The long walk
[image removed by Helen as it includes her irl name]
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This story was written by me, though I stated [redacted by Helen as it doxxes her]
This story was written by me, though I stated [redacted by Helen as it doxxes her]
Natasha wandered the shelves, searching for the perfect book, something to read and enjoy. Reading was of course the best part of life. She spotted a nice slender greenish black one and took it out the shelve.
It had a golden crown encrusted with rubies on its cover. It sat on a red pillow and was just slipping off it. "The long walk" she read the title out loud. It was written in a bold white font and had a feeling of eeriness to it. The book was by [name redacted by Helen as it is her irl name]. She decided to read it.
The first page was the table of contents, and she saw it had 12 chapters. She found a nice comfy chair and started reading it.
This book was written for anyone for who likes it.
There was a preface, but she didn't care much for it and flipped to the first chapter.
Chapter 1 - Walk into the tiger's jaws
The girl stepped on to the path, she had never been on it before but, she thought, everyone went on this path eventually. She tried not to think of what lay at the end of the walk. The road was wide but seemed to get narrower and narrower as she walked on. She watched her feet move, taking long dragging steps. It started to rain and she covered her head with a cloak. She thought of life and of her friends. The most random thoughts appeared in her head, things she thought were buried for good. She was doing a lot of thinking and not a lot of walking and her feet slowed down. She suddenly looked up at the path now; how long had she been walking? The path was narrower than before, and no trees or shrubs crept up on the side. Just grass, hardy, wild grass. It endured like no other plant. It hurt her to move her legs. She wondered if the path even ended, it seemed to go on infinitely. Her hands swayed at her sides, they looked cheerful, full of energy. The rain was stopping. A last raindrop fell on her face. She drank it wondering if it would still rain where the path led her. An icy gust of wind travelled among the rocks and came to lay on the path. The road that was once muddy was now dry. It looked as if it had never been touched by a single drop of water. Her hands ended up bobbing against her legs now. It seemed to grow colder and colder. She stopped and breathed out. Her brain stopped processing as she trudged on. She met a young man on the road. He sang softly so only she could hear-
“You will meet those that seek,
Their prey to be small and meek.
Take my word,
And my sword.
You see the snake,
For your good sake.
Chop off his head,
For the tiger will be fed.
Those that listen,
Do not be fooled by the kitten.”
she did not know what to make of the song but gently picked up the sword sitting next to him anyway. It had a curved tip, it was not too long, and the handle was encrusted by jewels. She felt she should thank the man and looked up to see he had disappeared.
She continued walking and came to a sharp curve, she followed it and came across a small cave on the side of the path. It was small, too small for her but big enough to fit a small animal. She peered inside the gloomy looking cave. Two pairs of yellow eyes met hers. She screamed as she jumped back and the cutest kitten walked out of the cave. Its shimmering coat and huge eyes mesmerized her. She suddenly remembered the song. Didn’t it have a line that said, “Those that listen, do not be fooled by the kitten”? How could the kitten be dangerous and wasn’t there a line about a snake? Where was the snake? As she pondered this, she failed to notice the kitten growing bigger and bigger. Its white coat turned orange; black stripes appeared across it. The kitten’s eyes grew huge and large fangs appeared in its mouth. The girl screamed as the tiger pounced on her. She barely managed to dodge as she rolled against the floor. She backed up still on the floor, as the tiger approached, flashing what looked like a toothy grin. Was this the last thing she would see before her imminent death? She remembered the sword, hidden in her pocket. She whipped it out and sliced off the tiger’s paw. She couldn’t believe she had actually done it! What momentary celebration took place immediately turned into horror as the tiger’s paw healed in a matter of seconds. But this time its claws were sharper, and the tiger was full of fury. She noticed a snake hanging around the tiger’s neck. What did the man tell her to do? Right! Slice of its head. She dodged once more as the tiger swiped at her with its paw. She leaped to the side, now standing, and just managed to cut the snake’s head. The tiger, distracted by the easy meal, grabbed the snake’s head in its jaws and shrunk back to the size of a kitten. She just started to realize how fast her heart was beating, it felt like it would explode out of her ribcage. She ran for her life, scared of what would happen when it finished eating. She couldn’t breathe but she had to keep running. She ran and ran, blindly through the cold winds, until she collapsed in a heap somewhere along the path.
Last edited by Natasha Blackwood on 14 Feb 2026, 20:41, edited 8 times in total.
The long walk
Chapter 2 - Truths and lies
The girl opened her eyes; the weak sun blinded her temporarily. Three small gnomes stood over her, peering curiously at the girl. She woke up with a start, toppling backwards as she came to a sitting position. The gnomes didn’t move forward. They had beady eyes and a large nose. They were short, only went up to her knees. But they wore pointy hats that gave them an extra foot or so. Their attire was questionable, but she supposed that, that was what gnomes wore.
Suddenly a bird flew into sight. The bird carried the sword she dropped, specks of blood drying up on the sword. It came to sit on a tree. It had blood red feathers, and its head was white as snow. It burst into song-
“3 gnomes you have met,
Do not you fret.
They will not harm you.
Coo coo…
One of them always lies,
Wolf! He always cries.
One of them always speaks,
The truth he leaks.
One of them can tell you,
Which is a lie and which is true.
But you will have to find
Out yourself. Mind,
They follow till the end,
Until you know, my friend.
Who is who and which is which,
Aren’t I a beautiful finch!
Tweet tweet!
If the other man sang the truth, perhaps the bird was too. She decided to continue down the road and see what comes. The gnomes followed her closely but at a distance. They seemed to be whispering as she walked. Their long cloaks dragged along the floor and picked up small pebbles and sand. The bird had disappeared carrying with it, the sword. Perhaps, it would come to her at the right time. She had walked for a bit when she reached a crossroad. 3 paths lay ahead, all of them seemingly went on for infinity. She would have picked a path at random, but something told her dangers lay ahead.
Now was the time find out which gnome told lies and which truths. She sat down to think about it, and the gnomes stood staring at her on her side. She thought for a few minutes before jumping up positively. She had an idea. She asked each gnome what colour the sky was, at the moment. It was obviously a bright blue as it gets at midday.
Gnome number 1 said the sky is green, Gnome number 2 said it’s blue, and Gnome number 3 said the sky is purple. She had now found the truth teller. She could stop here but decided to find the liar to for later when she would have to say which is which. She asked both of them, was the other one of you two lying previously. She already knew that both of them had lied. Gnome number 1 said,” yes, the other was lying”. Gnome number 3 said, “no, the other was not lying”. Gnome number 3 was the liar. She assumed that gnome number 1 could lie or tell the truth as it pleased but always had to speak honestly when it came to identifying who was lying and who was not. It had lied when asked a general question, but now it had told the truth. Therefore, the last gnome had to be the liar and the first one the lie- detector.
She made a way to recognize them, gnome number 1, had a hat with polka dots. Gnome number 2 was the tallest one. Gnome number 3 was the fattest.
She now asked Gnome number 2, (let’s call it Evan) which is the safest path. It replied saying, “each is dangerous and you may die, but the one on the left is the safest as many have survived”. She decided to keep the gnomes and headed down the trail oblivious as to what lay ahead. Gnome number 3, the liar (let’s call him Greggory) snickered. Gnome number 1 (let’s call him henry) looked solemn.
The girl opened her eyes; the weak sun blinded her temporarily. Three small gnomes stood over her, peering curiously at the girl. She woke up with a start, toppling backwards as she came to a sitting position. The gnomes didn’t move forward. They had beady eyes and a large nose. They were short, only went up to her knees. But they wore pointy hats that gave them an extra foot or so. Their attire was questionable, but she supposed that, that was what gnomes wore.
Suddenly a bird flew into sight. The bird carried the sword she dropped, specks of blood drying up on the sword. It came to sit on a tree. It had blood red feathers, and its head was white as snow. It burst into song-
“3 gnomes you have met,
Do not you fret.
They will not harm you.
Coo coo…
One of them always lies,
Wolf! He always cries.
One of them always speaks,
The truth he leaks.
One of them can tell you,
Which is a lie and which is true.
But you will have to find
Out yourself. Mind,
They follow till the end,
Until you know, my friend.
Who is who and which is which,
Aren’t I a beautiful finch!
Tweet tweet!
If the other man sang the truth, perhaps the bird was too. She decided to continue down the road and see what comes. The gnomes followed her closely but at a distance. They seemed to be whispering as she walked. Their long cloaks dragged along the floor and picked up small pebbles and sand. The bird had disappeared carrying with it, the sword. Perhaps, it would come to her at the right time. She had walked for a bit when she reached a crossroad. 3 paths lay ahead, all of them seemingly went on for infinity. She would have picked a path at random, but something told her dangers lay ahead.
