Chapter 1: Banishment
Every fairytale my father read to me as a child had happy endings. The poor beauty was being mistreated in some way, but her luck is then turned around by some type of speaking animal. She meets her prince who is enchanted by her charm rather than her status. There is drama that revolves around jealousy and forbidden love. This is also quickly resolved and the poor beauty gets her happy ending. My parents were fortunate enough to get that happy ending. I had the luxury of living the poor beauty's misfortune. There is no Prince Charming, no speaking animals, and instead of fighting jealousy I fought a war.
For a century the Kingdom of Coik was at war with the shape shifting wolves of the Eastern Forest. The war ended when my mother, Queen Maarika, rose to power. An agreement was made between both sides. The people of Coik were no longer allowed to step a foot on wolf territory, and the wolves were not to step a foot in Coik. Soon after the treaty my mother became wedded to my father, a nobleman from a kingdom north of ours. He was the most kind and fairest of them all. Coik became prosperous under their rule. When my mother gave birth to me I received all their undivided attention. Everything was going swell until a plague dispersed around Coik and killed many of our people. My father became victim to this plague and our late night story times became forbidden. Advisors became my new friends as the kingdom prepared for the death of the Queen and King. However as fast as the plague struck, the faster it left...along with my father. At the age of 10 I learned that fairytales can be faked. The love I thought my mother had for my father was farce. Her emotionless expressions after his death gave me hope in that she may be trying to stay composed. Less than a month went by when she decided to share her throne, along with her bed, again with my current step father.
I can't say that it didn't have an affect on me. That I didn't plan out the different ways I could flee the kingdom and survive on my own. Even with all the encouragement in the world, I couldn't bring myself to abandon my father. Leaving Coik would mean leaving behind his grave. So I stayed put and acted along with the rest of the family. I wanted to believe that the relationship with my step father would strengthen overtime, and that I would live to see the day my mother would smile again. However destiny had other plans for me. Another ten years went by, the wolf clan of the Eastern Forest were dwindling in numbers and my step father feared of a second war.
"Princess Elizabeth, the King and Queen request your presence in the throne room." A summon that gave off an unbearable sensation of trouble.
My mind swarmed with anxiety and my mouth became dry as I made my way through the corridors.
The doors opened and I could sense the unpleasantness of the room. The faces of those who reside in the castle are plastered with the same looks of confusion.
I bowed, but didn't speak.
"Princess Elizabeth," the voice of my step father sliced through the silence, "for the crimes against the Kingdom and people of Coik, you will be banished to the Eastern Forest."
The once silent room was now bursting with chatter. The king smiled at my perplexed expression as he held out a bottle of arsenic in his hand.
"The same poison that killed the late king, found in your chambers, you murdered your father in cold blood!" He roared.
I found my voice again and stared to make my way towards him.
"Mother please! This is impossible, I am being framed! There is absolutely no way I could have possibly harmed father! I was only a child!"
The guards grappled onto my arms and dragged me out of the room. My screams echoed the hallways as I pleaded to be let free. I was thrown into a carriage and rushed through the streets.
The villagers had shocked expressions as I banged against the carriage walls. The older man whose bakery I frequented charged at the carriage, but was quickly brought down and dragged away by more guards. There were no more attempts after that.
My arms were becoming sore and my lips tasted of iron. Moments later the carriage stopped and when the doors opened I attempted my escape. It was a failure at best as the guards pinned me down and blindfolded me.
"Anymore tricks and your life ends here, you filthy wench."
Exhaustion took over me and I tried to shut my eyes against the overflow of tears. Hours later I awoke cold and hungry. Sounds of the forest surrounded me, it may have been the small amount of light peaking through that disturbed my slumber.
I peeled the piece of fabric off my face and observed the area. It was one I was definitely unfamiliar with and the large brush suggests untraveled paths. In other words, no going back, forward, or sideways. I was thrown into the deepest part of the woods with no way out.
My body aches as I rose from the ground. I began to walk towards the direction I felt went north. My father's kingdom lies North of Coik. Chances are they already have been made aware of my situation. Still, dying in a prison cell seems much better than staying in these woods. The wolves aren't the only shapeshifters in the Eastern Forest. There are a plethora of others, all dangerous, all hungry, and I am definitely a walking meal.
The sun was setting faster than I had wished for and the temperature was dropping rapidly. If I were to continue I would die of exhaustion and hypothermia before I could reach the borders of other kingdoms. So I rested, the sounds of Forest bringing me comfort.
"If the nightlife was roaring, no predators are roaming." A silly saying my father would often say on our overnight travels.
Not soon after a womanly screech pierced the air and my lack of survival skills became apparent as I raced towards her cries.
Part of me would like to belief that this risk was due to my morality, but the fact is, my body moved in hopes of finding a nearby village attached to those screams.
"Hello! Ma'am can you hear me?" I began to call out as the screams got closer. I didn't even think about the fact that I am unarmed and drained from today's hike.
Nevertheless, I continued to run until I found myself in an open circle. The screaming stopped the forest was no longer as lively as before.
A rustle behind me caused goosebumps to appear all over my skin. Butting my lip I let out a whisper, "Hello?"
To which two glowing eyes appeared in response. I felt my breath hitch and adrenaline rushed through me once more as I began to flee.
However, I couldn't outrun the danger and was soon found kissing the ground once more.
I wasn't able to witness my predator, but it was all too obvious. The human like screams, claws that pierced my flesh, it's hot breath near my face, and the smell of the beast salivating.
I began to whimper knowing exactly what I had encountered. I unknowingly ran towards the calls of a starved fox.
"Please," hot tears ran down my face while expecting to be released by a beast who is having his first meal in weeks.
He let out a chuckle that was almost hauntingly human. He sank his teeth into my shoulder which brought unbearable pain.
A small, warm sensation ran through me knowing I may be able to be with my father again. However he may be taken aback by the the absence of pigtails and mutilated body parts
This warmth disappeared as did the weight of the fox. My screams were then replaced by those heard from earlier, except the sounded more real and painful. And just as my eyes began to close I was able to catch a glance at a much larger figure towering over the fox. Slipping into unconsciousness, a sweet voice whispered an unfamiliar name.
"Ellery."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone