The royal moon witch

Chapter 2

“Little lost? Thing” there was the grin again. The same he showed during dinner.

“Yes im lost and stop calling me thing” I tried to snap back at him. He just began to laugh at me.

“I call you whatever I please. If you think that the coming three months will be nice for you, youll be very wrong about that. I will make your life a living hell.” He said and I stared back at him. I knew he was serious, but I was not letting him intimidate me.

“I wont go away and im just doing this to save my coven. So I don’t care.” He stared for a moment and began to laugh at me.

“Oh dear how cute. You think youre a little hero. Believe me, youre nothing and youll never be anything. Ill make sure you will get that drilled into your tiny head” he grinned and pushed my chin up to make me look straight at him. I was not going to let that slide and a loud slap noise was heard in the hall. Valentino was silent and I my hand across his face. I had slapped him right on the cheek for what he did. His eyes started to glow an even deeper red, the fire that was already in them grew even more and his voice was as low and menacing as that from his father. When he looked at me like that my body just froze. I had never seen such eyes. It struck fear deep into me.

“Youre going to regret that. Deeply” valentino eventually let me go and walked away.

I breathed a sigh of relieve. That was one problem solved. Now I had to solve my being lost problem. It was strange that there were no servants here. I couldn’t ask anyone for help and it made the mystery of this place even bigger. I stood there thinking for a bit until I came to a solution. I laid my hand on the ground and closed my eyes.

“arni tariqi” all my previous footsteps were visible now. I followed them back, going another way when they turned red. Finally, I found my room and went inside. My heart was raging so fast, I felt the bouncing through my whole body. I had this sinking feeling that things were going to get really bad and ugly. I let my body fall onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. My heart still didn’t calm down, my stomach was turning and everything around me began to spin.

“by the spirits, what did I do” it was soft, but it came out of my mouth. My body was making me sick to let me know that there was going to be big consequence. My eyes felt heavy and slowly I closed them, trying to forget everything from today. I still didn’t feel well and it took a while for me to finally fall asleep. The night felt so long, I kept waking up in a sweat. Worried about what was going to happen and what had happened to the coven. These events had a deeper effect on me than I initially thought they would have.

The following morning I was still exhausted from barely getting any sleep at all. At least the rest of my body had settled down. I got dressed and opened the doors to the balcony. Letting some fresh air in and enjoying the sunlight. The city was already buzzing with people. The castle was close by, so it did make sense. My eyes glided over the new area I was in. It still didn’t set on me where I actually was and I missed my family already.

A knock on my door disturbed my thinking and I went over to open it. It was one of the servants.

“Time for breakfast miss” now even the eyes from the servant were piercing right through me. It was so strange. As if the whole demeanor had changed. I tried to shrug it off and followed the servant to the dining room.

“Yesterday I got lost and I ended up in an area where there were no servants at all. There was no one. Perhaps you know why that is?” I was curious, but I got no answer. The servant was just quiet, didn’t even look at me. It stayed silent until I reached the dining room to have breakfast with the family. Even there it was mostly quiet, with Valentino staring at me. My eyes stayed focused on my plate, but I could feel his eyes on me. Following my every move. Even after breakfast when the king and queen decided to go, his gaze was still fixated on me.

“Why are you staring at me like that? You’ve been staring at me since breakfast.” I stared back at him, my eyes daring him to come at me.

“Follow me” That’s all he said. My eyebrows were raised all the way. I did not expect that at all.

“Okay?” I followed him. We didn’t speak a word. I wanted to think that he changed his mind, but that was highly unlikely. And when I saw where he brought me, I was reminded very quickly how wrong I was.

“This is called a kitchen and those are called dishes. You are going to do them. Alone.” I turned my head towards him and his mouth showed a grin.

“And why in the world would I ever just up and do that?”

“Because, even things need to eat and if you don’t do as I say, you wont get any food.”

My eyes widened. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“You cant do that!” I protested, clenching my fists.

“Oh I can, and I will.” He still had this stupid grin on his face.

“I wont do it, not at all. Forget it! And you wont let me starve just for that!” I tried to leave the kitchen, but he blocked my way and got right into my face.

“Try me. Or does the thing think shes too good to do a simple task.” His eyes were filled with fire, his grin still wide as ever.

“No I don’t feel too good for it, but…”

“Then get to it. Now! And if you dare to try and run away or to not do it, not only food will be a problem. I promise you that. Ill be back in a few hours.” He turned around and closed the door, locking it before I could escape from it.

I turned around, leaned against the door and looked at the dishes.

