Annabelle
written 2017-2018, last edit 2019
Part I
It was a tragic night when he came. A little drizzle would hit you like knives, a fog blocking your view at less than 10 feet in front of you. It was dark, one of those nights that you will jump at the first rustle. It was like there was a huge, dark, evil shadow over everything. Pulling creatures from the deepest corners. In the castle all alone was even worse. The paintings would seem possessed, every turn would haunt you. The candle light was a dim, shadowy glow creating monsters creeping on the stone. His highness, Anthony, and her highness, Gwyneth, where just finishing their dinner, when one of the maids came in.
“Your highness, there is a man at the door. Would you like me to bring him in?”
“Yes, thank you. We weren’t expecting anyone, so this should be interesting. Bring him in to have a bit to eat. To have traveled this far, he must be famished.”
As the maid walked away, the king and the queen glanced at each other, curiosity shining in their eyes. They knew that their castle was huge. They had made it that way. They had wanted to intimidate all the tramps and passerbys walking near the castle. They had always wanted to be the best, better than everyone else and stay that way. They knew that they would do anything to keep their power, their position, there place. They would do anything to keep it that way…
They stood up when the hooded man walked in, dripping from the storm outside. Everyone just stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. Finally, king Anothy introduced his wife and himself, and suddenly the world seemed to unpause. All the servants burst into action, all the maids scuringy about to get the mess cleaned up, the cook rushing not to get anything burned, the other helpers setting up a place for this new guest to get settled and sit to eat. The king and queen looked around and were delighted by the sight. When the seat was finally ready, they invited him to sit, but he refused.
“Strange.” The king thought but didn’t comment on it. A hush fell over the room once again, but this time the one to break it was the stranger.
“I come to deliver a prophecy.” He stated, flatly. He pulled down his hood. Flaming blue hair erupted from beneath, catching everyone’s eye. There was a slight gasp in the small crowd that was now watching. He now turned towards the queen. “You shall have a child. That child will be strong, brave and powerful. She will have the power to persuade, she will be kind, generous, and giving. She will overthrow you, taking the kingdom and giving it back to the people. Your time is leaving you, choose wisely what you do with it.” And with that he turned his cape and disappeared.
A few Years Later
Part II
King Anothy came rushing into the room. His wife, Gwyneth, was preparing to have a baby. They all wanted to if it was a boy or a girl, but something in the back of his head said that it was a girl. He had hoped that it would be a boy, to have a strong king running this empire, making them strong, powerful, and feared. He rushed through the doors not, wanting to escape his feelings, escape reality, if just for one second, be pulled into the joy of creating life. He walked over to his beautiful wife, lying in her bed, the maids swarming her. She was a exhausted mess. But he loved her through it all, for she was the one who gave him his power. The one who showed him this position, the one brought him into this world. And he loved her for it.
“Ahhhh! Oh my…..” her voice trailed off as the baby came out. A small, plump face, huge brown eyes, soft, light brown hair, and cherry red lips. Everyone in the room gasped. Gwyneth fainted, but the maids didn’t even twitch. And suddenly Anothy remember why he had knew that it would be a girl.
It had been two months since birth and little Annabelle had already learned how to share, not take stuff, be careful, and walk. She demonstrated kindness, intelligence, and was irritably beautiful. And this was exactly what the king and queen were worried about.
“We have to get her out of here!” the Queen screamed.
“Then she will just come back! We have to find a way to kill her without the people knowing that we were the ones who wanted her dead. We must make it seem like it wasn’t our fault.”
“How!? We need to kill her before the people find out about her!! How do the people already know!?!? I WANT HER DEAD, NOW!!!!!!!”
And with that she stormed out of the room. All she left was the echo of her footsteps. The maids outside the door waited until she had passed them, and then hurried to follow. He knew she was right; their first child had to die. There was no more to be said about it. The only way they could stop a prophecy from coming true was by killing their own blood.
“But how?” He pondered on the subject for what seemed to be eternity. He finally stood up to light a candle, for the night had risen. It was dark and foggy, and eerie silence hanging in the air.
“She shall be dead by morning. I must bring in my wife to share my thoughts.” He knew what he had to do.
“Should I fetch her, My king?” said the servant, passing his room on the way to dinner.
