Page 1 of Death Cap

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a handsome and charming prince named Agaric. Prince Agaric was the eldest son of the late king, Jove, and the current reigning figure of Dryade. Before Prince Agaric could be properly ordained as the new and rightful ruler of Dryade, Agaric’s twin brother, Morel, who had been banished, returned. Morel was an outcast, shunned by the kingdom and the royal family. He had since created his own wretched kingdom called Grisset, and proclaimed himself a king—the king of darkness. It wasn’t until his older brother had gained control of the throne that Morel returned to his birthplace with a wave of destruction in the form of his army, forged deep in the shadows of Grisset. He and his queen, Hesper, equally ruled their illegitimate kingdom together, raining fire and destruction down upon those too weak to defend themselves from their ever-growing army. The two were equal in every way, outcasts from their homes and thirsty for blood. They hungered for chaos, dancing together in the flames of the defeated kingdoms that burned around them. They were a growing plague haunting this world. A sickness one could not avoid, but, instead, prepared to treat.

Within minutes of their birth, the fates of the twin brothers were determined. Prince Agaric would follow in the footsteps of his father, and Prince Morel would be forgotten. As the two brothers grew, Agaric received the attention of the king. He was trained to be a most skillful fighter and strategic ruler from such a young age while Morel was raised by their mother, the late Queen Mellea. The queen raised Morel in her own ways as he was unwanted and uncared for by the king. When she passed from a sudden illness, Morel was cast out from the kingdom and into the shadows of the desolate abyss beyond the kingdom’s walls, forgotten by all until that fateful day when he and his bride returned, with an army big enough to rival Agairc’s, seeking vengeance.

A battle between the two brothers ensued, tragically destroying most of Prince Agaric’s forces, leaving Dryade ripe for the reaping. Agaric, determined to stop his brother’s treachery, took to the battlefield himself. He fought through the slaughter, aiming for Morel, their swords striking against one another before Hesper intervened, meeting her demise. She screamed out to her king as she fell, leaving Morel in despair. Agaric seized the upper hand with the strength of the sun and his remaining forces as Morel became unhinged at the loss of his queen, fleeing the battlefield in defeat.

Once the smoke of the war had cleared, Prince Agaric stumbled across a helpless damsel injured during the war. He swept her off her feet, taking her back to his castle, where he cared for her wounds and began to personally nurse her back to health. The poor woman had no memory of her life prior to that fateful evening, but she and the prince slowly grew close in their time together. Word of their fondness for one another spread throughout the kingdom like wildfire, giving hope to theinjured kingdom that a royal proposal would soon occur, quickly followed by a proper royal wedding—a new beginning for the innocent kingdom of Dryade.

Or so they believed.

ONE

AMANITA

The deep,sapphire-blue sky twinkled with a burst of burning constellations. A cool breeze danced along the skin of my face as I gazed into the endless night, soothed by the darkness. The shadows felt familiar to me, comforting, as if they were somehow a part of my soul. I longed to engulf myself fully in that feeling—the feeling of beinghome.

Turning to my left as I lay on the cold ground, I spied an empty impression on the earth next to me. My smile faded away as my heart sank at the painful realization that I was alone. Something in my soul was missing.

“Little shadow.” The voice was faint and distant, like a whisper. My body rose as my eyes searched the never-ending night sky for the source of those words, fear and longing growing in my stomach. “My shadow.” It spoke again, the words dancing along my face, twisting with a cool night breeze. The feeling of someone suddenly behind me set me on edge as two hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer towards the unknown man. Before I could catch a glimpse of the man’s face, his hot lips pressed along my neck, sending a wave of electricity through my veins. Despite the fear of some strange persontouching me, I felt safe, immediately thirsting for more of this strange feeling.

His mouth continued, covering me in passionate kisses as it traveled along my collarbone; the man’s hands gliding with the curves of my body, reaching my chest. A soft moan floated from my lips as my skin prickled, excited by the foreign touch as it caressed me. It was as if he knew exactly what I wanted and how to give it to me.

Darkness covered us, swallowing us whole. Those strange hands wrapped further around me, pulling me to the ground as we twirled around, his arms eventually pinning me to the cold earth. He kissed my neck, his mouth moving to my breasts as his tongue swirled around my hardened nipple. My voice escaped me, leaving only moans of pleasure.

He lifted my skirt, wasting no time before entering me, his hardened self holding nothing back as he thrust deeper, harder. I remained flat against the ground, soaking in the euphoric moment, enjoying every second, as if this was all I wanted in life. This exact feeling.

