Poisoned Magnolias

Looking out my window all I saw were black banners, black staff uniforms, and uniformed knights with mourning expressions. Of course they’d be wearing such faces; today we’re having a sending off for Lestat and Dreng, a funeral with no bodies. Just painful memories. Letting out a breath a knock came from my door, “Go away.” I called when I heard it click and open, “I said go away.”

“I’m sorry I heard come in and ruin my pity party,” a sarcastic voice said and I turned around to see my longtime rival, Clive or the Duke of Calamine as the commoners know him. He walked in and shut the door before leaning on it, “The precession to the Guardian Catacombs will begin any minute now.” I scowled at him, “stop avoiding this and go down there so we can get started. You staying up here and putting off the ceremony isn’t helping anyone.”

“It’s helping me,” I crossed my arms leaning against the window; “I don’t want to go down to that bloody place.”

“Just get over it”

“It?!” I snapped, “That it happens to be the death of my best friend dammit!” I lashed out and swiped at a random object that turned out to be a bust. It fell and shattered on the floor not fazing Clive one bit.

Clive watched me as I started lashing out at other objects, a vase, a pile of books, and a few small stoles. Breathing heavily in the middle of my mess I heard him sigh, “Are you done yet? Or should I call for someone to bring the castle treasures for you to destroy?” I said nothing while facing away from him. There was no response from him when I heard something crack and then I was turned around, “Listen I understand he was your friend and all but you need to remember that wasn’t all he was. Lestat and Dreng were warriors, and precious sons, and my comrades on the battlefield so stop being selfish and get you pansy ass down stairs.” He pushed me back making me lose footing and fall on my bum, “Orcus, Avice, and Wulf have to say goodbye to their children.” And with a stern look he left the room.

Slowly I got to my feet and looked out the window spotting Orcus, his wife Avice, and Wulf clad in black bowing in front of my parents. If only Lestat didn’t leave… I shook my head to dismiss the thought. It wouldn’t have mattered there was no stopping him when it came to pointless matters like duty. I don’t care at all about my duties, but when it came to a knight’s duty Lestat knew what had to be done and how it should be done. There was never any hesitation in him when it came to leaving me for the battle field.

Sometimes I wonder if I was just a prince to him. Just the Prince of Seaver and nothing else, because he sure was not just a knight to me, he wasn’t just my best friend, he was so much more. And now he’ll never know.

Moving from the window I walked out of the room and found Clive resting against the adjacent wall, “Are you done whining?”

I brushed his comment off as I closed the door behind me, “Let’s go.”



I sat in the carriage with my family as another black carriage traveled behind us with Orcus and the others. Looking out the window I watched as we went into the forest that I had got lost in a few nights ago. Yet this time it was different. The forest did not feel as threatening as it did before as it now seemed serene. Leaning back I looked at my mother who looked ready to break at any moment, but refused to.

“Why are the Guardian Catacombs out here?” Cinnia asked looking past Clive out the window. “Surrounded in the darkness and density of the forest. It feels like your casting away a soul not honoring it.”

My father looked at her sternly, “hold your tongue,” he snapped. “There are beings out there that might not like your words.” With that we remained silent for the rest of the ride that seemed like hours. The carriage bumped against the ground until it came to an abrupt halt. From within the carriage one could hear how restless the horses were becoming when the door opened. The coachman nodded as my mother and father made their way off followed by me, Cinnia, and Clive. Stepping out was like taking foot onto a completely different land. Everywhere you turned it seemed as if the very earth was alive. I can’t describe it, but I could tell Clive and Cinnia noticed it.

“What is this?” Clive asked referring to what we’re feeling.

“It’s the souls,” I jumped at the voice that came from right behind me. Scrambling next to Cinnia I saw a woman standing right where I was. She looked young probably around my age, had long brown almost black hair, ratty looking clothes, and a fabric wrapped over her eyes… a young blind woman? “Something wrong your highness?” she tilted her head as she questioned me. Her actions were almost like she could see me where I stand.

“Lumina,” I heard my father say but she remained facing me, “will you…” he gestured to the path in front of us and she nodded. Without a word she began walking forward with my parents, Lestat’s parents, and Wulf following her. I gave Cinnia and Clive a weird look and they shrugged before we started following the adults. A few of Dreng and Lestat’s guards followed us as we walked down a path that ended at a large lake. Feeling nervous I moved slightly behind Cinnia, cowardly I know, but after what happened a few nights ago I’m a little spooked to be around water.

Cinnia noticed my uneasiness and gave me a confused look to which I gave her a reassuring fake smile. “Now if everyone will so kind as to face the water,” the blind woman said holding a large staff… where did that come from? She spoke some words I couldn’t follow and then tapped the water with the end of the staff. The ripples in the water began to glow as the earth shook and the lake began caving in making water spill over its new found edges. I don’t know when but at some point Cinnia latched herself onto my arm. Clive and I stared at the ground as it shaped itself into descending steps to an underground cavern. “Right this way,” she said and I swear I could hear a smile in her voice before she descended into the now open lake. Hesitantly I trudged forward and walked down the steps with Cinnia holding tightly on my arm. It almost felt like she was trying to tear it off.

“Cinnia,” I hissed before feeling the scenery take my breath away. Lime stone walls glistened under the lake while water spilled over head from the now floating lake above us. Fish swam over head like birds in the sky as we finally made our way to the bottom of cavern. “Can you believe this?” I said to no one in particular. Patches of grass on the ground were scattered in different directions like paths crisscrossing each other while leaving spaces for tiny pools where water leaked in from above, “Is this the Guardian Catacombs?”

