Poisoned Magnolias

Nyles walked with beside me telling me about today’s duties. There weren’t many do to the ball the castle was holding in celebration for the war being over. From what he’s saying I’m only doing paperwork to stay out of the way. “Oh and the King wishes to see you,” Nyles finished.

“Why couldn’t you open with that?” I mumbled as we approach the door to my father’s study. Knocking once on the door I opened it and found him reading as well as speaking to an old woman. Her grey hair pulled back in a messy bun as liver spots painted her cheeks. My father looked pleased as he put down a letter while the woman merely watched him. “You called for me,” I said looking at my father.

His eyes fell on me, “Yes I did.” He gestured his hand for me to come in and shut the door, “we shall continue this discussion later, Lady.”

I looked at the old woman as she gave a gruesome smile, “I must apologize for my brother’s recklessness. Thankfully my son was able to aid you,” she said as she shakily stood up from the chair and steady herself with a worn looking cane. “I will see you at the ball your majesty.”

“I expect you to look lovely as always,” my father smiled and then looked at me, “be a gentleman and help her to the door.”

Nodding I went to the woman’s side and she took my arm, “Why thank you Prince,” she smiled at me. “You’ve grown up to be a fine strong lad,” I chuckled as she laughed once I ushered her to the door.

“A guard should help you from her,” I smiled as she walked into the hall. Turning to go back into the room I stopped at my name.

“As strong as you are Orvin you are no match for the creatures of the forest. Especially if you are easily swooned by nymphs,” Quickly turning around I found her gone baffling me. I took a step out of the room and looked down the hall to find it empty, where did she go? Slowly walking back in the room I saw my father at his desk with his fingers laced together.

Taking a seat in front of him he looked at me, “I’m thinking it’s time you found yourself a woman.” I clenched my mouth shut, “you shall be twenty-two in two weeks’ time and yet I hear nothing about you fancying anyone.” I locked my eyes with him, “tell me. Is there anyone you’ve taking a liking to?”

Lestat’s face flashed in my head, “No. There isn’t anyone.”

He closed his eyes clearly not happy with my response, “Is that so? Well in that case I shall pick you a fine woman.” I narrowed my eyes and opened my mouth, but he held up his hand, “That is if you can find a woman by your birthday. So I recommend you start looking tonight at the ball.”

“How am I to find the right one if they shall all be wearing masks?” I crossed my arms leaning into my seat.

He smiled at me, “I trust you’ll find a fitting woman.” He nodded standing up, “now I do believe we have a fitting to attend to.” I let out a breath and stood up, “Shall we,” and with that we left the room.



Ladies in large elegant gowns and well dress decorated men roamed the ball room with mask’s concealing their faces. Looking down at the dancing people I leaned against the banister listening to Nyle’s protest as Cinnia pulled him into the dancing group. Poor man sounded flustered, but then again no one goes against my sister. Music filled the castle and everyone’s joy seemed to only grew with each passing moment. Looking down at my hand that held my mask I couldn’t help but still feel depressed. Unlike my father I’m still mourning the loss of my friends while he seems to be in very high spirits since this morning. Why just last night he was mopping through the corridors like some saddened ghoul. His drastic change in behavior both disturbs me and perks my curiosity.

“Prince!” I was pulled from my thoughts as two small girls stood in front of me, “are you having fun?”

“Not so much,” I said truthfully.

One little girl whispered to the one speaking to which she smiled, “Come with us.” They both grabbed each of my hands, “A story woman is here and she is very pretty.” They tugged me down the stairs into the crowd and out the doors into the back garden. It wasn’t hard finding the story teller since many children surrounded her as she sat at the fountain. An intricate black mask covered her face as she wore a fitting slender red dress with a purple bodice and long glittering purple sleeves.

White hair poured over her shoulders and down her back as she looked up from the children to me and the girls. “It’s an honor to have the crown prince to join us,” she smiled as the girls released me and went to join the other children sitting on the ground. “Now then what shall I speak of next?”

“Do you know the story of the first King?” a child asked and the woman nodded.

