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In the midst of a gorgeous array of flowers, there was a black blossom. A stringy, messy head of charcoal hair that kept itself lowered, lest anyone spot her through the stained glass windows on the walls outside the garden. This was just one of the few hiding places Riven had left that had yet to be discovered by her family members. One would think she lived a joyous and bountiful life, sleeping inside a castle, never worrying about going hungry and having the wealth, privilege and education that commoners could only dream of. The life of a princess, which she technically was. On the contrary, Riven would give all of it up if it meant getting out of this horrible place.

She was the youngest of seven sisters, all of whom were better than her in every way, and were very keen of reminding her that. Riven only ever thought of herself as an inferior, lacking the vanity of Janice, the enthusiasm of Bella and Stella, the boldness of Loraine and the... 'charm' of Penelope. She was meek, humble and considerate; aspects that made her unfit as a successor to the throne and an embarrassment to the Tempesta bloodline. It wasn't as though she even wanted to be queen in the first place, but her sisters were so insistent on antagonizing her. Even her own mother saw her as something that had no right to exist.

Riven cared not for the glory of the crown or the decadence of high society. Her dreams were something far beyond that, but they were something she could never attain. Instead, she could only indulge in childish fantasies, expressing her dreams on paper. The problem was that she had to hide herself away whenever she wanted to draw. If one of her sisters caught her, there would be hell to pay. Riven sighed, looking down at her latest drawing with longing as it looked back with indifference. She wished she could jump into the parchment and leave this place, being led by a caring hand to a world she could call her own.

The door to the garden creaked open, causing Riven to jump. Carefully, she poked her head above the flowers to see who had just entered. It was Penelope. Of all her wretched family, why did it have to be her? Penelope was her least favorite sister to be caught by when she was alone. The tall, lanky blond playfully strode down the garden path, humming a gentle tune that made Riven's blood boil with contempt. There was no guarantee that Penelope wouldn't find her if she stayed here, since her black hair was an obvious juxtapose to the flowers she concealed herself under.

With sleek, silent movements, Riven slithered her way through the flowers, darting between hedges and statues before finally making it to the door, avoiding Penelope. Riven let out a sigh of relief as she paced down the hallway. She made a beeline for the south hall, where the dumbwaiter chute was. Her sisters had already discovered the dumbwaiter itself as being one of her hiding places, but were ignorant of her hiding on top of it within the chute. Although it was safer, the dumbwaiter chute was one of her less ideal hiding places, as it was too dark for her to draw in there. For now, she intended to stow herself away until one of Penelope's weekly appointments, which she kept track of along with those of her sisters. Riven had made an art out of avoiding them.

"Riven, oh Riven!~"

Riven's heart skipped a beat. That pompous, insufferable voice could only belong to one person: Janice. Without a second thought, Riven stuffed her drawing down her blouse and darted around the corner. The dumbwaiter was dead ahead, and Janice's voice was quickly approaching from behind. With reckless abandon, Riven pried open the door of the chute and grabbed the rope hanging from within, slamming the door behind her. Quietly, she lowered herself down, descending on top of the dumbwaiter. She could only wait and pray, although she had stopped believing in a loving god years ago. Her lack of faith was reaffirmed as the dumbwaiter's rope shuddered, then moved through the pulley at the top of the chute, carrying her upwards along with the dumbwaiter.

Riven muttered swears under her breath and clenched her fists. All she could do now was hope that Janice wouldn't search her for sentimental valuables like she sometimes does. The dumbwaiter came to a stop and the door beside it opened, revealing an all too familiar foppish tart glaring at her with a condescending grin that was buried under several layers of thick make-up. "My, my!" Janice tittered. "This is the cleverest hideaway you've scuttled into yet. What a shame that I must spoil it for you by coming upon it." She brought a clenched fist up to Riven's face, who flinched as it stopped just in front of her nose. Janice's hand unfurled, revealing several stringy black hairs that she had been holding. "By the way, Penelope found these in one of mother's favorite flower beds. That's two of your little rat nests I've found in one day. Soon, you'll have to start digging them in the yard!" Janice was much smarter than she looked, and she looked like an expensive harlot.

"Fine, you got me," Riven sighed as she crawled forward. "If that's all you wanted, then I'll be taking my leave now." Janice grasped the edges of the door, blocking her way and staring at her with a piercing, twitchy glare. "You think you can keep getting away with this?" she hissed. "Just because you're vermin doesn't mean you have to act like it too, but then again I don't know what else I was expecting. Look at you; a rat in every sense of the word! Hiding in the walls, digging through the dirt. You eat our food and stain our home with your fetid shit. You ought to meld your bum together with a few other rats and make yourself into a rat king. At least then you'll be royalty, if only in name!" She let out a high-pitched giggle, turning her nose on Riven, who muscled her way out of the dumbwaiter chute.