Now was the time find out which gnome told lies and which truths. She sat down to think about it, and the gnomes stood staring at her on her side. She thought for a few minutes before jumping up positively. She had an idea. She asked each gnome what colour the sky was, at the moment. It was obviously a bright blue as it gets at midday.
Gnome number 1 said the sky is green, Gnome number 2 said it’s blue, and Gnome number 3 said the sky is purple. She had now found the truth teller. She could stop here but decided to find the liar to for later when she would have to say which is which. She asked both of them, was the other one of you two lying previously. She already knew that both of them had lied. Gnome number 1 said,” yes, the other was lying”. Gnome number 3 said, “no, the other was not lying”. Gnome number 3 was the liar. She assumed that gnome number 1 could lie or tell the truth as it pleased but always had to speak honestly when it came to identifying who was lying and who was not. It had lied when asked a general question, but now it had told the truth. Therefore, the last gnome had to be the liar and the first one the lie- detector.
She made a way to recognize them, gnome number 1, had a hat with polka dots. Gnome number 2 was the tallest one. Gnome number 3 was the fattest.
She now asked Gnome number 2, (let’s call it Evan) which is the safest path. It replied saying, “each is dangerous and you may die, but the one on the left is the safest as many have survived”. She decided to keep the gnomes and headed down the trail oblivious as to what lay ahead. Gnome number 3, the liar (let’s call him Greggory) snickered. Gnome number 1 (let’s call him henry) looked solemn.
The long walk
Chapter 3 - The boy who cried wolf
The path continued trough a thicket. Bushes and branches scratched the girl as she made her way into the brush. She finally arrived at a clearing. A young boy, sat on a rock gazing at the bushes. “Hello?” she called out.
“Oh hello! I’ve been sent to guide you through this place to the castle.”
“The castle?”
“Yes, the queen expects your arrival.”
“How does the queen know me?”
“Oh, she knows everyone and everything that enters and exits the kingdom.”
“And you are to guide me?”
“Yes.”
The boy who had already stood led her out of the clearing. He had a large knife to whack the branches away. Eventually, they made it back to an open path, with nothing in sight for miles. Nothing particularly eventful happened the rest of the day. The boy said nothing and neither did the girl. She saw a few strange creatures in trees on the side of the road but had learnt that the whole place was strange. The gnomes still followed and after what felt like years, they stopped as night approached. The boy said they would lay camp here and pulled out two-fold-up tents. The girl was surprisingly not hungry. Maybe it was the air of the place, as she felt no hunger despite having walked for 2 days straight. The boy engaged in conversation and explained how grand the castle is. They spent a few hours just talking and when the final drops of sunlight disappeared, they were both exhausted and went right to sleep.
The next day carried out similarly. But, with one difference, the pair seemed to be having fun as they played word games and chatted through the day. The girl had after all no one to talk to besides singing people and birds, a cat/tiger and 3 gnomes. Sounds exciting but is still boring as none of them can talk properly. The boy whose name she had found out to be Noah soon became a fast friend.
That night as they settled down to sleep, Henry (1st gnome) came up to the girl.
“Listen, I’m saying the truth. Greggory the liar told Evan that this path was the safest. In fact, it is not. This is the most dangerous path of the three. The queen is evil; she kills everyone who comes into her kingdom. The boy is not who he seems.”
“I don’t believe you; the boy is nice. Maybe the queen is evil, but the boy is good. If he was not who he seems why hasn’t he killed me yet?”
“Alright, it is fine if you don’t believe me.”
The gnome waddled off to his companions. The girl thought about what he had said. Could Noah really be evil? No, she wouldn’t believe it, it couldn’t be. She stayed awake for a long time. She couldn’t sleep. The sun rose from the east and they set out again. She still talked to Noah but was more cautious. He just seemed so nice. How could he possibly be evil? After a long time, they reached a hillock. Far in the distance lay the castle. The castle where the queen lived.
The path continued trough a thicket. Bushes and branches scratched the girl as she made her way into the brush. She finally arrived at a clearing. A young boy, sat on a rock gazing at the bushes. “Hello?” she called out.
“Oh hello! I’ve been sent to guide you through this place to the castle.”
“The castle?”
“Yes, the queen expects your arrival.”
“How does the queen know me?”
“Oh, she knows everyone and everything that enters and exits the kingdom.”
“And you are to guide me?”
“Yes.”
The boy who had already stood led her out of the clearing. He had a large knife to whack the branches away. Eventually, they made it back to an open path, with nothing in sight for miles. Nothing particularly eventful happened the rest of the day. The boy said nothing and neither did the girl. She saw a few strange creatures in trees on the side of the road but had learnt that the whole place was strange. The gnomes still followed and after what felt like years, they stopped as night approached. The boy said they would lay camp here and pulled out two-fold-up tents. The girl was surprisingly not hungry. Maybe it was the air of the place, as she felt no hunger despite having walked for 2 days straight. The boy engaged in conversation and explained how grand the castle is. They spent a few hours just talking and when the final drops of sunlight disappeared, they were both exhausted and went right to sleep.
The next day carried out similarly. But, with one difference, the pair seemed to be having fun as they played word games and chatted through the day. The girl had after all no one to talk to besides singing people and birds, a cat/tiger and 3 gnomes. Sounds exciting but is still boring as none of them can talk properly. The boy whose name she had found out to be Noah soon became a fast friend.
That night as they settled down to sleep, Henry (1st gnome) came up to the girl.
“Listen, I’m saying the truth. Greggory the liar told Evan that this path was the safest. In fact, it is not. This is the most dangerous path of the three. The queen is evil; she kills everyone who comes into her kingdom. The boy is not who he seems.”
“I don’t believe you; the boy is nice. Maybe the queen is evil, but the boy is good. If he was not who he seems why hasn’t he killed me yet?”
“Alright, it is fine if you don’t believe me.”
The gnome waddled off to his companions. The girl thought about what he had said. Could Noah really be evil? No, she wouldn’t believe it, it couldn’t be. She stayed awake for a long time. She couldn’t sleep. The sun rose from the east and they set out again. She still talked to Noah but was more cautious. He just seemed so nice. How could he possibly be evil? After a long time, they reached a hillock. Far in the distance lay the castle. The castle where the queen lived.
The long walk
Chapter 4 - The queen
A stone path led up to the castle.
“I think I’ll let the gnomes go now.”
“If you must.” Noah replied.
She went to the 3 gnomes who were still following her and correctly named each one of them. Evan and Gregory left almost immediately. But Henry stayed behind.
“Good luck, may your noble heart stay true.” He spoke.
“Umm… Thank you?”
The gnome turned around without another word and left with his friends. She turned to face the castle. Noah suddenly seemed to get nervous and told her that he would wait outside. The girl, perplexed, continued to the castle. The enormous gate was guarded by a single tall, pointy hatted gnome. He wore spectacles and looked very busy. He saw the girl and seemed shocked! Why was he so surprised, she asked herself. The gnome came down from his little watchtower. Though he was taller than any of the other gnomes, he still came no higher than her shoulders, even with the hat.
He came to the heavy iron gates and held what looked like a typewriter. He quickly typed a brief message and met her eyes. To her surprise the typewriter started to type by itself, the gnome looked at it intently, then said –
“The Queen awaits you.”
She didn’t reply. The gnome took a large brass key out of his pocket and unlocked the gates. They swung open slowly, creaking on its hinges. She thanked the gnome and headed towards the main door. She had barely touched the door when it swung open, revealing a large hall. The hall had many pillars; it was also very long. She could just see the end. She walked forward. It felt eerily silent and the hall was dark. She couldn’t see into the corners, it didn’t help that there was not a single window in sight. As she made her way to the end of the hallway, she noticed a throne. Decorated with red and gold, sparkling jewels adorned the back. A crown, made out of solid gold, sat on a cushion, next to the chair.
It felt wrong, but there was nobody there. She went up to the crown and picked it up in her hands. It felt heavy and sharp ridges on the top of the crown, cut into her fingers. Rubies were encrusted into the crown; they lay sparkling like drops of blood set on the gold background.
“Hello” a voice called from the darkness.
The girl jumped back in terror, setting the crown back hastily she tried to find the source of the voice. She looked around, but all she could see was a light at the entrance and pillars. She jumped as she turned back to find the queen sitting on the throne, admiring her crown.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I scare you?” she said.
Her voice was mocking and just there she felt that something was wrong. The queen was beautiful, tall, and her makeup was perfect. She seemed too perfect to be real. But somewhere inside in her heart, she felt a cruel wickedness. The feeling just came to her, like she could see the real person. Her heart was black and her ideas were evil.
