Narcissus' Mirror

Narcissus' mirror

prologue

I knew this was my last moment. My last breath. My last glance. The wind blew a faint whisper.

“Farewell. Farewell.” It copied me. My last words. I knew that voice but looking up would be a waist of my time. Then, there as I took in an eyeful, my last heart beat. I still couldn't bear to close my eyes as I died. My body went limp face down in the water as I watched a few feet away. Dead. An anger filled me as I glared at the cave beyond that drew my eyes to it. It was shelter I could have found refuge in. I could have drank from this pool of fresh water, with its schools of fish laughing at me, Eaten, the ripe peaches from the trees. Why did the gods punish me for being what they made me. Beautiful.

My anger was cold as water that sealed my fate. My transparent spirit froze the pool as anger consumed me further.

My shade cast over the water as I drew closer to the dark shadow and it's long sight standing in an old wooden boat. It was like I already knew what it wanted. For me to come with it. I sat in the boat, the sun glare into my eyes. I cast my head down from it, and something caught my attention. A faint glimmer of my face. My beautiful face. Nothing less flawed or more stunning. Fog rolled over my reflection. I looked up and realized we moved. The boat rolled into a mountain of thick gray fog, impossible to see through.

chapter one

“ Winter! Winter! Where are you?” My servant called out. She stopped just before the trees. Marcinda was a coward. Just like everyone else. Except for my mother.

My mother was strong and brave. The carriage had run off the road, tumbled down the steep hill and slid right on the forbidden lake. A forever frozen pool of water. In the blazing summer not one liquid drop was freed from the rock solid ice.

My mother was thrown from that carriage, her back had slammed into the ice. Blood dripped from her mouth while she crawled towards the forbidden cave on her frost bitten hands. At that moment, her water broke. I was ready to come out. My father,with broken limbs just watched, tears in his eyes. He couldn't help her. The driver however had woken and went to the kings assistance. The king yelled for him to help the queen. She gave birth to me in that cave. She said my cry was the most beautiful sound she ever heard. We would go there every chance we got. Ice state, sing in the cave and watch the ice. Sometimes when she was up set my mother said from time to time she would see a man in the ice. I never did. She died when I was eight. Eight years ago today.

“Winter, you can't be here and your father is looking for you.” Marcinda said as I past her and walk to my horse.

“What dose he want?” I ask and jumped on my horse, Morticia.

“I- I don't know.”

“Then you're of no use to me.” I ride off towards the castle.

The guards open the large double doors when I approached.

“Father, what is it you want?” I look at him. We were not close since he destroyed all things Morticia.

“We need to talk.”

“ We are talking.”

“Don't! I won't have it, not today!”

“Fine.” I turn to leave.

“The next queen will be here in three days.”

It was like he drew his sword into my chest.

“Why? Why would you tell me that today?” I whispered

“ Would you have me tell you when she got here?” It was a rhetorical question that filled his voice with mockery.

“Any day but today!”

“Wha-” He was interrupted by the guards announcing Star'la, Queen of Resenoff, Doria. She was beautiful, the way her long red hair twisted and turned around the beads in her hair and her large round green eyes shimmered. Her ivory skin and thin yet lanky body fitted into her gown like a doll. She was trophy wife material. And that was her future.

“Star'la! I was not expecting you for three days.” The king said in a pleasantly surprised manner.

“Yes darling, I know. I wanted it to be a special surprise.”

“ Oh it is! It truly is a wonderful surprise. Isn't it Winter?”

“Yes, it is. It's wonderful to know that replacement wives get to ride in here on the anniversary of my mothers death!” I screamed at them and stormed out of the room. I ran to Morticia and rode her to the forbidden cave.

“Why is this happening?” I yell to no one. As tears rolled down my face.

“ This happening?” the cave echoed. For some reason it did that. No matter who was here: man, woman, child, animal. One voice was heard and it was the melodious voice of a woman.

Her happy voice sounded as sad as mine today. So I sang. For hours, I sang. And cried, and laughed. It was a day to honor my mother, so I did.

Star'la

Yes, I know it was mean of me to come today, but the way I heard she acts, she was irritating. Always on cursed grounds and storming off to god knows where, probably with some boy. No one in their right mind can tell me she goes stare at a block of ice all day. I'm going to find her, prove shes just an ugly slut that cries for attention, and make sure she knows to stay out of my way. I'm the Queen and this is my kingdom now.

I ride the Carriage to the forbidden lake. It was just like they said. Bright purple trees, green healthy grass, the grayish blue cave, and the frozen solid lake. I stood over the lake. The suns rays shined on the ice like a mirror. I bent down to touch it.

“'Ouch” I screamed as my finger tips stung. This place is cursed.

“My-lady, are you okay.” Asked the coach, who ran towards the trees and stopped.

“Go back to the carriage, idiot!” I shout and glare at the ice. A man stared at me through the ice... he was beautiful. He was mine.

“My-lady!” The coach yells. I can't look away. His eyes captured my soul. His voice beckoned to me. Though his lips did not move.

My lips, freezing to near the ice. Inched closer. If only I could touch him, rub my hand along his high cheek bones. My hand reached out to touch the ice.

I pulled back at the deafening sound. A loud crack. No! No no no no no! i shouted in my mind. My lips frozen with shock.

The ice was cracking.

The ice was cracking around his face.

I subconsciously picked it up by the handle. It was shaped like a mirror.