“Hello?” A voice echoed through the trees. Zoeloft’s eyes darted through the dark night as he tried to locate the disembodied voice.
“I’m so sorry, I loved him too.” Zoeloft felt the comfort of a familiar hand resting on his shoulder. He turned to face the girl who he had only known through his best friend.
“Why are you here?” Zoeloft asked, an expression of utter confusion crossing over his face. The shadows between them lifted as they made eye contact that almost spoke for itself, “It’s Jasper isn’t it? You’re looking for him.”
Just when Zoeloft thought there was nothing keeping him pure, he found this hopefulness as he looked deep into Elise’s eyes. Her eyes told him the story of heartbreak and betrayal, and he knew exactly how she felt. As the night grew colder the two wandered slowly back to the palace, Zoeloft filling Elise in on the mishap that had happened to her fiancé. He knew that Jasper stood in the way of her loving him, so selfishly Zoeloft lied, twisting the truth in his favour.
Elise began to cry, and he gently put his arms around her. Through the tears she choked out, “I’m glad you’re here.” The moment Elise said this, Zoeloft’s heart cracked straight down the center. He felt her tears run down his neck, and he began to wonder if there actually was something left to live for, something for him.
The changes within Zoeloft were not the only changes happening within the palace walls. His relationships with everybody around him grew stronger, as he strove to be the man Elise deserved, as well as the next heir to the throne. Everybody’s illusion of the man Jasper was slowly began to deteriorate as Zoeloft weaseled his way into Jasper’s place. Zoeloft wasn’t nearly as charming or handsome, but knew many tricks that would fool the average eye into believing he could replace Jasper. If the truth was uncovered, it would not all be lies, for it was not the fortune that came with being next in line, but the affection he had for Elise that drove him. Even though Zoeloft had developed a talent for manipulation, it was not this that drew him to the princess. He worked harder than he had ever worked before, all because he cared for Elise and wanted to make something out of himself before seeking her affections.
His mother was finally beginning to recover from the severe illness, and Zoeloft knew that if he could pursue Elise, his family would become royalty, ensuring them a better life. Though many believed Zoeloft’s motives to be questionable, in his heart his love was genuine and pure.
Elise and Zoeloft spent whatever time they could spare with each other. They would ride horses, just as Zoeloft had done with Jasper nearly a year ago. But this friendship was different; the young couple would laugh and stare into each others eyes almost as if to tell the other that there was affection in their hearts. It was kind and pure, close friends falling in love for the very first time.
One day after Zoeloft had finished cleaning the fifth stable for his favourite horse Zimmer, he found Elise leaning against an old fence post. She was smiling, the smile that Zoeloft loved, it was almost as if she knew something that no one else did and would only tell one other person. As he approached her she started to walk away, kicking dandelion heads as she did. Zoeloft adjusted his pace in order to catch up to her.
“I know a secret!” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
“Well, aren’t you going to tell me?” responded Zoeloft, smiling back at her.
“It wouldn’t be a secret then would it!” Elise turned to walk towards an apple tree. She had this way of baffling him, like a cat is baffled by its reflection in a mirror.
“Is there anything I can say that will convince you to tell me?” asked Zoeloft.
“I really doubt it,” responded Elise. She began to twirl the hair by her ear. Zoeloft could not decide whether or not he liked it when she did that. It was so cute, and all he wanted in that moment was her. She turned her head towards the mountains and the wind caught her golden hair. She was wearing a pair of dangly earrings, silver and intertwined like music notes being played together in the most beautiful harmony. Underneath the spiraled silver was a blue sphere, the colour of the ocean. They swayed back and fourth in the wind like chimes being held up by the daintiest breeze. She turned to look into his dark brown eyes.
“What are you thinking?” she asked. In that instance Zoeloft leaned forward and kissed her. It was soft, and gentle, like fireflies lighting up the cool night air.
“Run away with me,” she whispered in his ear, “I want to see the world, I want to travel, experience something else, something that isn’t palace life, something more.” He looked into her blue eyes, she was excited and scared all at the same time.
“Let’s go, tonight.” This was what he had been waiting for, this was the adventure he needed, and Elise was the one person that he wanted to do it with.