"Sounds like a good idea to me. I'll get right on that." Riven muttered as she walked back down the hall, only to be stopped by a hand grasping her by the throat and slamming her against the wall. Janice's grin was growing wider and her gaze angrier as she kept her sister pinned. "You do not leave until you are permitted, rodent! You call yourself a Tempesta? My sister, of all things!?" Riven knew exactly what was about to happen, as it happened almost every time she ran into Janice. Her older sister was incredibly proud of her feminine, voluptuous form, which was painfully obvious as she always showed off as much of it as she could through her tasteless brazier. Of course, Riven was only a budding little daisy in comparison, and Janice loved reminding her of that.

"You are nineteen years old, Riven. Nineteen! Yet you still disgrace our family name with this pitiful form!" She dug her hand into Riven's side, causing the girl to yelp and wince. "These hips!" she chided. "What good is a woman who lacks a wide, rounded pair of hips to birth her next generation? Nothing, that's what!" Her hand ran up Riven's narrow midsection and grasped at a virtually non-existent breast. "And these pale saucers you call breasts! No man in his right mind buys a cow that offers no milk. Maybe you should wear some pants and try your luck with the girls instead. See if you can coax some leprous skag into being your wife!"

Janice's eyes went wide as she spotted a bit of parchment sticking out of Riven's top. "Ah! Ahahahaha! Is this what I think it is?" she cackled. "Are you stuffing your blouse now? It would take an entire acre of woodlands to give you even the slightest bump under there!" She reached down and pulled the paper out of Riven's blouse. "Stop it!" Riven blurted in sudden anxiety as she made a fruitless attempt to take it back. Janice's eye caught a glimpse of something on the paper that made her pause, then grin with depraved malice as she beheld the whole picture.

"Ohohohoho! Oh goodness, what have we here?" she snarled. "Seems as though you've made something troublesome."
"It's nothing! Give it back!" Riven hopped up and down as her older, taller sister kept the paper out of her reach with ease.
"I think not. After all, it is my civic duty to report any act of heresy to the proper authorities."
"It's not heresy, it's only a drawing!"
"Not heresy? Then what should it be regarded as? Blasphemy? Heathenry? Paganism? Idolatry? Occult?"
"It isn't any of those things!"
"Perhaps, but I know of one thing that it almost certainly is," Janice turned the paper back to her little sister, which depicted a drawing of a girl in a black dress and hat riding a broomstick into the night sky. "Witchcraft!"
"It's just a girl with a broom, that's all."
"Really? And this girl just so happens to be sitting upon the broom as it soars through the air? And she just so happens to be wearing a black robe and pointed hat? And she just so happens to look like you? I sincerely doubt that."
"There's nothing heretical about it, so give it back!"
"Oh? Well, I admit the inquiry of the dark arts is not my area of expertise. Why don't I show this to Loraine and hear what she has to say of it?"
"No!" Riven fell to her knees, pleading as she was overcome with sudden terror. "Please don't show it to her! I'll do anything you want, just please don't let Loraine see it! Please, Janice!"

"What a little whore you are," Janice laughed malignantly. "Offering yourself to me at the slightest provocation. It just makes me want to see you indicted all the more! Maybe our dear Loraine will put you to the stake like you rightly deserve." She turned and made her way down the hall with a swift, proud stride. Riven ran after her, begging with panic in her voice. "Don't show it to her! You can take it to mother and have her punish me, but please don't take it to Loraine!" As she was about to scurry down the stairs in pursuit, she saw something dart in front of her out the corner of her eye. It was her sister Bella, who knelt down on her knees in front of the top step. Riven already knew what was coming before she felt a pair of hands shoving against her back. She fell over Bella and plunged head-first down the stairs, tumbling and tossing as she became covered in bruises. With an audible thud, she hit the bottom, her head spinning and body aching. Her dizzy eyes looked up to see Bella's twin, Stella, as the obvious co-conspirator of yet another painful prank.

Despite the twins being three years older than Riven, they behaved as though they were ten years younger. The two ran back down the hall, laughing in unison. "Bitch!" yelled Bella. "Whore!" yelled Stella. Riven considered the two more of a perpetual nuisance than a threat, although they have caused her a great amount of physical pain over her life. At the very least, she wished they would come up with something more original. Their uninspired immaturity only made their antics all the more infuriating. There was no chance to stop Janice now, and Riven's spine shivered at the thought of that drawing being presented to their eldest sister. Now that her two best hiding places had been revealed, she had no choice but to hide behind Friedrich for protection, although he could offer very little.

Riven sighed with disappointment as she walked by Friedrich's study and saw it vacant. She had hidden here before on Friedrich's blessing, but even that wasn't enough to prevent it from being scoured, especially if Loraine was the one looking for her. If he wasn't here, he was most likely in the throne room, although her mother could very well be there too. She cringed at the idea of having another encounter with her mother, but Loraine may already be looking for her at this very moment, so there was little choice. Riven took a deep breath as she strode toward the throne room. As she stepped into the stone doorway that led to the huge, elegant chamber, she felt a jolt of terror strike her heart, making her jump back and press herself against the wall, hiding out of sight.

