RMW

Chapter Three

The Evil One

~SV~

Kolo’s Cottage, Night, 677, 25th, October

Princess Sidonia watches as his hands come to his blemished face in sorrow. While scars have never bothered her as she is used to seeing her father’s thinking of his bravery; she sees that this male’s form shudders, as if he is repulsed by the feel. She finishes, “Our friendship is over. Do not ever approach or speak to me.” An odd darkness seems to cover him, it is harder for the Princess to see the male; she debates leaving. A navy fog is coming from his body.

She waits to be sure he heard her. It is too dark for her to notice, realize the danger, or need for her powers. His mist seeps away, Sidonia sees Kolo’s form in a gray toga and beige tunic, she assumes the moon light has come and is just revealing him now. Preferring it when the reclined male, who uttered such vicious things, was not Kolo; she thinks, ‘Even his voice was off, and too high to be Kolo’s.’ Running a hand through his red hair; it now sounds like him as Kolo smugly says, “You like me better this way.”

It is not the response she expected and it seems to be him now. Bravely, Sidonia replies, “I no longer care.” Kolo demands, “Why do you deny me? I have done everything for you.” She insists, “You gave empty promises, while demanding I sneak around, taking all the risks. You are acting like a coward!” The navy fog with blue runes creeps across the floor, making the room darker. Feeling she has said enough, grasping the book within her bag, she walks closer.

Sidonia states, “I no longer need or want your help. Nor anything else from you. Do not contact me-.” Her foot comes down on a bottle; her hands jerk away from the book and her bag to balance. Sidonia’s green mist comes. The Dark Princess’s eyes glow to see her way, it reveals Kolo’s mystical colored fog for the first time; it instantly warns her, ‘He lied about having no powers.’ Moving back, she watches as another fog joins his.

It gives her a chill of foreboding. It is a darker blue fog with dark green rune markings swirling within the mist. The color of the green runes tells her it is a witch; one of the runes also identifies that this mist belongs to a female. Fear has Sidonia rapidly turning, to look behind her for the woman, yet she sees no one. The dark tone of the colors warns her the Witch has vile tendencies. She has never seen a witch with blue mist though, they have green mist and runes.

It is frighteningly curious, yet she just wants to leave. Kolo is too quiet, the dark girl cannot see if he is still reclined on the couch, using her gift again, her eyes glow. Sidonia sees he is there, and decides giving Kolo the book, is a mistake. She gambles on him forgetting she was ever here tonight. The Princess knows it is past time to leave, as she backs toward the doorway. A wave of sinister emotions comes from him. It affects her; suddenly he sits up.

It causes his red curly locks to flutter, and Sidonia to freeze in the middle of the room, not daring to risk his anger. She hears a strange crackling and sees the center of his fog glows blue around his intense black lightning. Fretting, the Princess whispers, “What else has he lied about? The darker blue fog and runes means he is sinister too!” It stings her legs, so she steps backwards away from it.

The dark girl gasps, “You claimed to have no power! Your fog and lightning prove you are a liar. Who is the female? I have not heard of anyone being a witch and a vampire.” She frets, ‘Are these the signs Grekan and the Crows were warning me of? I should have listened to him.’ Kolo shouts, “You cannot get away; your blood tells me where you are.” Sidonia shivers, as he stares past her. The Princess whips her head to the right, expecting to see the female.

No one is there. Realizing, the Princess fears, ‘Even if he forgets, the Witch might tell him I was here, and what I said!’ She is unsure if that is good or bad. Sidonia moves backwards, as Kolo hisses, “You are wicked to have me desiring you!” Stunned as he has never spoke of desiring her. Realizing now she never wanted to hear it; she is unhappy he expressed his feelings, as she does not want him. Kolo just laughs, “Foolishly, you believe I cannot bring you.”

He gloats, “I can call you to me anytime and anywhere I choose.” She silently steps back, it causes his spittle to fly, “You are so ungrateful. Shall I remind you what I did for you? I killed your worthless husband so you would not have to sneak out and we could be alone together!” His delusions are disgusting. It also frightens the dark girl, causing her to wish she never came. She fumes, ‘I should have just written a sterner letter.’ His mocking laugh is haunting.

