I am Svetlana Brangomar, daughter of King Leonid Brangomar and step-daughter of Queen Rose Brangomar. I live on the world of Sumeru and the environment of these lands is quite cold that is engulfed with ancient ruins as well as snow-capped areas. The kingdom of Sumeru is called Sineru and it is located far in the mountains of Meru. Sineru is a great city that was built in the stone heart of Meru with a great white tree protruding from its top along with great many other white trees surrounding it that grew from her roots. Within the stone hearts of Sineru lied many boasting small passageways, shops built into rock walls, and cavernous rooms. The city was home to smiths and forges, the largest one could ever see in the world and for good reason. It is very chilly within Sumeru but so cozy and warm within Sineru.
“Mr. Porgie!”, I greeted the huntsman, Georgie Porgie, with a smile like I always did. “There you are, little Snow White!”, he kneeled down and hugged me before he surprised me.
Georgie Porgie was the hired huntsman of my family who often hunted and prepared the ingredients for their food. He also ran his own cafeteria and pastry within Sineru with his own group of the Baker’s Dozen. He wore green attire and even kept his hair green at the top with his green suit covering most of his armor from underneath with the middle exposed that revealed it for all to see. I would be often sent to his cafeteria for free food and drinks paid by my parents.
“Chocolate pudding?!”, I was so excited to take it from him and he laughed while the Brangomar Guard looked on from behind me, they always kept a watchful eye over me.
The Bragomar Guard is modeled after the warriors of Ancient Sparta with cybernetic armor. Their mission is to protect the city’s streets and those who wore the Golden Armor of our Kingdom were those of the Brangomar Royal Guard. They were the ones who watched over me for they were only loyal to the King and answered only to the King himself. They answered to my mother until her death and refuse to answer to Queen Rose unless my father tells them to.
“I’ve also a few visitors who’d like to see you!”, stated Georgie and I wondered what he meant until I saw a figure step forward in a strange red robe with scarlet hair and orange eyes who reminded me deeply off my own step-mother, although she appeared younger and happier.
“So this must be the beautiful Snow White.”, George stood up and walked behind me while I moved back, pressing my back against him. “Oh, I apologize if I frightened you, my child.”, she said before she placed her hand over her chest. “I am Mary Bloodstone.”, she introduced herself.
“This is my companion, Jack’ron Horner, and we come from the Dragonlands, a world from beyond the stars.”, I kept looking into her eyes and I studied her facial expression, and at the time I was inexperienced and was unsure off her but today I could safely say she studied me.
“We come bearing gifts for your mother and father, and you!”, she pointed me at me and turned to face Jack’ron, who then stepped forward and kneeled down with a platter in hand that was covered by a lid, and before we knew it he raised the lid from it to reveal a plum pie.
“T-T-This is…”, the dragonsworn haru seemed to be rather slow, which you didn’t expect from most harpies. “F-f-for you, p-p-princess.”, he kept his head back but held the pie forth for me.
“Jack’ron is quite…”, Mary went to explain only to pause and look around in thought. “Bashful, shy…”, she placed her right hand’s main finger over her lower lip. “He is also very slow, but he means well, princess.”, she explained before she tapped Jack’ron’s head that looked up to her.
“Now, Jack’ron, would you kindly place the pie over the table for the princess?”, she asked and I interrupted. “Is it conjured?”, Jack’ron then turned his head back to my question.
“N-N-No, p-p-princess… Jack’ron loves baking. P-P-Pies t-t-taste sweeter w-w-when we share them.”, he explained and I smiled before I reached out for the platter. “Okay...”, I replied.
“Let’s share the pie!”, I said excitedly and Georgie Porgie chuckled happily as Jack’ron smiled. “I wish we could, little princess, but your father and mother are dying to see us.”, stated Mary.
“As I said, we come bearing gifts for them as well.”, she added. “Is it pie?!”, I asked in my little childhood innocent like tone. “Yes, and we cannot allow it to get it cold. Why don’t you share your pie with Mr. Porgie instead?”, she suggested and I looked up to the huntsman who smiled.
“I’d be happy to.”, he said to me and I smiled. “Huntsman, Princess.”, Mary bowed her head and then she smacked Jack’ron’s forehead, who snapped out of his gaze and bowed his head.
Jack’ron Horner was a haru who had been through so much and who was quite physically fit, who lost his wings and yet seemed to be very loyal to the human sorceress. The unusual duo would then leave and the haru gave me the impression of a servant to a noble woman, and yet she was unusually happy and I often didn’t see that in people. I also wondered why a big creature like him would aid a small creature at her. He would clearly overpower her.
