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A LONG TIME AGO THERE lived a kingdom in the shadow of the Great Thorn Palace. It was a small kingdom, poor but self-sufficient, and the royals who lived and ruled there had always been content with their lot. To grow and live in a small piece of pretty land always seemed greater than what the shadows of the Great Thorn Palace portended. That was until the winter sisters were born in the darkest night of winter. Never before had there been two heirs, and those twins, whose cries wailed deep into the frigid night, seemed to settle across the land like a curse.
Though born in almost the same instant and being the same size and shape, they couldn’t have been more different. With inky black hair that curled down her slender neck, Raven possessed soulful brown eyes that appraised everything clearly.
Crystal’s white blonde hair that she piled high upon her head in elegant braids mimicked the frost, and her grey eyes, full of mirth, reflected back what the seer desired.
In sixteen years, the girls had grown to stately figures. They had one constant companion, good Gestalt—their dearest friend who danced between them like an amiable dog. He would start the day with Raven, painting her a poem where her discerning eye missed nothing. She fed him cookies for each perfect rendition. But to her displeasure he preferred his afternoon’s with Crystal, staring into those grey eyes that mirrored his own amorous looks. How could he not understand it was just a trick? Not useful, like Raven’s sight.
Raven dreaded staring into her sister’s eyes. Like the forbidden mirror, she saw her true desire—to be sovereign queen of their pretty kingdom and restore it to its former glory. She would stare at the image of a golden crown of thorns upon her midnight hair that she would catch in Crystal’s eyes. Could Crystal see what she saw? Raven grew on edge but began dreaming of a special coronation. She needed a plan for her dreams to come true. She knew great power lay in the shadows of the Great Thorn Palace, the forbidden mirror, and the whispers of magic.
The forbidden mirror had caused great pain in the wider world. At first glance, the mirror revealed how to attain what you hold most dear. A second glance revealed at what cost your prize was won. Most never bothered with a second look. Raven knew she never would.
Determination sent Raven out in search of books on the forbidden mirror. She asked her tutors about the Great Thorn Palace and its riddles of mazes, she studied drawings and strategies for solving its convoluted paths. And most importantly, she learned the mirror was guarded, and she would need to bring a gift to the guardian to be shown the mirror. Slowly, piece by piece, a plan began to form.
After morning lessons concluded, she slipped on her cloak and least favorite diadem and grabbed her pack. It held the guardian’s gift and her father’s pocket watch. Her horse, Lightning, was saddled and waiting. She rushed to the stables unseen, slinking past the servants in the hall and on the grounds with quiet, careful steps. She couldn’t fail here, just when she was beginning to make her dreams come true, so she slipped through the shadows to Lightning’s side. The Great Thorn Palace would be half a day’s ride.
The dappled light of the forest danced across her face, as her black hair trailed behind her. A soft breeze kept her brow cool, and she enjoyed the pleasant ride. Was it a good omen for her mission? She smiled indulgently at the thought.
Soon the forest gave way to bramble that thickened, twisting itself into knots. Sharp thorns jutted out from the scrambling vines to block out the sun. She slowed her steed, her heart racing staccato beats in her chest. But she was prepared, and she was determined. She would make the better queen. And wouldn’t that also make her the better wife? If that meant betraying her sister, so be it. Hopping down from her mount, she faced the Great Thorn Palace.
The walls were woven of the same thorns that created the maze. But they were bleached white, like old bone, rising into the sky so that Raven had to crane her neck to see the tops of the towers. The palace was at least ten times the size of her home and the maze unwound to countless turns behind it.
Raven walked into the palace with impatient steps and down a turn of hallways to where the forbidden mirror was said to rest. When she entered the silent room, she saw a huge red curtain on the far wall and the guardian of the mirror—a peacock with indigo plumes that shimmered behind him. He looked at her demurely before turning to face her with an impish smile, feathers fanning.
“It’s been awhile since I’ve had a visitor” Peacock trilled. He sauntered around her, keeping her in his sights.
