Prologue

The mysterious man in black stood at the back of the gardens, hidden within the bows of a willow tree but a few feet away from the designated area where he so hopefully waited for his secrets finally to be woven together, the holes in his spider web-like plan to be stitched up and his destiny to be revealed at last.
His plan was going so perfectly and incomprehensibly smoothly according to the arrangements he had made almost a full year ago that he was beginning to think that his plan was going almost too perfectly.
But no, he quietly told himself, brushing all thoughts of misgivings out of his mind. He would not allow himself to succumb to fears and doubts now, after all the work and effort that he had put into his scheme. Everything would go exactly according to plan with no trouble at all and soon… soon his destiny would enfold itself before him.
The man wore a long, dark riding cloak, the hood up over his head, covering half of his lean face. A few locks of hair could be seen peering under the hood, dark as the night sky and hanging as lifeless bodies, swaying with the cool night breeze that wafted his face, cooling away the heat of exhaustion and anticipation. The midnight air was cool and yet sultry as it ruffled the hair and the cloak. A faint devilish smile could be seen piercing his lips, menacing and unobtrusive, but almost rueful. It was a knowledgeable smile that betrayed so much of his plans for that night and the one he was there to meet, if only one knew what to look for.
He had been standing there under the willow tree’s shielding bows for over an hour. He was an hour too early, but could not help his eagerness for his late night meeting… his final meeting with his one true love. He snickered then at the prospect of even having a true love. Oh, how he had seduced this girl so wryly, so debonair and so couth he almost couldn’t stand himself. Acting the part of a lover got boring sometimes, but obviously it had worked for the girl and so he applauded himself inwardly.
‘If only she knew…’ he thought, still smiling a bit.
Suddenly there was a rustling of the branches behind him as a figure with long brown hair stepped through the boughs. As the figure got closer the man in black saw that it was a girl, the girl.
“Rose.” He spoke her name softly, his voice cooing beckoningly as he took a step towards her, pulling his hood down to rest softly upon his shoulders. Rose watched behind her as she came through to make sure she was not followed and then turned as she heard her name. Her long, auburn hair was brushed over to one side, partly in her face as she smiled and swiftly walked over to the man in black, embracing him and holding him tight. She kissed him once on the mouth and was opt to pull away but he held her close, allowing the girl to sink into his arms. He slowly pulled away to find the girl’s eyes still closed, her mouth a small, soft smile. As her eyelashes fluttered open the man looked into those eyes he had seen so many times before, the golden outline around the pupil that seemed as if it was floating among the soft brown backdrop of the rest of her eye.
“I fear my father is catching on to us…” she said softly, looking down, twirling the man’s locks of hair out of nervous habit. He put his hand under her chin and delicately nudged her head up so that she may look into his eyes.
“No one will find us out, do you hear me? Why do you think we are eloping?”
“But I… I’m starting to have second thoughts about all this.”
The man’s heart started pounding faster as his thoughts slowly became reality. The girl was having doubts, and now he too started doubting himself. How could he think that his plan could work?
“I mean,” the girl continued, “how am I supposed to leave a home I have grown up in all my life, a father who loves me and wants what is best for me…? Tell me, what will we do once we’ve gone?”
The man quickly recomposed himself. He had gotten this far, pushed aside many doubts already, why should he give up now?
“We’ll think of something. Rose, you need to stop worrying. Only time will tell what our lives will be like after this. But oh how glorious it will be.”
The girl then turned away from him, walking away.
‘She doubts still…’ the man thought. He then leaned forward and grabbed Rose’s hand before she could get any further away from him. He pulled her towards him and kissed her once more, but this time a short, tender kiss to reassure her that she still had his heart, and that he still had hers in his tight grasp.
“Listen, my love,” he spoke quietly, brushing away some hair from her face with the utmost of care. “We have each other and that’s all that matters now.”
He paused.
“Do you love me?” he asked, after a moment’s time.
The girl gazed into his eyes, wondering what secrets lay hidden behind them. The man in black repeated the question again and this time the girl answered with a nod. “Yes.” She breathed.
“Then trust me. I’ll take care of you.” He took the girl’s free left hand in his own and brought both their hands up to his chest so that she could feel the loud thumping of his heart.
“Do you feel that?” he asked. “That is my heart and it beats solely because of you. Without you it would be nothing. A flat blackness not fit to call my own. If you love me, then you must trust me. Now, come…” he let go of one of her hands then and pulled the girl along with him as he swiftly left the willow tree to stand out in the moonlight in the courtyard where he awaited his fate.
‘Soon,’ he thought to himself. ‘Just a few more moments and you will have what you have been waiting for all this time.’
And then, with his free hand, he lifted the large black-silver amulet that had been hiding beneath his cloak out and rubbed the small, round ruby that was placed in the center of it three times. At first Rose was quizzical as to what he was doing, her face a solemn, questionable expression as nothing happened. But then, a faint redness began to glow from the jewel and the girl gazed at it softly, wondering at the strange happening.
The man in black slowly watched the amulet take effect on the girl as the red shown through the girl’s eyes and she suddenly stood strait up, chin pointed high and shoulders back, her hand now limp in the man’s hand.
He smiled.
“Nothing to fear now,” he told the girl, who then repeated his words in a chant-like state.
“You are mine forever.” He said slowly, his voice mesmerizing.
“I am yours forever.” The girl repeated.
The man was now grinning widely with satisfaction, the red glow of the ruby reflecting into his eyes, making them appear as lipid pools of blood with a faint glow of the silver moon above.
Then suddenly a flash of light appeared to the man’s left and he had to shield his eyes. As the light dissipated he peered over his arm at a round, glowing, fluorescent mirror.
“It is time.” He stated and slowly pulled the girl over to the mirror. He looked at it for a moment, staring at its wonderment and massive power that must be stored within it. A golden frame encased the oval mirror, and in between the frame and the glass light shown through, as if there was a crack there.
“The Other World.” He marveled, speaking aloud to himself. “Oh, how I long to see it.” And then after a moment said to the girl, “but I suppose you shall do that for me. Step through the portal.” He commanded.
At first the girl did nothing and the man became agitated.
“Step through the portal!” this time his voice was booming, an authoritative sound that demanded allegiance and this time the girl obeyed him. Her eyes still glowing red, Rose slowly turned and walked towards the mirror. She paused before it and the man wondered what she could possibly be thinking, for he knew his amulet still had complete control over her.
“Go on.” He urged. Rose then stepped through the mirror and was gone. As soon as she did so the mirror vanished, leaving the man to stand alone in the empty courtyard to soak up his triumph.
“At last,” he spoke, “things are finally going according to my plan.”