Snow White
“Let's camp here for the night. It’ll be dark soon and I want an early start in the morning,” I declared.
We found a pleasant clearing out of sight of the main road. I could just detect the sound of running water to the east, either a creek or a spring. Morpheus and Wilhelm followed close behind me, coming to a stop on either side.
“This seems as good a place as any." ... " What do we need to do to help set it up?”
I thought for a second, scanning the foliage around the clearing.
“We will need some wood for a fire, and someone will need to tend to the horses." I turned to face my companions. "Morpheus, can you take care of that while Wilhelm takes care of the horses? I can handle the tent on my own.”
“As you wish. How much do we need?”
“Only enough to last us a few hours. Once we retire to the tent, there will be no need for it.”
“Very well.” Morpheus slid off his horse. “I shall return soon.”
Wilhelm and I also dismounted, keeping hold of the reins.
Morpheus handed his to Wilhelm and nodded once to me before disappearing off into the woods. His form nearly melted into the shadows.
I took a second to loop my reins loosely around a tree branch so my horse could graze but would not be able to wander off.
“Will there be a place in the tent to store the tack?” Wilhelm asked, tying off his horses in a similar manner. This was the first time he and I had been truly alone together, and I could not help but keep my senses open for those swirls of magic.
“We can keep both the horses and the tack in the tent. They may not be overly fond of the experience, but they will be comfortable enough and they will be safe. Rapunzel and I do this often, so our horses are used to it. That should help the others be more comfortable as well.”
“Excellent. These tents sound like brilliantly crafted structures. I would love to study them if that is permitted.”
“I am not sure what you will be able to learn from them, but so long as you take care not to damage anything, I see no harm in it,” I replied.
Slinging a bag off my shoulder I upended it, sending the tent canvas sliding out onto the ground with a dull thud. A silence fell over us as we focused on our tasks. There was the occasional thud of a saddle or other tack being carefully tossed onto the ground, followed by happy nickers and whinnies.
The ambient magic was higher in these woods, likely due to the town half a day's ride away. I found it comforting, but it also made it difficult for me to notice the cool tendrils of magic dancing behind my back. It was a tad sharper than the other times I had felt it, and that made one facet of it a little more obvious.
The magic coming from Wilhelm was not entirely in this reality.
I gave no visible reaction to this, as I knew some things were better left undisturbed. Instead, I focused on my task of assembling the tent. The motions were habitual, though, and did little to distract me from the strange sensation that something was happening behind me.
“An old magic is stirring." The voice came from Wilhelm, but at the same time it came from somewhere else. "Something better left forgotten has been awoken by someone seeking to reclaim a glory that was never theirs, but they believe it to be their birthright.”
I froze briefly, resisting the urge to turn around. Whatever this was did not need to be seen, it needed to be heard. And I would hear it, however long it decided to speak.
“So, one who knows the truth of the book is seeking to bring back the power and glory of the old king,” I stated.
“Either the power or the king itself for near the end the king was one with the power. The possible outcomes remain unknown, for with the right knowledge the book could be twisted into many things.”
“The queen ran away with the book, and neither she nor it were ever seen again,” I said, echoing the familiar story. "It is said she went into a place that none could follow. How could it be found in such a place, much less brought back?”
“Would you rather an answer you already know, or perhaps to gain some insight into yet another mystery? For a part in a whole does not mean it is part of the whole.”
This response stumped me for a second. It seemed to confirm the theory that the pages were being used to either return or recreate the book, but there were still some missing pieces. It is difficult to ask questions of a thing when you are not aware of what you do not know.
“I confess, much of this remains a mystery to me. We are stumbling in the dark, seeking to find and prevent something we do not understand, yet we are committed to preventing the rise of such a power." I drove the stake further into the ground. "The world has flourished since the fall of the old king. It may not be perfect. It certainly is messy. But it is free to grow and evolve, from the kingdoms to the individuals who live within them.”
“You assume the book is planned to be used with ill intent.”
“Even the best of intentions fall short when dealing with a power so old and so unknown,” I explained. “I have seen it happen time and time again where the power overwhelms a person or group of people, and they lose sight of whatever goal they were hoping to attain. Some things are so powerful and so old that even being armed with knowledge is not enough." I adjusted some of the tent fabric, keeping my back to Wilhelm. "I can see no possible way the book could be different, given its history.”
“There is wisdom in your words. Your mentor would be proud. Yet there is still more to the picture that is hidden to you, unseen and unknown. You will need these truths if you hope to succeed in your impossible endeavor.”
My heart sank. I had known since the death of the king that the odds were likely stacked against me, yet hearing it from the one speaking through Wilhelm made the truth hit harder. With all our knowledge, we were barely scraping the surface, and we had started off behind. We could not afford to fall behind even more. We needed an edge, a trick, something to give us a leg up.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Perhaps this is where I would find it.
“I know there are questions you cannot answer and things you cannot say, even though you may wish too. I would not ask you to violate any rules, written or not. So instead I defer to your judgment." I chose my words and tone carefully. "What truths can you share that will assist me in finding the right path moving forward?” My hands were shaking slightly, vibrating in time with the hum of magic rippling through the air. It took effort to remain calm and focused, keeping my eyes locked on the tent in front of me.
