The contess gave one last look at her lover.

“I must go”, she said, “coming here is becoming more dangerous… for you and for me.”

He smiled.

“I have no doubt. But it’s a risk I will take gladly.”

She smiled back. And left the small wooden house, in the middle of the forest, her sanctuary of love for the past year.

Deep down, she knew it was an impossible love. A contess and a young druid. Her family would never allow any kind of romantic relation with someone not from the royal blood line, let alone someone who dwelved in the realms of magic.

Why was magic so loathed in her kingdom, she never understood. And yet, since she was a little child, magic was part of her life too.

“You have something very special within. Some will cherish it, most will fear it. You’ll know what it is when the time comes.” Those were the words from her mother, near her dying breath. At that age of five, she did not understood their meaning. But at the age of thirteen, those words came to her mind, when a wolf full of spines saved her from the three robbers that tried to ambush her on the forest.

She remembered it all so well. The fear when the men came. The burning sensation in her hands. The massive howl of the beast that appeared seconds later, lounging straight to her attackers. And as quickly as he appeared, he vanished, as the threat was over.

Since then, she tried to find answers, and now, with the druid, she had found them.

“A summoner, that’s what you are; a repressed one, but no doubt, a summoner”

Only a teacher, at first; a lover, soon after.

---

The sound of the tower’s bell interruped her thoughts. Without realising it, she had reached the outskirts of the village.

“And where were you all this time, may we know?”

Her stepmother and her father were waiting for her, as usual, as she passed the palace's gates.

“You already know the answer to that question. It’s the same as yesterday, and the day before.”

“Yes, the forest, it brings you peace. But maybe you should behave more like a contess and less like a peasant.”

The words from her stepmother made her blood boil.

“And maybe you should mind your own business, stepmother.”

And with a cold gaze, she turned to her father.

“Am I allowed to return to my chambers, dear father?”

“Do show some respect, daughter. And of course you may… we are only concerned with your safety, nothing more.”

She nodded, and left them without another word.

My safety... appeareances, you should say; you'd rather see me dead, than see me staining the precious family name. The contess kept these thoughts to herself, thow. She knew she had to be more careful; the rumours of her being “special” were spreading, and it was a matter of time until they started to be taken seriously... if they weren't already.

For the next week, her family made it impossible for her to leave the realm. Official meetings, foreign visitors, and all sorts of excuses to keep her from entering the forest. And deep inside, the feeling that something bad was about to happen grew. Had her secret been discovered? And would her lover be in danger?

When she saw the detachment leaving the palace discretly on the next morning, she had her answer. And what to do next became crystal clear. She knew she had to leave the castle quickly; she also knew her absence would be noticed soon, and there would be consequences. But nothing mattered anymore. She knew there was no coming back, and only one thing was on her mind at that moment: Julius. Her teacher. Her lover.

---

As soon as she iluded the maids that were especially helpful and present that day, she escaped the palace. And by the time their family found out about her escape, she was already entering the forest.

In panic, running as fast as she could, she followed the paths she already knew by heart, hoping she wasn't too late.

But when she was arriving at the clearing where the small house stood, and heard the voices, her heart sank. Her presence was noticed when she screamed, as she saw the lit torches.

"Nooooooooooooo."

Two pairs of hands grabbed her arms.

“Stop this madness, I beg you! Julian! Where's Julian?” The contess cried.

But the guard's captain simply replied, in a neutral voice.

“I'm sorry, contess, but I have my orders. This house, and whoever is inside it... will burn today.”

And with his next order, torches flew into the house.

---

It was almost impossible to describe in words the sadness in the scream that was echoed through the forest, the moment the house was set on fire.

And as the tears rolled down the contesse's face, she had the same feeling she had years ago, when the wolf appeared... but this time, stronger. Oh, so stronger.

A scream almost as loud as hers sent shivers to everyone present, as the banshee appeared. And with her, the skeleton assassins rose from the ground.

The captain's face was pale, as he turned to the contess.

“What have you done, child?”

The contess was still crying when she answered.

“You wanted death today. It has arrived.”

She felt her arms loose, as the throats of the guards holding her were slit by the assassins. And as she fell to the ground on her knees, unable to stop the tears as she watched her dreams going away in flames and smoke, more creatures of darkness joined the ones that appeared first.

The contess could not tell how much time had passed. When she came to her senses again, the fire was almost out. All around her, were the bodies of the fallen soldiers. But their killers, unlike the wolf years ago, stayed.

She looked at them; some she knew what they were, some she was seeing for the first time. And the more she remembered her lover, for he was the one that told them about the creatures that stood near, more tears were shed. And more creatures appeared.

---

Later that day, the bells of the realm sounded an alarm not heard in ages. And when a father and a stepmother looked throught the window in the highest tower of the palace, they knew the contess had returned.

And she wasn't alone.

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