“Now, you see,” the queen began to say, “You’re not supposed to be alive. I should take care of that actually.”
She snapped her fingers and Noah appeared before her. But he was terrified, he lay on the floor, breathing heavily.
“I’m sorry! Please, your majesty!” he cried. He looked hopeless. “Please, have mercy!”
“You useless little fool” she muttered as she brought out a knife.
It flew out of her hands, straight towards Noah, piercing him in his chest. The girl let out a cry as she ducked behind the maze of pillars. His body lay lifeless on the floor. Why had she done it? What had he done? What did the queen mean by “she was already supposed to be dead”? It took her a while to gather her thoughts. She was confused, she wanted to leave, run away, but she couldn't.
She slipped between pillars in the shadows. The queen called out –
“Come out little girl, I have a surprise!”
She started crushing pillars around her one by one. She could hear the stone cracking. Sooner or later, she was going to find her. The Queen drew closer and closer. Her footsteps echoed in the hall. Pillars crushed around her. She would probably die, crushed under it. She could practically feel the queen near her now. Her hand was about to go to the pillar when a large thunk resounded across the floor from the far side of the hall.
“I have betrayed you, my queen!”
It was Henry. The Queen raised her hand and walked towards the gnome.
“It is I who told the girl about the danger!” he continued.
The Queen, angered, raised him up with a swift motion of her hand. He was choking. The girl horrified, ran to Noah, blood pooling on the floor beside him.
“Run, take this scarf. Put it in the crystal lake at midnight.”
She didn’t understand but took the scarf and looked around for a way to escape. Everything felt like it was in slow – motion. It wouldn’t be long before the Queen found her. She jumped over the remains of a pillar and saw a door to her right. She bolted towards it. Surprisingly, it opened with a turn of the handle. She rushed into what looked like a deserted kitchen.
The pots were still on the stoves and dirty dishes lay in the sink. What happened here? She could hear the Queens’s voice searching for her. She saw another door and hoped it would lead outside. Luckily, it did. Only when she was outside, when the sunlight hit her and the wind danced around the trees, did she realize. Noah was dead and Henry was soon going to be too. She ran; she had to escape, leave this strange place. She didn’t know where to go but ran. Ran for her life. Her running took her to a dock. “Perfect” she thought to herself as she saw a little boat docked on the shore. She clambered on and set sail for whatever place lay ahead. Anywhere but here.
A stone path led up to the castle.
“I think I’ll let the gnomes go now.”
“If you must.” Noah replied.
She went to the 3 gnomes who were still following her and correctly named each one of them. Evan and Gregory left almost immediately. But Henry stayed behind.
“Good luck, may your noble heart stay true.” He spoke.
“Umm… Thank you?”
The gnome turned around without another word and left with his friends. She turned to face the castle. Noah suddenly seemed to get nervous and told her that he would wait outside. The girl, perplexed, continued to the castle. The enormous gate was guarded by a single tall, pointy hatted gnome. He wore spectacles and looked very busy. He saw the girl and seemed shocked! Why was he so surprised, she asked herself. The gnome came down from his little watchtower. Though he was taller than any of the other gnomes, he still came no higher than her shoulders, even with the hat.
He came to the heavy iron gates and held what looked like a typewriter. He quickly typed a brief message and met her eyes. To her surprise the typewriter started to type by itself, the gnome looked at it intently, then said –
“The Queen awaits you.”
She didn’t reply. The gnome took a large brass key out of his pocket and unlocked the gates. They swung open slowly, creaking on its hinges. She thanked the gnome and headed towards the main door. She had barely touched the door when it swung open, revealing a large hall. The hall had many pillars; it was also very long. She could just see the end. She walked forward. It felt eerily silent and the hall was dark. She couldn’t see into the corners, it didn’t help that there was not a single window in sight. As she made her way to the end of the hallway, she noticed a throne. Decorated with red and gold, sparkling jewels adorned the back. A crown, made out of solid gold, sat on a cushion, next to the chair.
It felt wrong, but there was nobody there. She went up to the crown and picked it up in her hands. It felt heavy and sharp ridges on the top of the crown, cut into her fingers. Rubies were encrusted into the crown; they lay sparkling like drops of blood set on the gold background.
“Hello” a voice called from the darkness.
The girl jumped back in terror, setting the crown back hastily she tried to find the source of the voice. She looked around, but all she could see was a light at the entrance and pillars. She jumped as she turned back to find the queen sitting on the throne, admiring her crown.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I scare you?” she said.
Her voice was mocking and just there she felt that something was wrong. The queen was beautiful, tall, and her makeup was perfect. She seemed too perfect to be real. But somewhere inside in her heart, she felt a cruel wickedness. The feeling just came to her, like she could see the real person. Her heart was black and her ideas were evil.
“Now, you see,” the queen began to say, “You’re not supposed to be alive. I should take care of that actually.”
She snapped her fingers and Noah appeared before her. But he was terrified, he lay on the floor, breathing heavily.
“I’m sorry! Please, your majesty!” he cried. He looked hopeless. “Please, have mercy!”
“You useless little fool” she muttered as she brought out a knife.
It flew out of her hands, straight towards Noah, piercing him in his chest. The girl let out a cry as she ducked behind the maze of pillars. His body lay lifeless on the floor. Why had she done it? What had he done? What did the queen mean by “she was already supposed to be dead”? It took her a while to gather her thoughts. She was confused, she wanted to leave, run away, but she couldn't.
She slipped between pillars in the shadows. The queen called out –
“Come out little girl, I have a surprise!”
She started crushing pillars around her one by one. She could hear the stone cracking. Sooner or later, she was going to find her. The Queen drew closer and closer. Her footsteps echoed in the hall. Pillars crushed around her. She would probably die, crushed under it. She could practically feel the queen near her now. Her hand was about to go to the pillar when a large thunk resounded across the floor from the far side of the hall.
“I have betrayed you, my queen!”
It was Henry. The Queen raised her hand and walked towards the gnome.
“It is I who told the girl about the danger!” he continued.
The Queen, angered, raised him up with a swift motion of her hand. He was choking. The girl horrified, ran to Noah, blood pooling on the floor beside him.
“Run, take this scarf. Put it in the crystal lake at midnight.”
She didn’t understand but took the scarf and looked around for a way to escape. Everything felt like it was in slow – motion. It wouldn’t be long before the Queen found her. She jumped over the remains of a pillar and saw a door to her right. She bolted towards it. Surprisingly, it opened with a turn of the handle. She rushed into what looked like a deserted kitchen.
The pots were still on the stoves and dirty dishes lay in the sink. What happened here? She could hear the Queens’s voice searching for her. She saw another door and hoped it would lead outside. Luckily, it did. Only when she was outside, when the sunlight hit her and the wind danced around the trees, did she realize. Noah was dead and Henry was soon going to be too. She ran; she had to escape, leave this strange place. She didn’t know where to go but ran. Ran for her life. Her running took her to a dock. “Perfect” she thought to herself as she saw a little boat docked on the shore. She clambered on and set sail for whatever place lay ahead. Anywhere but here.
The long walk
Chapter 5 - Hydra
She hurriedly got into a boat. It was a rowboat, made of wood, wouldn’t hold long if a storm arose. Thankfully, the water was calm. She grabbed the oars lodged in the bottom of the boat and pushed out into the water. She rowed and rowed. Hopefully she would reach land soon. The water was blue and dark. It looked deep. She wondered how long the water went on. Her arms were getting sore from rowing, but determination kept her going. The water started to get more turbulent. Waves rose and rocked the boat, still she kept going. There was no land in sight.
As she started to lose hope, she saw an island buried in the mist nearby. She hastily rowed harder, but as the boat moved the ocean rose. The sky grew cloudy and it began to pour. Below the boat the water turned green and murky. She felt something move under her. She rowed faster and faster. She had to get to the shore. Waves pushed her back and the rain poured harder. She was soaked and tired, but the island was just there, a pinprick away.
Then, a large wave rose in front of her. Only, she realised it wasn’t actually a wave. The water fell to reveal a three – headed sea serpent. The scales glistened in the light as the last rays of sunlight fell to the clouds. The sky grew black and the rain turned to storm. The creature heads looked like a dragons just smoother and scalier. The girl froze in fright. She backed away, leaving her oars to be carried away. One of the giant heads looked at her and spoke –
“You think you could get away so easily?”