“Are all visitors unwelcome? Surely some are not,” she replied with a smile.
“Which ones would those be?”
“The ones who bring you a gift.”
“A gift?” Peacock raised a brow and gave her a slow smile.
“Beauty for beauty,” Raven said, opening her pack. She withdrew a large sapphire—her only gemstone given to her from matronly Aunt Delores.
“It is my favorite color,” he purred. “I trust you know the effects of the mirror?”
“Of course. I only require one look.”
The peacock nodded his head, taking his time as he looked her over. “If you know the consequences, I will let you look into the mirror in exchange for this gift. What you do with the mirror, I leave to you.”
He drew aside the red curtain to reveal the treasure she sought. The mirror was gilded, with blood red garnets arranged in an ornate pattern around it. Though she could only tell from up close, the glass was not made of glass—every reflection gleamed low and soft upon the metal set in its place.
Raven rushed toward the mirror, watching her figure grow larger in the frame. She fell to her knees and looked, her lips parted in a smile and her eyes wide. There she was in the mirror, but a new man approached and spoke to her. She gave him something from her pack and followed him.
Then they were deep within the thorny maze. A glimmer caught her eye, and she turned to see something shimmering in a glass box. She took it and left her diadem in its place. Then she departed with the golden thorn crown upon her head.
Raven felt giddy just watching the pantomime in the mirror. Could this be the way she would rise to power? Could it be this very day?
“I trust you’ve had your glance in my mirror,” Peacock said, grabbing her attention.
She stood and faced him. “I have seen my dreams answered.”
“You are entitled to one more look.”
“No, nothing will prevent me from my destiny. The cost is a trifle, nothing more.”
He nodded. “Then you will be interested in what my compatriot has to say.”
A tall, lean man entered the room. Antlers curled up from his blond hair and he gave her a low bow.
“I have been waiting for you, my dear.” He took her hand in his and kissed her palm.
“And you would be?” Raven asked with a smile.
“I am the keeper of the Great Thorn Palace,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Just as you gifted Peacock with a fitting token to be shown the mirror, I too can be gifted with a token.”
“A token for?”
“The secret magic of the Palace hidden inside the maze.” He winked. “Will you follow me within?”
Raven took off her pack and rummaged within. As she pulled something out into the open, she held it out to him, “All I have is my father’s gold pocket watch.”
“I will accept this.” He took the watch from her. “Now follow me.”
He led her through the maze of thorns that twisted and turned until Raven was hopelessly lost without her guide. She could only see the sky above the fifteen-foot-tall towering walls of thorn.
As she looked around her, the man walked out of sight. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she walked faster. A tendril snaked out and twisted around her leg. Another branch shot out, a bramble of thorns wrapping around her skirt. Her heart jumped into her throat. If she couldn’t find the guide, she’d never make it out of the maze. Despite the prickles, she ripped the thorn branch from her dress, tearing fabric off. Bending down, she wrestled with the tendril working its way up her leg. With impatient hands she ripped it free and ran after him.
She ran past more plants that tried to ensnare and trip her. After a couple sharp turns, she found him waiting for her.
“Take care you don’t get lost,” was his quiet admonition.
She tried to catch her breath as she followed him again. As she calmed, a vicious snarl drifted in from the right. Inside a dark corner of the maze she saw a huge wolf approaching. He snarled again, teeth bared and hackles raised. Her heart pounded in her ears. She had not prepared for this.
A voice came from behind her and she turned. “I am forbidden to fight the beasts of the maze, but I can offer you this,” the guide said, handing her a ruby encrusted dagger. The wolf slinked toward her, growling deeper. It bit at her feet and she fled, straight into the thorn wall on the other side of the path. Thorns bit into the soft flesh of her arms and face. She turned to confront the wolf. He crouched, ready to pounce. Raven knew it was time to fight or die. The wolf lunged; she held the dagger up and out, impaling the beast’s neck. She threw the heavy creature off her, ripping the dagger from its throat.
