"Oh, yes! Zey!"
The raven-haired woman with amber eyes clung to the bed, arching her back and pushing against the woman behind her. Her lover, with hair as light as crystal-clear water, pressed her breasts against her back, caging her with her body, trapping her against the bed and in her arms.
"Alex!" She panted against the skin of her neck, biting down without a care. She wanted everyone to see the possessive marks she left on her lover's skin. Alex liked walking around and embarrassing people by reminding everyone she was having sex with the Empress.
When the raven-haired woman reached the peak of her pleasure, she let out a cry of delight that probably echoed outside the bedchamber. The guards must be used to it by now, she thought.
"Finally!" the witch cheered, looking into the eyes of her lover who had lain down beside her. Her hair gleamed under the sunlight streaming through the large windows of the Empress's chamber. "I was beginning to think you'd make me wait a month before satisfying my hunger..."
Zeyana Voklanden had been very busy lately, but that wouldn't stop her from tending to her beloved; she would even cancel important engagements for her.
"We'll have to start scheduling appointments for sex during these hectic weeks. I miss the nights we spent exhausting each other... now we're exhausted without even doing anything dirty... working and being a person with great responsibilities is so boring!" Alex continued to complain, under the attentive and amused gaze of the Empress, who was used to her playful whining.
Zeyana kissed her shoulder and then her neck, observing the love bites she had left along her body. "You decided to follow me of your own free will."
"And I don't regret it, Zey." She smiled, then hugged her lover tightly. "I don't desire anything else. I only want you."
"And luxury."
"How dare you call me a superficial materialist?" Alex asked, feigning outrage.
Zeyana laughed and began to shower her with kisses, sighing contentedly as their bodies pressed together again. "You bewitched me from the very first day... I can't go a single minute without kissing you when you're near, and when you're not, I think about you constantly."
"Seems like a pleasant curse compared to others I know, what do you say?"
The Empress nodded, then grew thoughtful. Alex immediately caught the shift in mood: "What's wrong?" The witch was a direct person, always cutting straight to the point, and this was appreciated, especially by Zeyana, who usually had to decipher the intentions of the people conversing with her every single day. Her political rule was harsh for a reason: she did not tolerate traitors or slackers. Anyone who opposed her for personal power would meet a bitter end.
"Something is changing. I had a meeting with the Order last night."
Alex had learned of the Order after starting work as the court witch, in addition to acquiring the title of archmage. The group's existence was supposed to remain secret, but the Empress trusted her partner implicitly and, for this reason, had revealed every detail to her. Actual meetings with the representative members of the Order rarely occurred, and the fact that one had been held without warning was alarming.
"What happened?"
"A demon from the northern steppes has been identified in the south of the continent, in the kingdom of Arran. It's a truly unusual demonic manifestation."
"What do we know about this kingdom?"
"To quote the rumors, it is ruled by a stunning woman from the north, flanked by Arran's most precious treasure, Princess Snow White, the only daughter of the late king. If we consider the Order's opinion, however... it seems the territory of Arran hides truly dangerous secrets."
"I love secrets..." the witch sighed and smiled, before turning serious again: "Why doesn't the princess rule? She is the heir to the throne, after all."
"The king entrusted Arran into the hands of his second wife."
"They must not be on good terms..."
"Perhaps." The Empress's smirk let Alex know she was privy to something specific. The witch pressed close to her, wrapping her arms around her neck and whispering against her skin: "What do you know that you're not telling me, Zey?"
"Are you that curious?" Her eyes gleamed as they roamed over the naked body of Alex, her beloved.
"Yes, absolutely. You know I love learning about the intrigues and secrets of royal families." The witch bit her lip and played with strands of the Empress's hair as the latter recounted what she knew.
"The Queen of Arran is named Grimilde. She appears to be involved in the demonic apparitions."
"The nature of demons is malicious, they don't make pacts with the beings they hunt... did the northern demon wish to capture her?"
"Likely. We don't know how she survived."
Disturbances of that kind didn't happen often, and the consequences could affect the international territory. Furthermore, like all lovers of gossip, Alex was deeply intrigued by the matter and wanted to know more.
"And the princess? What role does she play in all this?"
"I don't know yet... how about we find out together?"
"What do you have in mind, darling?"
Zeyana turned toward the light filtering through the window and began to ponder: there were various means that would allow her to get closer to Arran, but she did not wish to start a war... at the moment.
"Arran is a kingdom that must be kept in check... we could befriend the Queen and the princess, what do you think?"
"I think it's an excellent idea." The glint in Alex's eyes let the Empress know the witch's malice was ready to be unleashed. She had to admit that she herself desired to see firsthand what the regent of Arran was made of. Would she be a dangerous woman, or simply a victim? For some reason, Zeyana leaned more toward the first possibility...
"How much further?"
