The Forest

"Papa, Annabella, hurry up! I know the best spot!" A six year old voice called out from up a path. Black and red eyes stared towards them, widen with happiness and carefree. A large smile plastered the boys face, showing sharp, pointed canines no one else had. King Anthony fallowed behind Annabella, slightly stumbling from all the alcohol in his system. The servant did not even glanced back to know what the King was doing. Mentally sighing to herself, Annabella smiled back up towards Frank, who waited for them bouncing up down. Filled with excitement. Anthony gave a smile at his son as he tried to not take out his bottle of beer. He never wanted Frank to see him drink. Last thing he wanted. As two approached near Frank, he started to do his little hop and skip run deeper into the forest. To his favorite spot. Otherwise, known as "the best spot" as he called it. The two adults picked up their pace as the young future Prince wander to the spot, him searching around every inch of the forest. Taking in the wonders the forest held. From the moment he step foot in the Black Forest, everything felt like a second home.


Nearing the sport, Frank's smile grew and he giggled, and then ran towards it. Shouting out, "I found it! I found it!" Towards the adults who were not far behind. Frank pranced around the spot, marking where the blanket shall go. For a six year old, he had his priorities straighten. In a six year olds view. Sitting down on a mossy area, Annabella and Anthony came into view, the servant smiling with joy towards Frank, as where King Anthony gave the best sober smile he could. Thankfully, his son did not know, nor understand. Laying the basket on the mossy ground, Annabella opened the hand woven basket to pull out a thick, wool blanket laid the blanket down; over Frank.

"Now," she said her accent strong, "where did Frankie go? I don't see him around..hmm..maybe I should sit down on top of that large bump sticking up." She did exactly what she said. Upon hearing those words, Frank quickly got out from under the blanket, giggles escaping his mouth as he stood up, only to fall back down. His dark and evil eyes still showed innocence. He pushed the brown bangs from his face and stared up towards Annabella and his father, who was just unpacking the basket and had a strange sober smirk, Frank still did not understand.

Regaining himself, the future Prince stood up, not brushing the dirt off, but only gave a pout towards the female. Who gave a chuckle, and then stuck out her arms gesturing to hug him. Huffing out air, he went to the kneeling female and wrapped his tiny, faire skinned arms around her neck. His head lay on her chest, on top of her heart. Suddenly, Frank's eye grew wide, he felt his canines hurt; mouth water and nose itch over the odd smell. Shaking his head, a sneeze came from him. Alerting both adults from their trance. On first reaction, Anthony had taken a cloth from the basket and gave to Frank to clean himself off. Taking the cloth his father, Frank gave a small, "Thank you." as he blew his noise and handed it back. Annabella mentally bowed her head sighing, as where Anthony shook it off and gave a small laugh. Coughing as he did.

Removing his head from Annabella's chest, the future Prince stared up towards the King, eyes boring into hazel ones, asking permission for being noticed. The boy cleared his throat and said in his soft voice, "Papa, can I go out into the forest?"

The King got taken by this, whenever the three went out, Frank never, never ever asked him. If he did, the King was too drunk to comprehend words. Rubbing his neck, he swallowed and replied, "Sure. Just be back when we usually eat lunch." Frank's face lit up and leaped out of Annabella's arms to hug his father, smiling as he did so. Anthony kneeled down to hug him back and when the two let go, Frank ran off, fallowing a butterfly. Anthony heard Annabella give a small chuckle and turned to see her staring at him.

"What?" He questioned, sitting down on the wool blanket.
"No offense, your highness, but you do realize that is the first time in around four years you have been sober enough to comprehend Frank's words. Happiest I ever seen."
"I know. I just hope I did the right thing."

In the deeper part of the forest, Frank wander around, chasing after the butterfly. Arms outstretched, fingers gripping the air, almost trying to grab a grain of sand. Birds tweeted around him; squirrels stopped and looked towards the boy, who thought he was some hairless squirrel. Every single animal and insect halted to stare at him, questioning him. Frank did not take his gaze off the butterfly, not paying attention to the animals staring at him. He simply did not care. Only major importance was the butterfly. Frank had a small dream at the moment to catch the insect, and hold it, thinking for just a moment, his family was complete. And not broken.

"I'll catch you," Frank told himself. He waited for the moment when the flying insect flew into his height pathway and he lightly placed his hands over the butterfly and held it close to him. "I got you. Will you join my family?" His soft voiced asked, smiling as he peeked through the cracks in his hands. The flapping of wings and its legs tickled the boys hands, causing them to open, only for the butterfly to fly away. Frank reached out then sighed, and searched around for a place, which was right where he stood. Before he took a sit, his black and red eyes widen again, nose taking in a different sent from that of Annabella. Letting his body take control, Frank walked towards the smell, canine's hurt as they grew farther out, sharping as they did, mouth watered, and nose kept sniffing out its way to the sent. Nothing mattered now, but the sent.
What was this wonderful sent, that's what Frank wanted to know. He craved for it. A hungry wolf craving one got from fat, bunnies only the forest had.

His body led him there, a trance walk, senses he never understood took action. Frank halted, and turned his head towards the sound of a deer. A injured deer. Eyes had an evil gleam, they did not move away from the path leading to the deer. Frank’s body took over again, taking the direction he told himself. Animals and other deer sensed him, and sprinted away. Scared. Knowing what he was. What he could do! They did not want to end up as the injured. Not a death they wanted.

"You smell..sweet my friend." Frank said in a voice he did not know of. Still soft and childlike, but more mature. The deer was now 8 feet in front of him, leg broken, and blood came from an inflected wound. Frank walked closer, sensing the deer flinch and trying to get up. It couldn't. And never would it again. Sitting down next to the deer, Frank creased his fingers over the veins, reaching from to the heart to the neck. Canines sent pain through Frank's nerves, they grew sharper and slowly he reached down. They laced over the quivering deer, their venom dripping from them as Frank dug them into the deer’s neck, sucking the sweet, virgin blood from it. Eyes growing wider as he drank more. Surrounding animals ran, birds cried out, leaves and branches were broken as more animals ran from the gruesome scene.

Frank kept sucking, sucking the deer dry until he felt the quivering stop. Blood coated his lips, pearl white teeth stained with blood, blood, blood, blood. The deer was but a thin corpse of its former self. Eyes lifeless. Neck looked like a dried out piece of fruit. Frank reacted his fangs from the neck and stared around the forest. Red and black still had their evil gleam to them, an evil smile ghosted over his lips. It was not until he heard the sound of leaves rustling did Frank come out of his trance. He turned around to find a ghostly figure of a deer, the deer he killed. It took one look at Frank, and left. Slowly disappearing into the forest, its white figure fallowing the wind.

Frank's breathing grew heavy, he brought his hands to his mouth, slowly he glided his fingers over his teeth, only to feel the slimly blood over them. He touched the sharpness of his teeth and hissed when he pricked his finger. "Fangs..what..what.." Words did not leave his mouth, he could not fine them to speak. All the six year old could do was curl up into a ball and cry. Tears slicing the drying blood coating his face. And then, he screamed. Screamed out of terror, fear, and questioning. Why did he have them? What had he just done? All those questions raced through him as he cried. Hoping the cries reached Annabella and Anthony, Frank did not have the strength to move. If his cries reached them, Frank hoped he was dead when they reached him. So he did not have to explain the terrors he had just committed.

Miles away, the servant and King sat, talking about the forest and their daily lives. This never changed. As Anthony noticed and took in what Annabella was talking about, he realized he had missed the majority of Frank's child, drinking away his pain and blaming it on his son. Never had he been raised that way to be a King or a father. Hearing this information, Anthony had to tell himself to ask Annabella an important question. Being to open his mouth, he heard a scream. A cry. A cry he knew all too well. The cry he heard ever night as he let servants take care to stop it. Hazel eyes widen as they gazed over Annabella, and in minutes the two bolted up and raced towards the sound. Soberness kicked into Anthony, running as fast as he did when asking Linda to marry him. Annabella fallowed behind, dressed hiked up to her thighs. The screams began cries as they neared closer. Blood and rot filled the air, darkness placed an eerie feel. Large sobs and hiccups reached their ears. They became louder and louder. Blood trailed the dirt, small patches of grass and moss. Splatters were on trees, a large spot laid on a tree right beside to Anthony. Cringing at that, the two adults walked slowly, sobs growing louder. Ear drum shattering sobs.

To their surprise and terror, the sight before them was not a sight to be seen.

Frank, bloody, shaking, crying, and curled up into ball laid next to an already rotting corpse of a deer. A blood dried deer. Neck was shriveled, fur matted with crimson, and ground too. Blood matted everything. Mostly Frank. His body was shaking uncontrollably, eyes widened with terror, and mumbling words came from him. Annabella took a small step forward, trying her best to not step on any branch or disturbed any leaf. Reaching down to touch Frank, he stared back. Fangs smeared with dry blood, pointed and sharp. Red and Black orbs searched for answers, and lips opened and closed. Annabella gently touched her hand to Frank's terrorized face, and for a brief second, he stopped shaking.

"Frankie..what..w-what happened?" She questioned as Frank stared wide eyed. He knew that if not giving an answer, the same questioned would be asked. Frank could not give the answer away, nor find courage to speak of that horrid act.

He swallowed the salvia coating his throat and replied, "Ca-carry me-me hom-home..." Was all poor scared Frank could say to the adults. Annabella nodded and picked the scared boy up gently. She laid his head on her shoulder and carried him out of the clearing to the pathway home.

As she passed Anthony up, she leaned over and whispered, "Cover up the deer, make it so another killed it." She whispered so low; only to Anthony's ears he could hear it. When getting a nod from him, she carried Frank all the way to the castle, forgetting about Anthony, the basket, and how the day could be.

