Ever since I was a young boy, I’d heard the whispers. At first I thought it was just another tall tale crafted for young children like myself to behave. Between palace maids and knights protecting the stone walls of my father’s castle, the hushed rumors of a beautiful princess hidden away in a tower, in the neighboring kingdom of Viniel, was spoken of time and time again. Multiple occasions, I’d try asking for more details, my small mind intrigued by the mystery surrounding such a creature. But no matter the day, I’d always receive guarded looks and instructions to keep my fantastical mind at rest, for princes shouldn’t worry of such things.
Even now, as an adult come of age to wed, I still couldn’t help but wonder about the famed princess trapped behind the stone bricks of her tower. What exactly did she look like? What cruel king would sentence a woman of her standing to such a fate? It was all very perplexing. But I enjoyed a good puzzle or trick. And so my head would not let it rest.
My days should have been filled with greeting my father’s subjects or attending banquets in my family’s name. There were court proceedings I should have overseen, generals of the army I should have met with to discuss possible conquest, or diplomats waiting with counsel regarding other countries. After all, my father was growing old, and the duties of the kingdom would soon befall themselves onto me. But the responsibilities of a noble interested me much less than thoughts of a mysterious princess.
And so the day came when I approached my aging father, head held high as I proposed my plan.
“You wish to rescue this princess?” He had asked skeptically, setting down his cup of wine with a muffled ‘hmph.’ He rubbed at his temple, rising from his throne and walking towards me. “What a foolish notion! A prince of your age should be concerned with choosing a viable wife to marry, not wile away the days, twiddling your thumbs, pining for some fictitious legend!”
I hid a sigh, knowing how this would play out before it even did. Of course my father would think me mad, planning a trip around a rumor that may or may not even be true. But I simply shook my head.
“I’ve heard tales of this woman for years, about her splendid beauty and stunning grace! Such a lady would make a perfect wife, father! Besides, if it all turns for nought, I will simply come home and do as you say, never to speak of her again.” My carefully chosen words did exactly as I had intended them. My father paused, tempted with the thought that I’d do as he liked, no doubt from years of struggling to get me to behave as a young adult.
“Though I still find your reasoning unwarranted, I suppose it wouldn’t be too farfetched to allow you to go off on your own. After all, you will soon be the ruler of this kingdom. Venturing out into the world may do you some good.”
And so with great reluctance, he’d agreed to my trip. And with a packhorse loaded with provisions for my journey, I set out with two of my personal guards. They seemed happy to leave the confines of the castle, striking up quiet conversation behind me as we trotted west into the forest.
The kingdom of Viniel was a good two days trip by horse. The first night we were lucky to happen upon an inn, set a little ways into the trees. With great relief, and an aching back, I fell asleep almost instantly. The next morning, after a wonderful night of full rest, we set out once more towards the legendary tower.
Its whereabouts were generally unknown, but the rumors had always placed it nearby to a waterfall set high in the mountains. While my father’s kingdom, Kein, was mostly forests on open plains, the kingdom of Viniel was largely composed of imposing mountain ranges and scattered villages. Rivers split the lands, creating beautiful waterfalls and valleys, though swamps frequently sprung up after heavy rains.
It was slow going the first few days of travel. My guards and I made frequent rests, both for ourselves and the horses. This made progress a lot slower than I’d hoped, but I was determined to push forward. My imagination wouldn’t stop conjuring images of a fair maiden with flowing blonde locks, brilliant blue eyes staring down from the top of a white-stone tower as she waved a kerchief to me down below. Eagerly awaiting our first encounter, I encouraged the horses and guards to go a bit further that fourth day.
By the fifth day, we’d arrived at the first large city in the kingdom. Beckinsdale was quite lively, a hot springs making it a popular stop for travelers near and far. Riding into the center of the town, it was easy to see why Viniel was doted the Land of Blessed Waters. Fresh spring water flowed steadily through the center of town, a large fountain taking up the town square, marked with stone carvings of angels and exotic birds.