In that brief second she stood in the doorway, she saw Janice, who was already leaving out the other passage, giggling along the way. In the middle of the hall stood her sister Loraine, accompanied by her entourage. She was inspecting a familiar piece of crumpled parchment. Riven took long, silent breaths as she turned and tip-toed her way back down the hall, her brow dripping with sweat.

"Riven!"

That scornful bark echoed through the throne room and down the hall. Riven went pale and tensed up, feeling her heart sink. Loraine was like a vicious bloodhound. When she was intent on finding Riven, she never failed. Riven took a deep breath and turned around, hesitantly walking back to the throne room with trembling legs. She faced her eldest sister, who looked as if she was trying to kill her with her gaze. Loraine wore her usual suit of adorned, gilded armor with a rapier strapped to her side. Behind her were five men in uniform, wearing helmets and chainmail along with red tabards that bore a grisly symbol; an inverted headsman's axe on top of a pile of skulls, resembling a stake upon a mound of kindling. This was the seal of the inquisition, to which Loraine was fiercely devoted.

Riven stood shamefully before her sister, whose eyes burned with fearsome zeal. "Look at me," Loraine growled like a starved lion. Try as she may, Riven was unable to stop shaking, which was something Loraine often scolded her for. A gold-plated gauntlet held an innocent-looking drawing of a cute little witch in its spiteful clutch. "What is this?" Loraine spoke in a particularly cold, authoritative tone. "A d-d-drawing." Riven choked.

"A drawing of what, Riven?"
"Umm... It's a... witch?" Her voice become quieter as Loraine's became angrier.
"And who drew this... witch?" She seemed to boil from within as she spoke that last word.
Riven gulped, knowing that it would be worse to sidestep or lie when it came to Loraine's interrogations. "I did." She barely noticed the swift streak of gold before she felt the sting of Loraine's hand striking her. Riven fell over, reeling from the sharp pain on her cheek. "Unforgivable." Loraine uttered as she sent her foot forward, colliding with Riven's sternum. Riven fell further to the ground, wheezing and choking as she curled into a ball and cried. "To think that one bearing the name of Tempesta would be capable of such heresy. Were it my decision, I would have you stoned to death outside the gate."

"Loraine, please!" the girl begged. "I didn't mean for it to be heresy! I was just--"
Another sharp strike from Loraine's boot put a stop to Riven's pleas. "Confess." Loraine demanded.
"No!" Riven already knew that a confession was only an invitation to even greater pain from her older sister.
Another merciless kick shot forth, making her little sister yelp. "Confess! Confess your crimes against the Lord! Against the crown! Against your very family!" She continuously stomped on Riven, who could only whimper in pain. "Wretched child! How dare you bring the likes of witchcraft into our home! I should have you burnt along with this blasphemous imagery!"

Riven's eye creaked open and beheld a beacon of mercy beaming through the doorway, recognizing it as the shine on Friedrich's bald head. A short, stout man in red garment stepped into the throne room, and gasped at the scene taking place within it. "W-what on earth is going on in here?!" the man stuttered with disgust as he approached Loraine, unable to hide his anxiety. "Loraine! Cease this at once!" Loraine turned to face the stunted man, looking down on him with a glare that sent needles into his heart. "This does not concern you, Friedrich. It is a matter of inquisitorial affairs. Do not intervene."

"P-p-preposterous!" he muttered as he began to sweat profusely. "That is your sister! What reason could you possibly have for treating her in such a barbaric manner?!"
Loraine held up the incriminating parchment. "This heretic has brought the taint of sorcery to these most sacred halls. Such a despicable act cannot go unpunished."
"All this for a mere drawing?! Ludicrous!" Riven was impressed. Friedrich usually backs down at this point when it came to Loraine. "Her majesty will be made aware of this horrid atrocity!"

"We already are."

Every eye in the room turned towards the queen as she entered wearing her massive regal dress adorned with dazzling gemstones. In contrast, her expression was cold, displeased and apathetic towards anything she held no regard for. One of those things was Riven, whom she would not even look towards, for fear of staining her most sacred eyes with the girl's visage. "You may stand down, Friedrich," she said with a tone as icy as her glare. "Loraine shall carry out her duties as knight inquisitor." Friedrich's eyes widened as his voice became much less assertive. "Your majesty, I must object! Riven has--"

"Do not speak that name in our presence," said the queen. "You may return to your study." Friedrich swallowed his pride, turning back to look at Riven with his 'I'm sorry I couldn't help you' face before leaving the throne room. There was a chilling air flowing through the room as all parties stood in silence, waiting for the queen to speak once more. "Vigilant as ever, dear Loraine. You are an inquisitor worthy of the highest regard."

"Thank you, mother." Loraine bowed along with her men. The queen then turned to Riven, although she would not look at her directly, instead looking down at the floor beneath her.
"Why must you disappoint us with such degenerate behavior?"
Riven sniffled, trying to pick herself up on bruised knees. "I don't understand," she whimpered. "I never try to disappoint you. I never try to do anything because I know I'm not wanted! Why must I suffer?"