Kolo says, “I nearly poisoned the lucky brat too.” Horrified, Sidonia reassures herself, ‘His drugs are causing a hallucination or a nightmare. He did not kill anyone, nor does he wish to harm me.’ Kolo’s voice breaks with emotion, “Do you appreciate that I bought your house?” Sidonia looks around her at the thick dusty cobwebs and nearly laughs at the idea of ever living here while leaving it this dirty. He brags, “I even kept everything just the way you had it.”

Hurt, Kolo says, “However, you have not once mentioned my kind act, nor thanked me for any of it!” No matter how much the Dark Princess denies it, she no longer believes this is a drug-induced dream, and Kolo’s feelings for his lover are a betrayal, after all he had expected of her; it stings. Regardless of his anger, Sidonia gasps, “Her poor child and dead husband. Who is your strumpet?” What he does next proves how wrong she is, about everything.

Kolo’s eyes darken, his veins show below his eyes and on his neck as he holds out his hands; blue flames suddenly come up off his palms. She is shocked and fears fainting. Kolo asks, “See my power? Still, you do not care for me.” Sidonia faces his fiery threat, as Kolo screams, “I will make you!” She believes he is a coward, who is unable to face her as he kills her; so she refuses to give him her back, by running. Kolo throws the flames in two twenty-five-foot streams.

Sidonia feels the heat against her skin, he turns at the last second. Kolo’s fire hits the chair Sidonia had nearly sat in, bursting it apart. It cripples the dark girl with terror. The Princess nearly faints as she stares at the burning pieces. Frozen in awe of his frightening power; the dark girl is also stunned that he successfully hid his abilities. Sidonia’s shocked mind questions, ‘Why did he? Kolo is a masterful deceiver who must have much more hidden.’

‘Who fakes weakness, when they have such power, and why would he do that? Most claim to be stronger than they really are!’ It is all mystifying, Sidonia whispers, “Why did he lie?” She expects Kolo to ignite into a blaze at any moment. Sidonia then questions, ‘What if he lied, so I would not fear him?’ She watches his flames go out and as the smoke clears, she is disappointed that he remains unharmed. The dark girl cannot help speaking her disbelief.

She gasps, “Fire is one of the few things that will kill vampires. How do you have this gift and still live?” Petrified, she starts to be aware that something about this is hauntingly familiar, ‘Is it that his comments are similar to some old memories?’ Yet she remains too frightened to recollect why. He sneers, “All those years I came here to your Craftroom, claiming to need career help.” The burning chair’s blue glow makes his sly smile seem ghoulish.

Kolo says, “You knew it was just so you can sit with me, and hold my hand, as you gazed into my eyes longingly. Your husband was suspicious, refusing to watch your son, so you were not alone with me. Doing your visions and your advice, while useful… it was just a cover.” It bothers Sidonia to hear that the strumpet also has her oracle power. She seethes, “Who is she?” He is silent, she states, “I never married nor lived here.” He collapses to the couch.

She curses, “Who are you talking to; no one because you killed your dirty strumpet?” The Dark Princess taunts, “Is that tarnished chair your Ghost Tart’s favorite seat?” He says nothing causing Sidonia to hiss, “Sure as Nifl is not hot, that ragged chair is not mine!” She sees he remains silent and still. Groaning with self-loathing, Sidonia turns to leave and now mocks herself, “Who am I talking to?” Walking away, the dark girl seethes, “I was wrong.”

The Princess fumes, “You are… evil!” An explosion stops her, as it lights the room, with a haunting blue glow, she whips around to see that the logs in the hearth are ablaze, and Kolo’s hands are smoldering. She is scared stiff, as he threatens, “I am not done, yet!” Sidonia turns in disbelief, and leaves anyway. The dark girl does not make it more than two steps when suddenly he blocks her path, causing her to gasp and come out of her stunned state.

Kolo mocks as he grabs her face, not letting her look away, “Oh you remember! I asked you to marry me on that porch.” He points east, turning her face toward the front of the home. Sidonia trembles as he adds, “You could have said no. Or even said you had no interest in me.” The evil Vampire looms over her, his veins become visible, as his eyes darken; Sidonia is horrified, by this dark unfamiliar look to him. Spitting, Kolo threatens, “Now it is too late.”

