A Woman in Gold

The sound of heels clicking against the echoey halls as a woman in golden hair rushed to her quarters. Her dress was impeding her full stride as she struggled to rush out of the ballroom. She smirked as she successfully found herself in the clear far away from the party without any of the potential suitors her father had invited noticing. She couldn’t handle the self absorbed snobs that tried to buy her affections to gain access to the throne. With that, she took her leave after her father’s toast to the summer solstice.

She felt a gust of wind pass through and the hallway around her began to grow suddenly dark, and she froze. She let out a deep nervous sigh noticing the air around her had turned as cold as ice. Shivering, she wrapped her exposed arms around her chest. She felt a dark presence, and stopped shivering as she began to turn around hearing the dark echoes of voices. She closed her eyes, she took her necklace close to her lips as she whispered to herself her protection prayers, and then dropped her arms not feeling the cold anymore. She opened them as she saw a crooked face with eyes glowing red staring right back at her. She kept a straight face knowing what this man is capable of.

He smiled a crooked smile as his elongated porcelain hands began to slowly reach out to her. Inches away to her face he reached, and stopped as he observe who his target was. His lips parted more displaying his yellow stained fangs, as he said almost snake like, “so what brings you back into my realm princess?” He hissed as he vanished and encircled her in black smoke. “A good princess hides in the light, and avoids this dark world of mine” he finished as his breath went down her neck reappearing behind her.

The princess turned around and faced him. She kept her face flat as she crossed her arms again. “How long have you been watching me again?” she asked as she placed her hand out as if pushing him away, and the man stepped back. “A criminal of darkness knows better than to roam these halls especially with powerful folk like me about. If you wish to steal my face then try, but it will end up with you on the ground knocked out.” She finished as the man smiled even more to her challenge. 

He snickered, “I have been watching you from every dark corner of your room for weeks. To finally get close to you is quite thrilling..” he trailed off and moved even closer to her. “and to even touch your light skin is quite enticing,” He finished as his fingers touched her quickly, and he withdrew back with fresh burn marks on his fingers. He sniffed the raw flesh, and licked his wound clean. “You taste delightful princess!” He sighed out black smoke as it engulfed his hand, and as the moments passed it faded away revealing a freshly healed wound. “I do find it flattering Princess that you remember who I am, and my career. But why such a flat face my lovely? I won’t bite. Hard!” He snickered more as the room blackened more as he drew more power. “Your face is enchanting, and I want it!” His fangs began to drip a black fluid as his power kept rising.

She took a deep breath trying to not smile, as she said firmly, “you have no power here Juru!” She watched him fade away as she felt a cold finger against her breast bone, as his finger kept drawing down her chest. With that single touch her protection spell failed. His touch burned and seared her skin. Through the pain, she could tell that he took great care into avoiding touching her power source contained in her necklace. 

“I have the power,” Juru whispered in her ear as nothing but a cloud of smoke. “Show me your sublime smile princess, I would enjoy seeing it again. Besides, it is your destiny to become my forever after for years!” He finished taunting, grinning while still drawing his finger down her chest. He hummed as he completed drawing another curse onto her skin.

She felt her skin burn and boil to his touch, and she tried to keep her pained expression down. She said nothing as she tried to refrain from biting her lip. She also felt anger as his curses reminded her of his everlasting grip to her, and even more knowing if she were to try and stop him now, his curses kept her frozen.

His finger kept traveling down to the very bottom to where the dress cut off, and he drew back screaming in pain. “What is this!” he shouted in frustration as the princess began to hear him thrash around the furniture in the hallway. 

She reached her fingers down her dress and reached out a pen like object. She threw her arm out into the air as the object began to glow and elongate into a very powerful beam of light. She pointed the her weapon at an unlit candle, and the candle began to glow. She heard the screams continue from Juru being exposed to the light, and she stared at his old crooked body. His arms were long as his body was cloaked in a black robe, and she noticed that his back too was crooked. She ran towards him as she laid her weapon across his neck slowly burning his skin to the light. His cat like eyes narrowed in anger and frustration as he disappeared into another cloud of smoke. 

She closed her eyes as she rushed towards the light of the candle. She panted as she heard Juru’s whispers beginning to fade. She knew that this wasn’t the last she will hear from him. She pointed her weapon towards other light sources as she began to light the hallway preventing Juru from returning to her. She looked down as a small tear of pain ran down her cheek as she stared at her burn marks. A single line of burnt flesh ran down her chest. It was deep and black as blood slowly dribbled down from the small curse. The princess sat down against a wall exasperated and weak from her dark encounter.

She had sincerely wished that she thought of taking her wand out sooner, but she sighed knowing that Juru tried to control that thought out of her originally before he made the mistake and touched it himself. He was getting too tricky now. Too powerful. With an addition to another curse, she knew that she had little power left in her to protect her.