"It is because you never try that you disappoint us so. Such weakness is an insult to our bloodline, which you continue to taint with your meaningless dawdling. Loraine executed her fiftieth witch today. What pride have you to show aside from these infantile fantasies?" She took the drawing from Loraine and tore it into pieces, which slowly fell onto the floor in front of Riven. "Clean that up" the queen hissed as she turned to walk away.

"Mother, wait! Why do--"
"Do not call us that," said the queen, giving no pause to her exit. "Henceforth, you shall refer to us as 'majesty'."

In that instant, Riven felt the last pieces of her heart shatter, leaving nothing behind but an unloved void. Her face scrunched up as tears streamed down her cheeks. Just before she could break down into sobs, one of Loraine's lackeys stomped her back onto the floor. He and his friends all stomped on her at once. "Witch! Witch!" they shouted. Riven had been broken, not in body, but in spirit, and she no longer resisted the abuse, merely laying still as her body became covered in bruises and tears.

"That will do," said Loraine. "There is no pleasure to be had if we cripple her. If she is made to crawl, she will find the floor less cold." The men ceased their assault and walked back to Loraine's side, one of them spitting on the beaten girl along the way. Loraine stood before Riven, although neither would look at the other. "I realize full well that something so petty is not grounds for indictment," she said. "But one day, you will step out of line. On that day, I will personally see to your execution." With that, Loraine and her men marched out the throne room.

Riven lay there, broken and bruised as the tears continued to drip onto the floor. With sore arms, she lifted herself back onto her feet and staggered back into the hall. She wasn't going to clean up the pieces of her drawing, even though she knew she would face consequences for it. Even if she did, she would still be tormented. There was no reason to even play along with their charades anymore. It's better for her to give up and never do anything, becoming a moping husk that wanders through the halls of this accursed palace. Riven wanted to go to her room, but she knew she couldn't. She knew who would be waiting for her when she arrived. Waiting to 'console' her. It was always the same, dreadful rubbing of salt that came after the wounds had been inflicted by her other family members.

Like a tortured soul, she dragged herself aimlessly through the halls, spotting the carpet with her tears as she walked. Riven fell back onto the floor, thinking she had tripped until she noticed a hand tugging at her hair. The twins had pinned her down, laughing as they grabbed at her hair and started pulling as hard as they could. Riven screamed, feeling clumps of her hair being painfully ripped from her scalp, which became wet with blood that slowly dripped onto her forehead. After pulling out more than half the hair on her head, they fled back down the hall, giggling all the way with hands stained in blood. "Bitch!" yelled Bella. "Whore!" yelled Stella.

Riven could only wail in painful anguish as she gathered up as much of her fallen hair as she could. Her life was nothing but a chain of waking nightmare, with today being to most horrible of all. The only reassurance she had was knowing that things couldn't get worse than they already are. That reassurance was shattered by a glittery voice coming from behind her.

"Oh, Riven. Poor, poor little Riven."

Riven tensed, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white and her face red. She couldn't even turn to face the curly blond that jovially skipped towards her down the hallway. It was Penelope, and she had come to apply the salt. "The others are so cruel, are they not? Don't worry, you'll always have your Penelope to cheer you up!"

"Burn in hell." Riven muttered.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I said burn in hell, you miserable whore."
"Oh, don't be that way, Riven!" Penelope giggled. "You know you don't hate me."
"That's a lie. You're lying. You always lie. Always."

Penelope's armed draped themselves around Riven's shoulders, slithering like nefarious serpents. "Who else would be there to hold you at the end of the day? Who else would you go to when the world weighs down on you, becoming too great a burden to bear on your own? Who else but your dear sister Penelope, who loves you more than anyone else in the world?" Her words dripped with poison as they slipped from her tongue, burning Riven's ears as she was forced to listen to that honeyed, squeaky voice. Penelope leaned in closer and began to whisper. "I am your whole world, Riven. Your most precious jewel in this infinite darkness. The joy that gives you the strength to keep going." Her creeping little hands slowly reached under Riven's skirt, anxious to savor the girl once more.

"You love it, Riven. And you love me for giving it to you."

"No!" Riven screamed and stood up, facing Penelope with furious resolve. "You're a lying whore, Penelope! You only want me to be your little slave and enjoy it!"
"You already are, and you already do."
"Shut up! I hate it! I hate every minute of it! More than anything, I hate you! You are the worst of them, Penelope! You're the harlot empress that drinks from the cup of man's abominations! Never lay your putrid little hands on me again, you whore! WHORE!" Riven ran crying down the hallway as Penelope merely laughed. "You'll be back for more," she taunted. "You can't live without my touch, my precious little slut!"

Riven's face dripped with tears and snot as she sprinted down the halls, her body sore and her blood boiling. She wasn't going to take any more of this. She was leaving this castle for good. It didn't matter where she went or what she had to do to survive on her own. Nothing could be worse than this. The door to the courtyard burst open as she sped through with reckless abandon, climbing over the walls and making her way into the woods outside the castle. As she darted between the trees, Riven finally slowed herself to a jog before coming to a stop, kneeling over in a fit of coughing.

