Treacherous Court - Book 1 of Infernal War Trilogy

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

The Beginning

Elizabeth’s POV:

My mother brushes my red hair like it was made of gold. Caressing my head as if the touch of my head brings her joy. She cuts it until my curly hair was hanging above my waist. This was my Mother's tradition every winter. She cuts the length of my hair, as she does hers. I stared at her blazing violet eyes with awe and envy. How I wish I had her amethyst eyes instead of this Emerald eyes of mine. I don't even know who did I inherited it from. Because my father's eyes were blue and so does my brothers. My father was always telling me that there's nothing wrong with my eyes, he said I look just like my mother even though she has blonde hair and I have read. The only thing I got from my mother was her thick brows and long lashes, my nose, and full lips were from my Father.

My mother pats my shoulder, motioning me that she's done cutting my hair. She tucked my hair in a neat knot and tugged the remaining hair behind my ears. And, arranged my ruby necklace on the right place around my neck. I don't know when did I got this necklace, I couldn't even remember a time where I have removed this necklace from my neck. it seems like it has been mine since I was born. My mother leans into me and said,

"There, you look beautiful. As always." She said and kissed my left cheek. Her kissed was sincere and oddly longing.

"Thank you, Mother." I gave her a nod and polite smile.

The bell of The Temple beside our house rang, reminding everyone that it's the first week of Winter. It is accustomed to everyone to stay at The Black Market every winter until midnight. Because it is a blessed season of the year. Regardless of the cold temperature outside. Every lowborn must stay at The Black Market to sell their goods. My brother, Elliot and I are supposed to go together there. But, since he is not here I shall go alone. I know my father wants to go with me even though he is gravely sick. I gave him an assurance that I will be okay there alone. And, the last thing I wanted to happen is to make his sickness even worst. We all know that we have enough problems, like the unpaid taxes to The Crown and my Father's debt from the merchants. Thanks to Elliot, I'll be alone helping our parents out to settle their problems.

My mother was waiting for me at the doorway, a red thick robe on her hands.

"Wear this, Lizzie. It will make you warm." She smiles at me and coughs hard.

"Thank you, Mother." I smiled back at her and kissed her cheeks. "There's an herb on top of the dining table that will heal your colds. I already made a soup for your supper." I said.

"Don't ever remove your necklace. Take care of it." My mother said. She always reminds me to never take off my necklace every time I go outside the house. I nod at her.

I wore the red robe and put the basket on my arms as I stroll the forest. I could feel the heaviness of my boots as I took every step on the snow. My eyes wander around the forest, appreciating the beauty of nature. Forest has always been my sanctuary every time I feel so down. Being here in the forest makes me forget all the problems that I had. It's so peaceful and beautiful. The trees are huge and strong. I was about to take a rest when I heard different steps in my left. I gazed at the oddly reddish sky, the moon was full and a little bit red. There was a Legend Story behind the Red Full Moon, that the Red Moon itself was the sign of the arrival of a girl who has fire in her veins and the werewolves would be the first to know. The werewolves were always afraid of fire. That's why the Legends also decree that it will be the werewolves who will kill the girl before anyone else would be aware of her existence. The doleful cries from the wolves were all it took for me to run faster. I seem to forget how heavy were my boots and basket as the adrenaline kicked in. Panicked throb against my chest. And, it pains me to catch my breath. This is the reason why my mother hated me to use the forest instead of taking the long road. But, because I'm stubborn and lazy. I don't want to waste my time and energy to walk on a very distant road if I have another option to use a short cut. I want to hit my head for being so stubborn and reckless at the same time.

I bumped into something hard and firm. I stumbled hard backward, my back on the snow, and the goods that I was carrying in my basket were scattered on the snow. I winced at the pain. When I open my eyes, my vision was a little bit blurred. I winced again and groaned. When I open my eyes, There was a half-naked man standing in front of me barefoot. He huffs. His dark eyes observing me from head to toe. He has a lean and firm body. My eyes swept to his face and recognized the man that is standing before me.

"Darren?" I winced. Darren was the son of the leader of the farmers and the owner of this forest. We both study in the same school, but we never exchange a single conversation. Because he was always isolated by his cousins. 

He looks around the forest as if searching for someone or something cautiously.

"What are you doing here?" I winced again as I try to stand up. There were howling cries from the wolves far behind us and I could hear them getting closer. Darren helps me to stand on my toes without speaking. He glanced at the reddish sky above us and shut his eyes hard as if he understood something after gazing at the sky. He stared at me regrettably and hesitant. The howling was getting closer.

"You shouldn't have come here, Elizabeth." His voice was cold and hard. His lips forming into a thin line.

I can feel that he is angry. Because once again I've crossed their territory again. 

"I'm sor--" he cut me off by pulling me hard. We left my baskets that were full of goods to sell at The Black Market. Enough to pay my father's debt and the unpaid tax to The Crown.

"No. My baskets." I winced. I was about to reach to my baskets but he pulled me hard.

"We have to go. Damn it, Elizabeth." He said, angrily. Speaking my name as if it is a curse.