"Not much, but we have to stop. The wagon won't fit down the path; it's too narrow." Doc had everyone get off the wagon while Snow White tied Strae to a tree trunk. The horse let out a snort and nudged its muzzle against the princess's hand, asking for pets and food. "Once we get back, I'll give you a delicious apple, okay?" Then she reconsidered: "Maybe something else." The princess had refused any kind of apple ever since she almost died from a single bite. She knew, at least rationally, that that specific apple had been poisoned, but the trauma remained. Despite this, she had changed since then; she had grown stronger.
"Our goal is to get down quickly and come back up even faster. We don't want to stay in the mines for too long. Deep down, air will be scarce, and we don't know what awaits us."
The group listened carefully to Doc, and when he finished, they resumed their journey on foot. No one lowered their guard; it was best to pay attention to any noise or bizarre element they might encounter along the way. Dopey kept turning around and raising his pickaxe as if it were a crossbow ready to fire an arrow. Grumpy, beside him, grabbed him by the collar to keep him from tripping over a large root, then huffed. Happy was softly whistling a tune that caught Snow White's attention.
"You're very good at whistling," she complimented him, earning a smile from the bearded man. Happy explained that it was a song the group usually sang on their way to work to pass the time. Even while digging and retrieving minerals, they sang that tune. It had become a habit, and they didn't even notice they were doing it.
When they found themselves at the mine's entrance, Snow White took a deep breath: once inside, air would start to thin, and as they descended deeper, the light would fade as well. The seven miners had used torches to light the excavation, but it still remained a rather dark place.
"The beginning of the path will be easy." Doc tried to comfort the princess, understanding her tension. The princess nodded, smiling in gratitude, then took another deep breath. She was ready to face this unknown place: she would keep her guard up at all times; she didn't want to risk ending up in another trap or getting lost in a mine she didn't know.
The start of the path was fairly manageable, even for the princess, who had never set foot in such a place. She was wearing trousers and carried a dagger that the Queen had personally given her. Grimilde had spent long minutes begging her to be careful and smothering her with affection. She believed in her, but at the same time, she couldn't remain impassive. Snow White understood her point of view, and to reassure her, she thought it best to leave her with something to think about in her absence: "When I get back, I want to try..." the words that followed that sentence left the Queen's face flushed crimson for the rest of the day.
Snow White blushed, thinking back to her bold proposal, then snapped back to the present when Doc warned everyone to be careful using the ladders to descend into the mines. The wooden planks seemed sturdy, but one could never be too sure in these cases. Doc and Grumpy led the group, while the rest of the miners carried torches and materials needed for the excavation, like pickaxes and ropes.
Snow White immediately noticed the difference in the air between the inside and outside of the mine, but she didn't panic and focused on calming her heartbeat. Bashful sidled up to her to keep her company and help keep her mind off things, so he started talking about their line of work.
"Extracting minerals is truly hard work. The risks are high, but we're a good team and we collaborate very well. Doc is the brains, and Grumpy usually directs the more practical side of things."
"Do you find precious minerals here?"
"Iron is a valuable material on the market. We find a lot of that here. As for crystals, we'd need to go much deeper, but we haven't found any in this excavation so far."
Snow White nodded: in reality, she had extensively researched mineral extraction across Arran and knew that a large quantity of iron came from this mine. The most precious crystals were found in large quantities near the coast, in the kingdom of Orson, with whom they traded very frequently.
The princess noticed some fallen rocks and was careful not to trip, then walked alongside the tracks they were following, observing the tunnel walls. It was narrow, but she could see a wider space about fifty meters ahead of their group. Snow White had a bad feeling ever since they entered. She felt something and couldn't describe the sensation, but she was certain it was nothing good.
"From here on out, we'll have to descend. We've already checked the area, but we'll take another look just to be safe." Doc halted the group in the open space of the cavern they were in. The princess observed the tools scattered around the dusty space: torches illuminated the area, and there were workstations for processing minerals, minecarts on the tracks—some filled with rocks and others holding iron tools. Grumpy and Sneezy took charge of thoroughly checking the path they were about to take. It would take them a little while, so the rest of the group rested. They had already been inside the mine for almost an hour, and the lack of sunlight and fresh air had exhausted the princess, who wasn't accustomed to that environment like the miners were.
"How far down do we have to go?"
"This excavation hasn't been going on for long... we'll descend 50 meters. It seems like a short distance, but you'll feel the difference. Some areas are very tight, and we have to use ropes to lower ourselves down the rocks. Are you sure you want to continue with us? It won't be easy, or safe." Doc's speech was reasonable, and Snow White paid close attention to his every word, acknowledging the risks she would run if she continued down the path, but she was determined to do it and wouldn't let the fear of inadequacy stop her.
"I will come with you. I need to see what you found with my own eyes."
The miners exchanged looks of evident concern, but said nothing to persuade the princess to stay behind. Once they reached their destination, they would have to dig and carve their way through with pickaxes to find what they were looking for.
After about twenty minutes, Grumpy and Sneezy returned to the group and gave Doc the green light. The miners grabbed their pickaxes, ropes, and torches and set off, followed by the princess.
