Mirror image

POV Dane

my steed esca flew forward full gallop like he had not a care in the world. the horse loved to run.

I love the wind in my hair it made me feel as tho I was flying.

elowen was holding on for her life she looked so small and fragile like moonflower gently blowing in the wind.

the forest flew past us like a dark green blur I was wondering how long I could keep this speed before Ellie threw up.

but to my surprise a giggle bubbled from her, I can't believe it she was enjoying this?

"you okay my lady"? I questioned.

she sat up straight her back pressing to my chest making it hard to keep myself from getting excited.

"it's amazing!" she mused turning her face to mine it was red blush coating her pale face her smile was beautiful, she always surprised me.

"Dane? can we go faster??" she asked with a giggle.

"faster?? I think we can make that happen" esca was a war horse and he was the fastest I've ever had the pleasure of fighting along side.

"esca! Curre!" soon we were a blur sprinting ahead of the caravan.

"Dane!! this is amazing!" Ellie shouted letting go of escas mane throwing her hands in the air.

I couldn't help but shake my head sometimes this woman acts just like a child.

before long we needed to make a stop esca needed water and Ellie needed to relive herself and I just wanted a cold drink.

usually I like to stay near to the princess but she had Ella by her side and honestly the girl can handle herself most of the time.

"lord baron how much farther?" I questioned walking up to my master who seemed pretty flustered.

"not much farther it's about 3 miles down this road" he replied placing a hand on my shoulder.

"is something wrong my lord?"

"no just worried is all" lord baron sighed

"just mount your horse and we will be off"

lord baron added,

it had only been about 3 days since the beginning of our quest but lord baron looked as if he had aged greatly.

after watering esca I looked to find Ella who was standing by herself her hands ringing her apron as if she was in destress.

"Ella where is her highness!!" I asked with a bit of aggression,

she stepped back from me out of fear.

"I'm not sure my lord knight she was just next me then when I looked bayshe had disappeared" she was on the verge of tears ,

"ugh be still child I'm not angry with you but I'm going to kill the princess once I find her" I remarked patting Ella gently on the head.

where the hell did she get off too now, why can't she just do as she's told and stay put, she makes me want pull my hair on I thought as I walk towards lord baron who's already under stress as it is.

as I approached him he was in hushed conversations with ser Alistair.

"my lord if I might interrupt for a moment " I interrupted with a whisper in his ear.

"yes what is it?" he replied.

"it seems as if the crown princess has wondered off" I replied quietly,

"where!?" Lord baron exclaimed almost shouting as he quickly pulled out of conversation with ser Alistair.

I began to lead lord baron back to where the princess had gone "she went this way is what it looks like" I pointed to an area where a few bushes and low hanging branches were bent in a certain direction.

Lord baron nodded,

"you may accompany me on this journey but if anything happens to her it will be your head" He warned.

I nodded in understanding knowing that if the princess got hurt I would be in a heap of trouble.

As we reached where the branches were bent we noticed they were all bending slightly but the lower ones were more bent than the upper ones and in the middle there was no bend.

there were no footprints anywhere and I didn' t see any tracks or signs of a struggle anywhere.

"what are we looking at?".

I knew my answer was obvious when my lord baron gave out a frustrated sigh,

"we need to find her and fast!" He said trying to mask his irritation and frustration.

We decided to split up, i would take one side and lord baron the other and together we'd look around the bush.

my lord baron and I started searching and soon enough we found nothing. we checked the ground hoping there was some sign of a scuffle but there was none, everything was calm.

"ser Baron come back here we haven't searched all this way yet".

we heard a noise coming from behind the bush.

"who goes there!". I yelled grabbing my sword from its place strapped to my saddle.

I looked in the bush seeing two men.

"who goes there?" I asked stepping closer to the sound.

"so noisy in my wood? questioning me in my domain how bold" an ethereal voice filled with ancient power rang through the Wood.

I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine.

"who speaks?" I repeated cautiously approaching the bush,

I saw a blinding light peek out from the brush.

"young lord I am the heart in this realms" the voice answered.

"your name"

"you may call me queen Diana".