It was the queen’s voice. The queen was a Hydra. The hydra’s heads lunged as waves pulled her away in the nick of time. The head slammed into her boat, tearing it in half. She scrambled to the top of the sinking boat, holding on for dear life to the half of her rowboat. The serpent coiled around the little boat, rising it out of the water. The heads laughed as they each took a place around her. A great wave rose at that moment, taller even than the castle of the queen. The hydra looked up at it and quickly uncoiled as the enormous wave crashed down on her.
The boat sank fast. The island was just there, so close. But so very far. Water filled her lungs as she tried to scream for help. In the corner of her eyes, she saw a great beast moving away. The boat lay below her sinking down, down, down. Her lungs screamed for her air as she felt her body slip away and everything went black
She hurriedly got into a boat. It was a rowboat, made of wood, wouldn’t hold long if a storm arose. Thankfully, the water was calm. She grabbed the oars lodged in the bottom of the boat and pushed out into the water. She rowed and rowed. Hopefully she would reach land soon. The water was blue and dark. It looked deep. She wondered how long the water went on. Her arms were getting sore from rowing, but determination kept her going. The water started to get more turbulent. Waves rose and rocked the boat, still she kept going. There was no land in sight.
As she started to lose hope, she saw an island buried in the mist nearby. She hastily rowed harder, but as the boat moved the ocean rose. The sky grew cloudy and it began to pour. Below the boat the water turned green and murky. She felt something move under her. She rowed faster and faster. She had to get to the shore. Waves pushed her back and the rain poured harder. She was soaked and tired, but the island was just there, a pinprick away.
Then, a large wave rose in front of her. Only, she realised it wasn’t actually a wave. The water fell to reveal a three – headed sea serpent. The scales glistened in the light as the last rays of sunlight fell to the clouds. The sky grew black and the rain turned to storm. The creature heads looked like a dragons just smoother and scalier. The girl froze in fright. She backed away, leaving her oars to be carried away. One of the giant heads looked at her and spoke –
“You think you could get away so easily?”
It was the queen’s voice. The queen was a Hydra. The hydra’s heads lunged as waves pulled her away in the nick of time. The head slammed into her boat, tearing it in half. She scrambled to the top of the sinking boat, holding on for dear life to the half of her rowboat. The serpent coiled around the little boat, rising it out of the water. The heads laughed as they each took a place around her. A great wave rose at that moment, taller even than the castle of the queen. The hydra looked up at it and quickly uncoiled as the enormous wave crashed down on her.
The boat sank fast. The island was just there, so close. But so very far. Water filled her lungs as she tried to scream for help. In the corner of her eyes, she saw a great beast moving away. The boat lay below her sinking down, down, down. Her lungs screamed for her air as she felt her body slip away and everything went black
The long walk
Chapter 6 - Crystal Lake
The beach was calm. After last night's storm it was healing. The water lapped at its shores. Somewhere along the coast lay a little girl. Washed upon the shore, she lay there with laboured breaths. She choked and slowly opened her eyes. The sun shone in her face. She was badly bruised and her dress, torn. She breathed the salty air and sat up. Her body ached with pain, but she had to continue. Slowly, she picked herself up and trudged up the beach.
She wandered around the beach, wondering where she was. Climbing up a rock, she saw the castle, looming around the hills that surrounded it.
“Aagh!” She cried in frustration. She had never left the island. She no longer had a boat, and she knew the queen was a Hydra. How could she escape? Maybe if she just succumbed to her inevitable death, things could be easier.
A coniferous forest came into her sight. She walked into it. There were no paths among the trees. No life, beside the trees themselves. Even the trees looked dead. The wind whistled and cold air brushed past her.
Suddenly, she saw a deer. In all its magnificence, a stag. It mesmerized her. Staring at her with its big, beady eyes. It ran up a hillock as the girl came closer.
“Come back!” She cried as she gave chase.
The deer didn’t run too fast but not slow enough that she could catch it. Like it wanted to be followed. The trees grew lusher as she ran on. Squirrels and birds dotted the forest. She came to a stop at a lake. It was small, but very, very beautiful. The water was completely clear, but she couldn’t see the bottom of the lake. Just, a pit of black, where the bottom should have been. Fish swan and danced joyfully around the lake. It was so beautiful.
She would’ve given anything just to stay there. A scarf slipped out of her pocket. She picked it up. It was Noah’s! Painful flashbacks played in her head. Then, she remembered what he had told her. “Put the scarf in the crystal lake at midnight.” Was this the crystal lake? She decided to try it and spent the rest of the day there. The birds sang sweetly and the creatures ran amok. Soon, she fell fast asleep.
She awoke after a good sleep. It was nighttime she knew, as the sky was dark. The lake seemed to glow in the darkness. The forest was asleep, except for the owls hooting in the shadows. The lake reflected the twinkling stars in the sky. At that moment, she realised it was midnight. She didn’t know how, but she knew. Dipping the scarf in the lake’s crystal clear, she waited.
A mist started to form over the lake’s edge. It slowly came together, to form,
“Noah!” She cried as the eerie figure took his shape. “But, how? I saw you die!”
“It’s not really me, but a reflection. A memory. I can’t stay for long.”
“How is this possible?”
Noah snickered.
“You saw a kitten turn into a tiger, singing birds, gnomes and a Queen who was a Hydra! And you’re asking how this is possible? Well, to answer your question, the crystal lake has unimaginable powers.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Maybe, one day you will. Look, I don’t have much time, but I came to tell you the truth.”
“You mean why the queen killed you?”
“It’s more than that. I’m a wolf.”
“A werewolf!”
“No, a wolf in disguise, like the queen, like the kitten.”
“So why...”
“The queen ordered me to kill all the girls who entered the kingdom. I know you’re going to ask why, so let me explain. There was a prophecy, said by the Seer herself. That, the Queen would succumb to the hands of a little girl from a foreign land. The queen was of course, outraged and killed the seer. But that wouldn’t change the prophecy. After that, she ordered all the wolves to work to kill any girls that entered the kingdom. My family refused. They fought, while I sat there, a coward.”
“You’re not…”
“I am! After that, I begged the queen for mercy. Told her I would help. I betrayed my family. I was too scared. I would rather work for her than fight her. She saw my weakness. So, she hired me.”
“Why didn’t you kill me?”
“I couldn’t do it anymore, kill all those innocent girls. That’s why she killed me, for betraying her. I could’ve been a hero, like henry. He gave his life for you. He risked everything to save you. But I…”
“You saved me too.”
“And all the girls I killed!”
The girl sat there in silence.
“What should I do?”
“Huh?”
“You obviously came back to tell me more than that. What should I do?”
“You’re braver than I ever could have been. There’s a way to kill the queen.”
“What!”
“Yes. It’s more of a rumour. But it’s the best chance we’ve got.”
“What is?”
“You know the sword that bird gave you?”
“Yeah, why?”
There’s a jewel missing. They say that the jewel is hidden somewhere in the castle. It’s a pearl, they call it “The Emperor’s Pearl”.”
“Who’s they?”
“The villagers. That brings me to the second part of the plan. The Queen needs a cleaner. You have to dress up as someone else and get the job.”
“Where do I get clothes from?”
“Go to the village, it’s not far from here. Remember to not be seen. The villagers will hand you in! No matter how much they hate the queen! You don’t know what it’s like to live your whole life in fear.”
“So, I have to steal?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m asking you to do. After you get the job, find the pearl. The bird will come with the sword, trust me. Then, all you have to do is slay her!”
“You make it sound easy.”
“Of course it’s not easy, but stick to the plan and you should be fine. Oh and, people say the queen has another form, something more dangerous.”
“What is it?”
“Nobody knows. Well, the people who have seen didn’t live to tell the tale.”
“Well, that’s very reassuring!”
“Don’t worry, as long as you find the pearl, you’ll be fine.”
“What if it doesn’t exist?”
“Well hopefully it doesn't come to that.”
“Am I the only one noticing that this plan has a lot of holes?”
“Well, it’s the best we’ve got. I have to leave now, and don’t try summoning me again. It won’t work.”
“Wait! Don’t leave!”
“My time is up. Good luck.”
She watched as Noah turned once again into a swirl of mist, before being devoured by the lake’s surface. She looked into its depths. Just a pit of black. This plan had to work, otherwise there was no hope left.
The beach was calm. After last night's storm it was healing. The water lapped at its shores. Somewhere along the coast lay a little girl. Washed upon the shore, she lay there with laboured breaths. She choked and slowly opened her eyes. The sun shone in her face. She was badly bruised and her dress, torn. She breathed the salty air and sat up. Her body ached with pain, but she had to continue. Slowly, she picked herself up and trudged up the beach.
She wandered around the beach, wondering where she was. Climbing up a rock, she saw the castle, looming around the hills that surrounded it.