Still the Princess also feels sorrow for this woman he speaks of, as he continues, “Instead, you asked me to respect your need to mourn your dead husband.” She gasps; Kolo hisses, “Like a fool, I waited a year!” Releasing her face, he grabs her arm, as she scoffs, “You lied, you have powers! Your betrayal with the strumpet sounds too real, to be drug-induced. Why pursue me? I am done with you; do not ever approach me again!” She is now furious with herself.

How can she act jealous of anyone Kolo loves, when she never cared for him that way? She should only feel pity for them and relief that it is not her. Sidonia groans realizing, she had always hoped he would change, so she could fall in love. The girl huffs, “I admit; when you said, I am pretty, you succeeded in flattering me.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Choking, the Dark Princess cringes at her own shallowness, “Clearly, you lied when you said the ‘incredible beauty of my kindness and sweet soul’ drew you to me. It did what you wanted, I desired to hear more. It was pleasing. As if I were an orphan, starved for attention, I felt obligated for you showing me kindness. I even accepted your proposal, ignoring my own instincts, to stay away.”

She fumes more at herself than him, “I agreed to look for the book, just to have a reason to know you better. First you just wished to learn if the book actually exists. Your kindness was soon replaced with an obsession for the book, as next, I am to bring it so you can simply have the pleasure of seeing it. Then it became insults for having not found it. After I broke things off, you claimed it was for me. In hopes it tells you how to keep me from dying when-.”

Sidonia huffs, “-I am of age to turn. I no longer believe you lack the power to transform anyone, as clearly you lied about having none! I do not even believe I will die and fail to turn, just because I am a half-blood. You offered empty praises and lies, just so I would steal Father’s book. I am certain you want it… to help yourself! Insisting I come here in secret, because you are afraid of my father.”

The Princess scoffs, “You should be! Choosing to avoid his approval, because your intentions are not honorable. How dare you insist I promise to marry you, once I turn? Why demand such a thing, when you are clearly in love with a Ghost Hussy!” Sidonia tries to pull away, failing. The evil Vampire has not listened; his fangs lower, as he mocks, “Shall we talk of your conniving ways?”

Her eyes go wide as he hisses, “While mourning, did you turn to me for comfort? After, did you come to me? No, you left me to go stay with him!” It is doing no good to reason with his lunacy, now she fears he will take out his hatred for the missing strumpet on her. Kolo falls to the floor, before she can run, his hands grasp her ankles like irons. She attempts to stay angry to keep from crying.

His phase recedes, Kolo is more human, as he sobs, “How can you leave me, I need you so much.” Kolo releases her, blurs to stand with great speed, which he never revealed before. Grabbing her arms, Sidonia knows the danger she is in, Kolo phases into a vampire shaking her, as he shouts, “You left me to live at the bloody Castle with Anthony!” Sobbing, he returns to a human look; it mutes her whispers, “Your Tart is alive, living in our Castle, with Father?”

The dazed Princess asks, “Which castle?” Suddenly he whirls around the room throwing the small statues, shattering them against the walls, as he yells, “I hope this hurts you!” He blurs behind her, breathing down her neck. Remembering her bag is under her cape, she brings it in front of her under her cloak and attempts a reducing spell. Trying to bring her mist, she cannot see it and just hopes it is working. Drawing a rune mark on the bag, with her mist and finger, she thinks, ‘Reduce the size of this bookbag to fit within my hand.’

It remains the same size. Kolo whispers, “Your girl’s gift of my necklace allowed me to drink your blood.” She cringes and attempts the spell again, it still fails. Kolo laughs loudly, “I can command you at any time, yet I resist.” Now he sighs with longing, “I just want you to care because you desire me. That is how much I love you!” Sidonia only half hears, fearing he will guess she brought her father’s Blood Warrior book, if he bumps into her cloak.

He sniffs, “You went to him, even after I revealed I was told that Anthony is my father?” Almost gagging, Sidonia gasps, “No!” Knowing she is helpless to keep him from taking the book; she attempts the reducing spell once more. Kolo hisses, “You requested a vision for me; and insisted it told you Anthony is not my father. How can I believe you, when you led me on?” The reducing spell is one of only a few incantations that Sidonia has perfected.