“No, no. I will meet her at dinner. I want everyone to hear what I have to say.” The king paused for a moment, then added, “It’s about the girl.” and with that he went off to prepare himself, for his wife always liked everyone to look very elegant and in place during supper.
The servant Anthony saw earlier came back to his room to escort his king to the dinner hall. They walked down the long hallway, dark pictures, and black side tables. Even though it was almost impossible to notice, this corrupted king had a hideous girl, spreading like wildfire across his face. As they walked into the massive room, the queen flashed a surprised expression across her face, though the king caught it. Now he smiled enough for the whole room to see.
“Sit, sit, and explain to me why your seem to be so delighted this evening.” Now she exquisitely wore a pleased expression on her face, a small smile pulling at her lips. He was glad that their daughter was only two months old and still had to sleep much more than the rest of them, for now she was in bed, sleeping, taking in her last breaths.
After everyone knew the idea he was born from the king, it was set to motion. One servant was picked to carry out the duty, the guards were in their spots and so was everyone else. The king seemed a bit nervous, but maintained a clam, commanding voice, where as the queen kept a composed posture, her chin held high above the rest. She looked like a powerful queen, she looked a ruler, overpowering everyone. He knew this woman, he loved her with his whole heart. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He was proud at his idea, and at how much his wife had enjoyed thinking it over. He was worried about that part, but now it was over and he could breathe a sigh of relief. He walked over to her now, and gently started to stroke her hair. She didn’t even flinch. Her long, raspberry-blond hair matched her deep green eyes perfectly, a swirl of colors, like a piece of art. Her hair was so delicate, so fine, so smooth, so……
“Sir, would this one do?” A small voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see an older man he had never seen before, pushed in front of him.
“Yes, that will do fine. You can go back to your posts, thank you.” his wife was alway aware of everything, never missing a beat. He finally opened his mouth, to agree with her, but they had already left. Now this man stood in front of them slightly bowing, his chin down, fright in his eyes. The queen’s smile broadened.
“You are a very important person in this, you know. You are the key. You must do your job perfectly. And quickly. Are you ready for your mission?”
Part IIV
Finally, he could breathe. He had been holding his breath since the king's and queen's guards brought him into the throne room. He was forced onto his knees, to kneel for the royals. He now replayed the scene in his head, carrying the baby princess in his arms. A branch hooked onto his hood, pulling the cloth back. Blue flames erupt from underneath, letting a sigh escape his gentle lips. He stopped, if only for a moment, to catch his breath, and hope the sweet creature in his arms wouldn't wake. He remembered the night when he was in the castle for the first time, retelling the prophecy the way he had been told. He had stood tall not talking until he must. He had been exploring around to try to see the baby. He had been dressed in ragged clothes, like the ones the servants where wearing to hide himself and to insure his success. When the guards came he had been truly frightened. He couldn't run because that would seem suspicious. And so he just stood there as they approached, unmoving, perhaps trying to blend with his surroundings. He had then been taken to the throne room where the king and queen had been sitting, and knew it was over. He had been caught, and will most likely be executed. But no, instead of showing extreme disappointment and surprise, they maintained their composition, almost pleasure.
"I find one that I think would do nicely." Said the guard holding him.
“Yes, that will do fine. You can go back to your posts, thank you.” The queen's grin broaden, and pushed him deep into a shell he didn't know he had. He tried to keep himself from drowning, but he felt the power draining out from him. He struggled to keep calm in that moment, the stares from around him piercing his skin. He knew that the king and queen were boring their eyes into him. Finally the queen broke the tension, and for once he was grateful for her being there.
“You are a very important person in this, you know. You are the key. You must do your job perfectly. And quickly. Are you ready for your mission?” She had said. A snapping twig pulled him from his thoughts. He was so thankful for this. He could escape from the castle without being caught. He sighed. He had been told before that he had too much weight on his shoulders from the start. He always had something to do, and because he was a prophet, he didn't need sleep to survive. He often laid on the grass and gazed upon the shining stars in the sky. He wished he could be one with them. He would dance in the sky, watching the mundanes run in circles around themselves. Oh, what fun the stars must have. They could laugh and play and sing and dance all night long, and then repeat it over and over and over. He knew that prophets were made of stars, just not entirely. He was immortal, and he had seen a lot in his short life so far. And he knew that this girl he held now was different than others. There was a glow from her he couldn't explain, a radiation emitting from her. He was confused by her, but also amazed. This energy, the strength, this power.... It was something he had never witnessed. He didn't this that his parents had either. And somehow, because of this, he was sure that she would survive, she would thrive, and carry out the task that must be done.