This was it; the end of her old life and the beginning of a new one. What it entailed, she did not know, nor did she care. Riven was willing to live outdoors, cold, naked and hungry if it meant she never had to go back. On wobbly knees, she stood up and took a long, deep breath. She was ready to walk down this path of uncertainty, no matter how dark and frightening it became.

Riven's eyes opened, then bulged as she noticed the world around her had suddenly become dark and frightening. The midday sun had vanished from the sky, and the trees surrounding her had somehow become shriveled and twisted. Fear crept up her spine as she took anxious steps forward into the strange realm she had been plunged into without notice. Ahead of her was a faint light flickering in the distance. She did not want to approach it, but it felt as though the darkness around her could swallow her up at any moment. As the light came into view, Riven was surprised to see it was a candlelight glowing in the window of a small, cozy hut in the middle of nowhere. Her heart nearly jumped out of her throat as the front door opened, seemingly on its own, and a gentle voice called out to her.

"Come inside, Riven. I've been expecting you."

Riven's mind screamed for her to run, but her legs would only move forward, as if possessed. Her breathing became increasingly panicked as she approached the door, seeing a tall figure inside the hut with her back turned to her. It was a shapely woman wearing a form-fitting dress that was as black as her long, silky hair. Her wide hips swayed slightly as she stood in front of a small cauldron hanging over a fireplace, stirring it with a long rod. Riven's heart raced as she stepped into the hut, noticing the odd things decorating it. Every desk and shelf was lined with arcane baubles, apothecary implements and large black tomes without titles. The door slammed shut behind Riven as a scream failed to escape her throat, being too hoarse from all her sobbing.

Riven turned back to the woman, who was now facing towards her. She would have jumped out of her skin at such a provocation, but for some reason, looking at the woman's face made her feel calm. The black-clad lady had pale skin and fair features that curled into a smile as she looked at Riven with gentle green eyes. "Welcome home, Riven. Let's get you cleaned up." She whistled an oddly morbid tune as she perused her inventory, pulling a few salves off one of her shelves. Riven could only tremble as the beautiful woman approached her, running a slender hand across her bruised face with a look of pity.

"Poor thing," she said in a somewhat motherly tone. "What kind of terrible, savage beast would do this to such a sweet little angel?" The woman reached and tried to pull up Riven's dress, causing the girl to yelp with surprise and press her back against the door. "It's alright, dear. It's alright." the woman assured her, presenting one of the salves. "This poultice will heal your wounds. In time, I would like to heal the wounds Penelope gave you as well, but I'm afraid it may take more than mere medicines to do that." Once again, she reached towards her dress. Riven gave no resistance this time as she was undressed, presenting her frail, bruised body to the woman. She shivered and covered herself, blushing shamefully.

The woman dipped her hand in the poultice, scooping up a thick glob of off-white salve. Riven flinched as she began to apply it to her naked body, carefully rubbing it over her wounds. "Umm... W-who are you?" she asked.
"Mirabelle," the woman replied. "My name is Mirabelle. I don't think I need to explain to you what I am, do I?"
Riven gulped. "Y-you're a w-w-w--"
Mirabelle procured a greenish salve and applied it to Riven's patchy scalp. There was an odd tingling sensation, followed by a familiar feeling of fullness. Riven ran her hands through her hair, finding it grown back to its full, frizzy self. She looked at Mirabelle, who looked back at her with a coy smirk.

"A witch?" said Mirabelle. Riven tensed her shoulders and nodded. Mirabelle put her poultices away and grabbed some strange black cloth that sat on the edge of her desk. "This is yours." she said as she dressed Riven in a black dress that matched her own. Riven examined herself, realizing that the aches and sores covering her body had faded. With some hesitation, she accepted the dress and proceeded to clothe herself. The dress was wonderfully crafted, being soft and fitting while also allowing perfect mobility. Riven felt so pretty wearing it, like it had turned her into a real woman.

"Do you like it?"
"Yes," said Riven. "It's beautiful. Thank you."
"Not too tight, I hope?"
"No... actually, it feels a little big."
"I'm sure you'll grow into it."

Mirabelle grabbed a ladle and dipped it into the boiling cauldron, scooping up a thick, orange glop that she poured into two bowls, one of which she gave to Riven. The scent was pleasant, but the color disturbed the girl, especially when she considered the person who brewed it. "What is it?" she asked. "Pumpkin soup. What were you expecting; frog tongues and nightshade?" Mirabelle chuckled as she took a sip from her bowl. Riven hesitated for a moment, then did the same. Sure enough, it was pumpkin soup. Cooked to perfection with a smooth texture and earthy flavor.

"What's going on?" Riven asked the witch. "Where is this place? Why am I here?"
"One question at a time, dear. The place we're in right now is... complicated, and would take too long to explain in detail. All you need to know is that it is where I live, and it has many doors, but can only be entered if fate demands it."
"Fate? As in, my fate? What is it?"
"To meet me, of course! I have expected your arrival for some time now."
"You said this is my home. What did you mean by that?"
"I meant what I said. This home is just as much yours as it is mine. We are family, after all."
Riven's eyes went wide, ready to start sparkling. "Family?" she whispered. "We're family? Does that mean... Are you... my real mother?"