“Why yes my Prince,” The blind woman said as she knelt down touching a pool of water, “every man that served this kingdom is now resting in this place.” The pool glowed in a green lighting before the water shot up creating a liquid pillar, “each pool of water is a pillar, each pillar contains a warrior’s soul, and each soul sleeps down here as well as nourished the outside above us.” She moved to stand back up when a hand reached out from the water pillar helping her to her footing, “Why thank you.” She smiled as the hand disappeared back into the water.

“W-Was Th-h-hat a soul?” Cinnia stuttered clearly frighten. I have a feeling seeing a soul hand would have scared me if it wasn’t for the water nymph incident. I guess that means I’m more afraid of magical beauties than the souls of dead men… I don’t know how I should feel about that.

“This man is such a gentleman,” the woman cooed before turning to face everyone, “right then,” she clamp her hands together and all the pools shot up one by one into massive pillars. “Now every one of these men will know who you are and what sacrifices you made,” she held out a hand, “do you have the objects?” Avice and Wulf nodded. “Good,” she pointed to the left, “right this way,” she began walking down the green path of floating grass with her staff in hand.

With each passing pillar Clive and I watched as water would jump over us creating a liquid arch with the next pillar. “I wonder why it does that.”

“Really? You’re still questioning things after all this so far?” I whispered back and he shrugged.

“I’m a curious fellow,” he defended himself while I let out a sigh. Passing by a pillar I saw something move out of the corner of my eye causing me to stop. What was that? Cinnia tugged on me to keep moving so I resumed walking when I caught something jump into the water, almost like a white blur. “Is it just me or do you two also feel like you’re being watched?” Clive said and I nodded. Everywhere I looked I only seemed to catch a blur of movement of some kind.

Staying alert I kept walking with the rest of the group till we came to a stop before a large lime stone wall with water run down. Lumina turned to us and gestured for Clive to move forward toward her. Slowly he did and when he was before her she took hold of his tunic and pushed him to the wall roughly making him disappear. My mouth hung open as Orcus moved forward stepping to the glistening wall and soon disappearing just like Clive. One by one we went through the lime stone ending with Lumina and I at the end.

“I can feel it prince,” Lumina said not looking at me, “your heart is breaking and writhing in a pain only lovers know.”

I turned to look at her, “what do you mean lovers? That ridiculous.”

She smiled and tilted her head at me, “my prince there is so much you don’t know. “ Her smile widened sending chills through me, “it’s laughable how naïve you are.” I back away from her when suddenly I felt the ground shake beneath me and the green lime stone turn a shade of purple. Everyone ran towards us in a panic as a grim scowled contorted the woman’s lips. “You must leave. All of you,” she snapped as rocks fell over head crashing around us. Pools of water shot up and the blue pillars became a blaring red, “NOW!” she yelled. She started walking away from me to a large pool of glowing water making me look to my father in a panic. Is she just expect us to find our own way out? He gave me a blank expression and I looked back at Lumina. She was waist deep in the pool, her hair floating in the water around her as she held her head up to the ceiling.

“You must leave,” a male voice yelled behind me gaining my attention. Whirling around a man stood with a serious expression. “If you see what she’s about to do you will never be able to leave this place,” with that we followed him back through the wall. The once surreal scenery was crumbling in purples and reds. What’s going on? Looking around I found Cinnia wrapped in Clive’s arms as the ground kept shaking. She kept crying while the man put his hand in a water pillar that still looks normal and non-threatening.

Grrr what is that? I looked down to see a little white fox pulling at the end of my pants. Its hair was standing on end looking spikey as it tried pulling me. It looked up at me with its dark eyes, ” Flee he’s mad.” a voice echoed I my head. What the?

“Orvin!” Cinnia yelled as she and Clive were pushed into the water pillar. The man turned to me and came to my side in seconds before dragging me to the water pillar.

“Hold your breath,” then I was pushed in. An enormous pressure hit my body as I was pushed through the water like a canon. Opening my eyes I saw a bright light and then I was flying through the air landing on something hard. Gasping for breath I quickly sat up wheezing insanely.

“Orvin,” Cinnia came to my side patting my back softly, “we’re out.” I looked up and saw we were indeed out of the catacombs. Everyone laid only a few feet from the lake that was now closed and glowing in a series of negative colors. “What do you have with you?” she questioned confusing me, “it’s absolutely adorable.” She cooed gesturing to my leg. My eyes went to my leg where the fox laid, fur soaked with water making it glisten as if he were made of silk.

It coughed and looked up at us before padding to a nearby tree and sitting down, its tail wrapping around its legs. “You,” a voice echoed as the tree besides the fox rippled like the water and the man from earlier stepped out of it. He was tall, around my age-maybe older-, had glowing golden eyes, and fair almost white hair, “All of you. Leave the forest, everything has become unstable,” just as he finished his words a piercing scream ripped through the water. Waves in the water lapped over violently as the color turned a deep red. “Kasper,” the little fox stood up and ran towards the water diving in. Almost immediately the lake froze up with red shards sticking out. “This place will turn on you soon so go,” he said looking at my father and he nodded. My father gestured us to follow him and every headed towards the carriages in a rush.

As I hurried to keep up with everyone my pace slowed down till I came to a halt and turned to look back. The man watched me with a piercing stare and then whipped his arm out in one swift move. The trees around him began to move and the branches laced together closing every gap creating a barrier between us. Turning on my heel I ran back to the carriage and climbed in before the driver sped off.

Inside my mother rested her head against the back of the carriage while everyone was trying to catch their breath.

“Does the incident that just happened mean we cannot send Lestat and Dreng off?” Cinnia questions my father. He looked at her stone faced contemplating her words.

“No, what just happened was because we tried to send him off.”