Not for the first time I found myself thankful that part of my training included assembling the tent in a variety of high-stress situations. While nothing compared to the conversation I was currently having, I was still able to assemble it without much trouble. The voice behind me was silent for some time and I was beginning to worry that I had said the wrong thing.
A surge of magic caught me off guard, catching my breath in my throat and scrambling my senses.
“The boy born in shadows who is bringing fear upon this world and wrecking ruin upon all who stand in his way.”
A young boy with piercing green eyes and shaggy dark hair clutches a tattered journal to his chest. A flash. The boy is older now, eyes full of pride, journal still in hand. He wants something and he will tear down anything and anyone that gets in his way.
“You will know him when you see him, for he is closer than you think.”
I tried to speak, but it was too late. The strange magic fading as whatever had been speaking through Wilhelm returned to wherever it came from. Still, I did not turn to look. My heart pounded in my chest as I processed those words. The boy's face was firmly ingrained in my mind. It would undoubtedly haunt me for some time. Those eyes. The tattered notebook. My hand went subconsciously to the key in my pocket.
“You will know when the time is right.”
I withdrew my hand, forcing my attention back to my task. Soon the tent was up, and I turned back to see Wilhelm slumped against a tree. I cautiously walked over to him, placing my fingers on his neck. His heart was beating steadily, his breathing deep and rhythmic. Whatever happened no doubt tired him greatly, but aside from that he seemed to be fine. Time would tell if he remembered the incident, though I somehow doubted it.
A rustling in the bushes nearby snapped my attention away from Wilhelm. My daggers were in my hand and ready to throw before I realized it was Morpheus returning with the firewood.
“Is everything alright?” he asked, indicating my tense stance.
“Yes, sorry. You caught me off guard is all." I stood, brushing myself off. "Why don’t you set that down here and get to work getting the fire going? I am going to find that stream and refill our water skins. I was going to ask Wilhelm to do it, but he was more in need of rest than I realized.” It felt weird not telling Morpheus the whole truth, but I was not quite ready to put what was said into words yet. If he sensed that, he did not say anything.
“Certainly. You go take care of whatever you need to take care of, and I’ll stay here and keep an eye on Wilhelm.”
“Thank you,” I said, shooting him a grateful look before disappearing into the woods.
My heart was hammering. My hands were shaking. I could feel sparks of excess energy peeling off me sporadically as the magic reacted to my frantic state. I needed space, and I needed time to calm myself before I could adequately process what exactly just happened.
To say such an encounter was unexpected would be an understatement. I had heard stories of course of beings speaking through Seers supposedly from beyond the Veil, but such a thing had not happened in a generation. The old king’s relentless hunt of any and all who bore the gift made it impossible for some time. Or, at least no one had mentioned such a thing happening in the time since. There was still a lot left unknown when it came to such matters, so, once again, I was stumbling around in the dark hoping the direction I was heading was a good one.
The stream was not hard to find. I found a tree stump within arm’s length of the water and sat on it, not bothering to reach for the water skins yet. I needed a moment.
I buried my face in my hands forcing myself to focus on nothing besides my breathing.
The water trickled happily down the stream, providing a soothing background. The wind whispered through the trees like a soft lullaby, rustling branches and bushes gently as it went. Birds sang. Squirrels tittered. All around me were the sounds and senses of life, completely oblivious to the turmoil in my head.
So, I focused on that, slowly and methodically cataloging the things I sensed while taking deep, slow breaths until my mind was calm and my thoughts were no longer a maelstrom. I knew there would be more challenges to come, more shocking revelations, and I would have to handle them one at a time.
As I plunged my hands into the cool water of the stream and brought it up to splash my face, hoping for further mental clarity, Dina’s words once again echoed through my mind.
"You will know when the time is right."
There had been more to that conversation, I knew, yet it would not be remembered until the time was right. I could feel the time drawing near, but I knew it had not arrived yet. It would be obvious when it did.
But perhaps it was time to look at the key.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I carefully withdrew it from my pocket and, to my surprise, found a scrap of paper wrapped around the handle. I removed the paper and unfurled it.
A child born on the blackest night,
A legacy born of the soul’s last flight.
The sun, the stars, the moon, the sea,
The light, the shadows, and all in between.
Enemies and allies did join the fight,
As the dawn of hope takes flight
A war raged in worlds near and far,
The worlds shall shake as crumbles the star.
Red and white, black as night,
Would be heroes join the fight,
Chasing things they do not know,
Led by one as white as snow.
Red and white, black as night,
Would be heroes join the fight,
For if they fail what must be done,
The darkness will rise and take the sun.
I carefully folded the paper and slid it back into its pocket. I already had plenty to process. I would get to the rest of it later when I had more time to sit with it. Perhaps once I was reunited with Rapunzel and could share my thoughts with her. She would be able to provide insight into the situation. Morpheus would too, but there were things I was not yet ready to explain because I did not quite remember them.
I quickly filled the waterskins and stood, brushing myself off. It would be getting dark soon and I wanted to check on Wilhelm. I also could not get the image of that green-eyed boy out of my mind.
I knew him though I had never met him, because he was as much a part of me as I was of him. He was the secret that had been haunting the back of my mind as long as I could remember.
Something important. Something lost.
Something soon to arrive.