Mirabelle almost spat out her mouthful of pumpkin soup as she suddenly began to laugh. "Mother? Oh, no no no no. I am not your mother, dear. Suffice to say, your mother is your true mother." The witch's smile quickly vanished as she saw Riven looking down at her empty bowl, gravely disappointed. She reached over and put her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Well, in a way, I suppose I am your mother in the sense that I will be birthing you into your new life, but not in a literal sense. When I said we were family, I meant more along the lines of sisters. You and I are kin not by blood, but by spirit. We are both part of the same family." "What family is that?" asked Riven. Just then, the witch's green eyes began to glow with a sinister menace.

"The damned."

The warmth from the pumpkin soup she had just eaten disappeared as Riven was overcome with a cold terror creeping under her skin, paralyzing her. "We are among the forsaken," Mirabelle explained. "Unwanted by our peers. Unloved by our relatives. Feared, hated and despised by all others, for we committed the sin of defying the world we never asked for, but are expected to submit to. We are the beggars who are swept off the street like rats. We are the pagans who are burned at the stake like hogs. We are, all of us, one big unhappy family. Alone, we are meek, but together, we shall turn the world on its head."

Mirabelle shook her head, as if breaking out of a trance, noticing the look of terror on Riven's face. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry about that, dear. Sometimes I get a little bit... dramatic."
"That's... That's..." Riven's face lit up with sudden enthusiasm. "That's amazing! I didn't know there was so much solidarity between these people. Do we have some grand plan that we're all working towards?"
Mirabelle cocked her brow, surprised by the girl's change of tone. "Well, not really. The general idea is that we help one another overcome the society that condemns us."
"With magic? Are you going to teach me magic?"
"Nope!"

Riven's smile faded. "What? I thought you brought me here to live with you as an apprentice."
"Apprentice? The only witches that take apprentices are nihilistic lesbians. It's not my style. As for living here, that's also wrong. I'm going to send you packing in just a few minutes, dropping you off outside the castle."
Riven could feel her soul being drawn and quartered as her hopes and dreams shattered into tiny pieces. "W-whuh? No. No!" she burst into tears, running forward and wrapping her arms around Mirabelle, holding her tight. "Don't send me back! I can't go back to living that horrible life! You were supposed to teach me magic! You were supposed to make me a witch! Why? Why did you bring me here if you only intended to send me back?!"

"Riven, Riven, Riven" Mirabelle spoke softly as she ran a hand through the girl's frizzy hair. "I didn't say you were going back to your old life. You most certainly are not."
Riven let go, looking up at the witch with a confused, tear-stained expression. "What? But you just said--"
"I said I would be taking you back to the castle. When you return, however, you will begin living an entirely new life. Furthermore, I never said you weren't going to learn magic. I simply meant to say that I was not going to teach it to you."
"I... I don't understand what you're saying. How am I going to learn magic? What new life am I going to live?"

Mirabelle walked over to her bookshelf, pulling out a large, black tome along with a small, leather notebook. She presented both to Riven. "This," she said, handing her the black book. "Is the key to your new world. And this," she said, handing her the notebook. "Is just a little something to help you along the way. You're a clever girl, so I'm sure you can get a grasp on magic in only a few hours. Study the tome, and then use what you have learned to pave the way for what is yours."

"I still don't understand what you're saying," said Riven. "What's in this book? How will it help me pave a way, and to what?"
"Read, and you shall discover." Mirabelle turned Riven around and nudged her towards the door. "It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Riven. I look forward to seeing you again."
"Wait, stop! How am I suppo--" With a shove, Riven was pushed out the door. She turned around with a mouthful of questions to keep asking, but to her bewilderment, Mirabelle and her hut both completely vanished. Furthermore, she found herself back in the woods outside the castle. It was still dark outside, but she could now see the faint glow of the morning sun peeking over the horizon. How much time had passed while she was gone, and how? Realizing those were the least of her worries, Riven decided to open the book and find out for herself what the witch was talking about. Although there was no title on the cover of the black book, it was made clear on the introduction page.