Part IV
Annabelle woke with a satisfied expression on her face. The day before had been exhausting, but fun. They had ran through the woods, through the mess of trees, past the cubs and to the prairie. They had just ate a nice juicy deer, and wanted to have some fun on a full stomach. They went through their normal path, the way they always went when they wanted to feel the wind rushing past them. And she loved it. She couldn't think of anything better than those moments. She now sat up, first awake like always, eager for the next hunt. She looked around, not knowing what else to do, and stood up. She walked to the edge of the little clearing they made, on the edge of the prairie.. She loved watching the sun rise, the colors erupting from the skyline, the the light from the sun chasing away the darkness the had covered her moments before. But most of all, she loved watching the sun force the /elders awake. Their paws moving towards their eyes, to push the glow away. She walked down a bit, to the nearby stream, and washed down her face. She chuckled to herself, knowing that she was the only one who could wash herself off because, well, wolves don't have hands. Or thumbs. Or feet. She stared down at her messy reflection, not knowing who she was anymore. For as long as she could remember, she had lived in the woods, in the wild, in the freedom. But two weeks ago, when the war had broke out, she had seen a woman, like her, in a tight dress, almost afraid of the ground and the mud. Her pack had stayed hidden, in their small den. But something about that girl, something about the way she acted, kept tugging at her. She wasn't so sure about herself anymore. Half of her thought that she should be like her, but the other half thought that she shouldn't. That she should stay free. She whipped her head around and saw a shadowy figure cover her view.
"Ahh!......." Anne sucked in her breath, but only let out an annoyed sigh.
"Get off of me!" She yelled as best she could. "Your crushing me!"
The wolf on top of her seemed to laugh, to giggle, to snicker.
"Arhh! We are going to be late! Move!" she rolled over the other wolf and pushed her aside.
"Says the one who came out here first!" The eyes of the wolf shined with laughter.
It was a tragic night when he came. A little drizzle would hit you like knives, a fog blocking your view at less than 10 feet in front of you. It was dark, one of those nights that you will jump at the first rustle. It was like there was a huge, dark, evil shadow over everything. Pulling creatures from the deepest corners. In the castle all alone was even worse. The paintings would seem possessed, every turn would haunt you. The candle light was a dim, shadowy glow creating monsters creeping on the stone. His highness, Anthony, and her highness, Gwyneth, where just finishing their dinner, when one of the maids came in.
“Your highness, there is a man at the door. Would you like me to bring him in?”
“Yes, thank you. We weren’t expecting anyone, so this should be interesting. Bring him in to have a bit to eat. To have traveled this far, he must be famished.”
As the maid walked away, the king and the queen glanced at each other, curiosity shining in their eyes. They knew that their castle was huge. They had made it that way. They had wanted to intimidate all the tramps and passerbys walking near the castle. They had always wanted to be the best, better than everyone else and stay that way. They knew that they would do anything to keep their power, their position, there place. They would do anything to keep it that way…
They stood up when the hooded man walked in, dripping from the storm outside. Everyone just stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. Finally, king Anothy introduced his wife and himself, and suddenly the world seemed to unpause. All the servants burst into action, all the maids scuringy about to get the mess cleaned up, the cook rushing not to get anything burned, the other helpers setting up a place for this new guest to get settled and sit to eat. The king and queen looked around and were delighted by the sight. When the seat was finally ready, they invited him to sit, but he refused.
“Strange.” The king thought but didn’t comment on it. A hush fell over the room once again, but this time the one to break it was the stranger.
“I come to deliver a prophecy.” He stated, flatly. He pulled down his hood. Flaming blue hair erupted from beneath, catching everyone’s eye. There was a slight gasp in the small crowd that was now watching. He now turned towards the queen. “You shall have a child. That child will be strong, brave and powerful. She will have the power to persuade, she will be kind, generous, and giving. She will overthrow you, taking the kingdom and giving it back to the people. Your time is leaving you, choose wisely what you do with it.” And with that he turned his cape and disappeared.
