The Fall Of An Empress - A Spin Off Of The Hit Story, 'The Rise Of The Empress'

Chapter Four - Entanglement

Iris grabbed her staff and thrusted it into the ground, its twisted dark oak base disrupting the soil. Black tendrils - perhaps roots or vines - began to sprout. Ophelia looked down at them almost pitifully.
"Low on magic today? I've got to say - I thought it was an endless supply." She said, with a feigned sense of curiosity.
Iris remained still, staring ahead. The peasant girl, on the other hand, let out a high-pitched squeal of a laugh, rattling the few teeth that she had left.
"Awww, you're cute, partner! And what's this cutie doing here? You got a pony? What's his name? :3".
Frustrated by her naive incompetence, Ophelia ignored her, striding towards Iris with intense purpose.
"I'm done with these games, witch! Answer my que-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the tentacles shot up from the ground, growing in size and simultaneously sprouting twisted thorns from each split branch. They wrapped around Ophelia, the spines tearing into her clothes and gashing at her royal skin. She yelped in pain. The witch's irises began to glisten in triumph. She bore her teeth, perfectly white in stark contrast to those of her partner. Ophelia felt her feet lift from the ground, the vines contracting even tighter as reached higher into the air.
Ophelia cried out in pain, the spikes burrowing further into her sides.

Iris peered up at her victim, her grin widening.
"State thy motivations!" She demanded.
Ophelia struggled, but the thorns only dug deeper into her skin. She refused to submit to the hag's cruel games.
"Struggle as much as thou wish. It will only speed up the process." Iris growled.
Ophelia's eyes widened.
She'd experienced this before....