The Queen's Castle
Tome of Cardinal Sins vol. 5

Riven's eyes diligently scanned through the pages, growing wide as she slowly realized the implication of its contents. Her face went pale, and she slammed the book shut, as if reading another passage would corrupt her mind. 'What is this?' she thought. 'This book... it's such a horrible thing! Are these real spells? Does Mirabelle intend for me to use them? I could never do such a thing. It's inhuman! It's diabolical!' She looked back down at the tome, its blank cover enticing her to learn the dark secrets held within. 'It's the key to my new life, but I dare not use it. Simply studying it couldn't hurt though, right?'

~~~~~

The hedge maze was one of Riven's earliest hiding places, being one of the most obvious. It had been so long since she used it, she figured it may be one of the last places Janice would look for her. The morning sun beamed a warm light onto her as she kept reading. Over the last four hours, she had studied and memorized the 'essentials' that the book presented. Even these five spells were a horrifying power beyond her reasoning. The later chapters would take more time to learn, but she had skimmed over most of its content. Every time she thought she had read the most twisted secret of the black arts, she would turn the page and find something even worse. Riven had also read the notebook, and found most of its contents to be significantly less sinister. It seemed like a random array of utility spells that had been catalogued together, but as she read through them, she began to realize that these spells were meant to compliment the spells in the black book.

Once again, Riven gasped slightly and shut the book after reading another notably grim passage. "Why would Mirabelle give me such an awful thing? Does she want me to use the spells on my family? I despise them, yes, and many times I even prayed for their demise... but if misused, these spells could prove to be worse than death. No one deserves these sick fates. Not even--"

Riven's train of thought was derailed by a sudden, sharp pain on the side of her head along with a force that knocked her down onto the grass. She knew that she had been kicked, and judging from the sharpness of the boot, she could already guess who was responsible. "My, isn't this nostalgic? The hedge maze!" said Janice as she stood over Riven. "How is the little cockroach doing this morning? Getting a bit of reading in?" She picked up the black book and skimmed through a few pages. Riven's eyes went wide with terror as she jumped back on her feet and lunged for the book, only to receive a punch to the gut that sent her back down to her knees.

"What's gotten into you, eh?" Janice laughed as she read through the pages. "You should know by now that anything you read is... is subject to... s-subject to..." Her smile faded as she began looking through the book more intently, her face growing more pale with each page. "What in god's name is this?"

"It's nothing!" Riven insisted, unable to hide her panic. "Just give it back! Please give it back!"
Janice's horrified gaze turned to her sister. "Riven... is this a spell book?"
"I... I..." The girl had no excuse, no convenient lie that could save her now. All she could do was look up at Janice to see her reaction. To her surprise, her sister smiled. She gave a soft, gentle smile that seemed to emanate a searing malice. "You finally did it." Janice said as she snapped the book shut.
"Janice, please listen to me. If you show that book to Loraine, she will kill me. I am not exaggerating when I say that. I mean she really will have me executed."
"That's the idea."
"...What?"
"Of course she's going to kill you. She's been looking for an excuse to do so for years. We all have."
"What are you saying, Janice?"

Janice became solemn and let out a quiet sigh. "Have you ever seen mother smile?"
"Seen her smile? Of course I--" Riven came to a pause as her memories cycled through her head, only to draw blanks. She had never thought of it before, but looking back on it, she realized she has never once seen her mother smile. Not even the slightest.
"The rest of us remember her smile," Janice explained. "Although I suppose the twins were still too young at the time. Mother has always been cold and reclusive, but she was still able to smile. That is, until the day you were born."
"I don't understand. Why? Why doesn't mother smile anymore?"
"Why do you think she stopped having children after giving birth to you?"
"I... I thought she hated me so much that she refused to have another, out of fear of it turning out like me."
"It's not about what you are, Riven. It was never about that. It's about what you did."
"What are you saying, Janice? W-what did I do? I don't remember anything I did that would make me hate her so!"
"You may not remember, but the rest of us do. Most of all, we remember the screaming. That horrible, soul-shaking scream she let out as she gave birth to you. She begged us to kill her, to give her peace from the torment that was your very life. It took hours, and not once was she given respite. She screamed curses in protest of the torture. She cursed her subjects, her nation... she even cursed the name of the lord! But most of all, she cursed you and the pain you brought her."
Riven's eyes watered as she was overcome with a sudden, painful sense of shame. "I didn't mean t--"
Janice's hand shot out and covered Riven's mouth. "Don't." she said with a twitching glare. "Don't say it. The reason we never told you is because we knew you would say that all the time, and it would only make the scars burn all the hotter. You have no idea what you did to her. When you finally made it out, you still had the audacity to cry and scream while she lay there on the verge of death, torn and bleeding. You ripped her in half, you fetid little parasite. That's why she named you Riven; so you would always carry the burden of your sin. Because of you, mother could no longer bear children. Because of you, she could no longer smile."
Riven sobbed, tears flowing onto Janice's hand as she continued. "She refused to nurse you, you know. She would not even allow a nurse maid. That's why you grew up so ill and weak. We wanted you to die, but still you cursed us with your presence for nineteen whole years. But now... now we have a reason. A justification to put you down for good. You are going to die today, Riven. You will die, and then you will be in hell, burning forever like you deserve along with the rest of the damned."