I took a deep breath calming myself down to be able to speak calmly

"how can I be of service my queen"

"follow that path and you will find what you seek elf child"

"yes my queen" and I proceeded to follow the all powerful light.

I followed the direction of the light until we came across an opening to a point surrounded by trees.

"this should show you what your looking for elf".

"thank you queen Diana" I said dipping my fingers into the pond to cool them off,

"come child you must look into the waters it is my looking glass"

"thank you queen Diana for your kindness and guidance ". I bowed slightly as a reply before stepping into the pond,

"see now you will know what you seek "

i walked up to a large stone statue, the image of a crow sitting on top of a tree with the sun setting behind it.

I turned back to the queen and to my surprise she was gone and I was completely alone and it was silent.

I laid my hand against the cold stone, It gave off a small hum like it was alive.

I lifted my right hand and placed it upon the bird like figure which had now grown into a person with its arms folded as if it were waiting.

"I don't suppose you are going to explain yourself, are you?" I asked the bird in a stern voice

and too my surprise the crow that had changed into man disappeared leaving my seemed to be a stone carving of elowen in its place.

how could that be I must be imagining things stone cannot change.

I looked into the eyes of the carving and suddenly I was standing in front of a large mirror the only explanation I could come up with is magick.

the mirror surface was black not even my reflection showed on its face,

I felt as if I was wasting time here when I could be looking for the princess.

" what is it that you desire my king?" I looked around to see who had spoken but I was still surrounded by darkness and saw no one.

"you are mistaken spirit I am no king" I replied

"you are no king yet" the voice spoke eerily " you are the dragon you will rule over all"

then I saw myself in the mirror but it wasn't, the me in the mirror had scales down its arms and face with large spiral horns protruding from its head, it's eyes were pure obsidian darkness. the mirror me wore the crown of the iron men the crown that would be my brother's.

"this image is treason how dare you!" I yelled into the mirror it copied me perfectly, till It spoke .

" I am you, the you that knows what he truly wants, you search for the princess but we both know what you really want is for her to be under you screaming your name in pleasure, your personal fuck toy" he spoke so confidently as if he knew exactly what I kept locked deep in my mind,

but it was a lie, I didn't want her to be mine I wanted her to live forever with me, not with an asshole prince she deserves better.

the me in the mirror chuckled lightly " I will have her one day I've already had a taste and I want my fill of her" I felt as if I was going to be sick.

My body began shaking uncontrollably, it was like a nightmare and my body began to fall backwards as I tried to scream but nothing emerged except for a small cough,

"you won't touch her ever again unless you want me to end you!" I yelled trying to move but my body but I was frozen as an image of Ellie appeared she was half dressed fear in her beautiful eyes as I towered over her my sword in hand.

'NO!" i screamed as the blade cut her clothes from her body, I tried to cover my face to hide the vision in front of me, " Dane please you don't need to do this " Ellie cried as the other me had his way with her.

I blacked out

I awoke to the sound of my name being called I was laying in the small pond again the stone statue in front of my eyes ,

I stood looking around I remembered everything thing I had seen suddenly sick I ran to the edge of the pond throwing up all the contents of my stomach into a bush .

"DANE!???" the voice called, it's Ellie she was calling for me "lord baron!!??" she was looking for us.

"my lady!!" I choked out in ragged breaths I needed to see her.

I stumbled out of the pond when I saw her in the beginning of the clearing.

"Ellie!? oh god Ellie!" I ran to her folding her small body in my arms.

"where have you been!!!!" I couldn't stop myself from getting angry, she looked unharmed.

"I never left Dane I was in the carriage sleeping I should have told Ella it's all my fault you are out here please forgive me"

"how did you find me" I asked

"I could hear you screaming I was afraid you were hurt" she said tears streaming down her cheeks.

"well you found me now go back to the caravan ellie." I ordered sternly as my anger died down.

Ellie nodded and began walking away when I called to her.

"Ellie wait" I shouted she slowly stopped turning around.

the pond and the stone statue was gone and the water that had covered me had completely dried like it was never there to begin with.