Thorned Shadow [+18]

Cerelia’s lips parted slightly as she woke slowly. She opened her eyes, blinking at the room she was in. Two small beds had been pushed together for her to lay on. She saw two identical wardrobes, the doors opened and gowns and pants lay in front of them. The window was right besides the bed she laid on and the sunlight poured in.

Cerelia forced herself up on her exhausted painful body. The last thing she remembered was falling backwards on the bed.

“Sasha! Asha! I want you both to stop playing in the mud and come and clean up this shit!” Aideen’s voice roared through the house.

The sound of two girls giggling made Cerelia turn her legs over the edge of the bed. She was in Aideen’s cottage, still wearing the black suit and the black cloak. They had not even taken her boots off which she was grateful about. Cerelia widened her stiff mouth, stretched her arms in front of her slowly before standing up on her legs. She walked toward the door and opened it just as the two young girls walked inside through the open front door, boots full of mud.

“Aideen.” They groaned in unison as she held two brushes out to them.

“Sasha. Asha.” Aideen mimicked their voices before raising her eyebrows. “I don’t care who made the mess. I want it to be clean before you eat.” They both sighed dramatically before grabbing the brushes and turning. They gaped at Cerelia who stood in the doorway of what she assumed to be their room.

“The Queen is awake!” They giggled.

Aideen turned to look at her. “Honestly, I thought you were dead.” She turned to look at the twins. “Off you go.” She shooed them away and they hurried out the front door.

“How did I get here?” Who had carried her?

“Well-” Aideen wiped the top of the sink she was cleaning dishes in. “After finding out you’re the last living Royal who’s to marry a king, you passed out and it’s been a whole week so honestly I was a few minutes away from digging a grave for you.” Aideen turned to face her. “The tower isn’t a pleasant place to stay at so I just put you here in the twins room.”

“Thank you.” Cerelia said to her. “May I use the washroom?”

“Third door on the left. The twins have left you one of their toothbrushes out, the day you got here because they’ve been excited to tell their friends the queen is sleeping in their bed.” Aideen said, pointing across the sofas and chairs towards the third door. “If you want me to heat some water for you, I can?” She offered.

Cerelia shook her head, excusing herself as she walked to the washroom. It was simple, with a few cosmetic pieces and a few combs placed above the towels that were folded neatly besides the sink. She used the toilet before flushing it and did not look at herself in the mirror as she brushed her teeth.

When she was done, Cerelia left the washroom to find the old witch sitting on the chair, and Aideen watching her from the small kitchen in the same room. The old witch immediately looked up at her.

“Your majesty.” She bowed to Cerelia, who gaped slightly, glancing at Aideen who was frowning at the old witch. “I have come with news.” She looked up at Cerelia again.

The old witch was taller than her by a few inches, her body covered by a large robe. She sat back down again as if her legs were tired. Cerelia looked at Aideen. “May I sit down please?” She asked softly.

Aideen blinked, slightly surprised at the request and nodded her head. Cerelia sat down on a soft plush chair opposite the old witch. “Aideen, have you not given her any gowns to wear?” The witch sighed, pushing her thin braid behind her shoulders.

“Like I told Rosa before she went to get you, Cerelia just woke up.”

“The Queen.” The witch hissed at Aideen. “Use the proper terms.”

“That is not needed.” Cerelia replied. “Cerelia is just fine.” She liked her name, no matter how many times the king had moaned it in her ear. It was one of the only things she had never forgotten.

The witch looked at her and Cerelia saw the scar on her forehead. A small frown appeared on Cerelia’s face. The scar had not been there the first time she had seen the old witch.

“I spoke with the advisor in the castle.” She said sternly, a distant look in her eyes. “The Fae King is ready to meet you for marriage. Emrys said the King does not want war.”

“Do the witches have a castle?” She questioned instead, hoping the old witch did not bring the topic of marriage again.

Sadness appeared on her face. “The tower is the only part of the castle that stands. The Fae have destroyed a lot of our homes, more than we have destroyed theirs.”

She frowned and Aideen spoke. “We managed to destroy their towers as well but they rebuilt them. We have not built them again, because we were unaware a royal lived.” She turned her gaze to the old witch. “The fae defended the castle, waiting for the return of their king, while we sat on our ass, allowing them to destroy our castles.”

“Why do you both hate each other?“Cerelia blurted out.

“She wants both of my sisters’ magic. I refuse to allow them near her.”

The old witch glared at her. “You gave your magic freely. Now you stop us from taking any child’s magic. It is why we are falling.”

“I had no idea how much pain it would cause me.” Aideen’s hand wrapped around the knife. “Touch another kid, and I’ll slice your head off.”

“You show no respect!” The old witch stood up, a glare in her eyes. “To save our lives, I’d sacrifice magic.”

“Well now you have a queen to sacrifice.” Aideen pointed towards Cerelia who had shrunk back into the seat. “Let her be a queen who saves us all. I don’t give a damn but you’re not touching another child.”

The old witch was seething but she turned her gaze away from Aideen who looked as if she would throw the knife at her throat. She looked at Cerelia. “You need to dress like a proper queen. You will be escorted to the Fae castle.”

“I do not wish to go.” Cerelia said. “Please. I can’t marry him.”

“Your crown comes before you.” The old witch walked towards the open door.

Cerelia stood up. “I don’t have a crown!” She raised her voice, her eyes pleading to Aideen to say something but she kept her mouth shut. “I don’t know how to be a queen, please..” She didn’t know the old witch’s name.