Yet, she failed three times. The Princess forces herself to realize the mistake of ever finding the book. She is sickened at what Kolo intends to do with all her father wrote in it, and bites back her screams. Tearing up at his deceit; the young Witch trembles seeing her bright green mist is finally seeping out from under her cloak. She fears Kolo seeing it; yet risks it, breathing deep Sidonia whispers, “Be brave, I can do this.” Shaking the Witch makes a fourth attempt.

Using her mist to draw the rune mark upon her bookbag, suddenly, it is gone and she fears she may have dropped it. Trying to have faith that it is there, she puts her hand upon her arm, whispering her concealment spell, “Become the image of the Guardian.” Sidonia is suddenly no longer worried. She has a wicked grin, as the dark girl now senses the book, and knows the bag is hidden on her arm as a tattoo. The dark girl is weakened and near collapsing when finished.

Kolo keeps her from falling as he grabs the front of her cape; he flips the cloak over her shoulders. Grasping her waist as ‘The Evil One’ holds her tight against him, her worst fears are making her faint. He darkly whispers, “You always hide yourself, as if you are modest, when we both know you are a seductive dirty little tart.” The girl is terrified at what he might do, distracting herself she whispers, “There has to be other castles with a different Anthony!”

She scoffs, “Even dozens. It might just be his madness!” His curls move when there is no breeze, and Sidonia gasps, feeling hers move too. All Kolo has said still spins in her head; she scoffs, “How could you wish to marry me if you ever believed I am your half-sister?” Sidonia wants to retch. Needing to stay in control, the dark girl whispers, “Father would never abandon a child, it is simply someone else. It is caused by his drugs, and he is just delusional.”

Princess Sidonia Vlasac gasps, “It is a different Anthony, or it is just a lie. You claimed you are older than Father is; how can you think he is your father if he is younger? Which is the lie? Both?” As if Kolo hears, he sobs, “How can I keep your love when the mighty High Lord of us all, your beloved King Anthony Vlasac, at Blackstone Castle courts you!” Sidonia cries, “Who is Father courting?” It is muffled by his sob, “How can I compare?”

As hurtful as these horrid things are, the dark girl tells herself she is better off learning the truth. Best of all he has revealed himself to be a liar, before she gave him the book. She knows he can never get her to stay with him now. She backs away, stopping as Kolo drops down in front of her and grasps her knees. Kolo cries out as he pleads, “Oh my dearest love, you know how much I care for you.”

For the third time tonight, her head spins when Kolo passionately vows, “It has burned in my chest and mind all these years. I will do anything for you. Please, my sweet Samala, I will give you everything if you will just love me!” Kolo uttering her kidnapped mother’s name startles Princess Sidonia to where it is impossible to speak. Sidonia’s eyes dart around, peering into the dark shadows, and into each corner looking for Samala.

All she sees is his un-kept room, filled with old cobwebs; even the spiders no longer make it their home. Hoping the dark girl pleads with Fate that her kidnapped mother is somehow here and she can save her. Slowly, Sidonia stunned mind becomes aware, “You said your lover did visions for you here, is this mother’s previous home? How is this possible?” Kolo just sobs against her legs.

She asks, “Is all you said true? Is Samala here?” Kolo cries, “I cannot let you leave me.” His comments are familiar as they were stories, told by her older half-brother Rorik. She gasps, “You poisoned the pie killing Gustav Tricker! Rorik would have died too, if his pa allowed him any!” In disbelief she mumbles, “You must have heard mum hated that flavor of pie?” The next horror hits the dark girl, as she knows, ‘Samala’s mind is gone.’

Sidonia believes, ‘In her crazed state, mum is more likely to kill me, than let me save her.’ Fearfully she looks into the shadows again, as she tries harder to pull her legs from Kolo’s grip. Cautiously, she prepares herself as she looks to the left. It is then that she wakes to the new fact in this avalanche of horrors, as she gasps, “If you knew Samala, if you were in love with my mother… did you take her?” Fear stops her from crying, “Are you… the one?”

