Villains Aren't Born, They're Made [1]

×Three~ Eleutheromania

Eleutheromania -
An intense and irresistible
Desire for freedom

I never understood why commonfolk, as my sister called them, got excited or nervous to meet my family. To them my family was royal, pure, magnificent, and in charge of everything; but they were just family to me. Being royal came with a lot of high expectations and standards to meet. I never met many of these standards or expectations because my "curse" ,as some called it, devalued me and stripped away any royal blood I had flowing through my veins. Imagine being told as a kid that because you can talk to your grandma who's been dead for 14 years, you are a freak and less than your sister. It was the harsh reality I lived in, constantly being compared to my sister or other family members. I began to resent people of royal families, I hated them all. Deep down I knew one day my family would regret everything they told me as a child, every harsh word they spoke regarding my "curse", or the mere word curse itself.

However, I couldn't possibly do anything about that right now. After all, I was about to meet another royal family.

Horray!

I was completely lost in thought the entire way to meet the Royal family in their courtyard, and Alethea seemed to notice.

"Don't worry, Lin! You will love it here, Lin! The BloodWell family is very nice and generous and very hospitable!" She says as she flies across the courtyard. Something about her movements almost seemed robotic. "Yes... As you've said." I say to myself as I start to question her wording. 'Oh well' I thought 'It's probably nothing, I'm probably overthinking it.'

Note to past self: you weren't.

Alethea made her way to a rather large, circular glass table under a large tree covered in various, what I assumed to be, fruits. Despite it being early winter around the castle, the courtyard felt like spring. My guess was someone had enchanted some sort of dome around it. However I wasn't well aware of what enchantments really were, considering they were forbidden in my land.

I made my way over to her and asked if she needed any help setting up, which she quickly and politely declined saying that 'I was their guest and will not be obligated to do such things'. I didn't think much of it and decided to sit in the seat she had pulled out for me. After a few short moments, three figures appeared coming out of the castle. "Here they come!" Alethea says, not letting her bubbly personality faulter for a moment.

"You must be Melinoe Calystite I presume." A rather tall, heavier-set man with a short beard says as he holds his hand out to greet me. "Yes I am Sir. You must be King Leonidas?" I ask and he lets out a small laugh. "Just Leonidas is fine enough." He says with a smile, in which I return. "This is my wife, Nyx, and our daughter, Aphrodite." He introduces the two woman standing beside him.

The woman who I presumed to be his wife was also rather tall, however her facial features were sharp and cold opposing her husband's warm appearance. Their daughter looked very similar to her mother, but her eyes were bright grey contrasting both her parents dark brown eyes. They were all dressed as my family typically did. Their dark brown hair pinned half back in a neat way, modest, yet elegant dresses to flatter whatever their body type was and the king wore a seemingly velvet black suit.

As they sat at the table, the daughter sat next to me. I gave her a smile to which she did not return. Her mother seemed to notice, as she gave her daughter a glare and she then turned and smiled at me. "I apologize, I'm not used to new people being here." She says, her voice just as cold as her mother's expressions. "No, it's certainly alright, I understand. When we had diplomats come to the palace back home, it was rather alarming. So I understand, despite me not being a diplomat myself." I say, trying to lighten to tight mood. The king laughed but the others stayed emotionaless in an almost statue like manner.

"So, tell me a little about the reason you were sent here, Miss Calystite. I heard your ability was beyond handle?" The queen asks and I awkwardly shift my position, causing the chair to squeek in the silence. 'I would curse the chair later.' I thought to myself. "Oh yes, my ability. Growing up, I was able to talk to my grandmother who unfortunately died long before my birth. In the past I have caused some rather ... Drastic incedences." I say.

By drastic incidences, I meant I sucked the life out of one of the handmaid's when she told me I wouldn't be allowed to wear a glittery silver bow to one of my cousins funerals. Safe enough to say, that bow caused another funeral. In my defense, it was a very beautiful bow.

"I see." The queen says, leaning towards the table, signalling for me to go on. "My father called my ability necromancy. I can talk to the dead and have somewhat control over them. Though with proper training, I believe I would be able to control these abilities so no more accidents occurred." I say and the queen and king share an exchange of looks.

"Necromancy, you say?" The princess asks. "Yes, that is what he called it at least." I reply. "Is that all you are able to do?" She asks with a smug look. "Aphrodite!" Her mother scowls. "I didn't mean it in a mean manner, mother. I'm simply asking if there are any other abilities we should be aware of, just to prevent future ... Accidents." She says, plastering a fake smile ont her face. Trust me, I knew a fake smile when I saw one. I was basically the inventor of fake smiles.

"Well, as far as I am aware it is all I can do at the moment. However, I've never been allowed to practice my abilities, so there could be things I am not aware of currently." I say, shifting my position again. The queen and princess nodded at my answer and the king stared at me in curiosity. "Yes, I see greatness in you, miss Calystite. We have a necromancer who works in the dungeons of the castle, his name is Hades. Despite his name, I can assure you he isn't the Lord of the underworld, though he is very talented in his work. I would like you to meet him, I believe he will be able to help you reach your full ... potential." He says and the Princess gives him a concerned look, but he just seemed to shrug it off. "Well then, let's eat." The king says, clapping his hands causing a plentiful amount of food to appear on the table.

I had always wanted to find a place where I belonged. Somewhere where my worth wasn't devalued because of my ability. Somewhere where people like me existed amongst others. Somewhere where I was free. Little did I know that these things came with a large price.