“Aagh!” She cried in frustration. She had never left the island. She no longer had a boat, and she knew the queen was a Hydra. How could she escape? Maybe if she just succumbed to her inevitable death, things could be easier.
A coniferous forest came into her sight. She walked into it. There were no paths among the trees. No life, beside the trees themselves. Even the trees looked dead. The wind whistled and cold air brushed past her.
Suddenly, she saw a deer. In all its magnificence, a stag. It mesmerized her. Staring at her with its big, beady eyes. It ran up a hillock as the girl came closer.
“Come back!” She cried as she gave chase.
The deer didn’t run too fast but not slow enough that she could catch it. Like it wanted to be followed. The trees grew lusher as she ran on. Squirrels and birds dotted the forest. She came to a stop at a lake. It was small, but very, very beautiful. The water was completely clear, but she couldn’t see the bottom of the lake. Just, a pit of black, where the bottom should have been. Fish swan and danced joyfully around the lake. It was so beautiful.
She would’ve given anything just to stay there. A scarf slipped out of her pocket. She picked it up. It was Noah’s! Painful flashbacks played in her head. Then, she remembered what he had told her. “Put the scarf in the crystal lake at midnight.” Was this the crystal lake? She decided to try it and spent the rest of the day there. The birds sang sweetly and the creatures ran amok. Soon, she fell fast asleep.
She awoke after a good sleep. It was nighttime she knew, as the sky was dark. The lake seemed to glow in the darkness. The forest was asleep, except for the owls hooting in the shadows. The lake reflected the twinkling stars in the sky. At that moment, she realised it was midnight. She didn’t know how, but she knew. Dipping the scarf in the lake’s crystal clear, she waited.
A mist started to form over the lake’s edge. It slowly came together, to form,
“Noah!” She cried as the eerie figure took his shape. “But, how? I saw you die!”
“It’s not really me, but a reflection. A memory. I can’t stay for long.”
“How is this possible?”
Noah snickered.
“You saw a kitten turn into a tiger, singing birds, gnomes and a Queen who was a Hydra! And you’re asking how this is possible? Well, to answer your question, the crystal lake has unimaginable powers.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Maybe, one day you will. Look, I don’t have much time, but I came to tell you the truth.”
“You mean why the queen killed you?”
“It’s more than that. I’m a wolf.”
“A werewolf!”
“No, a wolf in disguise, like the queen, like the kitten.”
“So why...”
“The queen ordered me to kill all the girls who entered the kingdom. I know you’re going to ask why, so let me explain. There was a prophecy, said by the Seer herself. That, the Queen would succumb to the hands of a little girl from a foreign land. The queen was of course, outraged and killed the seer. But that wouldn’t change the prophecy. After that, she ordered all the wolves to work to kill any girls that entered the kingdom. My family refused. They fought, while I sat there, a coward.”
“You’re not…”
“I am! After that, I begged the queen for mercy. Told her I would help. I betrayed my family. I was too scared. I would rather work for her than fight her. She saw my weakness. So, she hired me.”
“Why didn’t you kill me?”
“I couldn’t do it anymore, kill all those innocent girls. That’s why she killed me, for betraying her. I could’ve been a hero, like henry. He gave his life for you. He risked everything to save you. But I…”
“You saved me too.”
“And all the girls I killed!”
The girl sat there in silence.
“What should I do?”
“Huh?”
“You obviously came back to tell me more than that. What should I do?”
“You’re braver than I ever could have been. There’s a way to kill the queen.”
“What!”
“Yes. It’s more of a rumour. But it’s the best chance we’ve got.”
“What is?”
“You know the sword that bird gave you?”
“Yeah, why?”
There’s a jewel missing. They say that the jewel is hidden somewhere in the castle. It’s a pearl, they call it “The Emperor’s Pearl”.”
“Who’s they?”
“The villagers. That brings me to the second part of the plan. The Queen needs a cleaner. You have to dress up as someone else and get the job.”
“Where do I get clothes from?”
“Go to the village, it’s not far from here. Remember to not be seen. The villagers will hand you in! No matter how much they hate the queen! You don’t know what it’s like to live your whole life in fear.”
“So, I have to steal?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m asking you to do. After you get the job, find the pearl. The bird will come with the sword, trust me. Then, all you have to do is slay her!”
“You make it sound easy.”
“Of course it’s not easy, but stick to the plan and you should be fine. Oh and, people say the queen has another form, something more dangerous.”
“What is it?”
“Nobody knows. Well, the people who have seen didn’t live to tell the tale.”
“Well, that’s very reassuring!”
“Don’t worry, as long as you find the pearl, you’ll be fine.”
“What if it doesn’t exist?”
“Well hopefully it doesn't come to that.”
“Am I the only one noticing that this plan has a lot of holes?”
“Well, it’s the best we’ve got. I have to leave now, and don’t try summoning me again. It won’t work.”
“Wait! Don’t leave!”
“My time is up. Good luck.”
She watched as Noah turned once again into a swirl of mist, before being devoured by the lake’s surface. She looked into its depths. Just a pit of black. This plan had to work, otherwise there was no hope left.
The long walk
Chapter 7 - Villager's misery
The girl raced through the mushroom like trees. They blocked the sunlight and hid her in the shadows. The nearby village was a short walk from the lake. She was still wearing her torn overalls and needed a change, quick.
The forest was quickly met with the village. It was nestled into a little clearing. It had only one road that connected and circled around the village. People roamed around the busy street. Livestock were being carried around. Children ran and played and giggled. It seemed happy, and normal.
Well, she didn’t have time to admire the village. She needed to get to work. She looped around the countless houses. Mostly, keeping to the shadows and avoiding people. The houses were quite small and most only had a few rooms. She looked around for clothes hanging from houses. Just then, a horse driven cart tumbled her way. She quickly stepped back and nearly avoided being seen.
The cart driver didn’t seem to notice her though. He kept to his work and gently patted his horse, before getting into the cart and driving off. She rounded back and came closer to the centre of the village. A small school had been constructed. Children played happily around it. It was time to go home, it seemed, as parents were gathering at the school. A kid saw her and pointed to her mother. She immediately raced back and his behind the wall.
Where were all these people’s clothes? A notice was posted on a nearby pole. She went up to it to take a closer look.
Queen’s servant
Wanted it the palace for cleaning and cooking. Will receive payment. Come to the castle immediately if you want the job.
Qualifications –
Must be willing to do the work.
Has to be from the kingdom
Payment you will receive – $10per week
Well, this was the job. She tore the flyer of the pole and pocketed it. She might need that later. One thing the girl was worrying about was what she was going to do with the money. Perhaps give it to the villagers or something.
That was a problem for later. Right now, she had to find something to wear. She skirted around the marketplace. Shops were placed and people were purchasing of buying things. It was very loud and busy. It seemed so normal. Just like any other village. A few houses away, she spotted the thing she needed. A few dresses and clothes hung from a drying rack. She quietly went over and took the clothes. She would figure out which ones to wear later. Now, she had to get out without being seen. Just then, a gleaming silver carriage rolled into the marketplace. People leapt to the sidewalks, watching as the queen swept out in a flowing velvet gown.
She looked around at the people. They weren’t happy or surprised. Instead, a look of pure terror rose from their faces. Even kids stopped playing and stood to the side holding their breaths. The queen met the villagers’ eyes and announced –
“A girl has been spotted near here. She is dangerous and isn’t supposed to be here. If you see her, report to me immediately! Any villagers who share alliance with this scoundrel will be met with a terrible fate. She was last seen wearing a cream-coloured everyday dress…”
The girl quickly slipped away while the Queen talked. This would be harder than she realised. Bringing the clothes with her, she managed to slip out of the village, unseen.
The girl raced through the mushroom like trees. They blocked the sunlight and hid her in the shadows. The nearby village was a short walk from the lake. She was still wearing her torn overalls and needed a change, quick.
The forest was quickly met with the village. It was nestled into a little clearing. It had only one road that connected and circled around the village. People roamed around the busy street. Livestock were being carried around. Children ran and played and giggled. It seemed happy, and normal.
Well, she didn’t have time to admire the village. She needed to get to work. She looped around the countless houses. Mostly, keeping to the shadows and avoiding people. The houses were quite small and most only had a few rooms. She looked around for clothes hanging from houses. Just then, a horse driven cart tumbled her way. She quickly stepped back and nearly avoided being seen.
The cart driver didn’t seem to notice her though. He kept to his work and gently patted his horse, before getting into the cart and driving off. She rounded back and came closer to the centre of the village. A small school had been constructed. Children played happily around it. It was time to go home, it seemed, as parents were gathering at the school. A kid saw her and pointed to her mother. She immediately raced back and his behind the wall.
