To Bewitch a Devil

83 Autumn

“Who chose these tests, I don’t think it was made to let us win. How do we draw seasons? We can’t even draw objects, not to talk of seasons.”

Princess Emma spoke, as she folded her arms.

Jasmine who was beside her picked up a pencil and sharpened it;

“You are to be the queen of eight kingdoms, you did not expect it to be an eating competition, did you?”

She asked and Alicia chuckled from beside her;

“I’m sure Zelda would wish it was, then she would win two times in a roll.”

Zelda looked at her and continued to sharpen her pencil. All they did was mock her. She had been alive for over five hundred years, surely, they did not think that their words got to her, did they?

Princess Jasmine ignored Alicia and continued;

“I would suggest you think of something easy and paint it, if you cannot, then you should drop out of the test, and reduce the competition for the rest of us.”

.....

Emma stared at her in anger, as she rolled her eyes and picked up her pencil.

...

Princess Kitana stared at the blank sheet for minutes, not knowing what to draw. She was not good at paintings at all and with the challenging task they were asked to do, she was as confused as ever.

Looking around her, the other Princesses were already drawing something on their paper as if they knew what they were doing and she bit her lower lip in panic.

She had not started but she already knew the test was not going to go her way. What would she do?

What season was the easiest to draw?

Summer, was the warmest season of the year. The sun was always high in the sky and the people wore light clothes; Winter was the coldest and the sun was barely seen...

Kitana’s eyes widened as a thought came into her mind and she picked up her pencil.

...

The Arena was quiet for a long while before the cheif stood up and walked up to the poduim.

“The time is almost up, you have ten minutes to finish up your paintings. As soon as the bell rings, no one should be holding a brush or pencil. Flaunting of this order is an immediate fail to the test.”

At the chief’s words, Princess Daphne panicked. She had started off quite well, but she had made a mistake and requested for a new paper, and now she had barely painted half of her sheet.

Her hands were filled with sweat as they trembled on the sheet. She bit her lower lips as she quickly dropped the pencil and picked up a brush, trying to paint something before the time was up.

The chief went back to his chair and then after about ten minutes he stood up again and walked slowly, climbing up the poduim.

A smile stretched on his lips as he raised his hand.

“Stop painting now. Ring the bell.” He ordered the boy who was holding the bell and he rang it.

Sweat dripped from Daphne’s face unto her board as she heard the sounds of brushes being dropped on the table.

Just one more...

She muttered to herself as she tried to paint a final stroke but as soon as she raised the brush to the table, she heard the chief’s voice ring out.

“Princess Daphne has been disqualified from the test for disobeying the rules. Please kindly stand up and leave your table.”

Daphne raised her eyes as all color drained from her face. The brush quickly fell from her hand and the paint smeared on her dress. She opened her mouth to speak but no words could come out of it.

As she looked up, she saw all eyes turned to her and she stood up from her chair quietly, straightening her dress. She was a Princess, she should maintain her poise no matter what. The pale look on her face disappeared and was replaced with a smile immediately. Stepping away from her table, she walked out of the arena.

“Oh poor thing, and she knew what she was doing;”

Lyra commented as her eyes turned to Daphne’s drawing board. She shook her head and looked at her own board; Daphne could have easily won against her if she had dropped her paintbrush in time. She was good at drawing. Her eyes turned to the old man and she sighed, he did not even pity her. She was just about a few second late.

The chief walked to them, a smile plastered on his chin. A little boy dressed in a uniform followed behind him waiting for his orders.

The chief stopped in front of Alicia’s table.

“Explain to everyone what you painted, my Princess.” The chief spoke as his eyes looked at the drawing, the smile not leaving his face.

Kitana looked at the board beside her and she nearly laughed. The chief was smiling as though he was impressed but the painting looked like that of a ten-year-old kid.

Lyra had painted three houses with children running around and a mother coming back with a basket of grains, the sun was high in the sky and some birds could be seen.

Lyra stood up and cleared her throat;

“I painted a midsummer afternoon, with children running around and a mother returning from the farm.”

The chief motioned to the boy by his side and he carried the drawing to where the judges were seated.

“That is great!” The chief nodded and walked to the next table.

Kitana stood up; she had drawn a winter night.

A clear road of ice. The sky was moonless, and a middle-aged man with a thick coat around him dragged his feet across the ice as he moved against the tide of snow.

She had thought of this at the last minute. She was not very good, but the idea did not require much, so she was good.

“Tell us what this symbolises, your highness.”

“I painted the winter season. A cold night, with no moon in sight. A farmer can be seen dragging himself back to his home, and the cold snow can be seen pushing against him.”