“I believe this is yours,” she said, wiping the blade on the wolf’s hide before handing it back to the guide.
He smiled. “It’s just a little farther.”
They walked through several more twists and turns with the thorn walls growing taller and closer together. If she wasn’t with the guide, those thorns would attack and ensnare her—she was certain of it.
Finally her guide halted. Encased in a glass box, Raven saw a golden scepter. The top was shaped like a crown, with a heart in the center and a ring of thorns encasing it all. She reached for it with eager fingers, but the man stopped her just short of her goal.
“You must give to receive—to tie the magic to your kingdom.” He withdrew his hand.
But she had come prepared for that. She removed her diadem and placed it where the scepter lay, just like she had seen in the mirror. Then she grasped the scepter.
Power thrummed through her. It was an indescribable pleasure. Her heart raced with excitement and she felt a warmth growing in her chest.
“How does it work?” she asked, grinning from ear to ear.
“If you can imagine it, you can do it.”
She closed her eyes and imagined she was flying. A wind rustled her hair and she was swept into the air without warning. Her stomach dropped and her eyes rushed open. Raven could hardly believe she kept floating higher and higher. Laughter bubbled from her lips as the thorn hedges grew smaller. Pausing, she rested on top of a breeze, looking around her. Her home sat in the distance and she could see the full expanse of the maze’s growth. After a few minutes she floated down.
“Thank you for leading me here,” she said to her guide. “I will leave you now.”
With a single thought, she appeared outside the maze next to Lightning. A light neighing greeted her, and she smiled to see her ride home. The kingdom was hers alone. With the scepter’s power, she could rule the world. She raced the oncoming twilight back to her castle.
“Raven, where have you been, and what’s that you’re holding?” Crystal’s voice reached her from the throne room.
When she entered the room, she found her sister alone. “It’s my royal scepter. You will address me as Queen or Your Majesty from now on.” Raising it, she forced her sister to kneel. She couldn’t hold back her laughter as she watched her sister struggle to stand.
Gestalt appeared and ran towards them. “What in the world is going on?”
“I am queen now, Gestalt. I know I won’t have to force you to kneel.”
“What makes you queen? You and your sister are equals.”
“We were never equals,” she shouted, holding the scepter high. “And now I am all powerful. I am queen and I will not share my throne.” Her voice echoed through the chamber. “Now, sister dear, you will proclaim me as your queen.”
“You can’t make me,” she squealed. With that challenge, Raven picked Crystal up by her foot, shaking her upside down. But then Gestalt crashed into her and knocked her to the floor. She held onto her scepter, but lost her hold on her sister and Crystal fell.
“How dare you?” Crystal screamed, rising and rushing to attack Raven, her face a mottled red. Crystal raked her nails down Raven’s face, who shrieked and held her scepter high. She brought it down as hard as she could, landing a heavy blow on her sister’s head. With a whimper, Crystal fell to her knees, then slumped to the ground. Her eyes were open but no longer saw. Gestalt ran to Crystal screaming.
“What have you done?” he screeched as Raven tried to swallow past the lump in her throat.
“I didn’t mean to,” she mumbled, but he wasn’t listening. He shook Crystal, begging her to wake up. Raven screwed her eyes shut and tried to imagine her sister was fine—tried to imagine she was alive and well, that she sat up and laughed at them both. But no matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn’t bring Crystal back to life.
She opened her eyes and took a step towards Gestalt and her sister.
“Stay away from us,” he screamed, tears streaming down his face. She couldn’t stand the look of disgust he gave her.
Raven was queen, but perhaps she wasn’t willing to pay any price.
Julia Allen received her BA in Creative Writing and English from Michigan State University. She did her senior thesis in poetry under the tutelage of Diane Wakoski, but has been focused primarily on fiction as of late. Common writing themes that can be found in her work address identity and the type of strength that can be found in ordinary people. Julia is currently working on a Young Adult fiction novel and can be found at local cafes in her hometown when writing, and painting, drawing, or reading when not.
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