Where were all these people’s clothes? A notice was posted on a nearby pole. She went up to it to take a closer look.
Queen’s servant
Wanted it the palace for cleaning and cooking. Will receive payment. Come to the castle immediately if you want the job.
Qualifications –
Must be willing to do the work.
Has to be from the kingdom
Payment you will receive – $10per week
Well, this was the job. She tore the flyer of the pole and pocketed it. She might need that later. One thing the girl was worrying about was what she was going to do with the money. Perhaps give it to the villagers or something.
That was a problem for later. Right now, she had to find something to wear. She skirted around the marketplace. Shops were placed and people were purchasing of buying things. It was very loud and busy. It seemed so normal. Just like any other village. A few houses away, she spotted the thing she needed. A few dresses and clothes hung from a drying rack. She quietly went over and took the clothes. She would figure out which ones to wear later. Now, she had to get out without being seen. Just then, a gleaming silver carriage rolled into the marketplace. People leapt to the sidewalks, watching as the queen swept out in a flowing velvet gown.
She looked around at the people. They weren’t happy or surprised. Instead, a look of pure terror rose from their faces. Even kids stopped playing and stood to the side holding their breaths. The queen met the villagers’ eyes and announced –
“A girl has been spotted near here. She is dangerous and isn’t supposed to be here. If you see her, report to me immediately! Any villagers who share alliance with this scoundrel will be met with a terrible fate. She was last seen wearing a cream-coloured everyday dress…”
The girl quickly slipped away while the Queen talked. This would be harder than she realised. Bringing the clothes with her, she managed to slip out of the village, unseen.
Last edited by Natasha Blackwood on 7 Feb 2026, 17:11, edited 1 time in total.
The long walk
Chapter 8 - Palace servant
The girl approached the castle, onto the gravelly path that led there. The last time she had come here, it hadn’t ended well. But this time she had a plan. She knew what to expect. And she was disguised. She approached the heavy iron gates, the goblin looked up from his seat.
“What brings you here?” he asked, not recognising her. The disguise was working.
“I’ve come to work at the palace. I hear the Queen needs a servant.”
“Why, yes. You may enter.” He clicked something on his typewriter and came down from his chair. After opening the gate, he wished her a good day and carried on clicking at his typewriter. The girl stepped on to the path. There was no turning back from here.
She was wearing a black dress, that went till her knees. Her hair was tied in a bun, and she had stolen some makeup in a later mission to the village. She looked just like any of the other young ladies in the villages. Hopefully, it the queen would fall for it. She pushed open the heavy oak doors and into the long hallway. It was almost the same as last time. There were just a few broken pillars here and there.
She had to maintain herself; she couldn’t give herself away by reliving what had happened last time. But the memories rushed past her anyway. She managed to keep walking. The queen sat on her throne this time. She was wearing the jewelled crown, she had seen last time.
“So, you’re the new cleaner?”
“Yes.”
“Well, get to work then!”
The queen pointed at a set of stairs she had not seen last time. The girl climbed up the steps, it took her to dizzying heights before letting her off in a hallway.
The hallway was thin and long, but reasonably airy. It had countless windows and peeking out of one, she could see a nearby village. Many doors lay to her right. Should she look inside them? Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the door with a creak. A set of cleaning supplies lay to one side and a bed on the other. The bed looked never – slept on and the cleaning supplies had been placed there recently. A wardrobe sat opposite the bed. It was mostly empty, spare for a few dresses and hairbands.
This was her room then. She picked up the broom and got to work. Cleaning the hallway, then her room. She went into the next room; it was a parlour room and had dozens of accessories and lots of makeup. A few chairs sat aside, and a gold encrusted full length mirror sat on one side. The room had a door connected to it which led to a walk-in closet and bathroom. The closet had the most eccentric dresses, shoes, and hats. It was clear that the queen cared about good looks.
The bathroom was enormous! It had a bathtub the size of a small swimming pool, 3 silver sinks and an extremely expensive looking toilet. This would take forever to clean. The day passed by and the girl managed to clean the parlour, closet, and bathroom.
Tomorrow she would have to clean the rest.
The next day she went to the next door, this turned out to be a study. A desk lay in the middle of dozens of bookshelves. There were a few chairs and stools littered around. The room didn’t seem to be used very often. After cleaning it, she was met with the Queen’s bedroom. She hadn’t seen the Queen at all that day and wondered what she where she was. The bedroom itself was incredibly beautiful. A queen size bed, along with many pieces of furniture. It was the brightest room out of all of them.
Cleaning it took a bit of time, and at the end of the day she only had time for one more room. The final room turned out to be her bathroom. It was smaller than the queen’s so took less time than she thought it would have. Still having some time on her hands, she went to the next door.
It was locked. Yes, surprisingly the door was locked. The girl decided to leave it be and went to bed.
The next day she discovered an unused bedroom, billiards room and a conservatory. She still hadn’t found the pearl and something was telling her it was behind the locked door.
The girl approached the castle, onto the gravelly path that led there. The last time she had come here, it hadn’t ended well. But this time she had a plan. She knew what to expect. And she was disguised. She approached the heavy iron gates, the goblin looked up from his seat.
“What brings you here?” he asked, not recognising her. The disguise was working.
“I’ve come to work at the palace. I hear the Queen needs a servant.”
“Why, yes. You may enter.” He clicked something on his typewriter and came down from his chair. After opening the gate, he wished her a good day and carried on clicking at his typewriter. The girl stepped on to the path. There was no turning back from here.
She was wearing a black dress, that went till her knees. Her hair was tied in a bun, and she had stolen some makeup in a later mission to the village. She looked just like any of the other young ladies in the villages. Hopefully, it the queen would fall for it. She pushed open the heavy oak doors and into the long hallway. It was almost the same as last time. There were just a few broken pillars here and there.
She had to maintain herself; she couldn’t give herself away by reliving what had happened last time. But the memories rushed past her anyway. She managed to keep walking. The queen sat on her throne this time. She was wearing the jewelled crown, she had seen last time.
“So, you’re the new cleaner?”
“Yes.”
“Well, get to work then!”
The queen pointed at a set of stairs she had not seen last time. The girl climbed up the steps, it took her to dizzying heights before letting her off in a hallway.
The hallway was thin and long, but reasonably airy. It had countless windows and peeking out of one, she could see a nearby village. Many doors lay to her right. Should she look inside them? Curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the door with a creak. A set of cleaning supplies lay to one side and a bed on the other. The bed looked never – slept on and the cleaning supplies had been placed there recently. A wardrobe sat opposite the bed. It was mostly empty, spare for a few dresses and hairbands.
This was her room then. She picked up the broom and got to work. Cleaning the hallway, then her room. She went into the next room; it was a parlour room and had dozens of accessories and lots of makeup. A few chairs sat aside, and a gold encrusted full length mirror sat on one side. The room had a door connected to it which led to a walk-in closet and bathroom. The closet had the most eccentric dresses, shoes, and hats. It was clear that the queen cared about good looks.
The bathroom was enormous! It had a bathtub the size of a small swimming pool, 3 silver sinks and an extremely expensive looking toilet. This would take forever to clean. The day passed by and the girl managed to clean the parlour, closet, and bathroom.
Tomorrow she would have to clean the rest.
The next day she went to the next door, this turned out to be a study. A desk lay in the middle of dozens of bookshelves. There were a few chairs and stools littered around. The room didn’t seem to be used very often. After cleaning it, she was met with the Queen’s bedroom. She hadn’t seen the Queen at all that day and wondered what she where she was. The bedroom itself was incredibly beautiful. A queen size bed, along with many pieces of furniture. It was the brightest room out of all of them.
Cleaning it took a bit of time, and at the end of the day she only had time for one more room. The final room turned out to be her bathroom. It was smaller than the queen’s so took less time than she thought it would have. Still having some time on her hands, she went to the next door.
It was locked. Yes, surprisingly the door was locked. The girl decided to leave it be and went to bed.
The next day she discovered an unused bedroom, billiards room and a conservatory. She still hadn’t found the pearl and something was telling her it was behind the locked door.
Last edited by Natasha Blackwood on 7 Feb 2026, 17:12, edited 1 time in total.
The long walk
Chapter 9 - Wooden puzzle
On the third day, she arose earlier than usual. She had to find out how to open that door. The queen was this time at the castle. She went by the corridors a few times, and she had slept in her bed. The girl made her own bed then proceeded to the Queen’s bedroom to make hers. She did a thorough sweep of the room, only to find a wooden box.
