Blades Entwined

Chapter 1 - Seraphina

The shadows themselves seemed to writhe with malevolence, forming gruesome specters that mirrored the darkness within his soul. Ghostly whispers of past deeds echoed through the nightmare, each haunting memory etching a mark on his conscience. Navigating the twisted corridors of his subconscious, he faced the relentless phantom of his deadliest mission, a specter that sought to ensnare him in an inescapable web of guilt. He felt like someone was caged inside, someone wanted to get free but couldn't. Someone trapped inside the mind and body of someone maybe he didn't want to be.

A blood-curdling scream pierced the air, resonating through the eerie corridors. Such cries were not unfamiliar to me; I often heard them when venturing into the fair, descending into the torture chambers below the castle. Father insisted it was no place for a princess, but my curiosity led me there, nonetheless. The distant scream startled me, akin to the ones I had encountered in the castle's dungeons.

I witnessed a man sprinting toward the source of the cries, a silhouette shrouded in cloaks and shadows that obscured his identity. Was he from my kingdom? Strangely, I felt a connection, as if we had met before. Despite my attempts to discern his features, the cloaks and shadows concealed him entirely. The man, driven by urgency, rushed through a door marked with a black bear paw – the symbol of the notorious Black Bears, the most successful thieves in all the lands.

I recalled tales of the Black Bears and their elusive exploits from the castle servants. Father tried to shield me from such information, but I possessed a knack for uncovering secrets through well-placed bribes. As the man navigated through the office space beyond the door, I tried to

make sense of his purpose. Why would a thief be involved in a rescue mission? Thieves preferred the shadows, maintaining a low profile.

Engrossed in my contemplation, I observed the surroundings within the office. Perhaps he sought someone abducted, though the notion seemed incongruous with his thieving appearance. As the man navigated through the office space beyond the door, I sensed a purpose in his frantic movements. Perhaps he believed someone had been taken, and he sought information from the Black Bears about the captive's identity and where maybe they might be keeping the person he is looking for. Before I could unravel the mystery of the man and who the scream may have belong to, a figure emerged stealthily from behind him. My voice caught in my throat as I attempted to warn him, "Behind you!" Alas, no sound escaped, and the intruder struck the man with the base of a sword, plunging everything into darkness.

v

When the shadows relinquished their grip, I found myself in bed still in my nightgown, the vivid scenes from the dream lingering in my mind.

"Good morning, Princess. Sorry to wake you, but your father wishes to see you" I flinched at the woman's voice reaching me. The servant's announcement about my father's summons barely registered as I wrestled with the disquieting emotions stirred by the dream. The urgency to understand the significance of the man and his mission tugged at the edges of my consciousness.

"Its okay Blair, thank you for letting me know. Tell him I will be down in twenty to visit him." Blair is my personal servant. The one I ask if I need anything or want to go anywhere. Blair is a devoted and nurturing presence in my life unlike my own parents, embodying the essence of a maternal figure. She is not merely a servant but a confidante, someone I turn to for comfort and guidance. Her unwavering loyalty to me stems not just from her role as a servant but from a deep and genuine connection forged over years of service. Blair's loyalty to me is rooted in her own royal lineage, as I am the daughter of King Lucius and Queen Celestia Dawnheart of Sylvanor. I hated her in the beginning because I didn't want a babysitter asking me if I ate today; If I took a bath.