2PROLOGUE
Introducing Rapunzel, The Klutz, The Kleptomaniac and the Ambitious Blond
She sat on a couch, reading a book. A big black dog lay beside her. The tower was silent and devoid of all life save for the two. Sighing, the seventeen year old closed her book and stood up, returning it to a shelf. Her dog watched her lazily. She tied her dark brown hair in a bun and fixed her gray eyes on her dog.
"Well, what now, Russ?" She pouted and looked out a window. There was nothing but a sea of trees for miles around. Her dog didn't even move from his spot. Instead, he closed his eyes and attempted to go to sleep already. He seemed to be telling his master to do the same: it was already pitch dark save for the chandelier that lit up the room.
"I wonder if mother would visit today." She looked back at her companion who was already dozing peacefully. She smiled sadly at her dog. He had been presented to her fourteen years ago, when she was just three. Suddenly, a voice was heard from behind her.
"Good evening, Leda."
Russ whimpered, and Leda whipped around to see a woman sitting on the couch.
"Mother!" Leda gave her mother a hug.
The sorceress didn't even stand up. Her short white hair complimented her pasty white skin, but apart from that she looked nothing like her age. She seemed to be only in her twenties and even rivaled Leda's beauty. They looked somewhat alike, which was strange: even Leda knew that this woman was not her biological mother. The sorceress had torn her away from her real family and locked her up here as revenge for an insult.
"The country is in turmoil right now; you have it easy, being locked up here. The king is on a rampage, massacring all the 'witches' he can find and saving their 'apprentices'." The sorceress sighed.
"But Laverna, I mean mother," Leda corrected herself. "Mother, you don't have an apprentice."
Laverna snorted. "Neither sorcerers nor witches keep apprentices, my dear. We only keep young girls for company. This is precisely the reason I lock you far away from the sight of mortals: they'll tear you apart once they find out I'm a sorceress. At least you'll be spared if I keep you here."
Leda's eyes widened. "But mother, they can't do that! You can fend them off, right?"
Laverna merely shrugged. "I'm not sure, Leda. Just promise that if ever I die, you won't return to your mother – she initiated this madness."
"My mother…?"
"Yes. Plenty has happened since you disappeared. Your father died, and your mother became the king's mistress. She still wants you back badly and is venting her ill will on my kind. But I won't give in to her wishes – Ysabel is not fit to be a mother." Laverna complained.
Leda swallowed the lump in her throat. Laverna sensed the teen's fears and touched her cheek with a cold finger.
"Don't worry, Leda. We'll get through this, I promise." Laverna smiled and stood up. In a blink, she disappeared.
Leda shuddered. She remembered Ysabel – although pretty, Ysabel acted like a spoiled brat and treated Leda like a doll. When she tired of dressing Leda up, Leda was sent to her room for hours with nothing to do. Russ nudged Leda's leg, and Leda succumbed to his wishes. Perhaps it truly was time for bed.
Blake sat on a horse, awaiting the infamous Shadow Thief. Even though he was not obligated to stay awake all night, he wanted to. He believed it was his duty as prince to know who the accursed thief was. He frowned as he heard the wails of a girl. His father was taking more of the witches' "apprentices" to bed. His mother, Queen Isolda, would undoubtedly be sleeping alone tonight, as would Ysabel.
He gritted his teeth at the horror of his father's deeds. Burning innocent women to death, and then raping their daughters. There was just no end to it. His fists clenched and he vowed never to become like his father. Suddenly, something ran past them. He snapped back to attention and reared his horse. His men followed suit and ran into the forest.
Blake felt adrenaline pump through him. There was no way the damned thief could outrun them on foot. These were the best horses in the kingdom. He was going to catch that thief once and for all.
Soon, he stopped and realized that he had lost both the thief and his men. Did he run after something trivial? He looked around and bit his lip. He was definitely unfamiliar with these woods. It can't be good, now can it?
Blake slowed his horse to a trot and attempted to return from the direction he came from. He soon realized that he seemed to be turning in circles repeatedly. Letting out a frustrated shout, he got off his horse and tried to find some tracks. There were tracks from every direction, and it did him no good. He was hopelessly lost and could only hope that someone would come find him.
As he walked back towards his horse, he stumbled on a rock. Groaning loudly, he felt his forehead. A lump would be there tomorrow, and that wouldn't be a very pretty sight. In fact, he grimaced as he imagined Kiriath make fun of him for it. Not to mention there was a party tomorrow. He would look stupid, at the least.
Kiriath wasn't even a bit tired – he had lost all the king's men and separated the prince from his own men! He smirked and took off his black clothes, revealing clothes fit for a noble underneath. He approached the clearing where he left his horse and got on, placing the stolen jewelry in a hidden pocket inside a leather pouch. Stealing was just so fun, especially when the king doesn't suspect you one bit. He rode towards the outskirts of the woods, where the king's men stopped, hesitant to go further into the enchanted forest.
This forest may be enchanted, but he knew his way through it. After all, he had played here numerous times.
True enough, the guards were worried sick – they have lost the crown prince. What were they to do? Kiriath approached the men as if he were trying his best to catch up.
"Marcus! What's going on? Where's Blake?" Oh how he loved pretending.
"We saw the Shadow Thief go in the forest, and his majesty followed the thief in. We…We were separated."
Separated? More like acting cowardly, Kiriath thought. Anyway, he scoffed. "Then why aren't you searching for the king?" He ran his hand through his platinum, almost silver, hair.
Marcus, the head guard, bit his tongue. Leave it to Kiriath to be an ass. The king's nephew, he was next in line to the throne after Blake. He was also the cockiest bastard the world would ever have the misfortune to meet. It didn't matter; he returned the noble's violet gaze stonily.
"We don't know our way through the forest, your highness." Marcus answered in gritted teeth.
Kiriath savored every moment of it. Marcus hated him, and he knew it. The feeling was mutual.
"Well, since you ladies might wet your pants if you go in, I'll go after the moron." Kiriath urged his horse to go in the forest quickly.
It wasn't long before he found Blake trotting around in circles, making the same mistake over and over again. Smiling, he approached his cousin. He was the thief the country hated, but at the same time he was the noble with the impeccable manners and cocky attitude. Life is a fun game for him.
Melissa combed brushed out her honey-colored hair. Laverna was out again, visiting that little bitch Leda. Oh how she hated Laverna's favorite. Leda, Leda, Leda! All the comparisons and the praise heaped on Leda was making her sick. She would show Laverna that she was far more competent than Leda. She was sure of that. Tomorrow, the king is hosting a party. Of course, Laverna would never allow her to go there, but who cared?
She would ensnare the prince and marry him, become queen. Then Laverna would see: Melissa was the one she should have doted on.
"Melissa!"
Oh, Laverna was here. She had to behave, lest the sorceress suspect something. She couldn't have the witch watching her every move if she wanted to go to the party. She'd just have to behave... until the prince falls in love with her. Smiling to herself, she got ready.
"Coming, Laverna!"
If only her father hadn't married a witch. Oh well. She could make life work to her advantage - she always did.
AN: Not much humor here yet. Well, I'll put in some in the next chapter.