We rode to the nearest inn, paying for a room as the evening entertainment began tuning their fiddles. The innkeeper seemed knowledgable enough, so I ventured a question.
“We’ve heard of a mysterious princess locked away in a tower. Where could one find such a place?”
Immediately, he glanced away with a scowl, obviously upset by my intrusion.
“With much respect, I advise you gentlemen to return to where you’ve come. Many have tried and failed to rescue that princess.” He spit the last word with venom, as if the title itself meant nothing to him. This confused me so, but I decided any further prying into the subject would only upset the man further and possibly get my men and myself without rooms for the night. With a sigh, we led ourselves into the dining area to an empty table.
“Heard you was lookin’ for that tower.” A man sitting at the table behind me muttered, speaking low under his hood.
“I am. Would you happen to know about it?” My attention rapt on him, I waited for him to continue. All I could see of his features was a large crooked nose, and his brown mustache below it. He glanced around, as if checking to make sure there was no one listening to what he would say, then leaned in slowly.
“They say its set upon the highest mountain, just north of here. But I know better. I’ve seen it with me own eyes, I have, and I’ll tell ya this. That tower’s south of Dirby’s Pass, to the east of Redwick.”
“You’ve seen the tower?” I questioned curiously. He leaned back, taking a large gulp of his pint.
“I’ve seen it. Don’t ever want to see it again.” He finished resolutely. “Why anyone would want to try to rescue her is beyond me understandin’, what with that Wendigo spirit guarding it.”
“A Wendigo?” I asked, a brow raised in astonishment. Never had the rumors mentioned such a mythical being. They were spoken of only in arcane legends, of magic and sorcerers in a time before my own. They were fearsome creatures, said to possess humans and eat the flesh of others.
“I don’t recommend continuing your journey, but your life’s your own.” I had to ask one more thing.
“What of the princess?”
The man shrugged. “A greedy woman, that one. Never satisfied. Figures she’d end up that way…” He concluded, finishing the last of his drink and standing to leave. Without another word, he left out the door we’d come in.
That night in my bed, I tossed around the thought of a wendigo creature, and a greedy princess. Perhaps that was just common citizen talk, envious of the supreme wealth of the royal. He could hardly make an assumption based on the words of a drunk stranger. But mostly, I couldn’t sleep, thoughts of ten-foot monsters swimming in my dreams.
For the first time, a worm of fear touched my heart, however, and I wasn’t altogether sure I was up for this challenge. I’d hunted with my father’s men before, spent nights in the cold plains of Kein, I was used to the outdoors. But this was something entirely new.
By morning, I’d been able to think about the whole thing, but decided to see this adventure to its end. After all, I would look a fool returning to my father without having tried. Certainly, that’d give my name a bad reputation, something I wanted to avoid what with me going to rule one day.
My guards and I began to the south the following day, getting directions from a merchant as to the location of Dirby’s Pass. We followed the road to the little town of Redwick, unimpressed by the simple buildings and small farms set into the trees. Passing through the town, we followed a road marker to Dirby’s Pass, turning directly south and following a narrow path through the thick trees. It was slow going, the damp air making everything seem to weigh more than it did and the horses having a hard time keeping to the dirt path. The trees often times swooped low into the way of the trail, and we had to skirt around them or dismount before continuing.
And then, at last, we came upon the mountains. There was a break in the trees, and looking up through the canopy, there we could see a beautiful waterfall, the water cascading down into the river below. And at the top of where the water began, we saw a brilliant gray-stoned tower, with a spiraled top, reaching into the heavens beside it. Our energy and motivation renewed, the guards and I found it in ourselves to go a bit further that day.
We camped among the trees at the base of the mountain, talking of what the kingdom would say upon bringing home this beautiful woman, and of how her rescue would boost moral among the troops and citizens. It was a night of merriment and laughter between men, and we went to sleep in our tents happily.