“Great. Just great.” I had never seen so much dishes and so dirty as well. I wanted to refuse to do it, but I didn’t have much choice. I wasn’t in the mood to find out what he would do if I didn’t. So I got to work and started out doing it by hand.

“Royal bastard. Try me he says. Do it or else you wont get food he says.” At that point one of the plates slipped out of my hands into the water and splashed me. “Argh really?” I put my hands on the edge of the sink. I was so annoyed and then I got an idea. “Fine, mister do as I say, ill do the dishes.” This time I was the one grinning. “Ill do them my way.” Remembering that I didn’t have to do it by hand at all.

I held my hands towards the dishes. “Aghsil” And there they went. Washing themselves. I just had to keep an eye on them and that was it. It still took a long time, but less than doing it myself.

Valentino did come back, but I didn’t notice at first at all.

“What in the dark lords name is this!”

Hearing his voice broke my concentration for a moment. I had to correct quickly to make sure none of the dishes fell to the ground and I turned around to him.

“Im doing the dishes. Its almost done.” At that moment the last clean plates placed themselves down. “Correction. It is done.”

Valentino stormed towards me, getting right into my face again. “I never said you could use your god forsaken cleaning magic to do it!”

“That’s your mistake then.” I stared him right back into his eyes. The fire in his eyes grew. He didn’t have an argument back, which made him even more angry.

“Fine, follow me.” His teeth were clenched to gather, his eyes staring so angry at me.

“Why would i. The last time I ended up here. So no.” I turned my head away and crossed my arms.

“Listen, thing. You do as I say, when I say it and how I say it. You do not have a choice. Ive got no problem with taking everything from you. Besides, what would your family say, if you come back, without any chance on getting any supplies.” There was his grin again. The rest I didn’t care so much about, but my family, the supplies we need. That I couldn’t ignore.

“Fine, ill follow you.” My voice was soft and defeated. His grin only grew from hearing my voice like that.

“now that’s a good thing.” His hand tapped my head a few times. Degrading me totally and I turned my head away before following him again. This time he brought me to the laundry room, forcing me to do all the laundry on my own. Same rules and so forced again to do as he wants. Actually the whole rest of the day he gave me these tasks he wanted me to do and all ending the same with me solving them with my magic. Which highly annoyed him.

Finally it was dinner time. My stomach was growling and I waited for a servant to pick me up. No one came. I stood up from my bed and left my room to go to the dining room.

“Whoever thought it was a good idea to make all the hallways the same, must have been a sadist who loves puzzles” I muttered to myself as annoyed as I was. It took me a while, but I managed to find the dining room eventually. When I came inside Valentino was already eating.

“Ah thing, you found your way. Sit down. Now youll get something to eat.” He grinned again. It was getting on my nerves. Even more so than the whole thing situation. I slowly went to the table and sat down.

He clapped in his hands so a servant would come in. “Give the thing her food please.” I was surprised at how polite his voice was this time. It was the first time I heard it like that. Then the plate with food was set before me. Well, what you call a plate of food. Two pieces of bread and some water beside it.

“You cant be serious right now!” I stood up, punching my fists on the table. “Two pieces of bread? Really? That’s it?” I yelled at him, but he just kept grinning.

“I promised you would get food. Not anymore than that. But if you don’t want it…” His voice just sounded so evil, so calm and yet so mean. My stomach growled, so I decided to take it. I sat down and ate my two pieces of bread, while I had to look at him, eating the best food he could get. It was embarrassing. When I was done I wanted to get up and leave.

“Who said you can leave?” After he said that it was quiet, it stopped me in my tracks and I turned around to face him.

“Who said you can leave.” He repeated, expecting me to give him an answer.

“I do.” I turned back around and walked over to the door.

“Did you already forget what I said? If not, you come back.” His voice was demanding, filled with arrogant expectation and I hated it. I hated it so much, not having a choice, obligated to take care of my coven, making my family happy. I clenched my fist, so ready to throw a punch at him. For a while I debated on what to do, it stayed quiet, it was all up to me what was going to happen. Eventually I relaxed my body and walked back.

“That’s a good thing.” He praised me, but I hated it. From the corner of my eye I saw him wipe is mouth a bit with a napkin. It took a bit before he started to talk again.

“For today ive got a final task for you. My horse, despair, his stable needs to be cleaned and he needs to have his full care as well. I want you to do it.” My eyes turned towards him. His voice was different now. Softer, more polite. Before I could say anything he continued.

“Despair is my pride and joy. My everything, so expect him to be treated as pure royalty.” I raised my eyebrows, not fully understanding his intentions.

“And you want me to do it?” Valentino clearly noticed my envisage on the me part and looked directly at me.