A few Years Later
Part II
King Anothy came rushing into the room. His wife, Gwyneth, was preparing to have a baby. They all wanted to if it was a boy or a girl, but something in the back of his head said that it was a girl. He had hoped that it would be a boy, to have a strong king running this empire, making them strong, powerful, and feared. He rushed through the doors not, wanting to escape his feelings, escape reality, if just for one second, be pulled into the joy of creating life. He walked over to his beautiful wife, lying in her bed, the maids swarming her. She was a exhausted mess. But he loved her through it all, for she was the one who gave him his power. The one who showed him this position, the one brought him into this world. And he loved her for it.
“Ahhhh! Oh my…..” her voice trailed off as the baby came out. A small, plump face, huge brown eyes, soft, light brown hair, and cherry red lips. Everyone in the room gasped. Gwyneth fainted, but the maids didn’t even twitch. And suddenly Anothy remember why he had knew that it would be a girl.
It had been two months since birth and little Annabelle had already learned how to share, not take stuff, be careful, and walk. She demonstrated kindness, intelligence, and was irritably beautiful. And this was exactly what the king and queen were worried about.
“We have to get her out of here!” the Queen screamed.
“Then she will just come back! We have to find a way to kill her without the people knowing that we were the ones who wanted her dead. We must make it seem like it wasn’t our fault.”
“How!? We need to kill her before the people find out about her!! How do the people already know!?!? I WANT HER DEAD, NOW!!!!!!!”
And with that she stormed out of the room. All she left was the echo of her footsteps. The maids outside the door waited until she had passed them, and then hurried to follow. He knew she was right; their first child had to die. There was no more to be said about it. The only way they could stop a prophecy from coming true was by killing their own blood.
“But how?” He pondered on the subject for what seemed to be eternity. He finally stood up to light a candle, for the night had risen. It was dark and foggy, and eerie silence hanging in the air.
“She shall be dead by morning. I must bring in my wife to share my thoughts.” He knew what he had to do.
“Should I fetch her, My king?” said the servant, passing his room on the way to dinner.
“No, no. I will meet her at dinner. I want everyone to hear what I have to say.” The king paused for a moment, then added, “It’s about the girl.” and with that he went off to prepare himself, for his wife always liked everyone to look very elegant and in place during supper.
The servant Anthony saw earlier came back to his room to escort his king to the dinner hall. They walked down the long hallway, dark pictures, and black side tables. Even though it was almost impossible to notice, this corrupted king had a hideous girl, spreading like wildfire across his face. As they walked into the massive room, the queen flashed a surprised expression across her face, though the king caught it. Now he smiled enough for the whole room to see.
“Sit, sit, and explain to me why your seem to be so delighted this evening.” Now she exquisitely wore a pleased expression on her face, a small smile pulling at her lips. He was glad that their daughter was only two months old and still had to sleep much more than the rest of them, for now she was in bed, sleeping, taking in her last breaths.
After everyone knew the idea he was born from the king, it was set to motion. One servant was picked to carry out the duty, the guards were in their spots and so was everyone else. The king seemed a bit nervous, but maintained a clam, commanding voice, where as the queen kept a composed posture, her chin held high above the rest. She looked like a powerful queen, she looked a ruler, overpowering everyone. He knew this woman, he loved her with his whole heart. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He was proud at his idea, and at how much his wife had enjoyed thinking it over. He was worried about that part, but now it was over and he could breathe a sigh of relief. He walked over to her now, and gently started to stroke her hair. She didn’t even flinch. Her long, raspberry-blond hair matched her deep green eyes perfectly, a swirl of colors, like a piece of art. Her hair was so delicate, so fine, so smooth, so……
“Sir, would this one do?” A small voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see an older man he had never seen before, pushed in front of him.
“Yes, that will do fine. You can go back to your posts, thank you.” his wife was alway aware of everything, never missing a beat. He finally opened his mouth, to agree with her, but they had already left. Now this man stood in front of them slightly bowing, his chin down, fright in his eyes. The queen’s smile broadened.
“You are a very important person in this, you know. You are the key. You must do your job perfectly. And quickly. Are you ready for your mission?”