She shaked it around to check for anything inside. Nothing. Not even a rattle. The box was heavily decorated by elaborate carvings. On the sides and on top, a crown, a wolf a bird and a dragon were decorated on it. It was made of a strong wood and was unexpectedly heavy.
She didn’t think much of the box and continued searching for a key or some way of opening the door. As she was cleaning the parlour, she noticed a drawer open on the dressing table. She went over to close it the drawer. Inside were a few pots of makeup and some mirrors. At the far end of it, she noticed something metal. Was it the key? She excitedly pulled it out, only to find a metal bird.
What was she going to do with that? A metal bird… That seemed rather a strange thing to keep in a dressing table. She picked it up and thoroughly inspected it. She weighed it, dropped it and even looked at its reflection. But nothing happened. It remained a metal bird. She looked at the design of the bird itself for a few seconds.
It wasn’t made of steel; it was some sort of silvery metal. It was not too heavy, but not light either. The bird flew with it’s wings open wide; it was small and could fit in the palm of your hand. She had seen the same bird somewhere else. But where? After twisting it around in her hands for a while, she got up in delight! She knew where she had seen it1 The wooden box, of course! How had she been so stupid?
She hurried to the Queen’s room, found the box and placed it on the bed. The bird was on the side of the box. Yes, she was correct. It was the exact same bird. She realised that the bird on the box was caved in a little. Could she? Maybe? She inserted the bird into the wooden carving of it. It fit perfectly! Nothing happened though. She tried opening the box. Putting the bird in a different way, everything. Nothing worked.
“I guess I’ll have to find all of them, then.” She said to herself.
Where could the others be? She searched every single room, top to bottom. Nothing. Well, there was one place she hadn’t thought to look. Her own bedroom. She went inside and inspected every inch of the room. Nothing. She was getting tired of not finding anything!
She lay down in her bed and stared at the ceiling. The ceiling and walls had a nice wallpaper. It almost told a story. There were trees and boats and WOLVES! She got up and looked at each little wolf. Finally, one in the darkest corner of the room, coated with spiderwebs and dust, there lay the metal wolf.
She brought the silver box with her this time and so didn’t need to go back to the Queen’s bedroom. The wolf lay on the other side of the box. Fitting it in place, she felt determined to find the rest.
A dragon and a crown, where could she find those? She looked everywhere she could think of, but to no avail. Finally, she checked the hallways and windows. Nothing there either. She glanced down the spiral staircase in dismay. Where could the other two be? Taking another look at the staircase, she realised that she had never gone down to the ground floor since she came.
Was she allowed to go down though? Well, she was the cleaner. If the Queen said something she would say that she wanted to clean the ground floor. It was her only hope. Before she changed her mind, she descended to the hallway.
She emerged on the side of the throne. The queen was not at her seat, but the crown remained on the cushion. It was a similar crown to the one engraved one the box, but it was much bigger and could be worn. The hallway of pillars stood in front of the throne. Darkness hid the entrance. The queen wasn’t there, but a strange feeling prickled up the girl. Like she was being watched.
Cautiously, she made for the door she had escaped through. The one that led to the kitchens. A dim light scattered the kitchen, and she saw that it was the exact same as before. The unwashed dishes, pots and pans still out and some rotting food lay on the kitchen tops.
Where should she start searching? The door to the pantry seemed like a nice option. She opened it and fell back in horror. 5 skeletons lay on the floor. They still had kitchen aprons on, and they looked like they had died in there. Why had they been killed? A gleam of light caught her eye.
“Ughh! You can’t be serious!” She said aloud.
The third metal piece was inside on of their stomachs. There was no way she was going to. No, she had to. But… No, this was the only option. Taking a pair of oven gloves from the kitchen, she approached the skeleton. It reeked of death and she held her breath. Almost gagging, she put her hand into the skeleton’s stomach. There! The metal dragon!
After gagging a bit more, she rushed up the stairs to her bedroom. Fitting the piece in the box, she stood triumphantly with it in her hand. Just, one more to go. The crown. It was right on the top of the box and looked the most important. Where had she not searched?
Before she could think, a chirping met her ears. Normally, she would have ignored it, but she had surprisingly never heard a bird come close to the castle. She went out to the hallway and saw the red bird. The same one that had given her the riddle of the gnomes. It held in its beak, the jewelled sword.
She hadn’t expected it to come so early, she hadn’t even found the pearl. She picked up the sword anyway. It was good to have it already so she wouldn’t have to go searching for it later. She was about to thank the bird, when it flew away, clearly distressed.
“I see you’ve found my box.” The queen’s voice came from behind her.
The girl froze in fright. Slowly, she turned around to see the queen gently caressing the box in her hand.
“The dragon was a bit of a gruesome challenge, I have to say.” She remarked, completely at ease. “So, you’re the little girl!”
On the third day, she arose earlier than usual. She had to find out how to open that door. The queen was this time at the castle. She went by the corridors a few times, and she had slept in her bed. The girl made her own bed then proceeded to the Queen’s bedroom to make hers. She did a thorough sweep of the room, only to find a wooden box.
She shaked it around to check for anything inside. Nothing. Not even a rattle. The box was heavily decorated by elaborate carvings. On the sides and on top, a crown, a wolf a bird and a dragon were decorated on it. It was made of a strong wood and was unexpectedly heavy.
She didn’t think much of the box and continued searching for a key or some way of opening the door. As she was cleaning the parlour, she noticed a drawer open on the dressing table. She went over to close it the drawer. Inside were a few pots of makeup and some mirrors. At the far end of it, she noticed something metal. Was it the key? She excitedly pulled it out, only to find a metal bird.
What was she going to do with that? A metal bird… That seemed rather a strange thing to keep in a dressing table. She picked it up and thoroughly inspected it. She weighed it, dropped it and even looked at its reflection. But nothing happened. It remained a metal bird. She looked at the design of the bird itself for a few seconds.
It wasn’t made of steel; it was some sort of silvery metal. It was not too heavy, but not light either. The bird flew with it’s wings open wide; it was small and could fit in the palm of your hand. She had seen the same bird somewhere else. But where? After twisting it around in her hands for a while, she got up in delight! She knew where she had seen it1 The wooden box, of course! How had she been so stupid?
She hurried to the Queen’s room, found the box and placed it on the bed. The bird was on the side of the box. Yes, she was correct. It was the exact same bird. She realised that the bird on the box was caved in a little. Could she? Maybe? She inserted the bird into the wooden carving of it. It fit perfectly! Nothing happened though. She tried opening the box. Putting the bird in a different way, everything. Nothing worked.
“I guess I’ll have to find all of them, then.” She said to herself.
Where could the others be? She searched every single room, top to bottom. Nothing. Well, there was one place she hadn’t thought to look. Her own bedroom. She went inside and inspected every inch of the room. Nothing. She was getting tired of not finding anything!
She lay down in her bed and stared at the ceiling. The ceiling and walls had a nice wallpaper. It almost told a story. There were trees and boats and WOLVES! She got up and looked at each little wolf. Finally, one in the darkest corner of the room, coated with spiderwebs and dust, there lay the metal wolf.
She brought the silver box with her this time and so didn’t need to go back to the Queen’s bedroom. The wolf lay on the other side of the box. Fitting it in place, she felt determined to find the rest.
A dragon and a crown, where could she find those? She looked everywhere she could think of, but to no avail. Finally, she checked the hallways and windows. Nothing there either. She glanced down the spiral staircase in dismay. Where could the other two be? Taking another look at the staircase, she realised that she had never gone down to the ground floor since she came.
Was she allowed to go down though? Well, she was the cleaner. If the Queen said something she would say that she wanted to clean the ground floor. It was her only hope. Before she changed her mind, she descended to the hallway.
She emerged on the side of the throne. The queen was not at her seat, but the crown remained on the cushion. It was a similar crown to the one engraved one the box, but it was much bigger and could be worn. The hallway of pillars stood in front of the throne. Darkness hid the entrance. The queen wasn’t there, but a strange feeling prickled up the girl. Like she was being watched.
Cautiously, she made for the door she had escaped through. The one that led to the kitchens. A dim light scattered the kitchen, and she saw that it was the exact same as before. The unwashed dishes, pots and pans still out and some rotting food lay on the kitchen tops.
Where should she start searching? The door to the pantry seemed like a nice option. She opened it and fell back in horror. 5 skeletons lay on the floor. They still had kitchen aprons on, and they looked like they had died in there. Why had they been killed? A gleam of light caught her eye.
“Ughh! You can’t be serious!” She said aloud.
