The World Reigns in Fire

Chapter 1: A doomed ship

The rocking of the waves did nothing to help my leaden stomach. Eve's anxious brushing of my hair didn't help how I was feeling anyway. I tapped my moonlight fingers against my thigh. Silken fabric of my navy nightgown met my fingertips. It wasn't soon enough when Eve finally finished with my hair. A blood red braid fell across my back as I stood up from the vanity.

"Thank you, Eve, you are dismissed." A cold authoritative voice, so unlike the one I used in private, came from my mouth. A voice I was trained to use. The voice of Lanthia Drathion, princess of Drathica. The voice of my father's perfect doll.

Eve scurried out of the room and clumsily shut the door. As soon as I heard the click a sigh escaped me. Shoulders sagging as I trudged to the bed that was provided to me on the ship. I loved being alone, it was the only time I was allowed to be me. Not the princess.

The soft silk sheets brushed my legs as I fell back onto the soft bed. Each breath I took dragged my closer to that dreaded dream, the one that always came in the deceitful embrace of sleep.

My throat burned and I felt scorching heat envelope me. I smelled burning flesh, and I could see nothing but dragon flames. Ever burning in their bloody flames. I was too tired to scream, too tired to breathe. A glimmer of silver light came closer to me in the flames but right before I can even see what it is I awaken.

My skin is cold and clammy. Tears streaked my cheeks, and my hair clumped together from sweat.

I bring my shaking hands up to my face to wipe away the salty water. In the dark faint purple glows from a symbol that climbs up the entirety of my arm. The symbol of Afilaith, the goddess of fate.

If my father knew of my association with a god I would be executed. We Drathicans are to worship the gods of chaos, demons. I do not know how I have been able to hide my sainthood from my father. Afilaith must have clouded his senses to protect me. Still I wonder how I could have been chosen by her. Gods are strange like that, picking those us earth dwellers would think despicable and unworthy.

Sometimes I wonder if she picked me to punish me. Sending dreams of a doomed future I can not change. Or maybe she picked me because she knew I wouldn't want to change it.

I take deep breaths trying to calm down my racing heart. With each inhale my lungs fill with air, and each exhale relaxes my soul.

Goddess Afilaith, I wonder why it is you send me these dreams. What is it you want me to do?

You bring dreams such as these to yourself child. Let your soul wander and feel the life around you, even time is within your grasp. Clutch it tightly for if you let it go it will allude you.  Sleep child.

I do not remember how I fell back asleep that night other than the mothering voice of Afilaith, like a lullaby, putting me asleep.

I dreamed of a calm and tranquil lake. All the life within it dancing and moving to a wonderful song of their bright merriment. Someone grabbed my hand and giggled as the pulled me into a dancing circle of girls. Crowns of flowers in their hair, and one in mine as well.

I did not know any of the dances, but danced with them anyway. Bright laughter and smiles warming up my soul. I'd  never seen nor felt such joy before. There is no such thing as happiness in Drathica.

A man calls my name. But it mustn't have been me he was calling, because he sounded as if he was calling the love of his life. I am not someone who can be loved, I am not someone deserving of love.

My heart, against my wishes leapt at the sound of his voice. My body turned towards his direction, a smile plastered across my face.

A man In obsidian armor with silver detailing stands there waiting for me to come over to him. No matter how hard I tried to make out his face I couldn't . It's almost as if there was some kind of fog  around him, keeping me from recognizing him.

Suddenly everything melted away into sunlight. Slowly the warmth of the dream faded. A shy voice called for me and it took only a few moments for my half asleep mind to clue into what it was saying.

"My lady you must wake." Cold morning light shined on my face. The ships small circular windows in my cabin let in white sun rays lighting up the quarters. Showing that Eve had already opened all the curtains.

"What time is it?" I Sighed, sitting up from my bed. I felt refreshed, a nice change from my usual splitting headache and sickened stomach.

"It's nearly noonday, my lady. I tried to let you sleep as long as possible b-but her majesty has been demanding you scry her at once." She stuttered.

"I understand. Go fetch me my gown and help me dress." No emotions showed in my voice. Especially not the terror gripping every fiber of my being. Eve bolts out of the room and over to the cabin that has been used to store my gowns. After a few minutes she returns with a milky green silk. She pulled the dress over my head and on top of my chemise. Finally tying the back lacing, that cinched I'm my waist. The sleeves were tight right up until my elbow then flowed off into graceful bells.

"Thank you, Eve. Bring me my scrying mirror and then you may leave the room" She nodded, shuffle over to an ornate chest with rubies embedded into gold plating, swirling like fire over the ebony wood, that sat upon the very top of the small closet provided in my lodging. She pulled down the box and opened it to reveal a matching hand mirror. Stiffly Eve walked back over to me and placed the mirror delicately into my hands.

Eve bowed hurriedly and practically sprinted out of my room. I couldn't blame her. I myself wanted to crawl into the deepest corner of the word and hide from the woman who appeared in my mirror.

"Lanthia," the cruel face appeared in the silver glass. Her brows narrow and mouth contorted in a wicked baring of teeth.

"Mother," I internally flinch. She was absolutely livid, and I knew that if I didn't allow her to take out her anger on me, then a poor servant would not be coming home again.

"How dare you! Are your ears full of centipedes? I told you that you must scry me the moment you are within a glimpse of land! If it were not for the captain's report early this morning I would have been none the wiser of your position. How are you to tell us of Geradale's movements if you won't even tell me of your own." She seethed. The mirror heated up to a scorching degree of heat. I knew better than to remove my hands from the scalding golden handle. Mother had always seen to ways to punish me, even when she was away on royal business.

"I am at fault your majesty. Punish me as you see fit." My mother's face melts into a pleased and sort of dreamy look.

"You please me by admitting your wrongs. But make no mistake, if you fail to tell me what I want to know, your punishment will be worse than the one of your 13th fall." My mothers face disappeared after she gave her warning. Not giving me a chance to respond.

I haven't thought of that punishment in a long time. I've blocked it from my mind. I tried to avoid the memories of it after my mothers words. Flashes of panic, blood, hot iron spikes dug under my nails resurfaced from the depths of my mind.

My stomach blanched. Bile rose up my throat, and I rushed to my empty wash basin that Eve forgot in the corner of my room, and heaved. Nothing came out of my mouth, I hadn't had anything that could make its way out of my stomach. I heaved again, this time sour and vile acid came up from out of my stomach into the bowl. My throat burned. I heaved again this time acid and chunks of last nights dinner spilled from my mouth and nose.

I do not know how long I lay there, all I know is that I heaved and heaved until there was nothing else to throw up. And then I sat there still heaving only air.