The White Witch's Sinister Mirror

The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the once-peaceful kingdom of Eldoria. In the heart of the forest, a quaint cottage stood, its windows aglow with the flickering of candles. Inside, a young woman with auburn hair and a porcelain complexion named Elara lay on her bed, her beauty unmatched by any other. She was the envy of all who gazed upon her, but her heart was heavy with the weight of a secret pact made in the darkest of nights.

The White Witch, known as Moriana, had visited Elara during the witching hour. Moriana's eyes, like pools of eternal darkness, had held Elara's soul captive. With a cackle that echoed through the room, the witch offered Elara a deal that would ensure her beauty for all eternity.

"The mirror in the room will hold your reflection, Elara," Moriana's voice was a siren's song, promising eternal youth and beauty. "But you must promise me your firstborn child's soul. The mirror will protect you from all harm, but it will demand its price."

Torn between her love for her future child and her desire to remain beautiful, Elara signed the pact with her blood. The mirror in the room, a glass of obsidian with intricate carvings that glowed faintly, now bore her name and the witch's mark.

Days turned into years, and Elara's beauty remained unmarred. The kingdom praised her as a goddess, but Elara felt a growing sense of dread. She was the envy of the queen, who envied her youth and beauty, and the target of the prince, who was driven to possess her.

One evening, as Elara stood before the mirror, a figure appeared in its reflection. It was the prince, his eyes filled with desire. Elara shuddered at the thought of him touching her, knowing the mirror's curse would demand its price.

The next morning, the queen summoned Elara to her chambers. "You are the fairest in the land," the queen's voice was venomous. "But your beauty is mine to command."

Elara knew what would happen if she resisted. She nodded, her heart breaking. As she stepped outside, the mirror in the cottage flickered, and a figure emerged. It was Moriana, her face twisted with glee.

"Your time is now," Moriana hissed. "The mirror will take its due."

Elara, driven by fear and the witch's curse, agreed to the queen's demands. The mirror, now pulsating with an evil energy, took on a life of its own, whispering promises of power and protection to the queen.

In the days that followed, the queen's demands grew more insatiable. She wanted more beauty, more power, and she was willing to pay any price to obtain it. Elara watched in horror as the queen's beauty faded, replaced by a twisted, monstrous visage. The mirror, now glowing brighter than ever, seemed to consume the queen's soul.

The prince, noticing the change in the queen, grew suspicious. He sought Elara out, but she was now too afraid to speak of the pact. As the prince delved deeper into the mystery, he discovered the cottage in the forest and the cursed mirror.

Inside the cottage, the mirror now seemed to have a will of its own. It spoke to the prince, offering him power in exchange for his soul. The prince, driven by his love for Elara and his desire to free the kingdom from the queen's tyranny, knew he had to destroy the mirror.

The night of the final confrontation, the prince, Elara, and Moriana stood before the mirror. The witch's eyes gleamed with malice, her laughter echoing through the room. "You cannot escape the pact, prince. Your soul is mine!"

But the prince, with a courage that came from love and determination, reached out and shattered the mirror. The glass shards flew through the air, and Moriana's form disintegrated into dust. The mirror, now broken, lay on the ground, its power spent.

Elara, forever marked by the pact, knew her beauty was gone, but she was free. The prince took her hand, and together they walked away from the cottage, into the dawn of a new day.

As they left the past behind, Elara realized that true beauty was not in the reflection of a mirror but in the love and courage that lived within her heart. And so, with the prince by her side, they began their journey to rebuild the kingdom, forever changed by the sinister pact with the White Witch's mirror.