Darkness, that was all her vulnerable state could sense, feel. Yet there was light all around her, but she paid no heed to the useless tool. She was trapped, by her own father, in this cold, shallow tower. Her father had given her mercy by entrapping her in her room, where there was beauty, warmth, air, but she was numb from all that. She looked past it and only saw the darkness within; this place was there to steal her freedom. Her large, green orbs were filled with betrayal, weakness, and shimmering teardrops, precious to her loved ones. Shilpa lay on her grand bed, defenceless to the darkness all around her, it had been only one day since her beloved father had imprisoned her, but it felt like a million priceless months. She turned her weak, tear stained face towards the large, clear, porthole, that was once known as her window but now it was covered with ruthless, hard wood, entrapping her in this pitiful place. Just streaks of flickering sunlight could be seen, but it wasn't enough, she needed more, she wanted more. Setting upon her weak legs, which she hadn't stood on all day, she made her way towards the porthole. Stroking the rough wood, she sighed closing her eyes, absorbing the rays dawning upon her. Opening her once weak orbs, they suddenly displayed determination, challenge, and power. She was a princess, no she was the princess, she had the power to escape and she would not be ordered. Her body empowered with strength, she made her to her royal dressing table, seeking for her now needed priceless possession. She didn't have the slightest clue of what she was hunting for, but it was not there. She had no choice; she had to break away from this death trap. Striding towards the porthole, she grasped the wicked piece of wood, and pulled, pulled with the mightiest strength she could find in her fragile, petite form. She fell backwards on to her bed, allowing the piece of wood, ripped from the porthole, to echo across the room as it fell on to the floor. She gathered herself once again, to repeat the same action with the last piece, that stood between her freedom.
There, it was done. The sunrays hit her body, layering it with heat, warmth. She could be free now; nothing could stop her from escaping. She opened the secure handle, letting the porthole to fly open, allowing fresh howling sounds of wind enter her tower. She breathed it in slowly, capturing the moment she proved herself worthy of being a princess. She looked below, it was too far, she could not jump it was too risky. What could she possibly do now? The vulnerability started to seep in to her again but she pushed it away. Shilpa opened the door of her wardrobe, and grabbed a heap of clothing, she had instantly laid her eyes on. She got one end of two different clothing and tied them to each other, in a secure, bonding, she continued with this task until the clothing she once had worn, was now a tool for her escape. Tying it to the frame of her bed, she let it drop to the green, ground of the great palace garden. She sighed deeply, inhaling all the strength and power she could receive, and climbed down the rope.
Thud! She had made it, Shilpa thought, a ting of excitement lingering her mind and heart. But there was no time to get lost in her thoughts, they could find her any moment now, she had to run. Somewhere far, where she couldn't be dragged back to this pit. She looked around the earthly area, and saw a huge assemblage of rich trees. There, that is where she would hide for the time being. It was quite a distant from the palace, but she could make it, she had too. She was fortunate to have the tower facing the back of the palace; she could make an easy escape without many watching eyes on her. She lifted up the smooth skirt of her long gown, and ran, ran in to the deepest darkest pit she could ever think of. She imagined it to be her escape route, nai, it was her entry to hell, one that she may regret.
She fell ruggedly on to the rust tree, gasping for breath. She was deep in to the heart of the forest now, no one would find her, she was safe. She settled down against the tree, for some rest, she had being running for quite a while and she was exhausted, for a princess she had never run that far especially not for something like this! She shut her eyes, hoping for some peace, to clear her mind. She opened once again, to catch an eye of a flower, but any flower, her favourite slower, a rose. The reddest, brightest, purest rose she had ever seen. It looked exquisite, as it was highlighted from the dark, damp forest. She felt some kind of invisible force attracting her towards it, she couldn't help herself. She strode up towards the flower, admiring it beauty from near. Closer, closer, she moved, inching nearer to feel it vivid texture on her delicate fingers, expecting it to have the most wonderful feeling. But nai, she was wrong.
Black, crumpled, dying, that was what had become of the florescent blossom when her innocent fingertips touched it.
