MIDNIGHT WHISPERS: BETWEEN THE VAMPIRE AND THE WOLF

ELLEN

Living in the forest is my favorite thing in the world. I love waking up to the sound of birds singing and flying in the trees and being able to run freely through the forest.

A smile spreads across my lips as I look down to find a beautiful red flower. I furrow my brows before examining the plant more closely.

I quickly realized that this is not just a common flower; it's a medicinal plant that can be used for pain and deep wounds. Furthermore, I know this because my mother taught me everything about herbs and plants for healing purposes.

I pick some leaves from the plant before putting them in my firewood basket. I lift my head, seeing that tonight is a beautiful night. Not only that, but I blink my eyes, able to perfectly see the stars shining in the dark sky; it's one of my favorite views in the world.

I smile even more, feeling the cold night wind against my face, but I know it's too late, and I need to return to my home. Walking among the trees, I turn my head, able to look over the whole kingdom from where I am. We live in a small house in the forest, far away from the entire kingdom and the castle.

I continue observing the distant castle and the lake that separates us. I sigh, realizing we have a better life here and away from all the vampires.

Likewise, I start walking again, holding the basket and feeling very proud to have gathered a large amount of herbs for my mother's use. I'm sure she will appreciate it very much.

I walk through the dense forest, the sun rays bidding farewell on the horizon, giving way to the dimness that envelops the landscape. In my arms, a woven basket holds a generous harvest of medicinal plants and freshly cut firewood. The weight of the basket is comforting, a tangible sign of my connection to the nature around me.

Despite the imminent darkness, I feel at peace in the forest. I know every trail, every shadow, and every whisper of the trees as if they were old friends. The fresh night air caresses my face, and the smell of damp earth and decomposing leaves fills my nostrils, awakening a sense of belonging and tranquility.

I walk with steady steps, delving deeper into the forest, following the familiar path that leads me back to my home. The filtered rays of light between the tree canopies cast intriguing patterns on the ground, creating a play of shadows that dance to the rhythm of the whispering wind.

With each step, I feel closer to my little cabin, the place I call home. The stars begin to dot the night sky, casting a faint light on the path I tread. I allow myself to be enveloped by the serenity of the night, absorbing the quiet and untouched energy of the forest.

As I walk, I reflect on the day that has passed. The hours spent harvesting plants and preparing firewood were moments of intimate connection with the earth and its gifts. Each plant harvested has a story to tell and a healing or nourishing property to offer. And each piece of wood cut represents a contribution to the comforting warmth that will heat my home on cold nights.

Finally, after a few minutes of walking, I spot my cabin among the trees. It is a modest construction, made of rustic wood and covered by a thatched roof. Even in the darkness, I can distinguish the familiar silhouettes of the furniture and household items that fill the cozy interior.

A gentle smile lights up my face as I approach the cabin door. I enter the cabin with soft steps, removing my long cloak from my shoulders.

With a fluid gesture, I carefully hang it over a nearby chair, revealing my slender figure adorned with the simple fabric of my peasant clothes. However, before I can even turn my gaze to the warm glow of the fireplace, my brow furrows as I catch whispered murmurs coming from my parents' room.

Curiosity grabs me like a subtle wave, propelling me towards the partially open door of the family room. The familiar voices sound strangely muffled yet still recognizable, and my heart races with the feeling that something is amiss.

As I stealthily approach the door, I can distinguish my father's words, laden with concern and a thinly veiled sense of urgency.

He speaks in a low voice as if fearing that even the walls have ears.

"The king cannot find out about this... It is something of utmost importance, something that can change everything.", my dad murmurs, his words echoing in the silence of the night.

"But we cannot hide the truth forever, what should we do?"

"I still don't know, but hiding the truth is our only chance now. If the king finds out about this, we will all be dead, and Ellen too. We cannot let anything happen to our daughter, Mary."

"At some point, she will have to know about this, and the sooner the better for all of us. I'm very afraid...", I can hear my mother's voice now.

What is he talking about?

A shiver runs down my spine as I try to grasp the meaning of my father's words. He, who served in the king's castle long ago, now seems embroiled in a dilemma whose magnitude escapes my understanding.

What could be so crucial as to trigger such concern in my father?

The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together in my mind. Before I was born, my mother told me that my father served the king in the great castle for a long time, but something happened for him to no longer work there, and she did not tell me this part, which could be important.

Cautiously, I remain behind the door, absorbing every word that escapes from the family room. I want to understand, I need to understand.

My heart beats rapidly, blending with the echoes of familiar voices in a symphony of uncertainty and tension.

"We've been hiding the truth for a long time; it's not safe. I'm afraid something will happen to Ellen; we can't let anything happen to her.", my father says, and I furrow my brow.

I try to resist the urge to open the door and ask what he's talking about and why they're so worried tonight, but I can't do it.

"We need to keep Ellen safe, Mary. We can't let the king find out about her existence."

What?

As I listen, I struggle to decipher the fragments of conversation that reach me. However, despite my efforts to understand, many questions remain unanswered. What is my father hiding from the king? And why is it so crucial that it remains a secret?

I hear footsteps, and I quickly run back to the fireplace, hearing the bedroom door being opened, I keep my eyes fixed on the fire in front of me.

They approach, and as I pick up the firewood from the basket and place it against the fire, I turn my head to see that my mother's eyes are fixed on me.

"Ellen...", she calls my name, and I quickly stand up, seeing that she seemed to have been crying minutes ago.

"Mom, are you okay? What's going on?", I ask, seeing her eyes filled with tears again.

"I think it's time to tell you something very important, Ellen. We've postponed this moment for a long time because keeping this secret kept you safe, but your mother and I think it's better to tell you now."

"Tell me what? Dad, I don't understand.", I whisper as he holds my hand so that we all sit close to the fire.

I blink my eyes seeing that they look very worried at this moment, and I can already feel my heart beating very fast at this moment.

"Ellen, you already know that I worked in the castle for a long time serving the king.", he says, and I nod my head.

"But the part you don't know is that there's a reason I'm no longer in the castle. Before you were born, I knew the king, and I found out in a very cruel way what his plans were against humans..."

"Dad, you're scaring me, what do you need to tell me?"

"The king planned to enslave all humans and expand his power throughout the world, but for that, they needed two things. A very powerful artifact could give him the power he needed..."

"And where is this artifact, Dad?", I ask, and he lowers his head with a guilty expression, and I quickly understand what he's trying to tell me at this moment.

"You stole something powerful from the king in the castle?", I ask, and he nods his head, looking back at me.

"Yes, a very powerful stone that only one person has the power to use.", he says, getting up, and I furrow my brow when I see him moving away.

"Mom...", I whisper, seeing tears in her eyes.

"They are vampires; they won't forgive you when they find out.", I say, fearfully, looking at my father.

ELLEN

"I know, and that's why I'm still thinking about what we're going to do. I did it, I'm the only one to blame in this situation, and I'm the only one who deserves to be punished."

I shake my head seeing tears in my mother's eyes.

"Why did you do that, Dad? You know the king is a cruel vampire, why did you do that?"

"I had to do it to save the humans, Ellen. I couldn't let the king continue with his plans."

I stand up when I see him walking to the fireplace of our house, and I furrow my brow when he pushes a stone into the wall before taking a small box from inside.

Furthermore, I didn't know anything about this.

I fall silent, watching him open the box. My father approaches me, and I look at the contents, seeing a small red stone like a ruby.

I sigh, picking up the stone and feeling its weight in my hands. I had never seen anything so beautiful like this before; it looked rare and powerful, but I still didn