The old witch faced her beside the door. “You will stay with the Fae King in the castle. Yesterday, an order had been given to all Fae by him to stop the wars, to welcome a new era. The witches know to follow my word as well.” She spoke, holding no room for argument. “You will spend time with the king, talk about whatever you both did in the realm you wasted five centuries in, until you both are ready to marry in a few months time.”

Cerelia fell to her knees, Aideen gasping as the old witch gaped at her. She lifted her entwined hands up, her head bowed as the silent tears fell. ”Please.” She begged on her knees. “I can not do this.” She was crying.

“A queen never kneels to anyone. That is the first lesson you will learn.” Her voice held no mercy as she walked out of the cottage. Cerelia pressed her palms on the floor in front of her, kneeling down and letting fear worm its way inside of her.

The king would touch her. She didn’t know what marriage meant but she knew sex would follow. He would hurt her body, make her scream in terror.

Her body shuddered at the thought. She couldn’t marry him, couldn’t marry anyone. ”Please.” She cried into her hands, pressing her forehead hard on the ground. “Find someone else.”

“They can’t.” Aideen said softly. “Any imposter will be outed straight away. They’re going to prickle your finger again, to prove you are the true heir.”

Cerelia looked up, her body trembling as she looked at Aiden who looked defeated. “I can’t get married.”

“You have to be a queen, Cerelia.”

“I’m not one though.”

Aideen walked around the stove that she had stood behind and walked towards her slowly. She did not kneel besides her, just stood a few feet away from her. “The witches rely on you. You have to hold your head high, no matter what happens in that castle. You never bow. You never show them any weakness.” Aideen sighed as Cerelia stared at her hands. “We are dying slowly. We have more land than them because witches are fertile, but we have children who are dying because the Fae do not stop attacking, no matter what we do.” Her voice broke a little. “They have shielded their lands, a large barrier around it, to stop whatever harm we can cause. Our barrier, made by drops of magic that is getting less day by day, breaks. I will not let her use any child again, and if I have to send you to the Fae castle, I will.”

They hated her.

Cerelia did not say a word as Aideen continued. “You will be going alone as well.” They were sending her to death when she just started to believe she could have a life. “The Fae King has vowed to protect you from any harm. They are serious about their vows, it’s why Agatha is sending you.”

Cerelia knew Agatha was the older witch with the way Aideen said her name.

“You are sending me to death?” Cerelia said softly, a silent laugh escaping her. “If you truly do not wish me to be part of your realm, tell me. I will return to the Vampires and Wolves.”

She would return to her dungeon rather than get married to male who would have his way with her body. She couldn’t have another face in her mind, another sound in her ears. Not anyone else. No one.

Cerelia forced herself to stand up. She wiped the tears from her face as Aideen looked at her. She kept her back straight, as the king had always wanted her and her head held high as Aideen had suggested. “Thank you for the kindness you have shown me.” Cerelia walked towards the closed door.

Instantly Aideen reached out, wrapping her hand around Cerelia’s wrist, making her flinch. Immediately she let go. “You can’t leave. Emrys is sending a horse and two guards.”

They were sending her to death today.

“You have to wear a gown. You have to get ready.”

“I will do no such thing.” It felt strange to disagree with someone but marriage, it was ridiculous and terrifying. She would take the punishment of disagreement over marriage. Cerelia wrapped her hand around the door handle, opening it, just to come face to face with two robed females. Their faces were covered by the hood of the robe and they outstretched their hands, holding the black fabric to her.

She did not hold it.

“The High Witch says to wear this and to be ready. The Fae have arrived.” A gentle voice spoke from under the hood.

Aideen pushed Cerelia out of the way and immediately the two females parted, letting Aideen shout for her two sisters to get inside now. The twins ran inside, more dirty than they had left and ran straight to their room after waving at Cerelia.

Aideen walked inside just as the other female held out a golden tiara. Black jewels were shining in the light from the sun as she stretched out her hand, waiting for Cerelia to hold it. “She requests you wear this as well.”

Aideen grabbed both the tiara and the black gown before smiling widely and slamming the door shut. She faced Cerelia. “For the sake of your people.” She held out the clothes. “Because knowing Agatha, she will let Emrys drag you out of here and no one will be able to say anything.”

She heard the truth behind Aideen’s voice as she stared at the tiara and the gown. “I do not wish to be a prisoner.” Again.

“Then be someone you would be proud of.” She pressed the clothes into Cerelia’s hands. “Let the Fae King know who you are. Don’t shy away from him.”

She would crumble the moment he touched her.

Cerelia heard the giggling from the doorway and she looked at the two twins who were waving at her again, bowing and falling over each other. They were happy, something she hadn’t been for a while.

“How old are they?” She asked softly, a smile on her face at the twins who giggled again, holding a rose in their hands.

“Ten.” Aideen answered with the same softness. “Agatha was supposed to come and take them last week, the day you fell from the sky. They call you their angel.”

She had been that age when everything had gone wrong in her life. She remembered the words Aideen had said to the old witch. I had no idea how much pain it would cause me. She was fighting for her sisters against the High Witch to make sure they didn’t go through the same pain.

A part of her wished someone had fought for her the way Aideen seemed to be fighting. Cerelia looked down at the clothes. She needed to fight for herself. “I’ll go.” A breath of relief escaped Aideen as she thanked her a million times.

She would not allow the Fae King to touch her body. She would fight for herself, for Aideen, for the children she fought to protect, but mostly for herself.