Chapter Text
I was running, running and running but it wasn't enough, I was running out of air, I couldn't breathe.
An infinite black past was stretching out in front of me, getting narrower and narrower. I saw a light at the end and desperately I chased it until the ground disappeared and I fell into a buzz.
I cried but I didn't feel myself. Until I fell, surprisingly without feeling anything inside a room with bars, all painted black and without furniture or walls. I was stuck inside, the air was getting heavier and heavier and my words were swirling in my mouth...my ears didn't work...until a hand touched my eyebrows. All the blood ran down my face and I turned around and around....
I found myself under the so familiar support of my room, I was going to wake up, everything had been a dream, a very similar one to the others. After falling asleep I always ended up with the same pressure in the pit and it didn't seem to be any different this time.
From the window the trees and the sky were bright and full of luminous energy. I left the room and walked through the immense palace corridors.
I always have the same dreams in which everything is dark and that leave me with the same state of anxiety and anxiety when I wake up, the same ones in which I am always escaping from something and where I end up stuck in some place where I can't get out. How can I have such fossilized dreams when outside everything seems so bright? I always ask myself the same question. But the dream this time was... different, although it was fossil like the others, I had never dreamt of a hand grabbing me from the eye. It seemed so real. I could still feel his touch on my shoulder, insistently.
The various palace servants were dressed in black uniforms and carrying large bags of food. And they were heading towards the large dining room.
-Have a great day, princess," they said to me as they bowed.
-Excuse me princess, the king and the queen want to see you during the morning meal- one of the maids said to me, she was wearing the uniform and had a peculiarly green hair- have a great anniversary princess- she went in the opposite direction.
I went to the large dining room, every year everyone in the palace wished me a great anniversary but no one seemed to celebrate this fact, it seemed to me an absurd tradition. I went into the immense living room always decorated with luxurious jars and huge curtains, on the top of which I could see a beautiful painting of an angel. His white skin was shining and his white wings were also studded with black.
Since I was a little girl, I always had thought that the angel, even though it seemed that the darkness consumed him, had accepted his destiny.
It was sad, and in his expression it was reflected.
In the middle of the room there was an oak table covered with a red tablecloth and full of marinated pork, caramelized pomes and potatoes. I sat down at the table and while I started to eat the caramelized pomes, my parents entered the room.
-Great anniversary Nymera- said the King with a tense smile as he sat down, next to him was the Queen. Both of them were dressed in red and purple gala dresses, the legitimate color of the royal court.
-Yes, congratulations," said the queen looking at me with an indifferent look as she sat down and began to eat. The first minutes of the morning meal passed in silence. As every time we sat together to eat.
-Nymera, me and your father have to announce that in the celebration of your 16th birthday, you will finally have the honor of becoming queen," he said without any possibility of rejoicing.
-Yes, I know I will," I said trying to dream.
-As you know, today in the middle of the day we will make the ceremony- said the king while he spread butter on his country -we will start with the carriage around the city, the inhabitants of Ka'kk will be happy to see their queen for the first time, but remember not to say anything, just sleep- he commented looking at the queen -We do not want you to cause a bad impression, the inhabitants of the village- he laughed bitterly -They are very distrustful.
I had never been to the village before and the feeling of anxiety was rising up inside me, it has always been said that the inhabitants of Kàak tend to judge and to have fiery and extreme emotions, just like the color that represents our nation.
I will have to be careful.
-Yes, of course, I'll just smile and say hello - I said, with a bit of irony looking at my mother. They always had to tell me what to do, there was no day when they didn't control. There was no possibility to take it back, when I was a child I had already done it and the results were not good.
But I guess that's what they call destiny.
She glared at me with her eyes, in a light-hearted way. But I had already learned to see her aggressive subtleties.
They kept explaining to me the duties I had to perform hours before presenting myself to the people.
The Eymer Family has always had the tradition that when there was a coronation, a ceremony had to be held beforehand. In this ceremony the person who was to be crowned had to communicate with the previous kings from a diary written by each of them. So that they could guide him on how he would rule and teach him about his origins. I am very curious to know what this great diary holds, it defines where they come from and will determine where they have to go.