“Amanita?” A deep, caring voice rippled through the dream as if someone had tossed a pebble into a puddle of water, disorting the reflection surface. “Lady Amanita?” He called my name once more, the stranger pulling from inside me, fading away, leaving me breathing in the night alone. The sound of my name felt foreign. I turned to face the direction of his voice, immediately blinded by the golden light of sunshine. My eyes strained as I raised my hand to shield my poor irises, a figure of a man looming in the warm beams. He reached his arm out, his warm skin sliding along the palm of my cold hand as he said my name once more. “Amanita, I am here.”

My lids immediately rose as I was met with the most gorgeous chartreuse-colored eyes. “Prince Agaric,” I whispered his name as he smiled, tucking his bright, cherry-red hair behindhis ear. He lifted my palm to his face, gently kissing the top of my hand, making me shiver.

“Good day, Lady Amanita.”Day?I glanced around the regal bedroom, noting the warm rays of sunshine as they danced through the thick stained glass windows.Had I slept most of the day? Again?Agaric chuckled lightly to himself, noting my obvious embarrassment. “Don’t fret, my lady.” His fingertips traced the many strange scars along my skin, the tenderness providing me with a soft comfort. “You’ve experienced such trauma—a severe injury.” My abdomen ached, the healing wound throbbing at the painful reminder. His fingers ran along the deep scar in the center of my left hand, his words dropping in volume. “You need to rest. It’ll be a while before you’re fully back to your normal self. Until then,” he gently placed my hand atop my stomach as he stood, looking down at me laying in the large, ivory-drenched bed. “Rest. I shall see to it my staff brings you more of the medicinal soup you’ve been enjoying. Over time, you shall forget the dark past and embrace the light of your future.” He offered me a soft smile. “I shall leave you be. If my lady feels too lonely in her chambers, she is always welcome to come find me.”

He hesitated a moment, giving me time to fully absorb his princely appearance. He was dressed in one of his usual, casual tunics, embossed with a metallic, silver filigree stitched along the silky, beige-colored material. His tan skin blended perfectly with the regal palette of his wardrobe, a true representation of the colors of Dryade, the kingdom of sunshine.

Agaric’s smile grew, noting my wandering eyes as I shied away from his gaze, my cheeks flushed from the inappropriate behavior. He offered me a small, informal bow before exiting my chamber. I grabbed the nearby pillow and shoved it over my face, embarrassed by my obvious curiosity. He was a prince—royalty—and I was an injured rabbit, rescued from death’s door,recovering until I was well enough to be released back into the wild.

The absence of light beneath the silky pillow soothed my annoyance as I inhaled deeply, the warm scent of citrus choking my airway. I gagged, tossing the pillow aside as I tried to force the remnants of the heavy scent from my mouth. A part of me felt so out of place here, in this palace—this kingdom. Not only did I mentally feel wrong, I physically clashed with the warm, sunshine colors and aesthetic of Agaric’s life. My dark, inky blue hair reached my waist, alongside my metallic silver eyes, and pale skin covered in old scars—I was the reflection of something cold and brutal. My finger ran along the many old wounds, tracing the thickest one seeded in my left palm, foreign to me.Who am I?

I rose from the bed, forcing the intrusive thoughts from my mind. The stiff material of my corset pulled beneath the bodice of my dress, constricting my breathing, causing me to groan as I gasped for air. I didn’t understand the need for women to wear such torturous contraptions and attire. The idea of boosting my breasts, displaying them and highlighting my figure for others to gawk at felt ridiculous, especially when paired with the overly-exaggerated layers of skirts that hung heavily from my waist. They made it difficult to move, restricting my mobility. The nearly-healed wound to my abdomen ached as the bone of my corset pushed against my wrappings. Thankfully, I hadn’t been able to recall the events that led to such a deep wound. The unknown bothered me, but maybe the lack of recollection was for the best. Truthfully, I was lucky the prince found me, wounded in the midst of such a war. Had he not, my fate would be the same as all the others unfortunately caught between the two kingdoms—joined only in death. The idea of death didn’t scare me. What truly scared me, was feeling so lost and alone. My memory and identity scattered amongst the darkness.

