The King and the Sorceress Heart (Part 1)

A Story by Vx

This is a story that I am working on turning into a book so please be patient with me when it comes to working on this,

I wake to the sound of ruckus coming from the other end of my chamber door, a loud crash like glass shattering against the marble floor of the hall. A loud cry was given into the air of my kingdom, a woman was it? Sounded like the Duchess, so as calmly as I could I rushed out of the sheets that was tangled around me and paced out my door in search for the conflict. I heard a woman giving an order, “Please Jorum do me a favor and clean this up before the king comes out of his slumber and sees this me-.” She stops in mid-sentence to see me standing there in shock.

“My lord I apologize for all the noise and the bit of mess.” She said with a little shake in her voice, but she did a great job at hiding it with confidence. “Allow me to wa-“I raised my hand and stopped her from speaking, “My lady Duchess, there is no fair accident here don’t worry the maid will get it cleaned. Now please get up from the ground and walk with me hm?” I held out my hand in reach for hers, her hands were rough but with a tender soft touch as well, both combined in one it was quite odd. She reached for my hand in return for a smile.

“Thank you my lord, I would like to take up on the offer of aiding you in your walk.” Her smile was noticeable now and all I could do was stare into her eyes, how old they looked, how old she looked, yet how young was I. Her age didn’t stop me from complimenting her; after all she’s been around for a long time even after my father died.

“Might I say Duchess you look lovely this morning.” She smiles and I lead the way.

Outside the sun was shining bright as can be so high in the clouds, the air so cool yet thick and brushed my skin with only a gentle touch that sent shivers running through my body. The Duchess and I walked down the yard up to the lake that separated my kingdom with the Forests of Lilith. We stopped right at the edge and she let go of my arm and stared at me with confusion left to fill her eyes. Was she stuck on the thought on why I lead her here? To this specific spot out of all the places on this land that I rule.

I took a while for my stare to daze off into the horizon, the scenery in front of me casting a shadow that blocked the visions on my sides only leaving me in sight of the forest. It’s like I can hear the forest talking to me in hushed tones of whispers echoing in my ears like an aria. I can sense that the Duchess has figured out I am dazing out again and she gives me a little shake to break the tension.

“My lord, are you alright?” she gripped my arm a bit and it broke my focus and the voices fall silent. “Yes, my lady I am very sorry. I lost focus on where I was.” She sighs and her eyes fall shut her head now facing down to the ground as if being in peace with the inner being.

“My father use to talk so much about it all the time. He told me stories about the Forest of Lilith and how the Valarie sisters lived there in seek for evil and hungered for power, he told me about the wars he fought in to keep this country alive and rising higher than ever.” My focus turned back to the darkened area, a sudden movement and I started to feel the earth around me shake under my feet. Terrified I fell on my back and tried to block out the sounds that caged my ears like having my hands on top of them. I can see the Duchess above me with fear in her eyes. “Alexander, are you alright?” she began to shake me, “My lord…. My lord...I beg you answer me shall I call a nurse?” I managed to get out a say “No, no please no I am okay.” Slowly getting up to my feet I was weak and the voices stopped. “My lord let me help you to your room.” She took my arm and placed it around her shoulders carrying a bit of my weight off my heavy feet, what is going on with me. I am trying to piece it all together but following my gut will get me killed, we both managed to get to my room without running into anyone on the way in. It would have raised questions and I would have to be watched at random periods of time, I lay on my bed exhausted and weak. My libs felt like dead flesh decomposing and I couldn’t help but let the darkness take me into slumber.

“Alexander, my son.” A hushed voice called out from the darkness.

“My son, follow my voice. Hurry my boy.” To be honest I wasn’t scared and there were many reasons as to why I wasn’t. The voice that called out to me was so familiar to me so I decided to follow its orders and walk to the voice. The air was thick and raw, nothing like I’ve ever took into my lungs before, in fact I found it more easier to breath when I was pacing to into the darkness. I found no strand of light in sight; only trees that look centuries old yet still have a sense of youth in their weary roots, the fog stretched for miles and miles and by the looks of it, it seemed like there was no end. The ground was hard yet a bit moist like it had been raining only for an hour of the day, “Son, follow my voice. Hurry there’s no time” hearing the fear in his shanked old voice made me twitch and I made hast. I was getting closer and closer to the familiar voice I can hear his strained breathing, the sound of crows now calling into the empty air in answer for what? My senses kicked in and I became more alert now I sense my feet is walking on leaves that have been burnt over and crystalized, as cautious as I could be I took a look at my surroundings and the crows that called out a few feet behind me began to grow in numbers, from only a small flock to now an army of birds. I was simply terrified and tried not to cause attention to them and without noticing one flies down in front of me and I scream “Ahhh!” The crow so small left me in shock, “Alexander, son over here!” the old voice called at me like he could see me through the thick fog. I turned to my left and made my way to a small opening in a wall of bushes, vines that cut the skin like it was thin plastic made marks on my pale skin, but I wasn’t focused on the pain, no I was focused on getting to the voice that called out for me. Finally on the other side I see a tree, as big as a castle and as thick as rock, a willow tree it was I could tell how the branches reached out in a monstrous form creating a shadow over the people who stepped in front of it. The roots were burnt and old and it smelled of moss, the air grew thinner and it was even more difficult to breath.

“Hello..?” I called out into the fog, “over here son” a whisper sounded in response to me I walked around the willow and saw a man; he was hunched over his knees and looked in pain. His clothes torn like it has been cut by knives an carved on his skin markings from some form of craft, he let out a deep breath and spoke to me “I’ve been waiting for you my boy, where have you been hmm?” I was shocked to see hear this man’s voice closer, “Father?” I responded in question and I refused to answer his. “Father ha!” he screamed out, I stepped further to get a cleared image but the darkness was covering the sides of my visions again. “Wh--, who are you?” I barely got out in fear he’d scream out the silence, the old torn man moved his head side to side and began to chuckle darkly, “I am…. MURDER!!!” The man’s face was so unfamiliar now and I could see his irises dilated and consumed his whole vision leaving his face in a demon like structure but before I could get a say I fell back and blacked out only to wake up to the darkness of my room where the moon light, playfully teasing the dark corners of my room with its tickle of light.

“It was just a dream Alexander, just a dream.” I told to myself in order to keep the water from coming out my eyes, I was terrified yes but it was only a vision. A vision I hope never to see or have peaked into my thoughts again. I slowly crawl out of my bed and walk to my window where the moon peaked in and all I could see was a beautiful shade of light reflecting off my skin. My window like a painting showing the beauty of the Mother Nature outside my door, my focus again was drawn near the Forest of Lilith, and again the hushed whispers grew into my ears again. This time it was softer and toned, cleared and smoother and I could almost hear it as clearly as I have ever. “Alexander” the voice called out to me, my vision going blurry and black all at once again but leaving me not in pain but in shock, “Find me” the voice called out and as the earth began to shift it was gone, and all I was left with was curiosity.