The third metal piece was inside on of their stomachs. There was no way she was going to. No, she had to. But… No, this was the only option. Taking a pair of oven gloves from the kitchen, she approached the skeleton. It reeked of death and she held her breath. Almost gagging, she put her hand into the skeleton’s stomach. There! The metal dragon!
After gagging a bit more, she rushed up the stairs to her bedroom. Fitting the piece in the box, she stood triumphantly with it in her hand. Just, one more to go. The crown. It was right on the top of the box and looked the most important. Where had she not searched?
Before she could think, a chirping met her ears. Normally, she would have ignored it, but she had surprisingly never heard a bird come close to the castle. She went out to the hallway and saw the red bird. The same one that had given her the riddle of the gnomes. It held in its beak, the jewelled sword.
She hadn’t expected it to come so early, she hadn’t even found the pearl. She picked up the sword anyway. It was good to have it already so she wouldn’t have to go searching for it later. She was about to thank the bird, when it flew away, clearly distressed.
“I see you’ve found my box.” The queen’s voice came from behind her.
The girl froze in fright. Slowly, she turned around to see the queen gently caressing the box in her hand.
“The dragon was a bit of a gruesome challenge, I have to say.” She remarked, completely at ease. “So, you’re the little girl!”
The long walk
Chapter 10 - Killer queen
She ran through the hall as fast as she could. The queen didn’t even give chase. She just walked out of the hallway. Coming down the stairs, the girl almost fell as she made one last dizzying turn. She only had to find one more piece. The crown. But where was it? How did the queen know she who she was? How did she know? These questions spiralled around in her head.
But, right now it wasn’t important. Right now, she had to defeat the queen. She had to do it, for Noah, for Henry, for all the people of this kingdom! This was the only thing she could do that mattered. This was it. The endgame.
She quickly ran down the hallway of pillars. She hid behind one at random. The queen emerged from the staircase at that moment.
“Doesn’t this seem familiar?” She said in her playful voice. “I hope you’re ready to die!”
Several pillars uprooted and crashed down unto the floors with a resonating thud. Pillars were obliterated. By sheer luck and chance, the girl was spared. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she just wanted to go home. Not that she remembered what had happened to her before she came to the path.
Now that she thought about it, what had happened before? She didn’t have the faintest memory of it. Now was not the time, she reminded herself.
She drew her attention back to the queen who walked steadily down the hall. She came closer and closer. The girl didn’t dare breathe. She was so close. What was she going to do? She thought of a plan in her head. The best she could come up with was to fling the sword at her. But the girl knew that wouldn’t work.
Besides not having a good aim, the queen could easily defend herself. She winced as more pillars crashed. This was not going to work. But it had to, she had to do this. She didn’t have a choice.
As the pillar she was standing behind crashed, she quickly rolled to the side, falling in a pile of debris. She quickly lifted her sword, facing the queen.
“You know how to fight, do you?” She said mockingly. “You’ve escaped me twice, but this time I won’t let you stay alive. As they say, third time’s the charm!”
She brought out a what looked like a short knife. You could tell it was sharp by the way it shimmered in the light. A normal person wouldn’t choose to fight with that, as it was short and lacked range. But the queen was not a normal person, she was probably an expert fighter, the girl thought.
She held up her sword valiantly. This wouldn’t end well. The queen swiftly moved towards her and kicked her to the wall. The girl slammed into the wall. Hard. All the air was knocked out of her and she gasped to breathe. She fell on the ground with an ‘oof’. Her bones hurt and her head throbbed. She tried to get up, but her mind was dizzy and her sight foggy. After her vision cleared a bit, she got up, trembling. Her legs were about to give in. And her whole body ached.
The queen stood there with her dagger, looking bored. The girl noticed something in a crevice of the queen’s cloak. Something shiny. Something metal. Then she knew it, the last puzzle piece was with the Queen.
“Your turn.” She spoke.
The girl mustered all her strength and ran towards her. She had to get it. With the pearl, she had a chance of defeating her. Her sword extended and it was about to hit the Queen’s face! Then, with a clang, the queen’s pocket-knife blocked her sword. She pushed back on the girl sword, forcing it to drop down.
“How ridiculous. I was really expecting more you know,” she said, annoyed.
She quickly made a short jump and kick and pinned the girl to the wall. With her free hand she held the girl on the wall. The girl’s feet lifted off the ground, until she was face to face with the queen.
The queen lifted her knife and pointed it the girl’s neck. She made a cut in her skin, causing blood to drip on to the knife. The queen seemed staring at the blood in a look of awe. She looked mesmerized by it. A twisted smile creeped on to the Queen’s face. She looked at the blood like a kid would to a new toy. Utter delight.
She looked back at the girl, twisting the knife into the perfect position. The girl screamed. She kicked her legs, but nothing would stop her. The more she screamed the more the happiness on the Queen’s face increased. She wasn’t just evil. She was a psychopath. It was over now, the girl thought. Why had she even begun to think that she stood a chance in defeating the queen?
The queen put the knife against the girl’s neck.
“Goodnight, little girl.” She said.
She ran through the hall as fast as she could. The queen didn’t even give chase. She just walked out of the hallway. Coming down the stairs, the girl almost fell as she made one last dizzying turn. She only had to find one more piece. The crown. But where was it? How did the queen know she who she was? How did she know? These questions spiralled around in her head.
But, right now it wasn’t important. Right now, she had to defeat the queen. She had to do it, for Noah, for Henry, for all the people of this kingdom! This was the only thing she could do that mattered. This was it. The endgame.
She quickly ran down the hallway of pillars. She hid behind one at random. The queen emerged from the staircase at that moment.
“Doesn’t this seem familiar?” She said in her playful voice. “I hope you’re ready to die!”
Several pillars uprooted and crashed down unto the floors with a resonating thud. Pillars were obliterated. By sheer luck and chance, the girl was spared. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she just wanted to go home. Not that she remembered what had happened to her before she came to the path.
Now that she thought about it, what had happened before? She didn’t have the faintest memory of it. Now was not the time, she reminded herself.
She drew her attention back to the queen who walked steadily down the hall. She came closer and closer. The girl didn’t dare breathe. She was so close. What was she going to do? She thought of a plan in her head. The best she could come up with was to fling the sword at her. But the girl knew that wouldn’t work.
Besides not having a good aim, the queen could easily defend herself. She winced as more pillars crashed. This was not going to work. But it had to, she had to do this. She didn’t have a choice.
As the pillar she was standing behind crashed, she quickly rolled to the side, falling in a pile of debris. She quickly lifted her sword, facing the queen.
“You know how to fight, do you?” She said mockingly. “You’ve escaped me twice, but this time I won’t let you stay alive. As they say, third time’s the charm!”
She brought out a what looked like a short knife. You could tell it was sharp by the way it shimmered in the light. A normal person wouldn’t choose to fight with that, as it was short and lacked range. But the queen was not a normal person, she was probably an expert fighter, the girl thought.
She held up her sword valiantly. This wouldn’t end well. The queen swiftly moved towards her and kicked her to the wall. The girl slammed into the wall. Hard. All the air was knocked out of her and she gasped to breathe. She fell on the ground with an ‘oof’. Her bones hurt and her head throbbed. She tried to get up, but her mind was dizzy and her sight foggy. After her vision cleared a bit, she got up, trembling. Her legs were about to give in. And her whole body ached.
The queen stood there with her dagger, looking bored. The girl noticed something in a crevice of the queen’s cloak. Something shiny. Something metal. Then she knew it, the last puzzle piece was with the Queen.
“Your turn.” She spoke.
The girl mustered all her strength and ran towards her. She had to get it. With the pearl, she had a chance of defeating her. Her sword extended and it was about to hit the Queen’s face! Then, with a clang, the queen’s pocket-knife blocked her sword. She pushed back on the girl sword, forcing it to drop down.
“How ridiculous. I was really expecting more you know,” she said, annoyed.
She quickly made a short jump and kick and pinned the girl to the wall. With her free hand she held the girl on the wall. The girl’s feet lifted off the ground, until she was face to face with the queen.
The queen lifted her knife and pointed it the girl’s neck. She made a cut in her skin, causing blood to drip on to the knife. The queen seemed staring at the blood in a look of awe. She looked mesmerized by it. A twisted smile creeped on to the Queen’s face. She looked at the blood like a kid would to a new toy. Utter delight.
She looked back at the girl, twisting the knife into the perfect position. The girl screamed. She kicked her legs, but nothing would stop her. The more she screamed the more the happiness on the Queen’s face increased. She wasn’t just evil. She was a psychopath. It was over now, the girl thought. Why had she even begun to think that she stood a chance in defeating the queen?
The queen put the knife against the girl’s neck.
“Goodnight, little girl.” She said.