Greed

Greed.

Something that people believed would consume it's inhabitant. Something that would appear on you when you least suspect it, Something that will lead you to the path of hell.

that was what was told to everyone in the gloomy town of Wordsworth. It was a mountain town, Surrounded by valley's and beautiful forest's but what was inside was something that the people were afraid to death about.

A castle, That was said to be the castle of kind Midas. It was hidden away in the forests and the very mountainous region but it wasn't that far away from the town. In the town, There were four young ladies who wanted different things.

One of them by the name of Catherine wanted to be married to a rich suitor. That was how it worked of course. Women of age had to be married of to rich families for wealth and Catherine wanted respect and wealth.

The next one was Lola, She wanted to be a scholar. Everyone reminded her that her duty wasn't to learn but to bring wealth to her family but she wouldn't accept that. But to learn more she had to have money, Since she was a woman.

The other was of the name Olivia, She wanted to be with her love but she again had to only be married to a rich suitor. Not the village Baker. She could only get married to him and Live happily if she had the money to afford her luxuries.

The last one was someone different, Her name was Kenna. She was the mistress of the king. She bathed in luxuries and riches of all sorts but she lived in the fear of being replaced. what would happen when she started to age? No one would marry her because she wasn't a virgin she'd go to the streets. The only way she could secure a good life was if she somehow had the money for it and saved it till the day the king replaced her.

The four ladies then came up with their solution. All four of them would venture out to the forest in search of the king's castle of gold. It was sure to be filled with riches and even if they only got their hands on a few of them they would be able to afford a good life.

They met up at midnight, the time where everyone was asleep. Everyone had something important with them.

"Lady Kenna, You've arrived without anything valuable. Why are you here?" Olivia dared to speak with her. Kenna looked at Olivia and took out a old looking map.

" I asked the priest about the castle and he gave me the map. I don't see why we aren't already heading towards the forest," Replied Kenna as she took out a map that led the way from the forest to the castle.

" Yes. Let's leave." Lola told them as they nodded and started walking towards the castle. They stood at the entrance of the forest, With doubt on their faces. But none of their fears lasted for long as they entered the forest.

The tree's covered the forest, There were many tall ones with vines that Surrounded everything inch of the forest and there were short ones that acted like chairs to them.

Cold winds breezed and in the silence of it all, It felt like as if the winds were speaking to them. The tree's did cover the forest as the path laid forward led them to the castle. It felt like the tree's were moving aside for them to enter it.

"I don't know how I feel about this, The castle was hidden away because it was a place that made everyone turn to the sin of greed," Olivia told them, Silently. as if the tree's were listening to them.

"Stop worrying, Those are tales told to children to scare them away from the forest. We all are going to only take some of the riches and then leave. we'll never speak of it again." Lola answered.

They had been walking for quite some time. They found a small tree and the decided to sit against it for a few moments before going on again.

Lola ate a few bits of the bread and then became thirsty while Olivia used one of Catherine's daggers to mark the tree. Olivia marked a heart on the tree and after some time they stood up, Ready to go to the castle again.

They started, Dreading each step. The forest seemed never ending and that's when Lola stopped in her tracks as she saw the same tree with the same mark on it.

She stood there, Not understanding what was happening and they stopped with her as well. Catherine walked up to her and looked at her in worry.

"Have we been walking in circles?" Catherine asked Lola. As Kenna looked at her map and they were following its way properly.

Then they heard it, The wind breezed and they could hear it's silent words that echoed through the forest. Leaves crumbled and the noises had suddenly stopped.

"Beware of your steps, You are reaching there. Remember not to give in to the temptation within, There were lives the heir." The wind whispered as tree's from the right side started moving in opposite directions to show it, The castle. There were vines all over it, the magnificent castle which stood there ruined. But there was something different about it, It was still gold.

The castle wasn't supposed to be of gold. Dionysus had forgiven king Midas and taken back everything gold but it seemed to have been wrong. The whole castle was shining in the middle of the night. They made out that it was gold indeed as they went inside with smiles. Thinking about their futures.

They decided a new rule as they went inside the castle. Everyone could take as much as they could hold, But Catherine saw a slight flaw in that. The walls were still mesmerizing and there was a huge table in the front that was filled with clothes of silk, wine and plenty of other luxuries.

"Olivia, You have a basket. It isn't fair since you can carry more then us," Catherine questioned Olivia and walked towards the table and looked around, Noticing Something.

"Catherine, You could have bought a basket if you wanted." Olivia told Catherine with a exited smile as she observed the food laid on the table. As everyone was busy in their own trance, Olivia unknowingly bit into the bread and she ate it but it turned out to be gold as Olivia started to choke.

She kept on hitting her stomach, Calling them for help and they just stood there, Not caring. She couldn't breathe as she fell to the ground, Dead. Lola looked shocked but more for them she thought as she went towards the wine. But then a voice from the inside came out.

"For four have entered and given in, The one shall be out with the scent of sin." Said the voice as the doors closed. They looked at each other in shock. They didn't believe it though. Lola then went towards the preserved wine and her thirst made her want it more. She decided that a bit of wine wouldn't kill her and so she drank a bit of it.

Catherine continued to search around while Kenna started wearing the jewel's and Kenna saw a dress that looked beautiful. She couldn't resist and took it to try it on.

Catherine turned around to see Lola vomiting blood. she fell down. Catherine was shocked but she didn't care, She wanted it all. Lola was dead. She then saw it, The statue of marigold, The daughter of Midas.

She didn't hesitate, She didn't take any chances. She went towards the statue and started to pull it with her towards the entrance to leave. But Kenna walked out, Wears the dress. She ran to Catherine but then suddenly stopped as she started to scream. The dress, It was poisoned. Kenna screamed as her body fell to the ground, Her skin feeling like it was burning. Catherine knew that she would have died anyway. Now she had the gold and the opportunity to be the king's mistress, All she had to do was to get the statue and leave.

She reached the door, She took the statue and pushed it out but then suddenly the doors closed. The windows shut and the gold became Normal again. Vines covered the inside of the castle but Catherine was locked inside of the castle. The statute, The heir, Catherine pushed out a person and now she was inside. Left with the horrors of what she had done, The bodies of them ladies, She banged the door, Trying to open it with all the power she had but then she froze as she turned to solid gold. The greed had taken over.

Author's note: hey y'all, So this is a short story that I wrote for Wattpad fantasy contest actually and I loved it!! I hope that you liked reading it and thanks love. <3