Shadowstone

Chapter 5

Ariana woke up to the smell of cinnamon. She sat up with a jolt, remembering where she was. She groaned in frustration from her conversation (dream?) with Caleb. She looked to her side and jumped when she saw her. An old lady, standing next to the bed with a steaming mug.
"Here you go, missy," she said, handing Ariana the cup. The woman was almost as strange as her house. Her spectacles might as well have been saucers on her face. Her poofy golden hair revealed silver streaks in the morning light, tied up with beaded string that matched her suede robe. Ariana took the mug mindlessly, shocked that the lady would be so kind, despite the fact that she trampled into her house and slumbered on her bed.
"Looks like you had a bad fall in the forest. I put some poultice on it," she motioned to Ariana's cut-up ankle, which now had green pulp smeared all over. It burned. "Hurry and drink your tea, it'll make you feel better. Then you can get out of my house faster."
Even though she should feel ashamed, Ariana felt unusually comforted by this stranger. She guessed the old lady was used to unwanted company, in this part of the woods. The area was a known hideout for thieves and rouges.
"I'm sorry I intruded," Ariana said sheepishly. She sniffed the tea and decided it was safe to drink. The woman shrugged it off.
"No worries. I like sleeping on the floor anyways." Ariana looked up, about to apologize again, then noted her joking expression. "I really don't mind. Guests are welcome here." Ariana noted the kindness in the woman's face as she sipped the spicy liquid. Curiosity crept in. What was this woman doing, living here deep in the forest?
"If I may ask, who are you?"
The woman peered at her over her enormous glasses.
"My name is Agnes," she replied. What a strange name.
"Why do you live out in the forest?" Agnes chuckled and sat at the end of the rickety bed.
"Such a curious child. I live out here because it is best for everyone. Not all are accepted by the kingdom. Now," she smiled. "It is my turn to ask who you are." Ariana fidgeted nervously. Could she trust this woman? She had, after all, given her shelter and care.
"I can't tell you. You would turn me in." Agnes furrowed her brows.
"Look little miss," she said. "If I turned people in, I would be dead by now."
"Surely you have heard of a reward for a missing person of the royal family?" Agnes froze.
"How did you find me here? What is it that you want?" The woman's hands shook. So, her father hasn't offered a reward for her disappearance? Surely even Agnes would have heard something if he had. Perhaps he hasn't checked the tower since the night before. It was likely, if Sebastian returned his keys without his noticing.
She sighed. "Im Ariana. I'm not here for anything. I'm running away."
"Miss Ariana," Agnes said, her voice wavering in realization. It is an honor." She bowed her head slightly. "I believe you are the king's first blood child."
"I already know that," Ariana huffed. She placed her cup on the ground. "He's my father. My only other sibling is Sebastian."
"Sebastian?" Agnes echoed. Her face grew pale. What was wrong with this woman? After every word she seemed more and more distressed, as if this was news she had never heard in her own kingdom before.
"He's my half brother."
"I knew it would come," she whispered. She placed her bony hand on Ariana's arm and leaned in close. Ariana tried her best not to draw back.
"There is something you should know." As she talked, Ariana caught a glimpse of her yellowing teeth. "Do you believe in magic?"
"Magic?" Ariana breathed. She considered everything she witnessed in the last couple days. She never believed in anything she couldn't prove to be true. Yet nothing seemed real anymore. "I'm not sure. I guess I do." Agnes grinned and began her story.
"This kingdom has been suffering for many years, ever since the queen married the king about a century ago. The king was greedy; nothing made him happy except for money and youth. He raised the taxes dramatically, putting even those of the upper class in bankruptcy. The queen attempted to change his mind, but she had no control over him. Anything that threatened his power was threatened, tortured, or killed." She closed her eyes thoughtfully. "Eventually, his wife, Queen Abigail, had a baby boy. I heard stories of his talent everywhere. Royalty from outside the kingdom came to hear him play his piano. He was well educated, and had a great head on his shoulders. A fine heir. But the king did not like the idea of someone taking his place on the throne. When he found out later that his wife had slept with another man, and that his son was actually the child of a commoner, he became furious." She sighed. "He came to me, when I lived in the village, and asked for a way to get rid of the son, and live-"
"Um," Ariana interrupted. "The king from a hundred years ago came to you for help? That's not possible." Agnes pursed her lips.
"You couldn't tell? I'm a Mage." Ariana gaped at her. She had read about mages in books. She would sneak into the library at night with a candle and read what she was forbidden to see. They were witches in disguise-so similar in appearance to everyone else that no one would be able to tell that they had had years of training with potions and spells. She never thought they were actually real.
"Can you truly live forever?" she asked.
"If I wish to." Ariana was in awe. Anything seemed possible at the moment.
"Now, let me finish." Ariana nodded for her to continue. "He gave me a large payment to prepare something for him. I gave him what was forbidden. It was a black stone, enchanted so that it could capture the soul of any living thing...the victim must be killed with it, somehow. When worn, it will restore your youth, and you must never remove it afterwards. I carefully explained that there would be consequences. This stone," she paused. "This stone was dug from the grave of my ancestors, so it has been cursed. The presence of the trapped soul will lurk every dawn where they were killed. That's just how it is. If you aren't careful, they can be set free. But he was so set on returning to his castle that I don't think he heard me."
"How can they be set free?" Ariana asked eagerly. The story brought her worries back to Caleb. It was frightening how well it pieced together with his past. Agnes grunted.
"I don't know. That's what I couldn't figure out about that thing. The next day, I heard the news everywhere. People in the streets were talking about it nonstop. The queen was found dead in her quarters, the son was missing, and the king did a fine job pretending to be in mourning. He closed off contact with the outside world. No one allowed into his quarters but a single maid. So that's where he remained until today." Ariana froze.
"What?" Chills ran down her spine.
"Your father, Ariana, is the king who lives forever." Her blood ran cold, and suddenly the room began to sway. This was surely a mistake. A dream.
"Miss Ariana," Agnes touched her hand. Ariana shrank back. "I can't imagine what it must be like for you right now. But you must trust me. Sebastian is in danger, and the king might want to get rid of everyone else, too."
"Tonight?" Ariana's heart thudded so loudly that she thought even Agnes could hear it. The man who killed Caleb. It was her father. Could it be true? It all made sense now. Brief memories of her father clutching something on his chest under his clothes. The vision Caleb showed her. How could he? Was he planning on killing her, too?
"What do I do?" She breathed, on the verge of tears. "This isn't happening." The droplets fell.
"Dear," Agnes said worriedly. She took her hand. Ariana didn't protest. "You need to go back."
"I can't. I don't know what to do!" Her own father. Of course he didn't love her. She had always known it, had been decidedly ignorant against it. He didn't love Sebastian or his wife. It made sense. He had never cared. He was power-hungry. Agnes went to one of her shelves and picked a tiny glass bottle.
"Drink this right before you enter the castle," she said, handing it to her. "You need to leave as soon as possible." Ariana took it and hurried to put it inside the satchel she left on the chest.
"I'll go now." Agnes quickly gathered a piece of bread and a flask of water for her.
"Please be careful, child."
"Thank you, Agnes." She left the warm coziness of the cottage and ran back the way she came, trying hard not to trip.