The Princess of Light and Dark

7. Sarnarel

So close, yet always so far. For 5 years I have had to live with the guilt and self-hate of doing this to my fated. Taking her away from her family was ruthless of me, but I had to do what my father said, his power over me had diminished over the years and I had had the good sense to never tell him that the magical princess in his dungeon is my fated. He would only use her as a weapon against me. I had tried to hard to keep her from harm, and then the damned girl managed to escape, I was so impressed with her cunning skills, her powers grow stronger each day and she has no idea how drawn my father is to them. She has no idea the beatings I have had to endure to stave off his need to claim her as his and use her powers and body as he pleases. My father has fantasies that no elven woman should ever be around, let alone one so soft and pure as Elvira. When she tried to escape again 3 days ago, I really thought she would be dead when I woke up, instead I had woken up to her warm soft fingertips running over my face, my skin tingled and when I opened my eyes, her normally violet eyes were black as charcoal. She had been scared that I’d harm her again, but I was so happy she hadn’t run, that I could feel her again. She was so innocent and sweet, and then I had to go and crash my lips on hers! Why had I forced that on her? She was in so much pain, at first I thought she was trying to trick me again, but her eyes… Her eyes changed between violet and black as big tears streamed down her face, I called for her, shouted her name and pleaded with her to tell me what was wrong, but she never heard me, instead her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she slumped down only to sit up just as fast.

**

The conversation I had had with her still lingered in my mind even after 3 days, I hadn’t gone back to see her. Father was getting suspicious and so I stayed away. A small voice caught my attention and I turned, noticing the smallish elven maiden that used to tend to Elvira when she slept in the chambers next to mine.

“My lord?” She called softly when I did not respond.

“Yes?” My tone was cold and harsh, and the poor maiden flinched. I felt bad, but I couldn’t show it, I had to be ruthless within these walls.

“Your father he demands you see him in the throne room.” She rushed the words out of her mouth and turned on her heels and ran as fast as she could. Smart girl.

I walked to the throne room, in my younger years, it had been my deepest desire to sit upon that throne under the mountain, but now, as I pushed the huge wooden doors open and watched as my father sat in it, I despised it. My long strides ate up the space between me and my father, as I reached him, I bent on one knee in front of him, the way he had always ordered me to greet him.

“My son.” His sickly-sweet tone raised the hairs on the back of my neck but I would never show him the effect he had on me, the sheer terror that ran deep inside me.” Raise your head my boy.”

I lifted my head and maintained my eyes on his. I had inherited my mothers’ eyes and hair. Something he had never let me forget. My father had loved my mother deeply and when she died giving birth to me, he had never forgiven me.

“Father, what can I do for you?” I bowed my head and he chuckled.

“In two days, the little princess turns 18. And do you know what that means?” He asked me, his voice growing thick with excitement. I shook my head no, even though deep down I had an inkling. “I will tell you then, she will be a fully matured elf, and I will claim her body and soul as mine and use her powers to bring down Blue Forest and Whitewood. And then, I will kill her, but not before I force her to take her father’s life with her bare hands.” He clapped his hands and rubbed his palms on his knees. “I need you to prepare the valley for a wedding. In two days, the little princess will be your Queen.”

“Of course, Father.” I tried so hard to contain my anger, my fists hurt so much from the clenching, I was surprised I didn’t break my own thumbs. I bowed my head once more and turned on my heels to leave when his voice stopped me.

“And boy,” I turned my head and watched him from the corner of my eye. “Don’t interfere again. Or I will have you tied to a tree and whipped as you watch me ravage her innocent body.” I closed my eyes and nodded. My eyes filled with tears as I walked away from my father. I must stop this; I have 2 days to get her out of here without getting us both killed.

My father had thought of everything, he had sent a maiden to tell Elvira the good news as he shared them with me, when I got down there, she had given up. No way out, she shouted at me as she flung me against the wall like a doll. She blamed me, she hated me. I knew I had no right, but I asked her to fight, to not surrender, but she didn’t believe me, her powers grew out of control and before she could kill me, I left her down there, alone, in the darkness she hates, I locked the bars and never looked back.

**

For the past 2 days the mountain has been in a hustle and bustle preparing for the big ceremony, I have not been to see Elvira, but I have heard whispers among the warriors that she grows stronger by the second. I had once more been summoned to the throne room, my father had always taken pleasure in summoning me to him, he lives to see me on my knees, below him where I belong. The doors to the throne room where open and I so I walked straight in, as my eyes surveyed the room they landed on Elvira, standing in front of my father in the most beautiful white dress, her long red locks flowing freely down her back, her pale skin almost shimmering. My steps faltered and she turned, her violet eyes shinning like stars, her gaze pinned me to my spot, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“Finally, boy, you are here.” My father’s voice woke me from my trance, and I walked to him, I bent the knee and stood, my arm so close to Elvira’s I could feel the power radiating from her, “Can you feel it? It spills from her skin like sweet nectar from fruit.” The excitement on my father’s voice scared me, why had he summoned me here with her? He stood, his frame weaker and slimmer than I remembered, and he walked slowly to Elvira, his hand reached for her and cupped her cheek, my hands instinctively clenched and my jaw ticked, I despised his hands on her. His eyes moved ever so fast, but he noticed my movements and that was all it took. He pushed Elvira backwards and she went flying onto her bottom on the floor, just as fast he lunged towards me and his hands wrapped around my throat.

“You dare touch what is mine?” He hollered in my face, the grip of his hands tightening until I could barely gasp. It was in that moment I realised my father had weakened his appearance on purpose, because he is stronger than ever. I could feel like lungs starting to burn, the lack of oxygen taking its toll and at first, I thought I was hallucinating, but then the blinding light became too strong, my father’s hold lessened, and I dropped to my knees gasping for air. Confused I looked up to see Elvira hovering above the ground, her mouth moving but no words coming out. A shrill scream echoed around the throne room prompting the guards and warriors to rush towards us, but their paths were cut short when the great big doors sung shut in their faces.

Elvira whispered a jumble of words, her body rising higher and higher off the floor, her usually violet eyes were completely black, black and purple tendrils of energy burst from her body and created a sphere of power around the 3 of us.

“ELVIRAAAA!” I shouted trying to get her attention, her powers were suffocating. I glanced at my father, he was slumped on the floor, beneath Elvira’s feet, the sphere around us grew bigger and bigger as Elvira’s body slowly started to descend, I figured she was calming down but just as she landed on the floor, her feet next to my father’s head, he jumped up and lunged for her, I lunged after him, trying my hardest to stop him, but all I could do was tackle him off her, I was too late, her white dress turned crimson as the blood seeped from the gash on her side. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and suddenly the ever-moving sphere around us stopped, and for a few seconds I though Elvira was dying, that is until her eyes connected with mine and her soft lips mouthed ‘Forgive me’.

It all happened so fast, one minute I was laying atop my father trying to keep him from harming her and the next I had been thrown out of the sphere, I tried to get back in, but she was stopping me, the sounds of my father’s screams filled the throne room and I was sure the whole mountain could hear him too, the shadows and lights inside the ball of power changed and grew as his screams raised in pitch until there was nothing but silence and a blinding bright light, the ground started shaking and just as fast as it appeared the sphere exploded, taking with it my father and my fated. My body collided with the giant wooden doors of the room, breaking them and finally allowing the warriors and guards in, but they were too late, the Princess had succeeded.

The lord under the mountain was dead, and she was gone from my life forever.