“Mr. Porgie?”, I sat at the table with the huntsman who would then respond. “Mhmm?”, as he held his own knife that he used to cut the pie into several pieces in front of me.
“What are the Dragonlands like?”, I asked and he looked at me, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t know, I’ve never been there. I’ve only heard rumors about it.”, he replied.
“Is it a star?”, I asked. “No, it isn’t, little princess. It is a celestial body.”, said Georgie. “What is a celestial body?”, I asked.” Ugh...”, he was at a loss for words at the moment. “It is a planet.”
“So like Sumeru?”, I asked and he nodded his head. “Yes, like Sumeru, little princess.”, replied the huntsman before the sound of many screaming girls filled the small cafeteria we were within.
The huntsman’s eyes widened and they all charged towards us for they all came to play with me. Georgie got up from his seat and ran away while the girls swamped around the table. They climbed it and took their seat as I laughed while several of them ran towards Georgie, chasing him around the cafeteria while the Golden Guard just stood there in silence, staring at one another. Meanwhile, Mary Bloodstone and Jack’ron Horner walked over to the Imperial Chamber to meet an elfling there that held a carpet bag that she handed over to Mary Bloodstone and she in turn would to hand it to Jack’ron, who looked down at it and rolled his eyes before the trio walked over to the doors of the throne room. The Golden Guard from inside could hear the walking footsteps of the trio before doors of the Imperial Chamber were forced open by the single push of an elven’s claws. The gorgon elf would then walk into the chamber, flanked by Mary and Jack’ron, walking towards the center of the throne room before she would proceed to reach for her scythes while Mary and Jack’ron immediately knelt down in respect. Elina Frostclaw, the gorgon dressed in a blackened robe with a skimp-like silvery armor, would proceed to bow her head and kneel down on both knees, placing her scythes on the ground on opposite sides of her that appeared to be complete submission and respect that made the King and Queen feel very royal, very important, and they were glad.
“Lady Elina Frostclaw, my beloved and I welcome you and yours to the Kingdom of Brangomar with open hearts.”, my father greeted the lady who kept her head down in submission. “We are honored to be here, good King.”, Elina then raised her head and smiled before turning her head to face my step-mother and Rose Brangomar did not like her at all, keeping her eye on the elf.
Leonid Brangomar, my father, is also known as King Brangomar but the title that they usually associated him with is the ‘Golden King’ for the clothing he wore and the army that protected him. My father and mother are collectors of magical objects and it is for this reason the Golden Guard came to be, and it is for this reason his attire came to be. My father wore a black suit with very light pieces of fabric consisting of the majority of his clothing from his left and right side. There was a symbol of a pink heart in the center of his chest surrounded by black lining shaped like a heart with the two buttons of his golden suit serving as lights and cameras of his cybernetic suit. The shoulders of his golden suit were decorated like wings of angels with pieces of gold worn over his forehead and on the sides of his face like decoration along with the small golden piece of armor on his nose. My father was quite the healthy man and took care of himself well, and to many, due to his suit and good nature, he was known as the ‘King of Hearts’.
“And beloved Queen of Roses.”, Elina sounded like she flirted with her that sort of distracted my step-mother a little bit even though she kept her eye on Elina closely. “We come bearing many gifts from beyond the stars.”, Elina then turned her head and smiled towards Jack’ron.
The dragonsworn haru stepped forth only for a few Golden Guard to step forward the closer he came to the King and Queen. However, it didn’t take long even for the slow-minded haru to stop and notice the Golden Guard that had surrounded him and when he looked into their Spartan-like helmets he could not see any eyes but a void that was in their place for they were mere golems or constructs made by man, androids whose body was made off gold.
“It’s a carpet bag?”, the King noticed what Jack’ron was carrying and the haru hugged the bag with his arms while staring fearfully at the guards. “Whatever it is, it is oozing with magical energies. Are you trying to deceive us, Lady Frostclaw?”, the Queen of Roses questioned the Pale Lady who just shook her head before nudging towards the bag.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“You are right, beloved Queen of Roses.”, for a moment the Queen of Roses and the King was convinced that Elina confessed until… “It is magical in nature. However, it is within that your lavish gifts lie in wait. That is…”, Elina looked upward in thought, clearly playfully.
“If you would kindly allow Jack’ron to present it to you, and if not, you not need to worry.”, Elina explained. “We can always bring it back from whence we came, free of charge.”, she was clearly joking around now with the royalty and the King sighed, waving his hand to gesture for the Golden Guard to stand back and allowing the haru to step forward with the bag.
He placed it over the ground, opened the bag and then reached inside of it with his right claw. Suddenly, the haru pulled out a broom that began to dance and move away on its own as he looked on with confusion and Mary Bloodstone smirked while Elina Frostclaw sighed, rolling her eyes. Jack’ron then reached back inside of the bag again and pulled out a spinning wheel that confused him as he looked back to Mary Bloodstone that chuckled. The King and Queen were amazed by the spinning wheel that was tall as a human before Jack’ron just shoved it back inside of the tiny bag and then he rummaged through the bag with his right claw, looking for the object he so desired. He then pulled an umbrella out of the carpet bag that matched the same fabric as the bag itself. He then kept rummaging through the bag as both the King and Queen wondered what the hell they were seeing. He leaned half of his body into the bag and then most of his body until only his legs were sticking out. He was taller and wider than the bag, and yet he was inside of the bag somehow. He then finally pulled back and with both of his claws he held onto a carpet wrapped around an object. The King and Queen waited in expectation before the carpet then suddenly flew forth and swooshed around, stretching itself and flying around. It was then that the Golden Guard stepped forth and the tip of two scythes appeared before the necks of the King and Queen, but did not have the intention to slice through their skin and flesh.
“If I truly wanted to deceive you…”, Elina said before lowering her head between both the King and Queen. “You wouldn’t be dead.”, this confused them both as Elina then swung her scythes backwards as the royalty turned to face her before the magic carpet flew before her.
When the carpet flew by, she had disappeared and the Golden Guard then raised their saw-blades in preparation to face her as she stepped forth from behind the mirror and they looked on in awe before she bowed with her whole body, and Mary Bloodstone just stood there giggling with an evil and playful smile on her face while Jack’ron just stood waiting.
“Death is just too quick. You can’t savor all the…”, she dragged her head over the tip of the frame of the magic mirror in thought. “What is it again, magic mirror, that I cannot savor if death is just too quick?”, she asked the mirror with an obsidian frame with golden lining a question, and the glass in the center of it turned bloody for a moment before an image appeared.
“The little emotions, Lady Frostclaw, that show you who the people are. That is what you savor, gorgon, and that is what you seek in their last moments; the truth.”, the image that appeared was that off a mere reflection of Elina Frostclaw herself and it was her voice that talked back to her.
The Golden King and the Queen of Roses were disturbed by this display, but they nevertheless understood the point that Elina Frostclaw came across. The Queen of Roses was intrigued by the mirror more than the Golden King who leaned forward in thought as the magic carpet flew on the ground over the stone steps just between the throne seats and the mirror itself.
“Magic Mirror, what do you do?”, asked the Golden King and then the image transformed into the Golden King himself, its voice turning to his. “I tell the truth if the right questions are asked, Golden King, and yet the people often ask the wrong questions.”, responded the magic mirror.
“If that is so, Magic Mirror, then tell me about Elina Frostclaw. Who is she, what is she, where does the come from?”, the Golden King asked immediately and Elina nudged her head forth, raising one eyebrow seemingly with a smile and the magic mirror then laughed.
Its image suddenly transformed to that of the image of Elina Frostclaw herself and the mirror took on the voice of the elven gorgon, and Jack’ron leaned his head forth, he wondered what the magic mirror itself would say as did Mary Bloodstone.
“There is much more to be written about Elina Frostclaw and so to determine who and what she is not yet determined. Where she comes from, however, is also quite undetermined for death does not come from this plane of existence but another, a realm of dream and nightmares that connects other worlds. What is it that you truly wish to know about the gorgon though?”, Mary Bloodstone and Jack’ron Horner looked to each other, both surprised about what they just heard as equally as the Golden King and the Queen of Roses are themselves.
“What are her intentions towards the Kingdom of Brangomar?”, asked the Golden King. “Her only intentions lie with you by delivering me to the palm of your hands.”, the mirror replied as it took on the appearance of the Golden King and used his voice once more.
“What do you mean by that, magic mirror?”, asked the Golden King. “Information is power, King of Brangomar, but it is how we use that information that determines who we really are.”, explained the magic mirror and he looked down before observing the mirror yet again.
“So you are here to test our emotions, to test who we truly are through our actions after what we discover from you?”, the image of the Golden King in the mirror bowed its head to confirm. “We appreciate this gift, Lady Frostclaw, but I would rather you take it back for how do we know the mirror tells the truth at all times?”, asked the Golden King and Elina Frostclaw rolled her eyes before leaning over to the side of the mirror.
“Magic mirror, show us Snow White.”, the mirror’s image then turned to white snow falling outside of the walls they lingered in and the Queen of Roses chuckled. “I meant the Golden King’s daughter!”, Elina shouted at the mirror that then showcased a cafeteria where I was.
I was sitting on the table with my friends and cutting the pie in slices that I distributed to all my friends in equal amount while they squabbled for bigger or smaller pieces. I took the smallest piece of pie for myself and my father then realized the true gift of the magic mirror. He could forever use it to watch for me and discover where I was while also learning about his enemies or seeing them with his own eyes even though they were far away.
“Would you still like the mirror to be returned from whence it came, good King, or do you desire to keep it at long last?”, asked the elven gorgon and the human king gazed in thought. “We will keep it.”, the Queen of Roses answered for him and she turned to face him.
“If you fear the mirror so much, we can always place it within Snow White’s room.”, the Queen suggested and the King shook his head. “No, all font of information can be corruptive if not used and utilized properly. We will take it to the trophy room and keep it there until needed.”, the Golden King replied before turning his attention to Elina Frostclaw.
“We thank you for these gifts, Lady Frostclaw, and in return you are welcome to stay for as long as you wish. However, I don’t believe that you’ve come all this way to leave such a powerful gift in our possession only to leave empty handed?”, Elina Frostclaw then turned and faced her scythe towards the glass mirror, its tip touching its center and even the animated object felt fear.
The magic mirror stared at Elina and she looked upon it with a smile on her face, waiting for the mirror to respond and so it would.
“Elina Frostclaw came as a representative of the Black Lotus Tribe that in turn represents the Dragon Empire of the world of the Dragonlands that seek to open a trade with the Kingdom of Brangomar.”, Elina lowered the scythe, observing the mirror very carefully before leaving.
“However, the elven gorgon does not care for what your decision is for all she desired, truly, is to leave me in the palm of your hands.”, Elina walked towards the chamber doors and whistled for Jack’ron to come as he bowed to the King and Queen along with Mary Bloodstone.
They flanked Elina’s side once more and left as the gorgon pulled the chamber doors open before turning around, smiling and bowing her whole body.
“Farewell, Golden King and Queen of Roses, until we meet again.”, she bid them farewell and walked out with her two followers accompanying her out of the throne room.
This left an ominous silence within the throne room for the Golden King and Queen of Roses that were greeted like royalty but when their guests left they did not feel like that anymore. The Golden Guard approached the mirror on both sides and lifted it, carrying it away for them. The Queen stood up, took a few steps down over the carpet and smacked it with her foot as it did not even move. She then whistled and it rose up with her on top of it, levitating in front of the King that stood up for he was worried. The Queen then looked down upon the carpet in wonder as the Golden Guards entered the trophy room, a vast open round room, where the King and Queen kept all their enchanted objects, magical icons, bobbles, and gewgaws. The Golden Guard placed their latest collection in the room before they would leave it be while the Queen of Roses rode the carpet around the throne chamber with the Golden King noticing that the trio had left their bag behind. He approached it, opened it, and looked within only to see a large void before reaching down within it only to pull out a staff with one hand and a hatchet with another. It was then that he saw the dancing broom that kept on dancing in the throne room and sighed for he knew that the trio clearly did not care for what they left behind. He placed the objects down and kept looking inside as he pulled out a sorcerer’s hat, a hook hand, and even unicorn horns. He then wondered what the umbrella was that the trio brought from before and opened it, but nothing happened and the Queen of Roses stopped beside him, staring at him with a smile while on top of the carpet and he handed her the umbrella for he found it to be useless until she levitated up into the air and he laughed for now he knew its magical nature. His golden armor weighed him down but she did not wear such armor to weigh herself down. My mother wore a red corset with her body exposed from above her boobs to her neck where she wore a piece of black clothing matching her black metallic plates that served as her shoulder protective wear with spikes coming out of them and underneath them she wore a dark red fabric that covered half of her red silk sleeves she wore over her arms. She wore an obsidian crown with golden lining in her red hair with four red enchanted roses that bloomed wherever she ventured with spikes protruding from on top her crown. She spotted several tattoos over her face and body. She was known as the Queen of Roses, the Queen of Love, and the Queen of Thorns. My father hopped up on the magic carpet and pointed upward, shouting for the carpet to fetch her and it obeyed. Once he had acquired his beloved Queen, she let go off the umbrella that struck the ceiling like a balloon and remained there as he smiled towards my step-mother and kissed her over the lips.
“Little Snow White!”, Georgie Porgie called. “I hope you are enjoying your pudding and pie.”, he said. “Because now prepare for ice cream!”, he raised two cones and the girls cried out for more sweets as they ran towards him and he laughed while backing away.
I then looked through the window of the cafeteria and saw the trio walk away with Elina herself stopping in her tracks. She turned her head and looked at me with an evil grin on her face before turning to leave in the company of her followers. I always wondered who the strange unusual visitors were and what unusual gifts they brought from beyond the stars…