DRIVEN

Chapter 2

THE WATER CAVES

( A hooded figure slowly approaches the inner chambers where the witches stay)

flashes of light can be seen within the caves and loud cackle is heard.

"I have to do this no matter what, this is the only choice I have, I can't let my father go to war and waste his life over there. No I won't be able to forgive myself, I'm already loosing mom, I can't bear if something happens to father too".

I kept on muttering to myself, trying to take away the guilt of going against my father's wishes.

"I pray I don't get caught else the consequences will be dire, father won't forgive me he'll want to prove that no one is above the law and make an example out of me".

I get to the inner chambers where some strange noises can be heard and I pause at the entrance, even though many people fear to come here, it's no joke about the mystical powers these witches possess, you never step into their chambers without been granted permission else you get cursed or worse you disappear, they are quadruplets rumoured to be cursed by the Gods for killing their own mother and using her heart to increase their powers and make them immortal.

Their powers know no bounds and people do their best to stay away from them, no one knows if the tales are true or not but no one is willing to piss them off to find out.

"lucilda". I hear it in my head like someone is calling me.

It's as if someone is trying to get my attention but it isn't loud, it's no more than a whisper.

"lucilda". I hear it again.

"come in, we have been expecting you". the voice adds.

immediately, it occurs to me that it's the witches and I'm immediately engulfed in fear of how they were able to get inside my head. only members of my vampire clan are able to do so cause at birth we're fed the blood of lucious the great, his blood gives heightens our senses and connects the whole clan to one another so that we're able to communicate even when we're far.

But then I know I have to be strong and not show fear, cause these witches will prey on my fear and I might end up not making it out of this place alive, therby making my father's worst fears come to pass.

I immediately move into the chambers and stand in front of the witches, I keep my head low and stare at my feets cause it's a big crime to look them in their eyes, no one has ever seen what they look like. from my peripheral visionI can only make out the fact that they are wearing a grey robe with the hood drawn up to cover their identity.

I continue thinking about how to go from here, when I hear a cackle from the witch closest to my left, she turns and looks behind her as if searching for something and then the other witches turn also and do the same thing. I still maintain my position and wait to see what they have for me.

" Lucilda" . witch number one calls out.

the rest follow her in a sing song version and continue calling my name. Their loud screeches almost give me a headache but I don't talk cause I know that I'll have to be patient if I want to be successfull in this journey I have embarked upon.

Once their done with calling my name, they immediately start talking in chorus like they've rehearsed what to say." you're restless princess, your heart is torn between your people and the love you have for your father, you want him to be the king he deserves to be yet you want to protect him".

I immediately break down in tears" please help me, my father can't go to war he's really fragile now, he is weak, if he goes to war I know he won't return please there must be another way to stop this madness please".

the witches stop their cackles and join their hands together. immediately a white glowing light envelopes the whole cave and the ground begins to tremble as the witches begin to say." blood everywhere, the beast is after blood!!, he won't stop till he has her, he's searched eternity for her and he won't stop, he wants to claim her, he has to claim her, only her can calm his beast and only then can peace reign in the valley".

once they stop talking, the ground stops rumbling and the glowing light disappears, I still stand in my spot afraid to move as I begin to think about what the witches said, I'm still as confused as before and don't know what to make of what I just heard.

"The princess looks confused".

one witch says to the others and they all laugh.

The second witch looks at me and says." princess you must take your father's place at the battlefield, you must face the beast, and only then can you find peace, it won't be easy princess, the journey ahead of you is one very few men can undertake, you have to be strong and be ready to face your demons eye to eye to succeed".

I'm overcome with fear, my father will chain me up in the highest tower of the castle if he so much as knows I'm even thinking of going to the battlefield.

everywhere turns quiet and I know the witches have nothing for me anymore so I move backwards and drop the token of payment at the spot where I once stood and move out of the cave. the journey ahead of me isn't an easy one I already know, I don't just know how I'll be able to convince my father to let me go, I know he'll rather die than let me go to war.

my father has always protected me, he started training me on how to wield a sword before I even knew how to run, he believes the world is filled with enough evil already and I should be prepared for the worst. but then I also know my dad won't take that risk, and I can't tell him I went to see the witches cause he'll think they brainwashed me or something.

truly I have a lot of work ahead of me.