The Prophecy (III) : Reincarnation

PREFACE

12th December, 1849

It was a special day inside the walls of the sovereign community, in the middle of which stood a towering castle where the ruler held reign over the vibrant town of Saint Ferley. The status held by Eduardo Fleming wasn't an easy one to acquire, and the war between the leaders of the seven communities of Saint Ferley demanded unimaginable sacrifice from anyone who wished to ascend the throne, including Lord Fleming despite his advantage over the rest of his opponents. An advantage that everyone in the kingdom was envious of. His skills in warring were passed down to him from his father, Ares, the ancient God of war and his magic from his mother, Victoria, one of the greatest witches of her time, making Eduardo one of the first demigod-wizards in the world. And he wasn't the only one. All the leaders of the seven communities of the kingdom were hybrids of the two powerful species, Eduardo being the only one with an advantage of being the son of the God of war. It wasn't surprising that he had emerged victorious and was now ruling over the kingdom with his wife, Wynfreda Fleming.

The twelfth of December brought with it the anniversary of the birth of his twin daughters, Evangeline and Savannah. Being the daughters of a man with his stature, they were raised within the bounds of the ruling community, expected to exhibit behavioural grace that was nothing less than perfection. Their birth was a very special occasion which was celebrated every year with great ardour. An exclusive royal ball was held for the same, which the six leaders attended along with some other important guests, most of whom were fathers of sons who were potential ascendants of the throne once Lord Fleming was forced to retire. It was as good as his dying wish for his daughters to be married to such men, so that his family name could continue to hold the jurisdiction which it presently did.

Evangeline's parents were exceedingly proud of their daughter who showcased every attribute that could be expected from a princess. Apart from her breathtaking beauty, she held grace in her actions, elegance in her speech, and was so remarkably intelligent that she at times stunned even the king with her wit. She took great pleasure in collecting the works of Shakespeare and imparting her wisdom to children who were younger than her.

Savannah on the other hand was her twin's polar opposite. With her perpetually unkempt outfits and hair that never seemed to be properly combed, she was a child with a propensity for wild behaviour who had absolutely no interest in fulfilling anything that was expected of her. Evangeline's behaviour came to her naturally, but that was not Savannah. And she would have been content with her personality, if only her parents, the king and queen, had not made her feel worthless and inferior to her sister.

On the present day was their eighteenth birthday, a day which was more important than any of their previous birthdays, as they were expected according to tradition to choose a groom for themselves, one of whom will be chosen to be Lord Fleming's successor. Evangeline had been preparing for this day her entire life, practising the appropriate behaviour that she would have to retain after her marriage. Savannah was against this tradition. She had never wanted to belong to another person, and she didn't see herself to be someone who could silently keep up with the traditions of the community which she found quite impractical as there was absolutely no choice in the matter.

And so, as the ball proceeded the way it had for the past eighteen years of her life, Savannah made her way to her sister's room and allowed herself entry without bothering to announce her arrival with a knock. Evangeline, who was already dressed in her most lavish gown, was seated on the edge of her bed with a book in hand, eagerly perusing its contents. She looked up at her sister as she marched into the room and placed her hands on her waist, glaring at her sister.

Evangeline examined her from head to toe and frowned when she realised that Savannah wasn't dressed yet.

"Sister, I don't suppose that it slipped your mind that we were to be ready for the ball by five?" She said. "We are to heed father's call any minute now. I suggest you make yourself presentable for the evening at the earliest possible."

"Doesn't it bother you, sister, that we are going to be thrown into the hands of unworthy males to be exploited and ordered around for the rest of our lives?" Savannah inquired outrageously.

"No one is going to be throwing us anywhere!" Evangeline exclaimed indignantly, shutting her book and placing it on her lap. "I think that it's about time that you learn to respect our elders. Our parents are the rulers of Saint Ferley and they only want what's best for us!"

"That might be easy for you to say." Savannah replied scornfully. "You are their sweet, perfect, darling daughter." She mocked her with a look of disgust. "But me? All our parents have ever done to me is throw me aside like a piece of garbage!"

"Had they done that, you wouldn't still be in this house, Savannah." Evangeline expressed coolly. "And you have no right to mock my behaviour which is preferred by father if you don't bother to even try to inculcate some of my habits. You are so readily rebellious of them that their hard behaviour towards you is no surprise."

"Oh my dear sister, how I despise you!" Cried Savannah. "You have absolutely no regard for my feelings!"

"On the contrary, I must tell you that I care deeply about you." Evangeline said. "But just like mother and father, I only want what's best for you."

"You will all rot in hell, mark my words." Savannah murmured contemptuously, her eyes filled with tears as she fled the room, leaving Evangeline by herself.

Sighing in defeat, Evangeline resumed her reading of Pride and Prejudice, one of her favourite novels aside from the works of Shakespeare until one of the servants working for her father peeked in through the door and said, "It's time, m'lady. Your presence is requested at the ball."

"Thank you, Hilda, I will be present shortly." Evangeline replied with a smile.

And she was present, standing amidst men and women who looked at her admiringly as they waited for Savannah to arrive so that the ceremony could begin. Almost ten minutes passed but the second sister still hadn't graced the guests with her presence.

It was then that Hilda ran into the ballroom in a distressed state, panting when she stopped to stand in front of Lord Fleming who demanded that she tell him why she hadn't found Savannah yet.

"M'lord, she's gone!" Hilda shrieked, sending the ballroom into a fit of disoriented murmurs.

"What do you mean by that, Hilda?" Lady Fleming inquired calmly.

"She's fled the kingdom, m'lady!" Hilda answered, panting. "She's fled the kingdom!"