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Author: Scarlett
Title: Haldraka
An image formed in her mind, her home a
beautiful forest of trees painted gold by the morning sunlight. A
silver, blue stream cascading off the side of the mountain to form a
large pool, so clear one could see, even the smallest of rocks on the
bottom. As she made her way to the water, the woodland creatures did not
shy away but continued their journeys as if only a slight breeze had
passed by. Lush ferns brushed against her as she leaned on smooth
stones, running an ivory hand through crystal waters, to drink. Lilly
leaned in further to study her reflection and found fearful confusion
when the image was that of a stranger. Stumbling back Lilly looked
around at the still silence of her world, none of the animals were in
view, all of them hidden before the coming of a storm. The forest of
gold could no longer be seen in the dark light of an angry sky. Running
away from the blackened pool chills ran down her spine as the withering
ferns left her naked to the icy wind. Tendrils of deadened vines
shackled her ankles to stop her flight from the marshy swamp that only
moments ago had been a lush green forest floor. Death was on its way.
Lilly bolted upright in her bed, terror slamming the breath from her
lungs when no scream would escape. The dream, she had had it again. No
longer could she put off seeing the old woman, as she had hoped to do.
The old woman gave her the creeps, was always looking at her so oddly
and calling her a seer whatever that was. Lilly contemplated exactly
what a seer could be as she dressed for the chill of night and headed
for Haldraka’s house.
Haldraka, what an odd name, but then she was a very odd old woman. Lilly
very much hated the walk through the dark, shadows of the forest that
surrounded Haldraka’s home. Her imagination often getting the best of
her, offering her terrifying images of things that rend and tear at you
as you pass them by on a cold, dark night. Shaking herself to clear her
mind of these thoughts Lilly heard a soft whisper blow through the
trees. Cocking her head she stopped to see if she could make out any
discernable words, when she heard it again she bolted for Haldraka’s
home, my name, someone is calling my name.
Who would even know I'm out in these ungodly woods? Finally after what
seemed like hours of running she could see the house, even in it’s
oddities it was a welcome site to her. As she reached the porch the door
swung open revealing Haldraka,
“Come in child do not stand out on this night to long.”
Lilly happily excepted her invitation.
“Thank You”
The old woman closed the door and made a strange sign in the air around
herself, and the younger woman.
“I have been waiting for you, why have you taken so long in coming to me
on this holy night?”
Chills raced along Lilly’s back, this was wrong, she could feel a horrid
dread building in her.
“Yes” The old woman smiled, a horrible smile, one of death. “You are
right to fear me, it was I that you have been dreaming about my dear.
You see you are a seer…
“NO! I don’t know what you mean, I'm not a seer I'm just a..a”
Lilly became very quiet, as her vision seemed to change and everything
around her began to look different, Haldraka was no longer a bent and
aged old woman, now a horrible but beautiful creature. She was a very
lovely shade of ivory and seemed to shimmer with an inner light. Her
hair was so black it seemed to draw what little light the moon had to
offer into itself leaving a void of sorts. Her face was almost to
perfect to behold, full red lips, high blushing cheekbones and a
perfectly proportioned nose.
That is where her beauty ended, for her eyes were truly the most evil
thing Lilly had ever seen. Filled with the reflection of death, Lilly’s
own and the hundreds of seers before her. The eyes were of no actual
color more like two opening into the bowels of hell. Everything around
them seemed to be growing dim, Lilly felt the pull of those eyes as if
she were falling into them.
"LILLY! LILLLLYYYYYY!"
Shaking her head, she turned to see Thomas running toward her.
“Don’t look at her, come here!”
As Lilly began to take flight she saw she was not in a house at all, but
standing outside under a mass of knotted trees, and just as in her dream
she could feel vines finding there way around her legs, holding her back
from escape and freedom.
“Thomas help me!”
An evil thunder split the air around her
“SHE IS NOW MINE!”
As the thunder died away, a melodious voice began to chant in a language
not of this earth under that Lilly could hear Haldraka’s other voice
telling Thomas that once a seer had looked into her eyes the soul
belonged to her.
“You have no claim on her, you can not have what is mine, do you think I
will give her to you demon?”
Thomas drew his sword and flew at the creature, lighting brightened the
sky as Thomas was thrown back.
“SHE WILL OBEY ME, SHE IS MINE! Come to me Lilly, join your kind in a
sacrifice to me.”
The pull was strong, but deep in her heart her love for Thomas was
stronger.
Drawing a small dagger from a hidden pocket in her cloak as she stood to
face the creature she heard Thomas demand her retreat. All of her being
desired to obey him, but she could not let this monster live. Looking
Haldraka in the face, once more she quickly lifted the blade and put out
both her eyes. Lilly had no idea what to expect, but was surprised when
the earth did not shake nor the skies split, Haldraka simply vanished as
if she had never been. Lilly stood silently, waiting for an attack of
some kind, until she heard Thomas speak.
“Lilly, oh God, I thought I had lost you!”
His arms held her tight to him. It was over, she would bear the weight
of her nightmare no more. Thomas held her away from him so he could see
she was well.
“What were you thinking coming here alone, are you mad woman?”
Lilly sighed
“No Thomas I had to come, I had to stop the dream that haunted my sleep
and I knew some how I had to find her to do it.”
Thomas sat on a log and dragged her over his knee flipping her dress up
to bear a lily white bottom. “Thomas! What are you doing?”
The first sting of the switch across her bottom instantly brought all
thoughts of further argument with him to a halt.
“Thomas, oh please, I'm sorry do not do this!”
Three more stings came quickly, all placed one below the other, across
her sit spot.
“Lilly, you have promised to be my wife, and you disobeyed me, you put
your life in danger when I gave you a clear order to stay away from
that…that demon. You must learn to obey me; I will not have a
disobedient wife. Do you understand?”
Another few well-placed stings from the switch had Lilly wriggling in
pain.
“Yes Thomas, please stop I understand, oh please stop!”
Thomas held Lilly tight and switched her bottom several more times
before letting her up. Lilly stood breathing deeply trying to regain her
calm, and then threw her arms around Thomas’s neck.
“Oh, Thomas I will marry you just as I promised and I will try to always
listen to what you tell me.”
Thomas smiled, lifted Lilly and carried her home.
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