Elfrea
I flip through my book of spells looking for the spell I was looking for, the spell of finding. I had looked up and down the manor for my missing earring and still hadn't seen it. Even Maria couldn't find where it had disappeared to, and I was sure it hadn't been stolen. I breathe in deep and read the casting words out loud. I like most had witch blood in their family tree, only some would awaken to use the power.
The last person in my family was my mother. She was a powerful green witch who helped grow flowers and farms for the royal family. My parents were excited when I gained my powers and made sure I was tutored by the best. I showed to excel most in elemental magic, so my studies focused on it instead of other magics. So in my head, while I said the incantation, I was saying "please work" over and over.
After saying the words, a little tingling feeling rushed through my body. Then a swirling silver light appeared in front of me before shooting off out the door.
"I think it worked," I said to Maria. Maria was my attending and was always quietly standing to the side, waiting for anything I needed. With her blonde hair tied back in a tight bun, she kept her eyes cast slightly down. Though I tell her she can relax when it's just us, she still keeps her professionalism.
The silver light returned in the doorway, as if to tell me to follow. So I go to follow it out the door, Maria close behind me. We travel down the hall from my room to the next set of doors. These doors went into my brother's quarters.
"Why would it be in Gulliver's room?" I ask out loud.
Gulliver was only one year younger than I, and since our father had passed, he was the head of the family. He used to throw tantrums and always seemed upset when I was given any attention. He had calmed down as we grew older and hadn't stolen anything of mine since we were children. So why would the light bring me here?
"He could have found it and hadn't had time to return it to you, Lady Elfrea," Maria said, answering the question in my mind.
I nod my head. "You're right, I should probably wait till he returns tonight and ask him about it." Before I could turn and walk back down the hall, Maria opened the door. She was always doing little things to get back at Gulliver on my behalf since she was assigned to be with me. Simple things to set him off, such as giving him the wrong tea to drink, or setting out the wrong clothes he asked for. Most just thought Maria was a bit of an airhead, making mistakes, but I knew better.
As the door opened, we were met with the silver light. It floated around the room, waiting for us to follow it inside. I let out a sigh.
"Lord Cazan's room needs to be cleaned today," Maria says with a smile. We both step farther into the room, the light leading us to Gulliver's desk. The light starts to make a big circle before staying still as I get closer. As I get closer, I notice nothing on the desk.
"Is it in the drawers?" I ask the light. I giggle when it moves up and down as if to nod yes. I had already come this far, so I walked around to the drawer. But when I opened it, I found it was locked. This was a sign telling me to stop, but I was just so curious. Why was my earring in a locked drawer in my brother's room? I pointed at the locked drawer and said an incantation, and a soft click of the lock turned. I smiled as I opened, only for my smile to drop. Only papers were stacked inside.
The silver light then vanishes as if to tell me I found the earring. I start to riffle through the papers, but still no earring.
"I know practical magic isn't in my expertise, but it should have worked. The light was so sure this is where it is." I looked over at Maria, who stood by the doorway, as if she were a lookout.
"Maybe he sold it and the receipt is in with the papers," Maria suggests. "Your magic is too strong to fail, maybe the spell just misunderstood," she adds. I picked up each paper and skimmed through. Everything I read was documents dealing with our family accounts and businesses. I start to feel guilty going through his private things, and shut the drawer when something catches my eye. A paper at the very bottom had Will and Testament at the top.
My eyes widen in shock as I read over the document. It was our father's will that was thought to have been lost in the fire. A candle had fallen in the study somehow and set the room on fire. Since it had fallen near the desk, all the documents our father had kept were turned to ash. Anger bubbled up inside me as I stomped out, with the will in hand. Maria followed me down the hall back to my room.
"My Lady, do you want me to fix his room?" she asks, concerned. I take a deep breath and think. But no rational reason came to my mind other than that Gulliver wanted my side of the inheritance. Since there was no will when Father passed, everything went to Gulliver to fully control.
"Maria, we are packing tonight and heading out to see Mr. Hark to retrieve my inheritance. I'm not staying around for another moment." I said to her. I walk to my closet and pull out a suitcase. Anger fueled me as I pulled out clothes and threw them on the bed.
I then feel a hand on my back, and I turn and see worry in Maria's bright blue eyes.
"Let me get everything in order so we can go first thing in the morning." She gently grabs my arm and sets me down in the nearest chair. As she walks away, I grab her hand. I rub my thumb slowly over the back of her hand.
"Elfrea," Maria says softly. I quickly let go, realizing what I had just done. Maria had been my servant since I was thirteen, and we grew very close over the years together. I always kept my feelings held together, fearing it would seem like I was taking advantage of her. There were so many nobles who treated their working staff as less than.
"I will get you some tea, relax, my Lady." Maria breaks the silence before rushing out of the door.