I went back to the room once I finished the morning meal. From outside the balcony I could see an immense forest of green trees, blown by the spring breeze. Beyond the immensity of the forest you could see the village full of small houses. I could see a column of smoke coming out of the middle of the village, surely it would be a celebration for the reason of my coronation. Everyone was celebrating but me.
I would have liked to go to K'àak at some point in my life, and not only because I become what I have to be. I had never had the opportunity to go, because of the image of the dynasty and because of appearances.
A few knocks on the door brought me out of my thoughts, I crossed the room and opened it. Behind the door was a rather tall, brown-haired girl with a hard and intimidating face. And a beautiful scar that went through her from the neck down to her wrists.
-Princess Nymera, it's an honor," said the girl bowing. She had a straight and alert posture and wore the uniform of the royal guard, which was a gray armor with red stripes and a scarf on the left side tied with a brown belt.
-I am a royal guard, and the kings have assigned me to your service to watch over you when you leave the castle from now on, my name is Rhys", she tried to sleep.
- Pleased to meet you Rhys- I say somberly. I look at her eyes and she looks at me too but it seems to bother her slightly, I stretch my eyes but she doesn't turn away.
-Well, um... Whatever you need, I'm at your service- she said looking away -An hour before noon I'll wait for you in front of this same door to go to the coronation, if you allow- she bowed and left for the great passages before you could say a word.
I closed the door of the room and I went back to my room. The Royal guard Rhys seemed always alert, even for a guard.
With these thoughts I stretched out on my bed full of cushions and minutes later I went to sleep.
When I woke up it was eight o'clock in the night, I felt as if I had not slept at all but at least I did not have any pain. I approached to my window and I put on my queen's dress. Red and golden, similar to that of the King and Queen. As I was looking at myself, I looked different. The dress emphasized my height, which wasn't even halfway up. And the golden crown, which I don't feel very much at home with myself, was making my red eyes redder.
An hour later the maids arrived to finish me adjusting my dress and to pin me what they said my hair was wearing.
I hated that they did all that and that in the meantime, they said nice words and advice for when I was in town.
-Princess, you look beautiful in this dress" said the maid with the brown hair.
Exactly charming- said the one with the extravagantly green hair -I remember to act in a lively way in front of the people- -but above all sleepy-.
-But above all, you are sleepy- said the chestnut-haired one.
I nodded waiting for them to leave.
As if the world had heard me, someone knocked on the door. The maids looked puzzled but they opened the door, one of the servants gave them a letter and they gave it to me. They were talking to each other.
It was strange for me, a princess that absolutely no one knew outside the walls received a letter.
The envelope was anonymous. Extrenge. With curiosity I opened it.
And in that moment nothing will never be the same again.
To Princess Nymera Eymar
If the winds, the rivers and the trees are willing they will send you this letter.
I am Adonis who writes you this letter and even if you don't remember it, I am your brother. You can decide at the end if you believe what I will tell you or not, everything at the end is your decision.
Our Nymera parents killed our brothers.
Because of the tradition that was written in the book of the kings they had to do it and when they complied they killed all their children. Except you.
All -it was ruled by tests. I still remember the day they did them. You were five years old and I was twelve.
I remember how I took you by the hand and how we arrived at the room where we were all, Emmie and Lumma, who were young and very intrusive and dumb. Cathrina who was quieter but very kind to everyone and Slyder who was very nice.
When we were all seated in the room, the King and the Queen asked us strange and not very concrete questions, but I supposed that the origin of these questions would be explained later.
When we finished the test they took us to the chambers, everything seemed calm until the room on the side where Emmie and Lumma were, they started to feel screams.
They were being dragged out of there, Lumma was screaming and Emmie was crying.
All of their fears made me go to the closet in my room. I knew something wasn't right and it hadn't been right before.
Several soldiers came into the room, and they were looking for me for hours on end.
I made a string of gloves from the inside of the wardrobe, and once the steps were clear, I got out of the wardrobe and tied it around my neck in case I had to escape.
But first, I went out the door, I had to find Emmie and Lumma.