"What is this?" Shilpa gasped in wonder. How could this be? Blossoms turn to glory at her touch yet this turned in non-existence. This had never happened to her before, she turned her head, analysing the forest, there was something immoral about this place. Very immoral.
She was there. He could feel it, feel it in his wicked soul. She was trapped, he thought sinisterly, but this time in his world. He smiled with triumph, breathing in success. That world which he is the ruler, where he makes the rules. She was in the forbidden forest, his land on that sacred world, the land where no human, no man could enter without turning in to his follower, yet she did, she was his. He had won; no one could stop him now from taking that delicate princess.
"I told you Shashank, you will pay." He muttered. "Your beloved daughter is mine forever."
Karan closed his eyes and spread his long arms out like wings; he looked above and began singing a spell, a spell that would entrap her in to his world, his soul.
Shilpa swirled around in fright, someone was there. "Come forward." She commanded shakily. But then the unexpected happened, no sound of any human was heard, it was the trees. The trees were moving; no they were growing, longer, larger. "What is going on?" she whispered to herself.
A strong breeze brushed past her making her stumble, the trees were swaying in to a dance, increasing, securing her in to this place. She was being caged yet again, no this couldn't be. She ran, as fast as she could to flee from this place, this baleful place. But it was no use, the trees grew thicker slowing her no exit, she was being closed in, in the heart of the forest, where no one would hear her, save her. She was trapped. She dropped to her feet, bawling her pain to the world. But then she heard thunder, wind, she felt them; she looked up making her eyes go wide in fear. The sky was now not on her side.
A shiver ran through the Shashanks spine, something was wrong. "What is it My Lord?" Padma asked him.
"Something is not right." He whispered, lost in his thoughts. He made his way to the window, to find something found in his darkest deepest nightmares, "The sky has changed, it is dark." He gasped. Padma eyes widened in fear, before she could speak, he stormed to the tower, paying it weren't true. The guards stood up, saluting the Lord. "Move out of the way!" he roared to them, opening the door to the tower, with Padma scurrying behind him. He gasped is shock, "She is gone! My daughter is gone! He has taken her!" He looked at his wife, who was about to explode in to tears, "We are doomed."
What would she do now? She had proved herself weak, defenceless, she was a failure as a princess of a God. Could anything else happen to her? As the thought ran through her mind, it happen. The ground started to rumble, no, move. It was shaking, she was shaking, the forest, the skies were shaking. Her orbs widened in realisation'
"Mumma, tell me a story na? I'm bored and I can't go to sleep." Shilpa jumped on to her mother's bed, laying her head on her lap whilst her mother stroked her hair.
"Shilpa beta, you are a princess, a grown up princess now, you don't need to hear these childish stories." Padma said softly.
"But mumma, I like them." She whined cutely. Padma smiled at her angelic daughter, she could never deny her needs.
"Okay, but the story I'm about to tell isn't a fairy tale. It's a dark tale." Shilpa eyes gleamed with excitement, but Padma's were filled with fear and worry.
"Legend has it that there is a God, a God of the Underworld. And he kills humans brutally, has no heart, no soul. Just a dark aura around him, making people flee at his name. Stories say that he stays forever in the Underworld ' his home, but when he is on a mission of evil, he appears on earth creating chaos everywhere. The skies turn evil, dark, the earth starts shaking in fear of the Dark One walking upon it. There will not be peace until his mission is complete."
"But it's just a story, na?" Shilpa asked hopefully. Padma passed a weak smile to her.
"No my child, this legend is true. There is a Dark One, and he will try to destroy all. We can only try and get in his way." Padma looked at the worried look of her daughter, "Shilpa my child. I should warn you, if this day comes, you should run. Run as far as you can before he approaches you. Because if he does, the world will be at an end. My world will be at an end. I cannot afford to lose you, my dear." She had tears in her eyes, thinking of what may be. She could not afford to lose her daughter, her only ray of sun.
"Mumma, I promise nothing will happen." Shilpa reassured softly. But she had a feeling inside, that she wouldn't be able to keep that promise'
"It can't be!" She gasped, returning from her reverie. "He is here."
Written by Zarqa