The next morning, after packing up the camp, we began to ascend the side of the mountain, hoping to reach the tower before nightfall. The rocky terrain and uneven path made it difficult for the horses to secure their footing. We found ourselves leading them on foot more often than riding on their backs. But it would be unfortunate if one of them broke a leg and went lame while trying to go up the steep sides. It was better in the long run to take our time than to rush impatiently.
Progress was a lot slower up the side than I’d intended, and we had to stop and make camp for the night about three-quarters of the way up. The damp air and multitude of bugs made the trek miserable, and we were more than happy to stop for the night. There wasn’t much talk, and we went to bed quickly.
It took another half of the day to make it to the top, and by that time the sun was high overhead, marking the time as afternoon. The steep ascent quickly flattened out as we reached the flat top, and we slowly made our way closer to where we’d seen the tower before. Our guards were up, what with talk of a wendigo keeping watch over it.
Trudging through swampy muds and uneven grounds, we came in sight of the tower once more. Up close, it was a lot taller than what we’d originally imagined, and I craned my head to look to the top.
The guards and I made camp at the tower’s base, still looking out for any ancient creatures in the trees, but we gathered all the rope available to us, tying them together to create a long strand, attaching a large hook to the end. With practiced aim, I swung the rope high into the air, catching the single window facing the waterfall with the metal hook. It caught on the inside, and I tugged at it to make sure of it’s hold. Then, with a quick nod to the guards, I began to climb the rope to the window.
It took several minutes, and by the time I reached the top, I was sweating profusely from exerting so much effort. Grabbing hold of the edge of the window, I pulled myself onto the stone floor of the tower.
It was dark, save for what light managed to come through the opening in the wall. Inside was a large bed, simplistic and plain with tan sheets, and a vanity set back further. In front of the mirror sat a woman, her long brown hair falling down her back. Her back faced me, and she kept her attention on the mirror.
I straightened myself, smoothing over the front of my clothing as I approached. My heart was beating in my chest, to where I thought for sure the woman could hear. This was it! The beautiful woman was real, she existed, and I would bring her back to be my wife for all the kingdom to see. I approached slowly, a hand outstretched.
“My lady, I’ve come far to rescue you from the confines of this dreadful tower. Please, may I ask your name?”
She said nothing, and the closer I got to her, the smaller she seemed.
And then my nose was assaulted with the foulest stench I’d ever encountered.
I took a step or two back, confused, wondering where on earth this wretched odor could be coming from. It was so potent, even my attempts to cover my nose with my thick shirt weren’t enough.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the princess stand, and slowly turn to face me. What I saw made me gasp. Her skin, what I imagined would be supple and soft, looked gray and lifeless, tight with decay. The eyes that should have been a brilliant shade of blue that matched the color of the sky were nothing more than sunken eye sockets. Her lips, cracked with age, bled in several places. But what was most disturbing was her smile, displaying a set of bloodied teeth that she showed off without hesitation.
“My name, young prince?” She crowed, a scratchy, almost unearthly voice assaulted my ears. She was facing me completely now, but I found it impossible to move, too terrified to even breath, my feet rooted to the floor.
She slowly approached, still smiling that wide smile, but I heard her sigh softly.
“That what they all ask. How boring.”
Before I could scream, or even begin to think that perhaps there was a reason no one ever tried to rescue this mysterious princess, she advanced on me, her mouth stretched wide and aiming for my neck.
It was such a shame, this one had been rather handsome. She gazed at the lifeless body before her, watching as the pool of blood quickly spread across the gray stone of the floor.
Still, if they weren’t all so dreadfully uninteresting, maybe she’d let them live, considering keeping a pet, or a snack for later. But they always asked the same questions, wanted the same things, and she was ravenous, after all. Being locked away high in the mountains away from the people of the kingdom made it difficult to find food, but every once in awhile, a naive adventurer or prince from a faraway country would come seeking her.
As if she was some princess to be saved. All fools, the lot of them.
ns 18.68.41.175da2
