Ancient Greece
2000 BC
I sprint through the forest, eager to get to my destination. My veil keeps getting caught on the bushes I pass, I hope I haven't ripped a hole in it. The wind blows through my hair and it feels euphoric. It's one of the reasons I love running, every chance I get I run through the dandelion fields with my soon to be husband Antony.
It's only a few miles from my home but enough to be alone in secret with my fiancé. My family doesn't approve of Antony, they want me to marry someone with wealth not someone who is barely scraping by and whose jobs are carrying wheat and cleaning temples.
I love Antony he is my soulmate, I don't care how little money he has, I want him. I was supposed to be marrying Devon tomorrow, my family had me arranged to marry him. I don't want him, he's a pig.
My family and other families are what you call higher born, we were born witches, to serve and honour our Mother Goddess Hekate the goddess of Witchcraft. When I reached 18 I was next in line to take over the position of High Priestess of Hekate's temple. It was during my ceremonies and rituals that I caught sight of Antony. I guess you could say it was love at first sight. Antony is human. We witches and humans live together in peace and harmony. Antony unfortunately is classed as lower born but there are higher born humans as there is lower born witches. Higher born humans are just rich people who own some of the lands around our town and have very good jobs that pay a lot. Lower born witches are just witches that also don't own a lot and have shit jobs just like lower born humans.
The plan tonight was to marry Antony underneath the full moon, consummate our marriage underneath said moon and then run away together. I just hope I can get there in time before the moon is at its highest peak. I'm late cause I had to wait for my parents to go to sleep.
I finally reached the dandelion field where Antony stands in front of the priest ready to take our vows.
I step onto the field and Antony stiffens, he feels my presence. We always feel each other's presences, must be a soulmate thing.
He turns around and spots me, a huge smile planted on his face. He gives me the "come here" hand motion. I run to him, he looks like a god in his special Himation while I wear my own himation and veil, with his hair dark as night and muscles that a god would have. He's a giant compared to me, he towers me with his 6 feet and 9 inches body, with me standing at only 5 feet and 7 inches. Yes we measured ourselves. What?! I was curious! He's huge!
Now we can't forget his facial features, high cheek bones, strong nose and green eyes. He's the epitome of perfect for me. Everyone around here treats him horribly but it's only because they are scared of him, he towers over everyone and looks like he could lift a temple with his bare arms. Antony has a soft heart and he's a little insecure about himself, the townspeople don't help with it either they are always calling him ugly and a giant so he's always scared I'll suddenly find him ugly and wouldn't want him anymore. Which is a load of crap.
He's my soulmate I'll never leave him. I finally reach him and he takes me into his arms, wrapping them around me into a hug.
"Sorry I was late my love, my parents took forever to fall asleep" I confess.
He chuckles. Oh my music to my ears.
"It's okay love, the priest was just explaining the details of our to wedding to me." He laughs.
"Now that you are both here let's get started, I wanna get home before midnight so my wife doesn't kill me thinking that I been with another." He jokes.
Antony and I both chuckle. I give him the "go ahead" hand motion and he takes the hint.
~~~
Destruction lays around me, the once green forest is gone and I can only hope the blast from my scream didn't reach my home town. Antony lays in my lap, lifeless. His death triggered my emotional hurtful scream that scorched the area around me. I've never felt this broken before, I thought I had but I was wrong.
"I promise you my love, I will find you again!" I whimper into his still body.
Antony always told me about how if he died he wanted to have his ashes thrown off Hades drop. It's where Greece meets the ocean, the Mediterranean Sea.
I waved my hand using my magick to pick his lifeless body off the ground and into the air in front of me. He floats behind me while I start my walk to Hades drop.
I'm getting close to my home town but I still see that the area around me is still scorched. Please goddess I hope I didn't kill my family and the towns people too.
I finally reach the town and all that lays before me is ruins, no bodies littered around because they burnt to ash from my scream as were the men that killed Antony, gone from the earth like they never existed.
I drop to my knees crying, hot tears run down my cheeks like a waterfall, unable to stop. I stay there for awhile mourning the loss of my family and the townspeople I killed while Antony floats behind me.
Two hours later I will myself to get up and finish my walk to Hades drop to deliver Antony's wish. It was almost dawn when Antony was killed, now it's the evening.
I get there and the sun is setting. I lay Antony's body in front of me at the edge of the cliff at Hades Drop unable to do what he wanted.
I lean down to his face and whispered,
"I will see you again one day, please don't forget me." I cried.
I leant back and waved my hand over his body, his body turns to ash right in front of me and whisks away in the wind towards the sea.
I sat there crying till midnight when I heard a voice that sent shivers of fear down my spine. I turn around and there stands before me, three people. Two women and one man. A god and two goddesses.
Hekate stands in the middle with Selene the moon goddess to her left and Ichor, the god of blood to her right.
"You my young child have committed a big sin." Hekate berates. "For your crimes you will be cursed."
"Forced to live forever and crave the blood of the ones you love and watch die of old age." Ichor continues.
"You will be have an animal side to show people what u really are, an animal who causes chaos." Selene finishes.
With my mouth agape I take in all they have said and shudder at there words. I think of my family and the people I killed, I believe I deserve all what they are cursing me with.
I look up at them and say "I willingly take your curses for I also believe I deserve this punishment."
Hekate smiles at me.
"Good girl." She whispers. They disappear out of thin air and I'am once left alone again in the darkness.
I lay there looking up at the stars, missing my Antony wishing I will see him soon. Then all of sudden I'am filled with searing pain. While I'm thrashing uncontrollably my back arches and snaps. A blood curdling scream follows after. My body reshapes into an animal and I'am left laying there in pain from the whole changing process. I look down at my paws and see midnight black fur.
I'am bewildered and amazed, my sight is more clearer, I can see in the dark and I can hear things from miles away. But then I started to feel hungry and the need for blood rose.
And that's how I became The Shifter Queen. I'm a tribrid now, half witch, half wolf and half vamp.
Also known as the Cursed One.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Authors note:
Hey guys I hoped this prologue piqued ur interest and pushes u to read more.
I hope u guys love it.
If u want more flashbacks of Elizabeta and Antony, let me know.
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