She took off her necklace as she felt her power weakening more. She held it close to lips as she began to whisper another prayer and her necklace began to glow. She stared at it for a moment seeing the silver angel of light clasp to the enchanted jewel as it’s wings encircled it as if protecting it. She dragged the charm down her chest as she began to feel a comforting cooling sensation. She looked down seeing her wounds healed as she placed the necklace back around her neck. All that remained was silver scar from the cursed touch of Juru. She felt her power return slowly as she began to hear the guards make their way down the hall.

“Princess Amaeda!” One guard shouted as he saw the small circle of light down the hallway. 

“Are you alright?” Another shouted lighting the hallway with the same weapon. 

The guards ran and encircled around her as they tried to help her up. “What happened?” One of them asked as they looked into her eyes.

Amaede stared back weakly and she replied, “Juru is back...” She looked at them and then her eyes rolled back passing out. Her tiara fell to the floor as her head fell back.

The Captain of the team picked up her limp body as another guard picked up her tiara, and he carried her with the other guards following back to her quarters. “Mona, remain back and investigate the situation!” The captain ordered, and the guard remained to investigate the scene more as to the whereabouts of this criminal.

“How could the dark folk come here on a night like this? A full moon? On the summer solstice celebrations? How could this be? It’s our holiest day!” Another female guard asked the group as they slowly made their way down the hall. 

“That I do not know of, but I believe that there will be more darkness coming.”  The Captain replied as they made their way into Amaede’s room. “If the crooked man, Juru, can make it through our borders at a time like this there is something indeed wrong!”

Amaede’s room was open with large windows, with colors of pearl and gold painted in the walls, and countless small runes to keep the darkness out. Growing up as a child, she always had encounters with the dark folk. Some reason they fancied her above all the other royal members. On one side of the room laid a desk containing her school work, and other various collectables. On the other was a huge bed with curtains of silver draped around. One of the guards ran ahead, and set the crown down on her display by her desk where she normally kept it. The diamonds placed on the tiara glistened in the moonlight.

The Captain laid her onto her bed and announced, “This will be the last time Juru sets another cursed finger on her! This is swear! I will protect you my princess!” He parted her hair away from her face as her nurse walked into the room.

“Is her highness alright?” She asked concerned as she clasped her hands together and ran towards the bed. Her expression was painted that only a mother could posses with worry.

“She is fine, but weak.” The Captain replied, and he looked towards her. “Everyone please exit the room, but Amaya. Keep an eye out outside her room for me, and one of you tell the king.” He asked and his team left the room, and the nurse remained.

“Amaya,” he placed a hand on hers, “Juru is back!” His expression was grim as he sighed and leaned against one of the bed posts frustrated.

Amaya sat down on the bed, and rubbed her forehead, “I thought that the runes would keep that man away!” 

“I know, and I will be investigating this myself, but before I can do that we need her father to be able to excuse himself from the party. I would normally tell him sooner, but we can’t cause chaos. Especially instilling the fear of dark folk around.” He replied, and closed the door in her room. 

“Well Gru, if you don’t mind, but to turn and avoid your eyes, I am going to dress down Amaede.” Amaya asked, and Gru turned towards the window looking out into the courtyard.

Amaya slowly took off her remaining head jewelry as she began to undo her hair. “She has another scar now, that man will pay, and if I could I will kill him myself!” Amaya stated seeing the fresh white scar going down her chest, and saw many other old scars as she kept undressing her. “My girl doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment! Nor such powerful curses!”

“Be careful when you call her that Amaya, you know how the King feels when he is reminded of his lost wife. You may of raised her and had been her wet nurse, but you aren’t her mother, and we don’t want to make the King anymore upset than what he is going to be.” Gru stated, and closed the curtains. 

Amaya sighed knowing that Gru was right, but she knew that Amaede always thought of her as her mothering figure. As Amaede’s mother had passed while giving child birth, Amaya’s child had died soon after to an unknown illness. She pushed those emotions down, as she quickly changed Amaede’s clothing and put on her night robes, and she began to clean the make up off her face. She saw Amaede’s weapon, and she placed it on her night stand. She looked so peaceful, and even at her weakest point, Amaede will always contain the greatest beauty. Amaya brushed her forehead feeling how warm the princess was. 

She took out Amaede’s empty washing bowl as she blew air into it drawing cold water. Water enchantments are Amaya’s specialty, and she placed a wash cloth in the water and placed it on the Princesses head. “She’s burning up from the curse,” Amaya said concerned as she kept placing small amounts of cold water on Amaede’s forehead. 

“I know, but at least this time it’s a weak curse again. She should be fine in a few hours of rest.” Gru stated as he fixed his posture hearing the King’s approach down the hallway. Amaya remained where she was as she continued to treat the princess. 

“Where’s my daughter?” the King asked as he entered the room with a look of worry.

“She is resting your highness,” Amaya replied as she turned her attention towards him holding a towel to Amaede’s head.