When I saw that there was no one there, I went through the passages, towards where I heard the cries. I turned the last corner and saw several guards forcibly entering Emmie and Lumma, they blocked the door and went in the opposite direction.
I approached them and opened the door, they were there inside alone but hurt.
Emmie had a deep cut in her side and was moaning. Everything smelled of blood. Lumma also had a cut in her neck and she was running out of time.
They saw me but I couldn't speak.
-Adonis, run, run away - Emmie was calling Emmie - No, I can't get out of here - I was saying, we had to get out, we could go down the ladder I had made and run until they didn't find us - Emmie, sit down - I was calling. I knew the look in her eyes, she wouldn't listen to me.
-Adonis, run and ask for help from us," she said looking at Lumma who was very pale, "We'll be fine, look for help, please," she looked at me with sad but confident eyes and gave me a kiss on my forehead.
-I will turn, I promise- I said leaving the room without looking back.
I ran as fast as I could. No one had to see me or I wouldn't be able to save them all. I went into my room and I looked at it for the last time, it was beautiful and elegant, full of embroidery and very long dresses.
When I went out to the balcony I grabbed the cord so I could escape. I was going to howl at everything I could see, everything I knew, and I went down the rope made of gloves.
There was a very strong wind that day and when I got down it was freezing but I couldn't stop because I could hear footsteps approaching.
I went into the forest until I could no longer feel them, at least not in my head.
I regret everything
Dear Nymera, everything I have explained to you, even if it seems impossible, is real and I hope you can make the right decision with what you have said.
And if you believe me and want to come and find me. Look for a place where the stars converge and the wind chill is impossible to stop. A place where the two worlds meet.
Your dear brother,
Adonis.
An immediate pressure fell on me, on my heart. The world fell upon me.
How could the letter be true, it must be a joke. I'll forget about that, this night I'll be crowned and everything will be as before, I'll be able to reign and...
Of course tears will begin to fall down my eyes. Without wanting to. I can't make them stop. And if everything that the letter says is true? Did I have brothers? Had the king and the queen been like that?
When I go out to the balcony, the hot summer air covers my cold tears. The letter is crumpled in my hands.
A small memory floods my mind.
One night I left my room curious about the cries coming from the King's room.
-You can't do that to me, you can't feel guilty," cried the queen, "We had agreed to be strong for the kingdom. I approached her, from the open doorway the queen was standing with her face twitching with rage and the king was sitting on the marriage bed with a long and wet face.
-Catherine, you can't put the weight of your guilt on me, all because of tradition- said the king weeping between bloods -Yes, if only... if only... if only you had known it would have happened-
-Matthew, you knew it from the beginning," said the queen, smiling softly, "you are as much to blame as I am, and we have to take care of Nymera.
-How do you want me to look her in the eyes," cried the king.
I didn't know what what they were saying meant and I went back to the room quietly.
And now I knew. What it all meant
I put the letter in my pocket and left the room.
I was feeling the pain, but I had to find out if it was true. Everything now makes sense, the tradition of which the kings spoke had been the one mentioned by Adonis in the letter. Which I can find in the book of the kings. The tradition which had killed my? brothers?
I know that the King and Queen have never treated me normally, at least not like a "normal" family. I have never trusted them because every time they look at me I feel that they are looking for something farther away from me.
But what if, and if everything turns out to be true. I went looking through the walls of the long palace passages while I continued walking towards the chamber of the kings. The trees are moving to the rhythm of the wind under the blue sky, they seem clear.
If everything turns out to be true, maybe I will have to escape, maybe I will have to look for the freedom I have always longed for. But maybe everything turns out to be a lie... maybe the kings haven't done anything and everything remains the same. I will be crowned and I will walk for my people. My chest has oppressed me.
At that moment I arrive in front of the door of the king's chamber, a big and red door.
Technically they should not be here, yesterday they commented that they had to finish the preparations for the coronation.
I open the door, thankfully there is no one there. I enter the room, this one is large with a double bed and decorated in red and gold, it has little light and has always seemed dark to me.
