The Hidden Princess (Book One of the Whispered Tales)

Chapter 1

When the Princess's caravan left for the Dark Prince's castle, the entire kingdom began the celebration. Anywhere they passed, crowds greeted with joy and best wishes for the bride and groom.

It came as no surprise to anyone when the Princess asked the charioteer to make a stop in front of a mill, in a village at the end of the kingdom. After a while, she came out of the mill more cheerful than ever, carrying a spotted tomcat in her arms, probably a gift from the miller. Only the miller saw her out with tears in his eyes, bemoaning and grinding his knuckles.

Then, the travellers went on their way, accompanied by hurray and good cheers. And in all that excitement, no one noticed that Adrian didn't join the convoy. Nor that, passing by the dark forest next to the mill, a shadow hidden among the trees was following with a hateful soul. Just as it did from the beginning, watching the fate of a girl who wanted to become a princess more than anything else... 

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Eliza was the happiest girl in the world. Nobody had the slightest doubt that the young lady coming out of the mill wasn't Princess Mara. It was enough for her to dust off the flour and put on the Princess's attire, and everyone was amazed to see how much the two girls were alike. 

Only Eliza's father, the old miller, couldn't be happy for his daughter's decision. He shed bitter tears, pleading her from the bottom of his heart not to leave her home. What did she know about the life of a princess? How would she live among strangers? Who would protect her from all the dangers that might come her way? But when he saw his child as happy as she was, so beautiful in the Princess's clothes, he gave her his fatherly blessing and, with a heavy heart, he put Tommy in her arms—the only friend to remind her of home while among strangers. 

And Eliza was off, her heart full of hope, in the most important journey of her life. Alas, the road to the Dark Kingdom was long and hard. The farther they were from the country, the more the cold, rain, and winds took over the once cheerful small cortege. Dry lands stretched ahead, with grass tufts springing here and there, rooted in the rocky ground. And whenever they went through a forest, it felt as if it was their greatest enemy. Trees, twisted in bizarre shapes, like sick people torn by pain, appeared in their path, blocking their way. And to go around them, the travellers made long detours through unknown and hostile lands, filled with unfamiliar creatures that seemed to peep everywhere. 

The stops were even more frightening. Sitting by the fires, Eliza's companions would see, with their hearts skipping random beats, a grey phantasm who joined them God knows when, vanishing every time a braver soul dared to come closer. And every time they felt its presence, the horses became agitated. Tommy, Eliza's cat, would also ruffle and tousle, spitting huffily at the phantasm. Eventually, for everyone's sake, they agreed that perhaps the Dark Prince sent a guardian ahead to follow them from the shadows and protect them from danger. 

And so it was that the Princess's cortege — because no one had any doubt that Eliza wasn't the real princess—arrived at the Dark Castle. 

For a moment, people and horses stopped in front of the heavy gates, watching in fear and awe the castle rising before them. High towers pierced through the heavy clouds above; so tall they were, that it would have taken days on end of climbing without reaching their top. A pack of flashes of lightning gathered like a flock of glittering birds, jerking now and then with menacing sparks joined by just as inhospitable tubby thuds. A thick fog surrounded the castle like a grey cloak, making hard to see anything around. And a cold wind was blowing from every direction, giving the little convoy the shivers. 

How can one not be bitter and apish when living in such a cold and unfriendly place? thought Eliza, trying to appear braver than she was so she would inspire courage in her lieges.

 When the castle gates opened with a long creek, everyone's hearts almost stood still. Eliza came out of the chariot and entered with a firm pace, followed by the servants who got a little more courage seeing their mistress so determined. 

Inside, the castle appeared just as unwelcoming. Damp and cold, with tall chambers and windows which let the wind blow furiously. To no avail the fire was burning in all the ovens and fireplaces, to no avail were thick animal skins covering the stone slabs and rugs on the entire stall. To no avail were heavy chandeliers blazed with hundreds of candles. No warmth came from anywhere. Nor it came from the souls of the people living here. With drooping eyes, a steady pace, and without speaking too much, the inhabitants of the castle greeted their guests with humbleness and coldness. 

A tall, scrawny old man weaning on a staff taller than him, with long white hair and a beard flowing like a river all the way to the ground, appeared out of nowhere, almost like a ghost. Wreathed in a monk-like thick black robe, he spoke to Eliza in a rich and echoing voice:

 'Princess Mara, welcome to our kingdom! His Highness, the Prince, will arrive in a few days from a long war. My name is Constantin and I am the First Wiseman of the Court. Until the Master arrives, allow me to be your humble servant and to provide to you anything you might need.' 

Eliza looked at him a bit frightened and then thanked him with a bow. A woman wearing clothes as grey as the whole castle made a gesture to them implying they should follow her. She led Eliza and her nanny, Ana, to the chamber that was to be hers. 

As they entered, a cold breeze made Eliza's body shiver. Her room was so big, that five mills could've fit inside. In the middle, there was a bed which would have been proper for the entire cortege, not just for a skinny girl like her. The fireplace was enormous and covered the wall in front of the bed almost entirely. A husky log was smouldering inside, not big enough to warm the cold room. 

When she drew the heavy curtains, Eliza noticed the forest stretching around the castle; it seemed even more frightening now, when the last drops of the day were meeting the night's shadows. While the nanny was helping her change into one of the many dresses she dreamt so much about, Eliza cooked up in her mind dozens of plans to turn this cold and unwelcoming place into a warm and cosy home. 

But when she saw Tommy snuggling on the bed, she told herself that now, when her dream finally came true, she wouldn't let anything stand in her way. 

And maybe someday, soon, she would become a real princess.

This story is one of my dearests. I wrote it with great joy and I really love to remember that time of my life. So it would mean a lot to me if you could let me know what you think. Please vote and comment and make Eliza's story visible on Wattpad. Thank you!