I sat still for a few minutes before realizing the will was still in my left hand. I stand and head over to my vanity table, and I put my hand underneath the middle drawer. A small piece moved underneath, a secret compartment. I pulled out my old diary and slipped the will in between the pages. After setting everything back, I walk over to my bed and start folding the clothes.
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I sit in front of my mirror after getting ready for bed. Maria finishes brushing through my long black hair. I hadn't seen Maria until just before bedtime to give me my nightly tea and brush my hair out. She had been out doing just what she said she would. Gulliver's room was cleaned and re-locked, appointments were made, and a ride was arranged for in the morning. I don't know what I would do without her.
"I will wake you an hour early," Maria says, placing the brush down. She quietly leaves after giving a quick bow. I sighed as I watched her leave.
"Maybe we could be together once we leave?" I think to myself. I blow out the candle and head into bed. Closing my eyes, I try my best to think of other things and drift off to sleep.
"Why can't I breathe?" My eyes fly open as I'm startled awake. I'm met with two dark figures holding me down. The scent of cologne fills my nostrils I start to fight. I thrash and squirm, but they hold me down. I then feel a cold around my ankles and wrists, followed by a clicking noise. Shackles?
"Get off me!" I screamed out for help, but still none came.
I try to say an incantation, but a hand was quickly forced onto my mouth. So I bit down hard, making the man jerk it away.
"Argh!" he yells. "Give me the damn Sangra we need to act fast."
"Gulliver?!" I yell in shock, my brother was one of the attackers. I couldn't believe he would try and hurt me like this.
Before I could say another word, his hand was back on my mouth. Holding my jaw and covering my nose with the other, forcing me to breathe out of my mouth. Just as I opened my mouth, a warm, bitter liquid was poured into my mouth. Gulliver smacked my jaw shut.
My throat and mouth burned as if I had just eaten hot coals from the fire. Pain started to rip through my body I couldn't hold myself up. The other man then picks me up, and I try to push away. My body felt weak, and I couldn't lift my arms to do anything. The pain was burning through my veins, making me feel weak. I could barely scream by the time they took me from my room.
At some point, I had lost consciousness and awoke in a cold sweat. I was lying down on a cold stone floor. The air smelled musty, like a basement. I tried to push myself up, but I still felt weak. All I could do was lie there on the ground, shivering as if I were in a block of ice.
"Where did you get that Sangra? I haven't seen work like that. I thought it was supposed to enhance magic." I hear a voice say. The sound of footsteps drew closer to where I was.
"It came from a new batch they have been working on. It's a bad batch, though, only selling it to those already addicted. Nobles like us can still buy that good stuff and develop our powers." I then hear Gulliver laugh as he responds.
"A bad batch, huh? So what is the plan with her?" They get closer to me, and everything is so dark that I can only see a dark silhouette of the two. I went to speak to even yell, but my throat felt dry and sore.
"Let's get her in the coffin and seal it. This stuff has more nasty side effects," Gulliver says.
"A coffin?!" I thought. I want to fight back, but my body still fails me. All I can due is let them lay my body down into the wooden coffin.
"Sister, you're awake! You are going to have a very long, eternal sleep in this comfortable coffin I got just for you, " he says in a creepy, happy tone. I knew even though I couldn't see his face, there was a twisted smile.
All I can do is clench my teeth while I stare at his face. The longer I stared, my eyes adjusted to the dark, seeming to get better and better. I saw his eyes normally green eyes were showing a bright red.
He then disappears from my view, replaced by the coffin's lid. The fear of being trapped here to starve finally hit me. This was where I died, and my brother was the murderer. After all these years of getting upset at my success or any attention I received, I never thought he would be capable. Becoming an adult didn't erase his jealousy like I had believed. He just got better at hiding his feelings and planning my end.
I lay so very still for what seemed like hours before I attempted to move. I go to lift my arm, though it felt heavy, I could. I placed both palms on the lid and tried to push. But it wouldn't move, and I was still feeling weak. So I tried to talk, and some words came out in a croak. I continued to try and talk, and after a few minutes, I got my voice back a bit.
I put my hands back on the lid and said a spell incantation. One I regularly used at times for extra strength. When I wanted to move things around, I hated having to wait for others' help. Once I said the words, I tried to push, but still it didn't budge. I realized I also never felt the slight tingle sensation either. So I tried the spell again, but again nothing happened.
"Had Gulliver bind my powers somehow? Was it that liquid he forced me to drink?" I thought. I started to frantically bang on the door and yell as loud as I could. I start to lose my voice in the process, but I keep banging on the coffin.
"Let me out! Let me out!" I yell over and over, tears now falling to the side of my face.
I eventually tire out and drowsiness takes over me, my eyes start to close. I feel like I might have run out of air before starvation ever hit. My last thoughts fell to Maria, and where she was. I hoped that she was alright and my brother had left her alone.
So I made what felt like my last dream a happy one; we both ran off together. In the city's capital, having fun and not caring what all the others thought. I would be a teacher at the university, and Maria would have her bakery. I smiled as I drifted off into oblivion.