The King walked up and sat next to his daughter as he laid his hand on hers. “Are the guards looking for Juru?” He asked Gru, and turned his head towards him.

“Yes Sire! He is currently being on the hunt, but what can we do to help your daughter? This darkness that keeps reaching her is slowly killing her, and we can’t always keep an eye on her.” Gru said as he walked up to his king.

The King simply looked down not knowing what his next move will be.

“King Amur?” Gru asked again as he tilted his head starting to smell the alcohol in his king’s breath.

“I know not of what to do with my unfocused mind. Perhaps with a night to sober and rest for everyone we can figure out a solution in the morning. Amaede should be awake by morning, and we can recount again of what happened. As of now at this moment, my main concern is to get Juru, and to make sure my daughter is healthy.” He replied and turned his attention back towards his daughter. 

“Would you want me to keep an eye out for her so you can retire for the night Sire?” Gru suggested.

“I need you to track down Juru, after all you are our best tracker.” Amur replied and stared back at the captain.

Gru bowed, “of course, and I won’t rest till he is in handcuffs or in a box of ashes.” He made his exit out the door very determined to accomplish his new mission. 

“Amaya, you are the one I can trust the most with my daughter, and I wish for you to keep an eye out for her.” Amur ordered, and Amaya nodded.

“She is in good hands your highness! Now it is your turn to take care of yourself and go to bed.” Amaya replied and smiled slightly to reassure her king.

Amur placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded as well. “Goodnight Amaya, take good care of her, I trust you,” Amur finished as he stood up rubbing his forehead trying to relieve his agonizing worries again. 

“Goodnight your highness,” She nodded her head and took her attention back towards the sleeping Amaede.

After a couple hours of tender care, Amaya left the bedroom to her quarters next door to sleep. Amaya dressed herself in her night robes and sat at her makeup desk. She observed her face and sighed as she took the damp cloth to begin washing the makeup off her face. She stared at herself seeing her high cheek bones, small wrinkles by her eyes, brown eyes, and wild brown frizzy hair. She wished she had the qualities of the people who walk in the light. They tend to have pure blonde or strawberry hair, blue-green eyes, and ageless skin. Unlike her kin, who ruled between the light and darkness, consisted of dirty blondes and brown hair. As well as, dark brown eyes, and whom aged much younger. 

After her makeup was cleaned off, she stood up and walked herself over to her bed and jumped into the sheets. She blew out the candle and tried to rest her worries for Amaede with rest. As she closed her eyes as she felt the room grow colder and darker it was almost like someone of great darkness was entering the room. It would worry her if she was more alert, but she felt this power of overwhelming sleep in which she ended up passing out to.

Moments later, a dark figure climbed through the window, and entered Amaya’s room. With a smirk on his face he quietly stated, “halfa’s will always be eager for sleep.” He continued humming a sleeping spell towards Amaya, the otherwise known to both light and dark folk a halfa. He walked passed the nurse’s bed as he entered the adjacent room, which contained the sleeping princess.

As the man entered Amaede’s room, he felt his power drain to the runes hanging along the walls. He sighed as he lifted his hand up, and slowly lowered it. Black smoke surrounded the runes, and he slowly felt his power come back, but he left only one rune open for the safety of the princess. He slowly walked over and sat on her bed observing the face that he can’t forget. He couldn’t forget her soft features that made her so beautiful which were her almond eyes, soft eyebrows, fair skin, this everlasting purity unlike any woman in his kingdom, and her golden hair which in the moonlight made it glow. Then what was one of the most enchanting aspects of her was that she possessed the royal glow. Out of every citizen in the kingdom of light, only the royals were truly able to glow by the nature in their blood, and it wasn’t much but it was enough for it to be noticeable and to be admired. Unfortunately, the curses that have tied her down has fainted that glow.

He held his hand up to her desiring to touch her. Eager to feel this physical connection. Wanting to steal her away, and to have her all for himself. Knowing very well of the consequences of such a feat would cost him his life, and perhaps war between the two kingdoms of light and dark. After all, how would he be able to capture a woman with so much potential power while not being able to touch her. He sighed as he continued to take in her beauty, as he began to recollect the first time he had ever seen her. He closed his eyes and relaxed to this memory.

Reviews

[Lorna]

Vampires, princesses, and magic?! This story is packed with all sorts of excitement :]

[Piper]

:) Yay! Thank you for reading!

[jjwilbourne]

Really interesting so far! I'm feeling the magic.
You kind of get into a "she did this.." rut at one point. Perhaps if you dropped her name in earlier, you could avoid that.
I like that its 3rd person unlimited (I think you're intentionally doing it) and I hope you take advantage of what that narration style can do for the tention of your story. Play it up!

I'm going to ready the other chapters as well! Stoked on this story.

[Piper]

You have finally put an answer to this missing hole I was facing! Thank you!