My legs are beginning to weaken as he keeps pulling me hard and making me ran faster. We both stumbled to our toes when reach the hard pavement floor of the long road to the Black Market. My back once again hit the floor harder than I did in the forest. What made it more painful was when Darren landed on top of me. I groaned and cough hard for he has knocked the air out of me. I pushed him hard away from me.

Darren helps himself to stand on his toes. When I look back at the forest, I saw a grey wolf with gleaming fury eyes looking at me. His eyes divert to Darren and Darren was looking back at him. The Wolf howl as if signaling his companions to halt. The wolf turns its back on us and shoots me one last glare then the wolf ran back to the forest.

"I thought I was gonna die." I huff.

"The next time you plan to trespass my property again, make sure you won't get my family in trouble by finding your corpse inside our territory." He said, his eyes are so dark and giving me a warning.

"Yes. I'm so sorry, Darren. It was never my intention to disturbed or caused you trouble." I apologized.

"Every border of our property has a warning sign. Unless you don't know how to read or you're just stupid enough to ignore the warning signs." He growled.

"I'm sorry. I saw the warnings. But, the forest is the only shortcut I know." I lowered my head in defeat while he's glaring at me.

"Then, I will make it clear right now. The next time you crossed our property again, your head will be on the spike of our border. Do you understand me?" He growled at me. I sink my head to lower. I feel like a little prey being growled by a wolf.

"Yes, I understand." I nod in defeat.

I watched him turned his back on me, heading his way back to the forest. His body was full of sweat despite the cold weather. I made my way to The Black Market. From here you can see the lights and the joyful voices from the seller of The Black Market. The Black Market is an enormous tent with colorful lights inside. Inside the tent, there are 110 stalls inside. Each of the stalls has different things to offer. In our stall, we're offering herbs and plants. I saw Elliot standing in front of our stall, talking to The Crown's Guard. They seem to engage in a very serious conversation. My brother was holding a paper showing it to the guard, the guard was furiously red. But, my brother remains to be calm. Panicked rises over me when the guards surrounded my brother. One of them pulled my brother and drag him outside the tent. They started to destroy our stall and every goods that we are selling. I ran towards them, to beg them to give us more time to pay for our debts.

"My lords, please!" I begged, I reached the hands of the guard but he slapped me hard. Hard enough to send me sprawling on the floor. Our neighbors hushed at the assault that the guard gave me and some of them were laughing. I reached again to the guard who assaulted me, he had his companions beat me. The guard with blonde hair gripped my neck, raising me. I could no longer feel my feet on the floor. My chest tightens searching for air to breathe. He pulled my ruby necklace from my neck and send me sprawling back to the floor. My nose was bleeding and so is my mouth. I lay there on the floor, I couldn't find the air. My hands were searching for my necklace. I saw the guards beat my brother to death, none of them are stopping, and none of them even care. I watched my brother spits blood. Oh my god, they are going to kill him. I have to do something.

I feel something inside of me starting to feel rage. My vision blurred until it becomes black. I feel something dark inside of me let go as if it has been hidden for a very long time.

And, the agony and rage triggered. My eyes are full of tears falling down my cheeks. My hands were sweating, and its starting to smoke. A thick cloud of smoke escapes my hands and my eyes. The guards are beating my brother constantly, My gaze landed on my brother, he was looking back at me and my bare neck with terror and agony. I saw him mouthed, "Elizabeth, No!" He screamed.

I screamed as I could no longer hold back the terror and agony that I'm feeling right now. As I screamed, my eyes were sending blazing fire to the tent. I screamed and screamed, letting go of all the emotions that I feel. I heard everyone screamed for their lives. The Black Market has turned into chaos.

"Its the girl with fire blood!" The kid pointed at me in awe, but his mother pulled him out of fear of me. The guards who were beating my brother were astounded. Their eyes are terrified of me. Before I could judge my own judgment, I cast fire onto them. They screamed in agony and pain.

Elliot pulled me hard and winced from his injured leg. He's kneeling in front of me.

"Elizabeth, stop it!" He begs.

I don't know how to stop it. It keeps coming out. It's unstoppable.

"I don't know how to make it stop, Elliot." I sob.

"Where's your necklace, Elizabeth?" He said, his voice full of pain.

I shook my head and cried.

"Where is it, Elizabeth?" He growled.

"You have to make it stop or they will find you." My brother begs.

There was something sharp slide through my back. I winced at the pain, my legs weaken and fell to the ground. Before I could know it, darkness swallowed me.

*****

Author's Note: 

Hi, Hey, Hello everyone! Treacherous Court and it's already completed. I'm currently on the process of editing it slowly, so please be patient with me. :/ 

xoxo

My Stories:

1. The Sweet Innocence - Completed

2. The Roommate - Completed

3. Love Me Harder (Book 2 of The Roommate) - Completed

4. Treacherous Court (Book 1 of Infernal War Trilogy) - Completed

5. Storms of Fire (Book 2 of Infernal War Trilogy) - Completed

6. Rain of Fire (Book 3 of Infernal War Trilogy) - Ongoing

7. Secretly Yours - Ongoing

8. War of Hearts - Ongoing