“The first King,” she breathed, a hint of something in her voice. “A long time ago on this very land there was a woman named Leanna. She was gorgeous, so much so she attracted the attention on the Gods. One god in particular, and his name was Malca. He was the ruler of dragons,” she paused looking at the little ones’ faces. “Even though Malca had many children somehow everyday he’d find himself watching the beautiful maiden. He’d grow happy with her smiles, sad at her tears, and angry at the pain others caused her, but not once did he dare come out of the sky to meet her. That is till one night as he slept in the clouds he heard her scream and upon looking at her he found men stealing her in the dead of night.” The children gasped, “Fearing for her safety Malca came down to his perched and rescued Leanna from the men. It was that moment Leanna first looked upon the dragon god and she saw a beautiful man with glittering black hair and glowing golden eyes.” I could hear small sighs making me want to laugh.

“From then on Malca always visited the woman and with each visit they slowly fell in love, but their’s was that of a forbidden one. Mortals and gods were never meant to have such feelings that others gods were enraged and in their rage they took hold of mortal kingdoms and raged war upon Leanna’s small village in the country. Malca being very powerful fought off every man that came to harm the village till one day a Serpent god came forth and threatened if he did not leave the mortal woman he’d kill one of his children. Unafraid he dismissed the threat and two days later Malca found his youngest slain,” the children gasped, “anger fueling Malca he went and found the Serpent god and killed him in a fierce battle that’s said to have lasted five days.” There were ‘wow’s coming from the children, “When the battle was over he took the bones of the Serpent god and built the wall of the kingdom as well as the castle. After the castle was built the people of the village had so much trust in Malca they made him king of the land. Then the night he became king he proposed to Leanna promising nothing would ever harm her again.”

“But what happened to Malca’s children?” a boy asked, “You said he had children before he met Leanna.”

The woman smiled, “Malca’s five sons and daughters split up. Some remained in the sky and others came down the venture across the land, but two remained by their father’s side. One was a woman and the other a man.”

“Oh, Oh!” a small girl jumped up and down, “the man’s the first black knight right?” the woman nodded, “can you tell that story next?”

“I’m sorry, but I feel that’s a story for another time,” she stood up and looked at me, “I’m going to give my welcome to the King.” Children stood up making a path for her to walk through before stopping beside me, “Hope you find what you’re looking for Prince,” she said and then walked back inside.

Turning around I watched as she merged within the crowd, “Aw I really wanted her to tell me the black knight story!” a child whined behind me.

“Maybe the Prince knows!”

“Yeah the Prince!”

There was a tug on my coat making me look back at the children, “Prince,” and small blonde girl looked up at me, “do you know the story of the black knight?”

Do I? I remember being told the story when I was young but I don’t remember much. “I’m sorry I don’t know the story quite well.”

“Then what do you know?” she asked looking at me.

I thought it over, “The black knight is always the sword and shield of the kingdom as well as the king’s right hand. If one is to be the black knight then that person has be the fierce, most brave and loyal man in the land. He must not fear death, but challenge it and in every challenge defeat it,” the small boys smiled widely. “As for the first black knight he was full of devotion for the kingdom his father built. Never once did he refuse a command, second guess heavy decisions, or hesitate when in battle. Because of his actions woman swooned over him, men strived to be like him and people admired him with love and respect.” I finished.

“That sounds amazing,” a boy said, “but who is the black knight now?”

“We don’t have a black knight,” I said and he gave me a puzzled look.

“My Prince,” I turned around to see Nyles, “your father wishes to have you present at the throne.” I nodded and bid goodbye to the children as I walked back inside.

Adjusting my mask I walked past people, “what does he wish with me?” I asked.

“I do not know, but the family is present and all seated. Perhaps a show?” he said as I stood before the steps to the throne. Cinnia sat beside my mother, my mother beside my father, leaving the seat on his right. Nodding to him I walked up the small sat and took my seat while Nyle followed and stood behind my chair.

My father stood up and clapped his hands grabbing everyone’s attention, “my people. Today we find ourselves in celebration. So as a treat I find myself giving your attention to the land’s Lady,” he swept a hand and a crowd parted leaving the story woman in a middle of a large circle.