“Yes, else I wouldn’t be saying it. Why?”

“Because you hate me. What am I saying. You despise me and yet, you trust me with your pride and joy?”

“I have my reasons. Just do as I say.” Valentino left his seat and walked towards the door.

“Now you may leave and get started thing. My servant will show you the way.” He left the room, leaving me alone until a servant came up to me. He didn’t say anything, just waiting for me to follow him.

“Alright, lets go take care of his pride and joy then.” I sighed and followed the servant.

“Is he always like that, to everyone? If so, I would suggest to look for another job.” I didn’t expect an answer back at al, but the servant surprised me.

“Actually, your majesty is normally very polite and well mannered. As long as you know your place that is.” He didn’t even look at me and after what he said. It was quiet for a bit until I bursted out in laughing. I didn’t believe a word what he just said.

“Hahahaha, yeah right, ive seen how polite he is. Unless I see it with my own eyes, I refuse to believe that.” I kept laughing for a bit until a cold wind touched my skin. We were outside and walked over the courtyard towards the stables. It was dark outside, which was strange for this hour.

“Lord despair seems to be in a bad mood today. Good luck. Cleaning tools are in the stable, youll see them.” The servant said and left, without letting me ask anything. It was strange to hear a horse being addressed like a human. I shrugged my shoulders and went inside the stable.

“Cleaning a horse stable. How hard can it be.” I didn’t think much of it and wanted to turn on some of the oil lamps in the stable, but in the back there was already a light. It caught my eye and I turned my head.

“Hello?” No answer. Only the sound of horses moving and in their way talking was there. I waited for a bit before I went back to preparing. Then I heard a loud kicking noise against one of the stable doors. I turned around to see which of the horses was so uneasy. There it was again. It came from the stable that was already lit up. The kicking continued and I slowly walked over towards it. I followed the light, either bumping against, or almost against stuff. It was so dark inside, except for that one stable with the clear kicking against the door. I looked inside the stable to see what was going on and there he was. Despair, it had to be, his whole body was just bones, there was no flesh on him at all, his manes and tail were made from a bright fire and his eyes were hollow with two glowing red dots in them. As soon as it saw me, it began to neigh, kick against the door, prancing right in front of me. I walked backwards and tripped over something that made me land on the ground. My eyes were fixated on the beast that was staring right back at me with its hollow eyes. Then I heard laughing. I shifted my focus towards the laughing to see who it was. The rest of the stable was still dark so I didn’t see anything more than just the shape of a person.

“Did he scare you? I sure do hope so.” The shape came into the light. It was Valentino.

“haha, very funny.” I slowly stood up, dusting myself of. He was still chuckling and walked over to his horse.

“Yes it is. Very much so. Come on. Did you really think I would ever trust you with my horse? My pride and joy? I don’t think so.” Valentino didn’t even look at me. Somehow Despair calmed down and let his head being touched and caressed by Valentino's hands. This was the first time I saw something else than anger or cruel grinning from him. To me, that was a strange sight.

“So the whole point of getting me here, was to scare me?” My eyes didn’t leave him. Simply watching how he gave his full attention to his horse.

“Yes. As I said, I wont ever trust you with him.” Somehow this triggered me to demand some answers from Valentino.

“Whats your problem? You’ve been nothing but mean to me since I got here and I did nothing to deserve that at all. So, why are you being like that.” The moment I was done I felt regret about it. I may not like him, but he was still royalty and to speak to him like that was not my smartest of ideas. It was silent and Valentino still refused to even look at me.

“Youre a witch.” I wasn’t sure, but I thought I heard a bit of sadness, mixed with anger in his voice when he said that.

“So? What does that have to do with anything.”

“It has everything to do with it. Witches are mean, cunning liars. The only way to make sure they don’t, is to make sure they cant. Everyone knows that.” Valentino turned around, facing me and started to walk towards me as he continued. “Witches are nothing more than empty shells, made of pure darkness. Worse than a demon or vampire could ever be. Nothing I would ever do, could ever be worse than witches are capable of.” As he kept talking he forced me against the wall, staring right into my eyes.

“You thought today was bad? Believe me, today was nothing compared to whats to come.” Valentino held one of his hands beside my face, intimidating me like he did the night before.

“But, im nothing like youre describing as a witch. The same for my family and my whole coven.” I tried to defend myself and go against what he said, but it didn’t matter to him at all.

“I know im right, I don’t need your fake being nice. Starting tomorrow youll be my personal maid. Then I can keep an eye on you. Now go. I don’t want to see you any more.” His eyes were warning me not to speak and just go. So I did after he walked back to despair.