Part IIV
Finally, he could breathe. He had been holding his breath since the king's and queen's guards brought him into the throne room. He was forced onto his knees, to kneel for the royals. He now replayed the scene in his head, carrying the baby princess in his arms. A branch hooked onto his hood, pulling the cloth back. Blue flames erupt from underneath, letting a sigh escape his gentle lips. He stopped, if only for a moment, to catch his breath, and hope the sweet creature in his arms wouldn't wake. He remembered the night when he was in the castle for the first time, retelling the prophecy the way he had been told. He had stood tall not talking until he must. He had been exploring around to try to see the baby. He had been dressed in ragged clothes, like the ones the servants where wearing to hide himself and to insure his success. When the guards came he had been truly frightened. He couldn't run because that would seem suspicious. And so he just stood there as they approached, unmoving, perhaps trying to blend with his surroundings. He had then been taken to the throne room where the king and queen had been sitting, and knew it was over. He had been caught, and will most likely be executed. But no, instead of showing extreme disappointment and surprise, they maintained their composition, almost pleasure.
"I find one that I think would do nicely." Said the guard holding him.
“Yes, that will do fine. You can go back to your posts, thank you.” The queen's grin broaden, and pushed him deep into a shell he didn't know he had. He tried to keep himself from drowning, but he felt the power draining out from him. He struggled to keep calm in that moment, the stares from around him piercing his skin. He knew that the king and queen were boring their eyes into him. Finally the queen broke the tension, and for once he was grateful for her being there.
“You are a very important person in this, you know. You are the key. You must do your job perfectly. And quickly. Are you ready for your mission?” She had said. A snapping twig pulled him from his thoughts. He was so thankful for this. He could escape from the castle without being caught. He sighed. He had been told before that he had too much weight on his shoulders from the start. He always had something to do, and because he was a prophet, he didn't need sleep to survive. He often laid on the grass and gazed upon the shining stars in the sky. He wished he could be one with them. He would dance in the sky, watching the mundanes run in circles around themselves. Oh, what fun the stars must have. They could laugh and play and sing and dance all night long, and then repeat it over and over and over. He knew that prophets were made of stars, just not entirely. He was immortal, and he had seen a lot in his short life so far. And he knew that this girl he held now was different than others. There was a glow from her he couldn't explain, a radiation emitting from her. He was confused by her, but also amazed. This energy, the strength, this power.... It was something he had never witnessed. He didn't this that his parents had either. And somehow, because of this, he was sure that she would survive, she would thrive, and carry out the task that must be done.
Part IV
Annabelle woke with a satisfied expression on her face. The day before had been exhausting, but fun. They had ran through the woods, through the mess of trees, past the cubs and to the prairie. They had just ate a nice juicy deer, and wanted to have some fun on a full stomach. They went through their normal path, the way they always went when they wanted to feel the wind rushing past them. And she loved it. She couldn't think of anything better than those moments. She now sat up, first awake like always, eager for the next hunt. She looked around, not knowing what else to do, and stood up. She walked to the edge of the little clearing they made, on the edge of the prairie.. She loved watching the sun rise, the colors erupting from the skyline, the the light from the sun chasing away the darkness the had covered her moments before. But most of all, she loved watching the sun force the /elders awake. Their paws moving towards their eyes, to push the glow away. She walked down a bit, to the nearby stream, and washed down her face. She chuckled to herself, knowing that she was the only one who could wash herself off because, well, wolves don't have hands. Or thumbs. Or feet. She stared down at her messy reflection, not knowing who she was anymore. For as long as she could remember, she had lived in the woods, in the wild, in the freedom. But two weeks ago, when the war had broke out, she had seen a woman, like her, in a tight dress, almost afraid of the ground and the mud. Her pack had stayed hidden, in their small den. But something about that girl, something about the way she acted, kept tugging at her. She wasn't so sure about herself anymore. Half of her thought that she should be like her, but the other half thought that she shouldn't. That she should stay free. She whipped her head around and saw a shadowy figure cover her view.
"Ahh!......." Anne sucked in her breath, but only let out an annoyed sigh.
"Get off of me!" She yelled as best she could. "Your crushing me!"
The wolf on top of her seemed to laugh, to giggle, to snicker.
"Arhh! We are going to be late! Move!" she rolled over the other wolf and pushed her aside.
"Says the one who came out here first!" The eyes of the wolf shined with laughter.