She bowed, “please enjoy.” She looked up and locked eyes with me for a brief moment before standing. Her hand went into her long sleeve pulling out a pouch and spilling the contents onto her hand. Spinning in a circle she blew on her hand sending a glittering powder into the air. Instead of it dissipating it hung in the air like twinkling stars. “A long time there was a man that devoted himself to his kingdom,” a shadowy knight appeared in the smoke. “He was gallant in his duties and loved among the people,” the smoked moved with her words creating more images. “His strength proved great amongst all his enemies and yet he fell weak to the kingdom’s beautiful princess,” a woman appeared in the smoke. She put her hand to her face and giggled before moving about in the air. The male knight’s head turning in every direction she floated. “Her hair was so yellow it put the sun to shame, skin white and pure like fresh snow, eyes deep as the blue sea, and a voice any siren would envy. She was Princess Serena,” the shadow curtsied, “a woman of true beauty, yet she held a heart of cruel intentions.” The figured giggled once again and danced her way over to the knight as another man appeared far from her.

“Princess Serena was second in line for the Throne. Her brother Oreck was the first and eldest in the family with the throne promised to him. So in order to ensure she’d become Queen the Princess seduced the kingdom’s strongest knight into slaughtering the first prince in the dead of night.” The knight swept a blade across the Prince letting out an eerie cry before disappearing. “Many days and nights went and the guilt of killing the Prince became too much for the knight that he went and spoke to the King. Presenting the King with many letters between him and the Princess the King became out raged and ordered that the Princess to be locked away in highest tower.” The figure was dragged away as a high tower appeared, “Even though the knight was pardon by the King the knight still remained to feel guilty for the Prince’s death and the princess’ imprisonment. So one evening in his barracks the knight fell upon his own sword.” The knight’s sword went through him as he went to his knees. I heard Cinnia gasped as the figure disappeared.

The smoke came down from above her and filled the circle around her, “That knight as we all know was our kingdom’s first black knight and as we all know there hasn’t been one so refined to dawn on the black suit.” She spoke loudly and then a smile slithered its way onto her lips as two clouds built up on both sides of her. “That is until today,” the clouds slowly began going to the floor revealing heads, “as this kingdom’s elder I deem these men worthy,” All the smoke vanished showing two men standing beside the woman in the middle on the circle. One clad in black suit with red tassels off the shoulders wearing a white mask and the other in white suit with a black tassels and a black mask, “The black and white knight.”

Slowly they walked forward and stopped before the thrones, falling to one knee before my father. Their heads bowed, my eyes went from them to my father and then back. What’s going on? I thought as my father chuckled and stood up, “raise your heads and show yourselves.” My eyes went to the men as their hands went to their masks, “White Knight Dreng,” My eyes widened at my father’s words as the white knight removed his mask. Dreng looked up at my father, his expression neutral with a ghastly scar stretching over left cheek, “and Black Knight Lestat.” As if possible I could feel my heart pick up pace as the mask was removed and my eyes locked onto his brown ones that peaked behind his hair. An intense look was appearing in his orbs as his eyes remained locked on my father.

I could practically feel Cinnia’s spirit uplift as I myself began to feel restless with joy. My father began speaking, but my ears refused to listen to his speech. My eyes remained upon my friend waiting, just waiting to see him disappear like the phantom I believe he is. Yet moments passed and neither he nor Dreng disappeared into the air. My body itched to move from my throne to approach him, touch him, validate his existence, but I held back. The crowd roared with cheers bringing me from my thoughts to see the two knights rise to their feet. Not once did my eyes move from Lestat’s black clad figure. My eyes watched as he went about the movements to cover his face with his mask. As if feeling my gaze his brown eyes darted in my direction for the first time in so many years. Locking eyes I nodded at him and slowly the corner of him mouth lifted in a small half smile. It was brief, probably varying in a few seconds before it went back into a very serious tight line facial expression, but it made my heart beat faster if that is possible. His face now covered he turned his back on me as the two walked into the crowd being swallowed by the people eager for the tales he kept from the battle. It’s odd, but with each step he took I could feel my pounding heart whisper to me, ’he’s back… he’s back.’