moment that sits so close to the edge of the cliff to the unknown. As the wind blows my braid across my back, I take a breath, deep as it is long, searching for something in the air. A scent to tell me what or who may be near by and I catch it. My head whips around toward it. Its an unfamiliar smell, but the gooseflesh rising once again says it's something I've oh so clearly been waiting for. A scent I've longed to breathe in, making my heart race, but was it excitement or fear that brought this on is hard to know.
My feet are suddenly moving without me telling them where to go. One in front of the other, absentmindedly I let my feet fall where the wish, as if I had no control of my actions any more. But I could a part of me that didn't want that control anymore, so I let my feet guide me. Taking me where they know to go. My mind entranced by a melody floating on the breeze i didn't notice before, as my feet guide me up stone steps to the Castle itself. I couldn't stop, but did I truly want to?
The melody was sweet like the honeysuckle floating in the air. It was hauntingly beautiful, calling to all the lonely areas of my soul and body. Pushing open the floor to ceiling doors to the main hall wish all my might, I make my way up the stairs into the towers above, the caramel smooth voice draws me deeper into the castle. The familiarity in it is terrifying, putting me on edge and yet soothing me all the same. My mind screams to run away as far and fast as I can, but my body isn't listening, only pushing forward to hear more of that beautiful voice. Winding up the staircases, I keep going, feeling as though I must make it all the way to the top. To the King and Queens chambers.
I stop outside a once grand door that could only lead to the bed chambers of the old King and Queen who once ruled these lands before they were overrun. The intricate details faded with age and neglect softly swirl over the door, handle rusted and worn inconspicuously hold powerful secrets inside the room it guards. My hand reaches for the handle to open the door, rough against my skin with flakes falling off as I grab hold and push it open. I could feel my heart racing, banging against my ribcage threatening to escape my chest as a deep moan escapes the hinges, complaining at the movement after so long without use. I poke my head in and look around before entering the room entirely, looking for the owner of the enticing voice that lead me here. I take a few steps inside, cautiously, as I scan the room from left to right before my eyes land on a figure by the window. I stop dead in my tracks, that silhouette all to familiar. I'm frozen in place staring at his back, but I would know him anywhere.
"You", I say to the man as he slowly turns around to face me. A smile crosses his lips as he turns to face me. "I've been waiting for you", he says in response.
© Dani Campbell
