Pots of Magic

In the peaceful and beautiful realm of Eldora, there lived a young and ordinary kitchen maid called Elara. Her days were spent scrubbing pots and pans, fetching firewood, and preparing meals for the royal family and the grandest of castles.

Eldora was known for its lush landscapes and idyllic existence, but little did Elara know that her life was going to be changed completely, because unbeknownst to her, Elara had secret magical powers that she knew nothing about. Of course, she had dreamt of magic. As a little girl, every night when she slept, she would fly away to a mystical land filled with sorcery and witchcraft but she had no idea that the world she lived in now was teeming with magical energy.

One night after she had completed her chores, she made her way to her modest chambers and rested her head on her pillow. As she drifted into a deep sleep, her mind flooded with the dreams she had once had as a little girl. Only this time, they were different. She was stood in the throne room at the heart of the castle, and she felt a surge of energy pulsing through her body. An energy she could only imagine was magic. Her dreams had never before crossed over from her mystical imaginary world into her reality, so when she woke with a start, she was both confused and intrigued, the remnants of the dream still lingering. It was as if another life had reached out to her, but it felt impossible. Almost absurd. She was nothing more than a kitchen maid, and such fantastical dreams were far from the ordinary reality she lived.

Yet, as days turned into weeks, the strange dreams persisted and her imagination began to run away from her. Could she really have magical powers? No. Impossible. She attempted to shake the thoughts from her head, yet the niggling voice in the back of her mind insisted she should investigate. And so, on a pitch black night, she went into the castle library. As a kitchen maid, she had no business there, so she snook in under the cover of darkness. Almost ghostly, she floated around the large room surrounded by thousands of ancient books. For hours, she looked and looked until a large, ruined spine drew her attention, almost as if it was calling her to pull it from the shelf. She looked at the cover of the book which was named Seraphina. She flicked through the ancient parchment pages, looking at unusual writing and bizarre illustrations until she got midway through the book and noticed a picture that had been drawn in. She gasped as she recognised her own face staring back at her from the page.

Somebody had drawn Elara's face into the book, and her very own eyes looked back at her from the ancient bundle of pages. She placed the book back on the shelf and hurried back to her quarters, the thoughts of the book flying around her brain.

As she laid into her bed, she stared at the ceiling in disbelief. How could that be possible? Her face in a book. Drawn in. Somebody had drawn her face into the book. But who?

Days passed and Elara was none the wiser as to who had drawn her face into Seraphina. It wasn't until she was summoned to the throne room by the Queen that she started to get answers.

"Your majesty," Elara said gracefully as she curtsied in front of Queen Isabella.

"Elara," said Queen Isabella courteously. "It is important you know that I am aware of your visit to my library a few nights ago. Fear not, I am far from angry."

Elara swallowed hard. Her hands became clammy as she uttered a sentence. "Your majesty, the book-" but she was interrupted before she could continue her words.

"The book belongs to me," Queen Isabella said almost reassuringly. "Seraphina is an ancient book of enchantment and has been handed down generations. The aim, to find The Keeper of Eldoria. A sorceress with great power to protect our realm against magical threats. That sorceress is you, Elara."

Dumbfounded, Elara stood with her feet cemented to the ground. Her mouth as dry as the desert. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Queen Isabella spoke again.

"Seraphina is the name of ancient sorceress who lived many years ago," she said. "You, Elara, are a direct descendent of Seraphina. Our realm is threatened by dark forces. My people do not yet know, and with your help, the need never know."

"How can I possibly help?" asked Elara.

"Ah," said Queen Isabella. "Your magic is a gift. And I have been tasked with helping you to hone that gift, for I too am a sorceress."

Elara could not quite believe what she was hearing. She had been summoned to protect her home from mysterious dark forces, informed she has powerful magical gifts and that her Queen was also gifted with powers.

"You must decide," said Queen Isabella. "You may go back to your life as a kitchen maid, or will you stand beside your Queen?"

Elara thought for a moment. If she had powers, it could take months or years to practice. She may never be able to control her magic. But could she go back to her ordinary life after discovering this incredible knowledge and ability?

"You need not fear," said Queen Isabella. "As I said, it is my job to help you hone your skills and I will do exactly that. You will be a powerful woman. An incredible sorceress. Allow me to help you, Elara. What do you say?"

Before she could stop herself, two words left her lips. Her heart thudded as they entered the ether as she could no longer take them back.

"I accept."