On one side of the room there is a door, also red and small. It is locked, but I have done this a million times. I take a clip that holds my pentinat and I insert it in the wall. I move it a few times and the door gives way.
When I was a little girl I remember that I went in out of curiosity and without following the prohibitions of the kings. I was in the middle of the stairs when they caught me, the queen's face was of pure anguish, an anguish that she was trying to hide. I did not give much thought to this fact as a little girl but I have come to the conclusion that there is what I am looking for.
I opened the door and started to go down the stairs. The air was humid and heavy. I grabbed a spelm that was at the side of the entrance, everything was very cold and I got into that darkness.
As I advance I can distinguish a light at the end of the stairs, a weak but visible light.
At the end of the stairs there is a room with a table in the middle and many brown papers full of writings and drawings stuck to the walls, the ground is full of dust.
I approach the wall, one of the drawings stuck to the wall tells the story of a king and a queen. Holding hands they are weeping, what looks like blood. They are covered with this blood up to their genitals. It makes me cramped.
On the table there is a book, with a red cover, the color of blood, with the name "the legacy of the kings" written in golden letters.
I have to open it so I will discover the truth.
I reach out my hand to the cover and open the book. Deep down I hope that everything is a lie and that nothing of what the letter says was an illusion.
On the first page there are all the names of the old kings, I recognize the name of the... mother's and my father's.
I have little memory of him, the only thing I remember is that he was very similar to the queen, and that he was even more handsome than her, he had a glorious and imposing look.
One day in August when I was a little girl, I remember playing among the trees in the garden every morning, walking through them and feeling the wind from the top.
That same day the bird had come to visit me and while I was walking up to the tree I could see him from the top. I called out to him from there, I was very excited, it had been years since I had seen him. I remember that he looked at me with a sad look and told me to come down right now, that princesses don't do these things.
From that moment on the queen ordered me to be forbidden to enter the garden and instead I had to take classes to learn history, which would be useful for me to rule. For months I hated it, I loved to walk among the trees. He was cruel, just like his mother.
At the turn of the page, there is a writing:
Millicent Felstead:
I leave a momory for the next years and centuries. Every king and queen of the kingdom of K'áak will have to follow the legacy and therefore the curse that was in their blood.
Each king and queen will have to sacrifice all their heirs except one who will be chosen to rule.
The curse to which K'áak is condemned must be fulfilled until the end of time.
Damaris consolidated this way. He has spared the lives of the inhabitants of K'áak for their sins and as a royal legacy we must serve and honor the creator who gives us another opportunity to live and redeem the sins of our people (all the heirs who were not the king would kill the current one).
Next King or Queen take the decisions and free the people of K'áak.
Otherwise Damaris will pay for the sins of millennials ago.
Adonis was right, he was right.
Everything was true, everything had been a lie of which he did not know.
My hands are shaking and it is very cold. The air is getting heavier.
I press my hands against the table, K'áak had been evil for centuries and for that reason every king's arrival had to kill all but one of his children. What must have been the sins that the inhabitants of K'áak had done millennia ago that had killed the whole town?
Because their parents had never told me anything, why?
But.
Now I have to leave here. I took a last look at the room, and I looked at the drawing of the two weeping kings, something made me want to keep it. I will take it and with the palm of my hand I will push the ladder.
I have to give myself pressure.
The clock in the king's room shows that it's half past nine o'clock.
I get out of the room, I have to hurry, because at eleven o'clock Ryhs is waiting for me in front of my room. And I have to escape before I find her.
Otherwise I won't be able to do it.
I open the door of my room, quickly take all the clothes and important objects in a small motorbike.
But how can I escape? Because i HAVE to scape
There are always guards at the door of the palace and there is no option for anyone to see me.
There are no guards at the door of the palace gate, but the shopkeepers always pass through it. It would be impossible to go through.
I can go through there in disguise but... if it is discovered it would be impossible to escape..,
There are no options
I look at the clock, it's five past eleven, It's only ten minutes away.
I have to think fast. Before soldier Rhys arrives, I have to get out of here, otherwise I won't have any other option.
They knock three times on the door.
sh*t.