“Lady Amanita?” I had to process my name, realizing the poor, hovering maid was addressing me. She had been waiting nearby, a tray in hand with a single bowl. Her hands were trembling ever so lightly, as if she was experiencing a fit of some kind. “Y-your soup, m-my lady.” She quickly placed the tray on the nightstand, offering a gentle curtsey before quickly exiting my room. I tried to thank her, but she had scuttled away too quickly, the words never leaving my mouth. The sheer sight of me must’ve frightened her, like so many before. My fingers lightly touched the healing scars that branched along the side of my face and trailed down my neck, my eyes stinging as tears began to form. As if the many scars along my skin weren't off putting enough, the drastic damage to my face only made me stick out more. I was grotesque. Despite the prince’s constant compliments, I could feel everyone’s eyes heavy on my skin at all times, fear filling their irises as they examined me, reassuring me of my monstrous appearance.How could someone like Agaric continue to care for someone like me?A monster?

A single tear fell into the thick, green soup as I swirled it, the golden spoon lightly scraping the bottom of the delicate china. My stomach growled, confirming it was time for my next meal. I lifted a spoonful of the odd smelling, chunky meal, the bitter paste hitting my tongue as my body instantly fought back the urge to vomit. It was a struggle to consume the foul-smelling soup, but I knew I needed it. Prince Agaric had been offering me the medicinal meal since I first arrived, the effects slowly taking root, or so I was told. I endured the torture and ate every last bit, scrapping the bowl clean like an obedient child.

As the metal spoon clanked against the empty china bowl, my head began to spin. My body began to lift from the bed and float, hovering over the bed as if I was drifting to the bottom of a lake. I felt weightless yet heavy at the same time. My eyes widened as my head fell back and landed on the pillow, watchingthe gathered canopy above the bed dance. The immersive effects of this soup always left me in such an odd, lucid state. I watched helplessly as the colors of the world around me mashed together, swirling as they created strange images. The unnatural spectacle continued as the colors formed a night sky bursting with stars of every color. As much as I enjoyed the scenery, I knew the medicine was strong, leaving me vulnerable upon consumption. The idea of lying in a weakened state ate at me. I did not like feeling weak.

Despite my current state of hypnosis, watching the blended colors frolicking around my room, a seed in the pit of my stomach spoke to me, its voice faint, and resembling the one I heard in my dreams.Be like the sky and remain true, an unchanging symphony of the stars.The phrase had no meaning to me but remained burned across my heart like a brand. I continued to listen to the same sentence over and over as it eventually lulled me to sleep; the effects of the medicine carried me back into the darkness of my dreams.Symphony of the stars.

TWO

AMANITA

My eyes gazedover the exquisite breakfast, studying the placement of the foods, china, golden-tipped glasses, and utensils before me. The setting was of the highest regal standard and somehow it felt familiar to me.Was I a maid here, in the palace? Or perhaps a lady to the late queen?Footsteps dissolved my train of thought as Agaric entered the formal dining room, beaming like the sun at the sight of me, dressed in his colors and sitting perfectly at his table, awaiting his arrival.

“Lady Amanita.” He radiated, extending a quick bow I did not deserve. His presence warmed me. I lowered my head in recognition of his stature, offering a sweet smile. He was dressed in an almost identical outfit as the day prior, only today’s tunic was a deep maroon—it reminded me of the color of fresh blood. “It is such a pleasure to find you waiting here for me. What a marvelous way to start the day.” He sat in his usual chair, looking at the warm pastel spread of exotic foods displayed perfectly across the large mahogany dining table. As he picked up his golden fork, he spoke to me. “Today,”—he lifted the matching knife, cutting into a hearty piece of meat,—“I thought we might take a stroll through the royal garden.” I poked myfork at the wobbly egg on my plate, surprisingly tired despite my drug-induced sleep from the day before. “The sunflowers are in full bloom, and I thought that a lady such as yourself would enjoy their company.” He stopped, looking at me as if waiting for a response.

I fidgeted in my chair, the heavy yellow dress that not only washed the little color from my skin but weighed me down like an anchor. The idea of walking in the sunlight, in this ridiculous garment didn’t appeal to me, but after all the prince had done for me, I didn’t want to disappoint him. I owed him so much for his kindness. “Of course, my prince.” I nodded, forcing a casual smile. I wanted to please him, wanted to make him happy. I took a sip of the dark red wine, trying not to grimace at the flavor. It was sweet, as usual, and made my stomach flinch at the light, sugary taste. There were so many new experiences and ways of life within these palace walls, from the food to the mannerisms and styles. I caught myself struggling to keep up, seemingly unable to fit within the pieces.

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