Once Annabella had carried Frank away, Anthony's knew gave out on him. Fresh, salty tears streamed down his cheeks. The deer reminded of him of his Queen's bloody death, and his rage for Frank got stronger. Griping his hands around the deer’s body, he lifted up all that dead weight, and carried it over to a clearing with fallen leaves. Laying the body carefully, Anthony got up and left, never wanting to look at that body again. Only thoughts raced through his mind about Linda and Frank. And all the alcohol he would need to subside the pain.

That night in the castle, eerie silence filled each room. Dinner had been given in the rooms of the King and future Prince. Servants were let off to bed early with extra time to do whatever they pleased, and that truly scared them. They knew the three had been acting strange coming back home, but not that strange. Especially the King. None of them had seen him in this state since two years. Did they question what really happen? No. They were to scared. They only made theories. None of then asked Annabella, even after she came out of a now sleeping Frank's room, no other servants got in her way. Last time they did, majority of them avoided the female for weeks; maybe months! Annabella was a mother to Frank, a mother to them all; although she had only thirty years of age.

Annabella ran a hand through her hair as she closed the door from checking on Frank again. He had been sleeping peacefully since the last time she checked. All she wanted for Frank was a perfect childhood and a mother, yet his perfect childhood would be no more after today. Annabella knew that King Anthony never would let the poor boy outside, never to meet people, hell never to have friends! Frank would have only her and his drunk father. Blue orbs widen as she slid down a wall. Sudden realization hit her, she would have to watch Frank watch his own father, the King for fucks sake, drink himself to death! Fuck, he'll probably disown Frank if he has not already.

Unknown to the slouched servant, a male servant to the King came down the hallway, note in hand. Approaching her, he cleared his throating, getting her attention quickly. Annabella shot her head up and smiles in relief.

"Oh, Marcus, it's you. I thought it may have been someone else." She said to the said servant called Marcus.

"Yes, because I am totally a mythical unicorn. The King wants you." He handed her the note, “it’s blank. He wanted me to appear fancy and important. Anyway, I also brought Frank his favorite sweets. Since I know he is not allowed to have them, I thought after tonight he should." Marcus replied fishing through his pocket to pull out a handful and bag of assorted sweets. All of Frank's favorite.

Annabella smiled kindly at him, mouthing a Thank you. Standing up, she told him, " Place them in the dish next to his bed, if he wakes, stay with him Marcus. He'll enjoy your company." With that, the two parted ways. Marcus and Annabella had a friendship with Frank most servants asked for. Most thought the two should adopt Frank as their own. But that was impossible. The King would never allow that! That is a death sentence on both their parts.

Raising her the King's door, she did not have knock. A small, slurred drunken voice said "Come in." Complying to the commands, Annabella walked in to the see a dim lighted room with only a candle by the bed a lite. A bottle of empty whisky sat next to him, a second bottle half full sat on the floor. King Anthony sat the edge of the bed, photos lay everywhere. A photo was gripped in his hands; small tear stains lined his face.

He spoke up, "Annabella..what would Linda think of this?"
"I don't know your-"
"What would she think?" He growled at her, causing Annabella to cringe at hearing his voiced being raised.

Gulping down fear, she spoke, "Probably would love Frank for Frank. Anthony..you know he is different. A good different! What are you going to do him? Blame him forever?" It was this time that she raised her voice. Causing Anthony to drop the photo of him and Linda together. His sadden drunken eyes stared up at her words. For as long as he's known her, Annabella was not to take anything for an answer.

"I'll blame him..but I don't want him outside. What if he goes and does it again? What if he goes to town and kills a person?"

"But Anthony-"
"No, I made my choice. He'll stay in the castle until he is old enough."
Annabella stayed silent. Not a word came from her mouth as she just nodded and left. Leaving the grieving, drunken King to himself. Not a single, last word was exchanged between the two. How could those two exchange any words? It has been know set in stone that Frank would forever be stuck here. Never to smell the fresh forest air, feel snow against his skin or even rain! All this would hurt everyone. Frank would be distraught. Never being able to venture outside would destroy his mental and physical state. Annabella would have watch Frank lose himself, possibly becoming more aggressive as grew locked away here.

Walking passed Frank's room; Annabella stopped and peeked through the small crack. Lying on the bed, Marcus and Frank laid sleeping. Frank cuddled in Marcus arms. A small ghost smile appeared to her lips as she gently opened the door to let a little more light in. Smiling to herself as she continued to her room, Annabella thought that while this may be a horrible situation, everything will be good.

Or so, she thought.

Notes

I don't know if I got a way of horror or what, but I am good. Right? Anyway, literally this took maybe three hours to write last night before I fell asleep and I just finished. I feel at the end I got a little to far off track, but next chapter it'll make sense. Did I do good on the horror part of Frank killing the deer?

Anywhoooo~ next chapter will be explaining Frank's life between ages of 15 and to the point where he locks himself away and slowly introducing Gerard and Mikey. Time skippy chapter.
Comment and sub and rate and all that lovely stuff!
(i'll update tomorrow or tonight I am in a vampire mood)

Edited: i just realized this chapter alone has 3,076 words.

Also what would think of my writing a novel? I am working on it but what would you think?