Darknes In Bluebell Wood

• Rosie Barwick, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2010

The baby awoke in its silk sheets. She opened her eyes to see her proud mother and father smiling over her. Her mouth opened in a tiny toothless smile, she gurgled happily.
The Queen smiled, “I think I’ll call her Lesley, princess Lesley Magnolia Justica Woodbine Ash.”
Little Lesley rolled over in her cot and turned her face to look at her father. She saw a glittering silver and red sword hanging by her father’s side. She reached as far out as her little arms would go. Her father caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and laughed at what his little girl was trying to do.
“I think she’ll be a warrior someday” he said while wiping tears of merriment from his face, his laughter was infections and soon the whole court was laughing at the little princess trying to get her father’s sword.
But while all the court was having a joyous feast to celebrate the birth of Lesley, they were blissfully oblivious to the fact that their every move was being watched from deep within The Bluebell Woods. Millions of pairs of eyes, glowing yellow in the darkness were watching.
Dark shapes moved quiet and unseen through the very heart of the wood, going deeper and deeper. Finally at the very center of Bluebell wood stood a fortress. Guarded by grotesque and ugly creatures, a spider like creature scuttled over the crudely made gates and up the tallest tower, it climbed through a small window at the topmost of the tower, inside was a nightmare, a dark mahogany desk was cluttered with scrolls and skulls, a large cauldron hung in the middle of the room,. A figure was draped in long dark, robes turned its face towards the intruder, and then its dismantled features formed a slight grin, a sight that would have chilled your very heart.
“Ahh....! Goreblatz, my faithful servant what news have you brought me,” its voice was like nails scraping on a chalkboard.
“Master I bring news from the castle.”
“Yes, yes what is it, tell me.”
“Master the king has invited everybody to celebrate the princess’s birth”
“WHAT!!!” screeched the humped figure, “that fool of a king will pay dearly for not inviting me”
“What do you have in mind master” rasped Goreblatz
The evil woman smiled showing blackened stumps of teeth, “you, my faithful servant will go to the castle tonight and steal this precious princess and bring her to me,” she cackled

After the jubilant feast the King and Queen retired to their chambers.

“Good night my little Lesley” the kings warm voice flowed over his child.
Thunder shook the palace windows, as Goreblatz scaled the walls and crept into the nursery. He snatched the baby from her cot. As he scuttled away though the rain with the baby on his back, he heard the mournful cries of the queen and the outraged howls of the king, vowing to get his daughter back.
When Goreblatz heard the haunting cries of the queen it sent a shiver all the way to his heart as he realised what had done. He considered taking the baby back, but the thought of what his mistress would do to him made him shiver uncontrollably from fright.
That morning the kingdom awoke to the gut retching screams of their queen. Everyone in the palace rushed towards the nursery, their fear increasing with each step, what they saw when they got there was near heart breaking, the queen, still dressed in only her nightgown and bonnet was kneeling over the empty cradle and crying, huge racking sobs that shook her whole body. The king rushed over and put his arm around her, at that moment they shared the pain of losing their child. The queen looked up, her eyes all puffy and red held a look of such sorrow.
“George who would have done this” she cried into his shoulder
“I don’t know Isabella but I assure you that we will find her and that the person responsible will be put to death immediately” the queens ladies in waiting came forward to comfort her while the king turned to his chief advisor and asked him in a hushed voice “Do you have any idea who did this”
“Sire I don’t wish to alarm you but we think it might be the work of...” he leaned closer and whispered, what he said made the kings eyes go wide with shock.
“Are you sure, it can’t be her I banished her” the king sat down heavily, his face turned an unhealthy shade of grey, he pulled his wife closer and hugged her tight.
“I am afraid dearest that our worst fears have been confirmed,” He stood up, still hugging her to him “my dear friends” he began “today is a day of great sorrow,” he glanced at the empty cradle and continued “as you all know our beautiful baby girl has been mercilessly taken from us, but.... by who”. He looked around the room, making eye contact with everyone before he said what a parent would never want to hear “we have reason to believe that our daughter has been taken by......Borgarath!” As soon as the assembled heard that word they gasped and rushed to support the queen who had burst into fresh tears and was lying in a heap on the like a wounded animal.
“My poor baby Lesley” she wailed.
Back in the murky depths of the Bluebell woods it was quiet and eerily dark. The door to the tower swung open and a chilly draft swept through the room. Goreblatz entered timidly, Borgarath shambled over and took the sleeping babe from him and held her in her wrinkly hands, and a look of affection crossed her face as well as a glint of madness in her eye. The look scared Goreblatz more than anything she had ever done to him. Borgarath stroked the babes hair and gently put her down in a little, in a less that comfortable looking cot, as Goreblatz watched, a question came unbidden too his lips “Mistress, why did you want to kidnap the princess” as soon as the words left his mouth Borgarath turned on him faster than a viper and just a deadly “what did you say” she hissed. Goreblatz shrunk back against the wall
“I just asked a simple question Mistress please don’t hurt me” he whimpered
“You want to know why I wanted this baby”
“Yes mistress, please”
“Ok, I will tell you but then you will have to be severely punished”
Goreblatz gulped “Yessss mistress”
“It all started way back before that dreadful Isabella came, I was a beautiful lady and king George was to be my fiancé’ “she paused to take in Goreblatz wide eyed reaction.
“We ended up married and for awhile I was the happiest woman alive,” she sighed wistfully “We were happy together for the first couple of year until George decided that he wanted an heir to his throne, we tried many times. I really enjoyed the experience but after nothing happened in the first 3 years we suspected that something was wrong” she stopped abruptly.
A look of pain crossed her disfigured features she snatched a glance at him and then at the baby “we then went to the physician and he told us that I was barren and that I couldn’t have any children ever” she sighed again and picked up the baby a look of hunger in her eyes “That’s ..Why I.... wanted.... this... BABY! She screeched and held the baby high in the air. Lightning sparked from her fingers as she held the terrified babe. Scrolls, skulls, spells everything was caught in a wild whirlwind.
“Finally revenge is mine” she let a banshee laugh, the baby was thrown out the window
“NOOO” whimpered Goreblatz
“YESSSS” cackled Borgarath “Finally Justice