They decided to meet by the stables; they would take Zimmer and ride. They would ride until dawn, until they were far enough away that the city’s lights would not find them.
The constant thud of the horses hooves making contact with the ground rang out across the foot hills. Zoeloft was taking his love to the one place that was secure to him, the place to which he had not ventured in over a year. It was their best chance of escape. He knew that in the morning when the princess was not found, there would be search parties scouring throughout the land. They would know it was him.
They reached the lake where Jasper and he had spent so many fond memories. Every moment that they had spent together flashed across his eyes: learning to swim, finding the door; it was all so real, but it was all in the past.
They released Zimmer. “He’ll be alright, he knows his way back,” said Zoeloft. He explained to Elise that at the bottom of the lake a portal which lead to a series of caves.
“Its our best chance of leaving all of this behind,” he said. She was unsure, but knew that she would have to trust him. When they reached the door at the bottom, it began to light up. It was a full moon that night and the white rays bounced off the door revealing the beauty that it held. Woven designs entangled the entire surface of the door, almost signifying a language of its own.
“I’ve never seen these before,” commented Zoeloft.
“It’s beautiful,” replied Elise wonderingly. She was always taken by pretty things. Zoeloft shrugged, it didn’t mean anything to him. He did not care, it was only a door. He heaved and the door loosened.
“Hurry, slip through!” Because of how often Jasper and he had used the portal, they realized that if they tilted it ever so slightly to the right, it was much easier to lift. Zoeloft quickly followed his lover.
The caves were darker and gloomier than Zoeloft had remembered. The air smelled foul and the walls were moist. He remembered when the caves were majestic, when they were more home than his house.
“Take my hand,” he said. He guided Elise through the dark paths of the long forgotten cave. Suddenly Elise let out a scream that pierced through the air like a kettle that has finally boiled.
“Are you alright?” exclaimed Zoeloft. Elise whimpered and looked down at her toes. There under her foot was the skeleton of what appeared to be a man, but Zoeloft could not tell for sure. From this point on, Zoeloft strained his eyes until it hurt so that he could see whatever lay before him. He clutched Elise’s right hand in his left, and in the other he held a long dagger which he had stowed away for personal use. They slowly moved into the large foyer which had adopted similar properties as the outward corridor, with minor differences. The walls were exceedingly darker in the enormous room, and it felt increasingly more humid. Zoeloft turned to Elise with a panicked look on his face.
“Run, Elise, get out of here!” he whispered hoarsely.
“Whats going on? What about you?” Zoeloft pushed her in the direction of the closest opening.
“Follow that cave, it will lead you to an opening by the North Hastemire.”
“No! I can’t leave you!” Zoeloft stared into her eyes, he did not blink or once drop his gaze. Elise saw the fear behind his eyes.
“Go. I will find you.” Zoeloft turned; he could not tell what it was, but sensed something, something evil. He began to make loud noises as he darted through one of his favorite passages. It wound back and forth; he knew it all so well. Whatever is was, was it following him? He couldn’t tell for sure. As he approached the larger opening from yet another cave entrance he could not help but notice the burn marks left upon the walls, the walls which he had sent his beloved down. The very spot where he had pleaded with her to go. A fierce madness drove him to that spot, it was not how it was supposed to be. He stumbled down the charred cave expecting to find the body of the one he loved. He scoured up and down the passage several times. Searching frantically he came up with nothing, not even a lock of hair. Screaming in desperation, he fell to his knees. He cried, the same tears as he had cried when Jasper was ripped away from him.
Under his breath he whispered, “This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.” As the young man wept, his tears fell upon the cold dark earth. There they lay, sparkling up at him with the same glint of light that he remembered seeing in Elise’s eyes. He brushed the dark earth away and reached down to hold one of Elise’s spiral ear rings, the one she was wearing yesterday, with the blue sphere at the bottom. Fiercely, he gripped the piece of jewelry in his hand and in his anger he vowed: to hunt, to hunt whatever stood in his way, to destroy what was strong, to seek out monsters, to crush the savage and fight his darkest fear: dragons.
No comments:
Post a Comment