Chapter Text
The frosty midnight air nips at your exposed skin. The layers you adorned just an hour ago are becoming useless as the cold air seeps deeper and deeper into your bones. Your breaths come out in mere white puffs, dancing enchantingly in elegant swirls in front of you before dissipating into nothingness.
The dark forest around you is rather breathtaking, looking far more beautiful each time you visit. You're unsure why the other townspeople have always feared these unexplored lands. The unknown has always excited you; the thought of discovering something that has never been seen by the rest of the world is enthralling, and this vast expanse of the wilderness is no exception. Especially now more than ever as the winter season is finally settling in; the tips of the naked tree branches have already begun freezing over. The clear ice crystals glimmer under the radiant moonlight, illuminating the forest like a maze of mirrors.
Unbeknownst to your family, you have once again snuck out of the house to venture closer and closer to the forbidden castle. Ever since your grandmother told you the infamous folktale of the seven vampire princes that live in the castle, you can't help but feel the urge to catch a closer glimpse of the abandoned fortress yourself. Rationally, you just want to explore the grounds and imagine what life in an architectural masterpiece would be like. But perhaps, deeper down, something you would never admit to another living soul is the fact that you want to catch a glimpse of the vampire princes, if they even exist.
The first time you snuck out had ended quite dreadfully. Your mother discovered your absence no more than an hour after you left and sent your angry father to drag you back just as you were about to cross the clear river separating your town and the unknown. Following that night, your parents tediously checked in on you every half hour to ensure your 'safety.'
Since that incident, you've become quite skilled in crafting the perfect schemes to sneak out without a single soul noticing. And as the years have passed, your parents seem to be under the impression that your childish curiosities have dissipated. As a result of their naivety, you've been able to drag out each adventure longer and longer. With each visit, the closer you venture toward the castle, the stronger the feeling of an invisible pull you feel.
Tonight is no exception. You've now trekked closer than ever, and you're able to see the distinct features of the castle's large wooden door with its tattered iron detailings from where you stand. The pull from before is now stronger than ever. And when a sudden gust of air pushes past you, your breath hitches as the wind almost sounds like it's calling your name. The atonal whisper of the gushing air and the rustling of the frozen branches from all directions sound like they're constantly chanting your name, begging you to come closer.
Your hand unconsciously reaches to grasp the small pocket watch hidden underneath the thickly lined cloak keeping you warm, simply out of habit to check how long it's been since you left home. Yet, the moment your hand comes into contact with the warm metal frame, and before you can even pull it out from your outermost layer, the thoughts swarming your mind come to an abrupt halt. The entire world around you falls into a serene silence and your body relaxes into the sudden warmth that embraces you. The only thing you can hear now is the faint sound of a harpsichord playing an intoxicating melody from within the castle.