Riven blinked. The moment she heard that last word, the tears came to an abrupt halt. All of a sudden, she felt sympathetic. Not towards her family, but towards the damned. It was as though the shame and regret was washed away by the thought of those who, like her, were condemned for reasons beyond their control. Her entire life, she wanted somebody to save her from her damnation, and now she realized that all the others prayed for the same. Nobody was going to save them. Nobody was going to save her.

Nobody... save for herself.

Riven's eyes lowered, giving a cold glare to her sister. "What? Have something you want to say?" Janice mocked. The girl had nothing to say, but she did open her mouth, wrapping her lips around her sister's fingers. "Eeeuuuggh! Gone mad, have you? I'll teach you to--" Janice tried to pull back in disgust, only to be pulled forward by something stronger than herself, her entire hand now in Riven's mouth. "What is this, some desperate attempt to intimidate me? How childish!" Her face went beet red as she made an attempt to free herself from her sister's maw, but only seemed to be pulled forward even further. She reached her free hand to pry open Riven's jaw, but was shocked to see it disappear past her lips the moment it came into contact.

Janice went pale as a ghost as she kept resisting the pull of Riven's sucking maw. As her fingers reached the back of her throat, Janice could feel them somehow compressing together to fit down the hot, narrow passage. When she had been swallowed up to her forearms, she finally began to panic. "R-r-riven, what are you doing to me?! How did--" Janice's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, then slowly turned to the black book that was now laying at her feet, then back to Riven. "Are you... eating me?" Riven gave no response and merely kept her cold gaze locked onto her sister as she sucked her elbows past her gums.

Janice broke out into a frenzy, desperately tugging her arms as she panted with increasing terror. "Riven, stop! Please!" she begged. "Please don't eat me, Riven! I'm sorry! I won't show the books to Loraine! I won't ever wish for your death ever again! JUST DON'T EAT ME!" Her arms kept sliding down Riven's throat, turning malleable as they entered the girls mouth. As Riven's lips crawled up to her shoulders, Janice began to cry. "How could you, Riven?! We're family!"

At that moment, the sucking of Riven's maw became monstrously stronger, sucking Janice's head inside with her body following in tow. In the blink of an eye, she was pulled straight out of her dress, which crumpled onto the ground below. Riven gasped, falling over backwards. She groaned, running a hand over her bloated tummy, which was now the size of a huge cauldron. It rumbled and shuddered as Janice hopelessly struggled within its fleshy confines, from which her muffled screams could be heard. "Amazing!" said Riven. "I can hardly believe I just did that! Ohhh, why does it feel so good?" She quietly moaned to herself, overcome with an immense sense of relaxed satisfaction. At this point, she had already forgotten about Janice.

"How long is this supposed to take?" Riven thought. She picked up the black book and opened it to the first page while leaning against the hedge, her belly gurgling as it processed its meal.

As the Queen of the Fifth Vice, your body itself is a castle. Its inhabitants, your servants. There are five basic methods of obtaining new servants for your castle, each method leading to a different 'room' for them to occupy.

The Main Hall

The most basic means of consumption, as well as the most important. By swallowing a victim whole through her mouth, the queen sends them into their stomach. Once inside, the victim will be absorbed -- body and soul -- into the queen's being. By absorbing servants, a queen becomes more powerful and beautiful, each meal increasing her womanhood.

The rest of the chapter goes on to explain the details of the spell and how to cast it, which Riven had already memorized. However, the only explanation of what happens after it is cast remained vague. Increase her womanhood? What was that supposed to mean? Riven looked back down at her rumbling belly, Janice's hands bulging through as she continued to struggle. Suddenly, there was a loud, low gurgle, and Riven's body started to feel tingly all over. She let out a loud moan in surprise as she was overcome by paroxysms of pleasure that pulsed throughout the whole of her being.

Riven fell onto her side, moaning and panting as she rubbed her belly, which was gradually shrinking. She couldn't help but drool as her body shivered, becoming drenched in sweat. The sensation reached its climax, and Riven let out a loud, low moan as Janice screamed from within her deflating tummy. Janice disappeared forever into Riven's body, leaving no trace of her but a gaudy dress and one last gurgle from the now flat belly she was absorbed by. Riven tilted her head back, panting as she grasped her chest to calm her racing heart... but was obstructed by something. Something big and soft.

Riven looked down and gasped, not even recognizing that the two large mounds jutting out in front of her were breasts. Specifically, they were her breasts, and they were even bigger than Janice's with a healthy, round fullness. She poked at them slightly and watched in awe as they jiggled within her dress, which she seemed to have grown to accommodate the rest of her body. Riven ran a hand down her side, feeling the lovely curves made by her slender waistline, wide hips, juicy thighs and long, shapely legs. Her hair had become longer as well, gaining a thick fullness and heavenly luster.

Her luscious lips curled into a smile and her sharp, sparkling eyes flowed with tears. Riven reached her arms around her new body, hugging it with joy. "I guess you were good for something after all, Janice." she chuckled. She sat there for a moment, reveling in the new life she had been born into, just like Mirabelle promised. With a satisfied sigh, she picked up her books and stood on her wondrous legs. Riven was taller now, even taller than Loraine. In terms of beauty, she now outclassed all of her family members. Her looks alone would make her a contender for the crown, but Riven had already become the queen of a new, greater castle.

And no castle is complete without subjects, a few of whom Riven already had in mind.