NIGHTS OF HALLOW

While Daemon and Sthena discussed in the courtroom, Perdita sat in the private library of the king, her attention solely on the book she was reading.

The book which held the title THE ORIGINAL WITCHES in golden ink at the back held secrets untold that had always been in whispers on the lips of the people who didn’t know exactly the true story behind the original witches.

Perdita fortunate to have gotten her hands on such a powerful book couldn’t help but adjust in her sitting position. At the end of the table beside her, sat Emily who was quiet without uttering a word since she was called upon by Perdita.

Since the night before she revealed what she almost did to her on the order of Lady Rosamonda, Perdita had not said anything to Emily. She had just asked her to retire for the night, and this had left an unsettling feeling in Emily’s heart as she didn’t know what to make of the situation. Even as the morning came when she had gone to help Perdita prepare for the day, she did not say anything to her still.

Worst of it all was that both the King and Perdita now knew what happened but they chose to keep quiet. Why were they not doing anything? Or didn’t they believe her? Perhaps, she would indeed end up on the scaffold as the royal family member was likely to be trusted than a mere maid.

Meanwhile, Perdita was immersed in the book she was reading, flipping yet another page as she read on.

The first Chapter she was reading, titled THE HISTORY OF AGES told stories of the first time the first witch came to live on earth together with other creatures.

The book began thus; the beginning of the earth was like a coven covered with mist and darkness. No one knew what was therein. Nothing could be seen or heard, it was just a space with no life until one day, a creature suddenly appeared and walked on the surface of the earth. From where it appeared, remained a mystery and puzzle to unlock.

This creature was recorded to be the first to walk on the surface of the earth, no other life was seen except this one creature, or at least this was what this creature thought until something incredible happened.

For several days, the earth was filled with darkness, nothing except an endless space of darkness, but then, this creature didn’t seem bothered by this, instead, it reeled in the presence of darkness, finding comfort and solitude in it.

Everything seemed to progress well for this creature not until one day, when strolling around the verse space as usual did this creature encounter another creature.

There was an unmistakable conflict in the first creature’s eyes and that of the other one as both stared at each other with questions in their eyes.

The first creature having not spoken to anyone before or even to itself felt at a loss on how to navigate this encounter.

It was only when after some minutes of both creatures staring at each other that the second creature spoke the first word of its own too. Surprisingly, the first creature strangely understood what the second creature had said.

It had baffled both as they had thought they were the only ones in the verse space filled with nothing but darkness.

Afterward, the two creatures had strangely embraced each other’s presence, welcoming each other stories and journeys. Together, they continued on their journey of exploring the earth they had suddenly found themselves in, but at the back of their minds, they wondered if there were any other creatures aside from them.

On one peculiar day, where the atmosphere strangely echoed words of emotions which were strange to both creatures as all they have had the experience to feel was the comfort their company brought.

That day, they had stared intently at each other, confused and yet warmed by the sensational attraction that drew both to each other. Their eyes red and green respectively held questions that none could answer.

Oftentimes, they found themselves asking each other questions about how different both of them were. Their eye color, the difference in the shape of their faces, and most importantly, the features they saw in each other’s bodies

They had been like a mirror to each other, where one told the other the things that they saw on the other’s body. For the first creature, it was the distinct difference in the wide length of his shoulder while the second creature had a smaller shoulder length.

The presence of two round bumps on the upper body of the second creature were found missing on the first creature as the first creature had a flat but toned chest. It went down to the curve that went from the waist of the first creature down to the hips, whereas on the other creature, the body was slightly straight.

Their eyes had continued to note the differences as they spent time with each other, the real puzzle they faced being the long-looking flesh that stuck out from between the legs of the first creature, and for the second creature, it was flat but shaped in a way it also fits between the legs.

Perdita lost in what she was reading felt her face heat up at the description of the creatures. Her face was already flushed as the picture of the description flashed in her head.

”Who wrote this book?!” Perdita silently exclaimed in sheer embarrassment at reading such a book.

”My Lady?” Emily who was in the process of drifting to sleep as she sat on her chair called out in question. Her light brown eyes held a confused look and at the same time afraid that she might have missed Perdita’s order.

”Y—yes?” Perdita stuttered in response, her face shining all red. She waved her dismissively at Emily and said, ”It wasn’t you, Emily. I was speaking to myself.”

I was speaking to myself, asking who had crudely described the features found in a man and a woman! Perdita thought, already feeling like smacking the person who wrote such a book.

”Okay, My Lady,” Emily nodded. She noticed that they had spent quite some time in the library and it was now time of noon. She opened her mouth to say something but then hesitated to say it.

Perdita noticed Emily’s hesitation and she questioned her, ”Is there something you want to tell me, Emily?”

”Ah, yes,” Emily replied, still skeptical to voice her thoughts, but then, she had to say it anyway as Perdita was already staring at her to speak.

Emily wiped her hands that had turned clammy on her dress and whispered in uncertainty, ”I was wondering if I could bring you something to eat, My Lady. But—” Emily paused, not knowing how to say the next words on her lips.

”But what?” Perdita quizzed with a raised brow. ”You want me to call another maid?” She continued to question and saw Emily nod her head to a yes.

”I didn’t mean it that way...I mean, I didn’t want it to look like I am slacking in my work. It’s just that...”

”Shush, Emily,” Perdita quietened the babbling maid. She placed her hand on Emily’s hand which she had placed on the table and said, ”Emily, I didn’t approve of you for no reason. Do you want another maid to bring my food? How then will I know if the food or drink is poisoned or not? I’m learning to trust you, Emily, don’t break that.”

”And also,” Perdita continued as she went back to the book she was reading and flipped to another page of the witch’s book, she said, ”Speak freely and act friendly with me, Emily. I don’t bite people’s heads neither do I drink people’s blood. You go ahead and bring the food, I’ll be here waiting for you.”

Emily’s for a minute stared blankly at Perdita lost for words. She could already feel her eyes prickle with tears as she questioned herself, how was her Lady this gentle and kind? Her reply had immediately wiped the fear and uncertainty that tugged on her heart.

”Thank you so much, My Lady, I can’t believe you would be this kind to me. I will never break your trust, My Lady.” Emily bowed deeply at Perdita, the sincerity in her words deeply reflected both in her words and the look in her eyes.

”I’ll go get the food immediately, My Lady!” Emily announced gleefully and rushed out of the library, her once rigid face beamed with a smile as she felt the weight on her shoulders being lifted. Perdita was indeed like they had told her, Emily thought as she went to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Perdita had gone back to the book, and this time, she was sure that the writer of the book needed the brain checked.

From the new page she had flipped to, it read; On this peculiar day where the sparks emitted from the body of these two creatures seemed to consume both. They felt themselves drawn to each other, the dark red eyes of the first creature bore deep into the green ones of the second creature. And without further words, the lips of the first creature captured the lips of the second creature.

The frivolousity at which their lips danced with each other led them to explore more of their body which they had been questioning for long. Before long, their bodies joined as one as they rocked to the sounds of their beating hearts.

This union between the two creatures thus bore two magical creatures, marking the first union between a vampire who was the first creature, and the witch who was the second creature. But the mystery and question of which creature was the first to arrive on earth rose as conflict seemed to slip in.