Young Writers Society

Meadows are the only place I’ve ever called home. With soft grass and lush flower patches, the sun warming me and casting golden freckles on my skin- it was the only perfect place in the world. It was gentle.

It was safe.

My hand had become tired as I outstretched it towards a fawn. His rich, chestnut fur seemed to stand on end as her wobbly legs shook in the breeze. A strawberry rested in my palm, soft and plump. The fawn waited for me to move before grabbing the strawberry between its teeth.

“What’s this?” a husky voice asked behind me. I whipped my head around as a young man with lanky legs walked past me in baggy pants. He picked up the fawn by its neck and watched as it squealed.

“Osian,” I growled, jumping onto my legs and snatching the deer from his slimy hands. I stroked its neck gently. “Don’t you care about anything? This fawn might take revenge on you one day when he’s a mighty stag.”

“Please,” Osian laughed. “When I am older, I will have an entire army to crush anything that wants to take revenge. I’ll crush this deer like a bug beneath my boot.” He snatched the deer away again, holding it above my head with a wicked smile. His teeth were perfect. His face was beautiful, despite his eye bags.

How could someone like Osian look as perfect as he did?

Osian held the deer in front of his face and made a face of mock sympathy.

“Poor little deer. You’ll never get revenge.” He took the fawn by its neck and snapped it. I suppressed a gasp.

The deer dropped to the ground without a sound. Osian ruffled my hair and walked past me, his face cold, his lips pouting.

“Don’t try and be the deer, Jo. I’ll snap your neck too.”

I whipped my head around.

“You’ll never be fit to be King.”

Osian turned around, his face cold and serious. I stared him dead in the eyes as he said one last thing before leaving.

“I know.”

I found a little willow tree a few feet out into the forest. Most of the land was dead except for the palace’s grounds, so the tree was withered and it didn’t have a single leaf on its branches. I dug a shallow hole with a shovel I found in the stables and buried the fawn where the sun would hit in the evenings. Its body was limp and cold. I didn’t know how it had survived in these conditions. I surely wouldn’t have.

I patted the dirt into place and stared at the grave. This fawn had already lived such a horrible life. What did it do to deserve this death?

Nothing, I remembered. Osian just hates me.

Osian seemed to take pride in making my life miserable. Ever since Father had made me move to this stupid palace, he gloated about how I could never be Queen, and how he would take every luxury I had away. But I didn’t care about those things. There was only one thing I wanted; to watch our kingdom die at Osian’s hands.

I wanted to watch him realize what a failure he was.

“Joanna.”

I jumped in my boots and turned around. It was just Uncle Lewys. His kind, green eyes sparkled in the sun as he held his hand out to me.

“Lord Lewys,” I said, curtsying in respect to him. He just shook his head and laughed.

“Please, dear, I’m the one who should be bowing to you. I just came to tell you that dinner is ready.”

“Lovely,” I said flatly. “I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast.”

“That seems to be the popular choice,” Uncle Lewys said in a begrudging tone. “Everyone is trying to get smaller. I think it just makes them look older.”

I gave Uncle Lewys a mischievous smile. “Would you like to make a bet?”

“You have too much money to bet with. Let’s go now, dear.”

I picked up my skirt and stepped through the brown grass, trying not to cast a look back at the deer’s grave. I could practically feel its spirit breathing down on me, begging me to take revenge on Osian.

Not yet, I thought, thinking about his smile as he slowly tore my world apart. I need to plan first.

I wasn’t exactly sure what I was supposed to plan; but it would be grand, exquisite even, and so masterfully thought out that Osian would pass out once all of it’s hidden details were revealed.

Poison in his cup? I thought. No. Too simple. And that would just kill the taste-tester.

Push him into the river? Hmm. The guards would see me.

I finally thought of an idea. It was horrible and cruel.

Kill Lewys. Then Osian will die of misery.

I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t a good plan anyway- if Lewys died, it just meant Osian would be in control of the estate, and thus in control of me. That practically meant torture.

But the decision was made for me.

Lewys’ shoulder brushed an Ulvish tree’s branch. The tree looked dead and ancient, its bark grey and cold to the touch. But when my Uncle touched it, its bark glowed white. His body seemed to freeze.

“Uncle?” I asked, tapping his shoulder. My hand suddenly became wrinkled. I jerked it away.

“Help!” he whispered, his voice barely louder than the breeze. I watched in horror as his body wrinkled and shriveled until he was nothing but skin and bone. He dropped to the ground, his body fading away like ash.

I ran. I couldn’t let this strange tree touch me, or else it would kill me.

One of the tree’s branches twisted behind me, wrapping around my ankle and dragging me behind it. I shrieked.

“Osian! Osian!”

I turned my head towards the tree and waited to whither away. The tree began to turn grey again.

Suddenly, my heart slowed down, and my skin peeled away. It felt like thousands of butterfly kisses all at once.

I felt blind. I couldn’t see anything except white. The sun burned my face as my skin kept peeling. Had I died? Where was I? It was probably better than the estate.

Joanna.

Silence.

Yes?

Do you feel any better?

I don’t know how I feel.

You have to feel satisfied.

I can’t. I won’t.

Why, child?

Lewys.

Silence again. I was glad for it.

Joanna.

Please, let me go.

I did what you asked.

I never asked. I thought.

Is it not what you wanted?

I tugged in the vague direction of my leg, hoping I could pull off the tree branch, but it was already gone. I blinked my eyes until the dead forest reappeared, and the golden meadow flowed in the wind behind me. What had happened? I flexed my fingers and toes to make sure I was safe. Nothing was broken. In fact, I felt younger. Softer.

“Jo.”

“Ah! Orion.” I whipped my head around and stood up. My legs were muscled and strong, unlike the thin ones I had before. “Did you hear me call for help?”

“No. I was just coming to tell you supper was ready.” He looked down at Lewys and squinted his eyes. I gulped.

“Heart attack,” I lied. “I guess he was just old.”

“You think I’m stupid enough to buy that, Joanna?”

He never called me Joanna.

“What happened to my father?” He growled, grabbing my shoulder under his strong grip. I flinched. The silence had past longer than I thought.

“I swear I don’t know,” I wheezed. “The tree.. It-it-”

“I don’t care about the stupid tree,” Osian growled. His nails dug into my neck until he dropped me on the ground. I clutched my neck, my eyes watering as I struggled to regain my breath.

Osian ran over to his father. Lewys’ eyes had rolled back in his head, his face pale and gray. Osian placed a hand on his cheek before standing up and looking towards the castle. He never looked at me.

“Go.” It was one word. It felt like it nearly killed me.

“I’ll go get help,” I promised. “I’m sure one of the groundskeepers can help-”

“I said go.” Osian finally turned around. “Or should I force you into the same fate my father met?”

“Osian…”

“I will kill you, Princess Joanna. And when I do, the sight will be so horrible your parents will die of sorrow too.” He grabbed my chin and jerked it towards him. “And then I will be King.”