Elodie gripped the reins tighter as she passed through a thick forest. She lowered herself so as not to get caught up in the tree branches. The forest was filled with silhouettes of tall and short trees. Owls hooted, announcing their presence in the eerie silence. Twigs snapping from the rapid speed.
Wolves howling in turns from different directions, asserting their dominance. It made her heart pound so hard in her chest, praying they wouldn't cross paths. Fireflies glowing and scattered around like a thousand stars, lost in their dances that whisper tales of centuries.
She finally reached the town, letting out a silent breath of relief. Elodie slowed down the pace so as not to attract the peasants, the farmers, and other people who were currently resting in the comfort of their homes after a long day of labour under a scorching sun.
She rode past the cottages and longhouses. The shops with living quarters above them. The crickets and their likes sang in the silence of the night. She mounted the horse upon reaching a certain familiar manor. The magnificent structure in beige color that houses lord Wilder and his family.
Lord Wilder was amongst the lords of the council of the DorkVille, her father's Kingdom. And as risky as it was for her to find refuge in his home, she had nowhere else to go. She knew nobody else liked his daughter.
She watched her horse for a while and then hugged it around the neck, rubbing it fondly before dropping a lingering kiss on the crown of its head. "Go home, my prince charming. And don't stop anywhere. Go." Elodie chanted some words into its ear. The horse made a sound of understanding exactly what it was told.
"Good boy," she kissed it again before turning and walking away with a grave heart. Wiping her lone tear that had fallen on her cheek. She has been with that horse since she was ten, and today…with so much pain… she had to part with it. Clearly, her horse wasn't a part of her plans. The horse escorted her with its glistening eyes as if it could feel exactly what Elodie was going through… until she was out of sight, it turned and raced back to the castle.
Not using the front door, she went straight to the back of the house. Looking around with alarmed eyes first before moving closer to a particular window and making a soft knock. "Mer!" She whispered-screamed. "Mer, it's me, Elodie. Open up!" She made another knock, biting her lip as she looked around not to get caught. She wasn't planning to return to that hellish castle, ever.
Suddenly, the window slid open. Then an auburn-haired girl, with blue eyes, and a dust of freckles on her cheeks-peeked outside. She frowned at the Princess's sudden appearance. "Elodie?" She wasn't expecting her at all.
"Help me inside first, Meredith. I'll explain everything to you after," she responded, sweating all over. Meredith shut her bedroom window, opened the back door for her, and let her in silently, not to wake anybody up after putting the guards to sleep by using a spell as well.
This was their usual trick whenever they were up to mischief. Meredith learned witchcraft from Elodie. Nobody else knew that Meredith was practicing witchcraft. It has been their secret growing up. Since nobody else is allowed to practice it unless you are a Royal. And the consequences of getting caught doing so were punishable by death.
Meredith's house was large, but she chose to use the lower floor and left the remaining floors to her parents, siblings, and their number of maids. Being the smart first daughter of a very prestigious noble family gave her that power.
"Hush now, don't make any sound," she warned, ushering Elodie inside her bedroom and locking the door. Elodie took off her cloak and hung it on the hook behind the door.
Meredith filled a glass of water and handed it to her. She was evidently worried for her friend. "The rain was heavy today. Could you enlighten me as to why a Princess is out of the palace at this hour of the night? Is everything alright, El?" She was surprised by her sudden visit. Given how hard it rained today.
Elodie emptied the glass in one go and gave it back to her. She then went to sit on Meredith's bed, pulling off her knitted crossover bag and placing it down on her lap.
"I am sorry for barging into your home at this inconvenient moment, but I had no choice." Elodie took a deep breath, "My parents have found me a man to marry me off to," she said in a low voice, her shoulders drooping down.
Meredith frowned, "Isn't that good news? I am certain it is a very suitable candidate, given your good reputation in this Kingdom. But why is the light on your face dimmed?" She thought Elodie would be happy about such news. She was a royal witch Princess who would probably get married to some King or Prince, so why was she so sad about it? If it were her, she would have been over the moon right now.
"You don't understand, Mer, you just don't," Elodie shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. Meredith went to sit beside her, holding both of her hands in hers. "Hey, confide in me. You are yet again not pleased with the man?"
Elodie nodded at her friend's question. "You know, you can't keep turning them down over and over, because your father and brothers are not going to stop either." Meredith coaxed her, giving her a sympathetic face.
Tears slipped from Elodie's now red-rimmed eyes, "I know. Sometimes I wonder if I am truly their own blood or if I was merely picked from a flowing river inside a fruit basket." Elodie uttered, painfully.
Meredith wiped her tears. "Shh…you can't talk like that, El. You are a Princess. And you are well aware that this…is inevitable. Look, what if he is who you have been dreaming of your whole life? What if he is the one you have been waiting for? Your Prince Charming." Meredith suggested, nudging her shoulder with a faint smile on her lips.
For them, marriage was never their own choice. Meredith knew she wasn't an exception since she was a noble lady. Someday, she would also have to go through what Elodie is going through right now. It was hopeless to dream of a heart-chosen man. Prince charming? There was no such thing for them. Her heart tightened at the thought.
"No, Mer, he isn't. I would rather die than marry that beast," she denied with a disgusted look on her face. "Tell me, who is this man this time that you have been so riled up about? A king or a prince? Where did he originate from?" asked Meredith, curiosity eating up her mind.
"Prince Adrian of the Red nation. They want to trade me off to that beast. Can you believe it? They are selling me off to that barbarian, Mer." More tears streamed from her eyes. On the other hand, Meredith was devastated. She retracted her hands and let them fall to her side as she looked across the room with dread. "P-Prince Adrian, you said?" She asked again, unable to believe what she just heard.
"Yes, Mer. I do not want to get married to him. I'd rather die," Elodie repetitively and firmly denied the man. There were seven Kingdoms in total in their realm: DorkVille, being her home, the Red nation, the Ice nation, the High Tower, the Farmer's Garden, the Moon coast, and the Hollow coast. And Elodie was ready to marry any Prince or King from all those Kingdoms, apart from the Red nation's Prince.
Meredith quickly hugged her friend to hide her own emotions from her. Her eyes become bloodshot instantly as she pats Elodie on her back. "Oh, I am deeply sorry, El. I understand why you are not pleased now. Who would want that man?" She uttered bitterly. However, her eyes were telling another story. Different from what her mouth was saying.
Elodie pulled away and held Meredith on the shoulders. "That is why I came to find you. Please help me out, Meredith. Could you please help me?" She desperately asked.
Meredith pushed her hands off her and rose to her feet. "Wh-what could I possibly do to stop this? I have no power to stand against your royal family. If anything, I would lose my head before I even tried to, El." She clenched her hands so tightly that her palms became white.
Elodie wiped away her tears and started searching inside her bag, unaware of what her best friend was thinking. "Of course, you can! Together we can do it. Here, come take a look at this spell," she opened a certain folded chapter.
Meredith quickly returned to see. Her eyes enlarged with a great shock. "The black portal spell? No, no, no, El! You know that it is treason to use that particular dark magic spell. Are you trying to get me killed by your father's hands?" She pushed the book away in fear.
Elodie looked at her friend, and then she suddenly got on her knees, shocking Meredith to the core. "El! What are you doing? Rise at once!" She was supposed to kneel for Elodie and not the other way around. This could be counted as treason as well, the moment it gets out. "Help me. Please help me, Mer." Elodie pleaded with her hands.
With so much worry, Meredith looked around to see if there was any maid around, even by mistake. Being friends with the Princess since childhood came with a lot of benefits for her, but it also carries a lot of risks along the way, and she can't take this risk now.
"Rise first, El, don't do this." She held her hands, trying to get her up, but Elodie wasn't even budging. "I won't, until you promise to help me with this," said Elodie with a determined look. She could not let herself end up with a man who killed his own family to take over the Kingdom. Torture and assault women for fun. Kill anyone who doesn't obey him. Killed his own sister for refusing to get married off to his military general. An epitome of evil. He only needed a wife to finally be throned as the next King of the Red nation. And Elodie refused to be his.
With a shaky breath and a troubled look, Meredith accepted, "Alright, you have my word. Please get up already." She was getting sick to her stomach with every passing second. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Mer.'' She hugged her, and Mer hugged her back. Not believing that she just agreed to break rules with the Princess. The rules that were made even before the two of them were born.
"You left me with no choice," she mumbled in defeat.
"I know, but I have to do this, and in fact, we have to do it as soon as possible. I do not have much time. My family will start hunting for me soon." She was sure her father would turn the Kingdom upside down to find her. And they'll stop at nothing.
"Alright, we will perform it tomorrow because we will wake my family if we perform the ritual now." Meredith paused and pressed Elodie's shoulders to assure her, "For now… let us go to sleep, alright? You trust me, don't you?" Elodie sighed and nodded at her friend's words, "With all my heart, Mer."
A few seconds later, they were both sleeping, with their backs facing each other. Different thoughts fill their heads at the same time.
'I will never marry you, Adrian. Come sun, come rain, NEVER.' Elodie thought as she slowly drifted to sleep. Meredith sat up a few minutes later and looked down at her with utter hate clouding her face.
It was always like this. The Princess gets the best, while she gets the second best. 'Why does she have to get everything? Why? Even Adrian too?' Meredith frowned deeply as she scrutinized her poor sleeping friend without Elodie's knowledge. Her face twisted with darkness, 'I would never let you marry Adrian, El. Ever.'