"We started hearing something once we reached the bottom," Grumpy pointed to a large hole descending deep down. "We didn't dig here, it could have caused a cave-in." A little further ahead, in fact, a small downward-sloping tunnel was visible, but it was a short path, and they soon arrived in front of another ladder. The miners helped Snow White tie the rope around her waist as a safety measure. The ladder could bear their weight, but the wood often loosened after numerous uses.
"Watch your step."
Snow White peered over the edge of the rock they were on and saw that they would have to descend about twenty meters. At least it wasn't a tight space that would trigger claustrophobia or panic from a lack of air.
As soon as Doc and Grumpy began to climb down, it was Snow White's turn. She paid attention to every movement, planting her feet firmly on the ladder's rungs. She didn't look down; she kept going until she heard a strange noise and stopped: "Did you hear that too?"
"That whistling? It must be air coming in from somewhere."
"No... it's like a vibration."
"Like I was telling you," Grumpy stated, then calmly resumed his descent as soon as Doc did the same. Snow White managed to get down without any issues, but her body felt the strain and was beginning to weaken. She had a few tense muscles, and her arms and legs were aching.
"Everything okay?" Bashful checked to make sure she was alright.
"Yes. I'm just not used to it..." the girl smiled, looking at him. She would have to start doing physical training consistently when she got back to the royal palace.
"Navigating these paths for the first time would be difficult for anyone."
"True! In the beginning, Dopey kept complaining, and Sleepy must have fallen asleep a good five times!"
"Don't tell lies!"
"Quiet down, you lot!"
Snow White held back a laugh. It was always interesting spending time with this bunch. Finally reaching the bottom of the ladder, they had to follow a narrow corridor, different from the others, which were more defined and, above all, appeared secured. The miners had warned her that this was an area still under construction.
"The ceiling will be a bit low, but we'll still have room to move." The group reached an area lit by two lanterns, and Snow White could see the remnants of the recent excavation: rocks, dust, tools piled against the walls...
"It's this way," Grumpy pointed to another corridor, darker than the one they had just traversed. Snow White felt the vibrations of whatever was hidden within the rock much more intensely now. "Let's keep going," she stated with a mix of curiosity and awe. The corridor led to a relatively wider space, and the princess was able to stretch out, glad to be able to move freely.
At a certain point, silence fell, and Grumpy strained his ears. "It's coming from here."
Snow White approached her friend and listened closely: the description the miner had provided now made sense. It felt like a vibration that sent shivers down the spine with its dark, mysterious tones. The air became even thinner, and the lack of light, coupled with the mine dust, made the situation even worse. The princess's face was pale, and when the workers began to dig, moving the rest of the group back, something unexpected happened. The rocks trembled, and debris fell from the walls and ceiling; then, a foul stench filled the space they were in. Snow White covered her nose and mouth, doubling over. "What on earth is happening?"
"Damn it!"
"Watch out for falling debris!"
"Princess!" The miners moved to shield Snow White and prepared to escort her out of there. The tremors stopped after a few minutes, but it was enough to terrify everyone. When Grumpy turned back toward the rocks that had fallen from the wall he was working on, he called everyone's attention.
"Look!"
Doc pushed his way through the small, astonished crowd, followed by the princess. They reached Grumpy, who was covered in shattered rock dust but thankfully unharmed. Before their eyes lay a truly bizarre stone: it was pitch-black, but its surface gleamed because it was dotted with dark purple specks, and a sort of flow seemed to wander across the vast, smooth, black casing. It emitted a very low humming noise that resonated in their ribcages, threatening to latch onto their hearts and crush them. The sensation was so sudden and unexpected that the three of them gasped, jumping backward, struggling to take in gulps of the nearly absent air.
"Get them out of here! Let's go." The miners helped Grumpy, Doc, and Snow White to move, and with great effort, they distanced themselves from the deep excavation site. They returned to the ladder and stopped to check the condition of the three injured members. "Are you alright?" The trembling princess had sat down with her back against the wall, trying to catch her breath, while Doc and Grumpy wore very grim expressions. What had happened down there? Where did those horrifying sounds they heard come from? And what about those flashes of dark, terrifying imagery?
"Did you..." the princess took a breath and continued: "did you guys see something too?"
"I heard screams. Bloodcurdling screams." Doc gritted his teeth and shook his head, almost as if he wanted to chase away the sounds that had made his blood run cold. Grumpy was sitting on the ground and shuddered, recalling the sensations he had felt: even if only for a second, he had felt his body breaking, as if someone had tried to rip off his arms and legs, butchering his bones and flesh. It had been terrible, and he couldn't speak; he was paralyzed with fear. Snow White, on the other hand, had seen with her own eyes scenarios so terrifying they would give anyone nightmares: she had witnessed dark, horrifying figures with sharp teeth and twisted bodies rising from the underground, invading towns, cities, entire kingdoms, killing in cold blood and devouring the people they encountered in their path. Everything had culminated in total chaos, and at the end of the vision, an earthquake had shattered the continent... Arran would become a kingdom of the dead, drowned in the blood of its citizens.