Chapter 2

The Handmaiden was crossing the Princess’ room back and forth, as she tries to convince that marrying Prince Kai isn’t a bad thing. “Marrying your cousin Kai shouldn’t be a bad thing, your highness,” says Lysa. Priscilla buried her face in her pillows. Shaking her head. “Did you not tell me that you wanted to be close with your mother’s family?”

She unburies her face, and looks at her handmaiden with incredulous look, “Yes!” She exclaims, “But, I didn’t say that I want to marry my cousin.” She throws her hands in the air. Annoyed with both herself, and her father. Who never gave her a choice.

“As much as I wanted to help you, Cilla. But I am as helpless as you are. The King will have my head if I intrude with his plan.” Lysa sighed. King Raemond has his way of punishing the people who violate him. He might be a cold and stern King as everyone proclaims him to be. But, he is the kind of King who will carry the deed of his own sentence. That’s why Sandsteel has no Executioner, because he carries it and execute the offender himself. But his hatred for the Witch was notoriously known in the Kingdom. He believes that it was the witch who cursed his wife to death.

Priscilla sighs. As she knows that her handmaiden is telling the truth. King’s word is law. And, any fool who violates it will certainly meet its death. She also knows that she is the only hope of her father and Sandsteel. Her cousin, Ser Harden would be next in line after her. He has a notorious reputation in Sandsteel of his cruelty around peasants and the servants who work for them. That is not the kind of ruler Sandsteel needs.

“Father said I don’t have a choice. Then I guess I will have to do this for my people. After all, not all princesses get to marry the man they love except for my mother.” The princess said.

Lysa flashed her a sympathetic smile. “Perhaps, you’ll learn to love Prince Kai. I heard he’s a handsome prince like his father, King Karequlois.” She giggled as she thought of the Lapornea males. No one could blame her, for the dragon riders were known to have fair skin with silver hair that gleams against the dark. Many people have said that because they were pure blooded celarions they have these attractive features. 

“They all look the same to me.” Priscilla remarks, then her face turned to grin. Lysa looks offended, and playfully pat her on the back.

“Oh. They are not!” Lysa said, defending the Lapornea. Priscilla giggled. 

“You know what I’ll just do what I am destined to do. Fortune might favor me,” she said.

Lysa sighed. For she feels deeply bad for her princess for not having a choice. Just like her, she wasn't given a choice. The moment her father knew that she was more than just a witch. Her abilities aside from witchcraft were the result of her mother’s affair from another man. Her father killed her mother. He mutilated her bodies until his pain would suffice, but it didn’t. It was not enough. He wanted to kill Lysa for her mother’s sins. At the middle of death, something inside of her enrage and ignited. When she opened her eyes, her father was swallowed by the roots of the tree. She shake her head, as if it would make the memories go away. Priscilla yawned, and she looked at the windows. The silver moon was high in the sky giving off the only light, apart from the lampposts whose rays died inches from the dirty tungsten lamps.

“It’s late. You should take a rest, Your highness.” Priscilla said, and was about to rise from the bed when the princess tugs at the hem of her sleeves.

“Can you stay and tell me the story of The Curse of The Fallens,” Priscilla said in a small voice that there was no way Lysa could put her down.

She raised her brows at her, and put her hands crossed over her chest. “Where did you learn about The Fallens?” she asked. Even at the mention of it gives her a shiver.

The princess grinned apologetically. That was enough for Lysa to know that the princess did something she shouldn’t have. “I snuck inside Master Leo’s office, and I saw his Grey book.”

The Grey Book consists of the records of the Dark Ancient Curses of the powerful Celarions. She wonders why Master has a copy of that cursed book. She was sure that it’s forbidden to anyone outside of the Enchanted Academy of the Unseen arts. “I told you to stop sniffing around that old man’s belongings. First Conjuring book, and now the Grey book?” Lysa exclaimed.

“What’s next, the Necromancy Grimoire?” She sounded like her eldest sister, who constantly scolds her younger siblings. Priscilla should be mad that a servant is scolding her, but she isn’t. She considers Lysa as her older sister, and the witch has proved her good intention with the young princess.

“I’m just curious and bored, Lysa. The Maestra Kora has taught me nothing but how to act like a lady for 7 years ever since I got my first blood. My father has refused to let me attend the Enchanted Academy of Unseen Arts, even though he knows himself that I have an ability that needs to be nurtured.”

“I know how you feel and I know what you thought you think you are capable of. But, it’s all in your head. Your father hates magic, do you want him to hate you too?” He already hates me. Priscilla wanted to say. 

Priscilla immediately regretted fussing over her father, and put her hand on top of Lysa’s. She was suddenly pulled back by a place she’s never been. It was an old house. When she turned to look at the window, all she saw was trees. A high pitched woman made her turn, and saw a younger Lysa being pulled by her hair by a man, who was dragging her out of the house. She begs the man to stop, but he wouldn’t. Her clothes shredded and hardly covered her body. Priscilla followed them, and she nearly stumble back when she saw a woman’s mutilated body on the ground. Lysa’s eyes widened, and called the woman ‘Mother’. The man slapped her across the face. She was bound, and on her knees in front of the man who killed her mother.

“Lysa, I will send your head to your fairy father as a token of my vengeance.” the man said and pulled the sword from her mother’s mutilated body. Lysa begged for her life, once she realized that her beggings wouldn’t do her anything. She closed her eyes, ready to meet her death. Something inside her felt the rage. She heard her father screamed in pain, when she opened her eyes. Her warlock father was swallowed by the tree’s roots that deformed his body into a sinister shape.

Priscilla pulled her hand back, and she looked at Lysa with wide eyes. And, Lysa knew that the Princess knew. “I was condemned because of my mother’s sins, and he wants me to suffer for it.” Lysa said in a small voice.

Priscilla was taken a back. Totally hurt. “You knew,” she said in a small voice, “And, yet you wanted me to believe that it was all in my head!”

“I know. Because, I figured you’ll be safe if you’re not aware of your own magic. Did you really think that I would stay here under one roof with a man who hates witches? I stayed because of you.” Lysa sobbed.

“What do you mean?” Priscilla asked in a small voice. Tears were dripping from her eyes.

“The moment someone finds out that you’re a Dreamwalker, your life will be in great danger.”