Sometimes, A love story that starts with “Once upon a time…” is a horror story in disguise!!...

Prologue

“Once upon a time, in the faraway Northern Kingdom, there lived a beautiful princess with sparkling jade eyes and a mind full of thoughts. Her hair was softer than silk, her skin delicate than satin and her lips redder than rose petals. She was the little wild thing roaming around the Dark woods, chasing the wild rabbits and plucking colourful flowers until that fateful night.

“Proserpina!!” It was the panicked voice of her mother, the Queen of the Northern Kingdom. Proserpina opened her eyes, and all she could see was BLOOD!! The rivulets of blood dripped down her mother’s head as if she was attacked head-on by a heavy object.

“Come on!” Queen hissed in panic. Hearing this was enough for Proserpina to get her moving. Her first instinct was to look for and hold her pet, a little white rabbit she had found on her trips to the Dark woods. The Queen grabbed her hand, and soon they were out of their chambers, rushing through the narrow passages towards the attic. Her mother opened the massive antique door, which was carved depicting an ancient war between the creatures of hell and flying shadows.

Once inside, Proserpina knew it was the private vault where several paintings, antiques, jewellery pieces and other priceless possessions were stored. Her mother overlooked them and stopped in front of a palm-sized dagger. It was very plain in design, but Proserpina couldn’t prevent herself from touching it. There was something strange about that dagger that beckoned her to hold it. It felt as if it belonged to her in the past!! She usually refrained from touching anything like this, but she felt her mind and body were not in her control this time.

The blade was silver and black, attached to a small wooden handle. The moment she held it, it glowed crimson as if drawing the power by her touch.

“Proserpina, always keep this dagger with you. It will work magic if you desire so,” Queen said in a pained voice. Proserpina felt hurtful to see her mother in distress, who is usually full of life even in challenging times. Queen paused for a second, trying to swallow her tears, and control her choked voice. “Have faith in your dreams, and they will show you the way. Your blood is the key to turning around the sands of time, unlocking the dark secrets of the past.” Queen’s words were like a mystery to Proserpina as if they spoke of deeply hidden clues to something unknown, but that was the least of her worries for now.

Queen pulled Proserpina towards a portrait mounted on the opposite wall. The picture featured her as a newborn carefully tucked into her mother’s arms while her father stood behind them. His dark eyes and body language mirrored his power as the Northern Kingdom's King. Queen removed the portrait and reached for a handle behind it. The moment she twisted it, Proserpina heard a distinct voice of something moving. She watched in shock as the large wall ahead of them parted slightly. Queen put her hand through to push it wider. Once the door opened wide, they were greeted by the Royal guard Erik and six of his men. Queen passed Proserpina over to Erik.

“Come on, Princess, I’m getting you out of here,” Erik spoke with urgency.

“Goodbye, sweetie, till the fates decide to unite us in the next life. You will have to learn how to be strong all alone. I have always prayed for you, my little girl, in this life, and I’ll continue doing so in the afterlife as well.” And, at that moment, Proserpina just sucked in a deep breath, and a single tear left her eye and trailed down her cheek before getting lost on the floor, taking away all her hope.

“MOM! Please, no!” Proserpina muttered in shock when she saw her mother stepping back. She knew that this was the last time she saw her mother. The wall closed between them.

“Let’s go!” Erik’s voice echoed behind Proserpina. After making their way through numerous narrow tunnels, one of those leads them to the dark woods.

Proserpina had been to these woods many times before, but this time something was wrong, which she could feel in her bones. The clouds turned dark as if filled with unforgiving rage. Heavy tundra winds started blowing, which was unusual for summer. The vibes changed and a sickly stench diffused in the air as if a strange force was taking over and contaminating it like a disease. The leaves of the trees started withering, and the flowers wilted. The roots and branches began to die and crumble upon themselves. The soil turned crimson.

“Find her, and bring me the heads of those who helped her to escape.” The unmistakable voice of Proserpina’s uncle cut through the woods, issuing orders to his soldiers. Her uncle’s words were like an unexpected sting of betrayal. Her father always trusted him blindly; he was also a safe place for Proserpina. Her heart missed a beat when the thought of how her father would have reacted to her uncle’s betrayal crossed her mind. There was a high chance that her parents would be killed by now, but coming this from her uncle was heartbreaking and soul-crushing. Perhaps, from now, little Proserpina would never be able to see the world in the same way or trust another wholeheartedly. Her world was crumbled, and with that,

Her faith!!

“Listen, Erik; if you think we can get out of here in one piece, then you are a fool.” One of the six men spoke.

“You will take the princess to the Tombs of the condemned while we will distract these soldiers.” Erik commanded his brother Sigurd. Proserpina somehow didn’t trust Sigurd but now, what option did she have? Sigurd took Proserpina deeper into the woods, and she could hear the swords clashing between Erik, his men and the soldiers. She let out a silent prayer for their safety.

Once they reached the outskirts of the ‘Tombs of the Condemned’, goosebumps started crawling over Proserpina’s skin. Throughout the years, she had heard stories about how many soldiers had dared to venture into that forbidden land and never returned.

That place was Death!!

A loud screeching draws Proserpina’s attention toward the sky. The heavy mass of clouds tumbled and roiled together. Wolves began to howl, the sound sending a primordial shiver down her spine. It was a warning call to the predators and prey who fled into the safe cocoon of their homes because the deadliest predators were about to dominate the dark woods. And then they came, like a flash of light!

The undead and terrifying creatures of the night!!

The brunette Vampire Queen consort Carmilla of Bucuresti, the city in Wallachia, and the blondes Aleena and Estrella, who were the twins and the concubines of the Vampire King of Bucuresti!!!

The moment their feet touched the ground, they transformed from their ghostly pale grotesque form to preternaturally beautiful women dressed in flowing silk gowns. Their beauty was seductive and lethal, for it could bewitch its victims into a trance-like state. Carmilla was gawking at Proserpina, scrutinizing her, while the other two were behaving in a wild and aggressive manner. They looked like creepy humans with pale skin, a sickly kind of pale as if devoid of blood. They hissed, and their monstrous tongue slurped over their fangs when their blood-shot red eyes landed on Princess Proserpina.

Proserpina’s little rabbit was squirming in her arms due to fear and leapt to run away, but Estrella was quick enough to jump on it and tear it into pieces. Proserpina was too shocked to react, her every fibre and sense screaming in fear. The heartbeats escalated at an unnatural speed as the waves of dread coursed through her body, and all she could do was wait to see what her fate stored for her.

Queen Carmilla smiled at Proserpina, but soon her smile turned into a frown when both the concubines hissed aggressively. They found it challenging to control their predatory cravings while facing a human. Carmilla snarled at them, making them look away defeatedly.

“What’s your name, princess?” Carmilla’s sweet voice was a total contrast to her dark personality. Her skin was unnaturally pale. Her deep-black eyes were laced with the darkest shade of kohl and shadowed with black eye shadow, giving her a gothic touch. Her lips were blood red as if painted with the glossy shade of crimson. Her hair was parted in the centre and reached her shoulders. Even though the winds were aggressive, not a single strand of her hair was out of place, as if she was immune to the harsh elements of nature. She was the epitome of dignity and perfection.

“Proserpina!” The princess’s voice stammered due to Carmilla’s intimidating stature.

“Ah, a beautiful name…she’s the one fated to both of my sons. Isn’t she lovely?”

“How can you be so sure?” Aleena dared to question Carmilla.

“Go ahead and check for yourself!” There was a mock in Carmilla’s tone. Within the following fraction of a second, Proserpina felt Aleena’s cold breath against her neck. Aleena’s sharp fangs were scraping against her flesh. Proserpina couldn’t stop the yelp escaping her lips as the sharp sting of Aleena’s bite shuddered her body. The pain seemed mutual as Aleena was also groaning, her eyes rolling over and her fangs bleeding. Her veins turned black as if she was necrotizing. Proserpina couldn’t understand what was happening; What effect could her blood have on the deadliest creature like Aleena?

“See, I told you, she’s a chosen one for both my sons,” Carmilla spoke with a sly smile as if she already knew what would happen to Aleena.

“She is a ---,” Aleena screamed in horror, but before she could complete her sentence, Carmilla hissed at her, “one more word and you’re dead,” shutting her off, reacting indifferently to her painful groans.

Carmilla regained her calm and turned back, facing the princess, “Come, Proserpina, it's time to return to your palace. This place doesn’t look safe.” She spoke, looking around. Now her gaze affixed on Proserpina’s uncle with such an intensity as if he made an unforgivable mistake.

“Forgive me, my Queen, for I was not aware of the secret door--”

“You are not asked to speak. All you needed to do was take care of your niece, which you failed miserably. If not for Sigurd, we would have lost the princess.” Carmilla spoke sternly to Proserpina’s uncle, who bowed in shame. Proserpina's eyes moved to Sigurd, who was laughing shamelessly after betraying his brother.

“Sigurd, the princess is under your care till she comes of age to be claimed by my sons,” Carmilla commanded in an authoritative tone. Sigurd was quick enough to act as two of his men came forward and chained Proserpina, pushing her inside the carriage. She could hear the muffled sounds of Erik and his men groaning in pain. Carmilla and Estrella preyed on them, giving them the same horrible death as Proserpina’s white rabbit. Like a flash of lightning, all three vampire wives disappeared into the night sky beyond the dark clouds.

As the carriage moved through the narrow trail, Proserpina somehow knew that this was the last time she would roam through the forest and play with her furry friends.

“I will show you your place!” Sigurd snarled and kicked eight-year-old Proserpina in the abdomen; she rolled down and landed straight inside a prison. Before she could gather her senses and control her trembling body, he shut the door and left her alone in the darkness. She rushed to the door, clutched its handle and tried to open it, but it won't budge. She screamed and screamed and then cried the whole night and endless nights after that. But there was no one to hear her pleas.

Proserpina’s uncle became the king and sealed the deal with the Vampire Queen Carmilla to hand them Proserpina till she came of age.

Proserpina’s fate was sealed to the princes of Bucuresti. She was painted black like an abomination to hide the true nature of her beauty, thus paying a heavy price to protect her innocence from the gazes of other men’s lust and evil intentions. She was locked all alone at the highest tower of the Northern palace in a gilded cage, stripped of her freedom. Trapped forever with the past, pain, grief and despair,…letting out her tears till there were none left to shed; when her heart cries, her eyes turn dry.

The hours merged into the day, the days into the month, the months into the year, and years into the decade till she turns eighteen to be claimed by her mates.

I missed me, the happy me, the smiling me and The Gone me!!...

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