Kolo’s sobs keep him from hearing her. Certain he is the January Man, Sidonia falls backwards, in her attempt to flee him. Kolo releases her, blurs to stand, and grabs Sidonia by her waist, before she hits the floor. His brown eyes pierce hers. Bravely, she locks her gaze with his; now seeing his left iris is black. It brings the memory of Kolo always wearing a lock dangling over his left eye, and she had often wondered how he could stand it.

She now believes it is because of him having no sight in his left eye. Kolo’s head tilts in; she turns away, causing him to just kiss her cheek. He huffs, “You still deny me!” Suddenly he twirls her around the room, as he laughs sinisterly. Kolo unexpectedly leaves her facing the west wall near the hall, as he goes for another drink. There in this darkened room, with only the fading blue fire to light the shadows, Sidonia sees the crazed green eyes of Queen Samala.

The dark girl stands before her Mother, who vowed and tried to kill her twice. She gasps in shock, “Mum?” Kolo fails to notice, as Sidonia is haunted and stares at the unmoving specter of her mother. As far as Princess Sidonia can recall, it has been over seven years since she last saw Samala. Slowly, Sidonia’s hand comes up, as she says in dismay, “Have you forgiven me?” The dark girl fights her tears, “To be hated so much by my own mum-.”

Blinking she sees Samala is mockingly copying her, as her mum’s hand is at her mouth, also. Now it drops with hers. She groans, with momentary relief, as well as disappointment. Sidonia is standing before a long mirror, within the cloak stand. On prior visits, his cloak hung there hiding the mirror, so she did not realize nor ever see her image in it. Noticing now how much her own reflection resembles her mother’s, “How did I fail to notice this before?”

She makes out her own purple cloak and lavender tunic with silver rope around it, in the mirror. If the room were brighter, she would have notice they were in the same clothing sooner. And Samala had only worn white trimmed with slight color, and gold, to match her gold jewelry. Sidonia sees she is fated to mirror her mum’s looks and fears it will also be her mother’s dark deeds; causing her to feel Samala controls and possesses her.

The premonition the Oracle had outside the cottage comes again. Sidonia feels the captivity, as she tries to slide the stone lid. She cannot open it, and is trapped in the dark. Gasping in horror, she fears the January Man is entombing her alive. As the lid begins to open, she feels relief until Kolo’s head comes into view, peering down at her. His red curls move, as dark blue mist glows in his eyes and his veins become visible. He grins, showing his sharp teeth and his lowering canine fangs; she realizes, ‘He really is evil!’

Kolo gloats, “I told you that I would never let you go and here you are, part of my collection, so I can enjoy you whenever I want.” He starts to slide the lid closed, the sound of the stone lid scraping against the stone base, makes her scream out in terror. Just before shutting her in, he says, “You will decide I am right when I wake you, and you will beg to be with me.” Now darkness and stone are all around her, she tries again to open the lid yet cannot.

The Oracle comes out of her vision and whimpers, “What if Mother tricked me into being involved with Kolo, and now I am doomed to be taken by the January Man as well! Is it her mist I saw, is she here planning to kill me?” Kolo wanders to the couch as if he is a lost child, and drops to lay on it. Sidonia steps backwards, getting nearly to the doorway and hall; suddenly Kolo sits up, she freezes in place. She dares not even breathe.

He grabs a bottle off the floor and takes another drink. Kolo drops it and his head hits the couch. Sidonia hisses, “All that time attempting to find the January Man; how is it that Mother did not recognize who you were!” Trying to walk, she cannot move. She is doomed if she stays in this house of horrors. Another tear drops.

She fears, “I am involved with the January Man, just as Mother claimed I would be. Did I help you take her? Or is she helping you to take me?” Feeling dazed and confused, as if she is the one who smoked the opium, she fumes, ‘Cry later! Rein in my fears, or I will never escape him. Focus on his lies!’ A surge of anger-filled adrenaline gets her legs moving out of their frozen state.

The Dark Princess vows, ‘I will never give in to ‘the Evil One’, even if I have to crawl out of here!’ Kolo sees her go and cries, “Samala, do not leave me again!” He throws himself to the floor as he kicks and cries; Sidonia is not too terrified to be darkly amused at his tantrum. He sobs, as Sidonia rushes down the hall.

~RMW~