Esmeray (Queen of Darkness)

08

Everything down here is different. The atmosphere is thicker, and the air is cold. So cold I feel it seep under my skin and into my bones. Wrapping my cape tighter around myself I pull the hood up and tuck my hair inside. Once I make sure I have all my supplies and fix my clothes I walk in a circle to get a look at what surrounds me. I stand in a bare meadow with solid ground and a small stream that curves all the way over to a dirt road leading into the city. No one is around, they're isn't a person in sight and my nerves grow because of that. Do they know I'm coming? Is there a trap waiting for me? Sighing I reach and rub my collarbone. I can do this. I have to do this. The sooner I find Adeena......trailing off Erebus' voice comes rushing back and I feel the ghost of a pain in my chest. Cease their bloodline, kill the royal family. My mission isn't just to find Adeena anymore, it's not a simple rescue mission, it's a mission to assassinate and rescue. The sooner I move, the sooner I can leave. Pointing my feet in the direction of the road, I step over the patch of solid dirt and follow the stream to the road.

By the time I have reached the city my teeth have begun to chatter against each other as the cold nips my nose. Cursed skies, why is it so cold?! Muttering under my breath I walk by the wall of shops that line one side of the road and my eyes roam over the buildings. Some are small, containing only a few shelves, while others are big, holding separate rooms themselves. Stopping in front of a window I lean up against the glass and my mouth waters at the cake displayed on a glass plate. Smiling at me from the otherside, a beautiful woman with dark brown hair waves for me to come in but I shake my head and walk away. Wrapping my arms around my waist I curse the cold and stumble along as my feet grow numb. I hate it here. I hate it. Ignoring the stares of a few couples I disregard the bubbling anger in my stomach directed toward them and focus on the task at hand. The castle is only a couple miles away, I can see the towers peeking over the houses. It's close. As I walk deeper into the city, the crowds grow thicker and I keep my head low as I bump shoulders with people and dodge various animals and children running around the road. Stopping at a small wooden bench I sit down and dig into my bag containing food. Grabbing a small piece of bread I tear pieces off as I watch the crowd.

They all look happy. The children are running around with laughter floating around them, and the adults watch them with joyful smiles. Everyone is just so....whole. Compared to Zephyrine everything down here screams light. Warmth even, despite the harsh air beating against my body. The thought disgusts me. Why do they get to be happy? Why can't my people be happy? Are these people only happy because they're stomachs are full and they have all the clothing and supplies they could possibly want? I think so. I'm so used to seeing decay and dirt that this place seems like a dream. Of course behind all the smiles and cheerful bellyaches, there's greed and pride. These people are wicked, evil, they enjoy everything they have and don't give a thought in edgewise about my people who are suffering. It's because of them that I am like this. If they hadn't started this war, if they had simply just been giving, I wouldn't be the person I am now. I wouldn't be used to hunger, I wouldn't know how to kill a person in a million ways. I would be like them, full, and happy. Instead my people got the short end of the stick.

"Would you like some?" A voice asks, startling me out of my anger.

Looking to my right, I see a girl, about sixteen sitting on her knees beside me while she holds out a small box of cookies.

"I'm sorry?"

Grinning, she gestures at the cookies, "My mother accidentally put too much cocoa in them, so she asked me to throw them out, but I saw you and thought maybe you'd like one?"

Biting my lip I look closer at the cookies and my mouth waters at the warm scent. They smell amazing, they look amazing. Do I take one? They seem harmless, and the girl doesn't seem like she found out who I am, so I doubt they're poisoned, but again do I take one? Waiting patiently the girl keeps her eyes focused on me as I contemplate. In the end, my hunger wins and I take one from the box.