"Son, it is your 21st birthday tomorrow, I believe this time we will be able to find a princess for you. You're in the right age."
my father calmly spraying his words urging me to find a partner to stand as my queen.
"Hush now, dear. Let our son decide for his love.", my mom cooed as she approaches my father on his throne.
"Truly father, I think I don't need anyone as of this moment to be by my side, I have two of the most powerful and loving people beside me everyday, why would I seek more?", I stated truthfully, my father and mother, are my source of happiness, besides my siblings.
"But son, you are to be crowned king by the end of the year, and we need to have a strong alliance to the neighboring kingdoms, especially now that demons are lurking much more than they had in the past years. You must protect your people.", father said as he walked down his throne taking a peek outside through the glass windows.
"The people of Serendra are used to calm and peaceful life son, I hope you could keep it that way."
"Why on earth are we spewling about demons in this early hour? Balem's birthday will be tomorrow why don't we all be glad about that?" my sister gleefully stating while rushing to the room in her purple eyes, raven black hair and yellow dress.
"Hahahahahah, sister you love me so much! Now, the king was just discussing some things with me when I would be sitting on the throne. Don't worry mum had the maids and designers to do such things for tomorrow." I told my sister to calm her giddy soul.
"Dianna, would you accompany your brother to the garden, he needs to do the food tasting tomorrow." uttered mum.
"Yes mum!" she gladly grabbed my arms and we went down to the garden jumping in the stairs. "Now tell me are you really not going to search for a maiden tomorrow?" asking me with her big eyes.
"I don't know, I don't really care actually. Maybr if I'd fall for someone tomorrow then I'll try."
I said as we enter the garden and sat down waiting for the food to be served and be tasted.
"Well, I just hope you'd find someone to soften that heart of yours dear brother." she says while touching my hands and soothing them.
"Let's see." I uttered looking to the end of the garden as I thought I saw a pair of emerald eyes.
The day went by with all the preparations and such, it all went smoothly until a news came flashing through the palace doors in the wee hours of the night.
"My king! My king! " A blonde boy rushing through the doors shouted, "there are demons-- they rampaged our stocks! They took some animals!," he stated while crying and holding his shirt.
"Assemble the guards! The demons are attacking!” Philip, the palace’s head guard.
“Quickly Balem, bring your mother and sisters to the underground room. Secure the doors. Don’t wait for me.” My father said to me with his loving voice while squeezing my hand softly. I don’t know but there was sadness in his eyes. And I felt scared, for the first time.
“I will father. Do not worry.” I urgently said and hugged my father goodbye. I ran to the my mothers and sisters room and fetched them, telling what was happening outside. And I swear I saw a tear in my mother’s eyes, and it made my heart sunk.
We were running to the door now and I quickly told my mom to lock the doors and to never let anyone in, hugged my mom and both of my sisters and went out, running, with a sword in hand bathed with holy water. I ran upstairs and I never ever felt so cold in my life until I saw father in his throne with a sword pierced in the part of his chest where his heart lies.
I cannot move, my tears were at the verge of falling, until something strike my attention, there were a pair of red eyes behind my father’s throne, without any hesitation, as my rage blinded me I went for it struck it with the iron sword, it was squriming, I saw there was blood already in it’s lower torso, but I did not feel any remorse and reached for the tiny bottle that was in my pocket and poured it in this demons face, and I saw how he became into ashes.
I didn’t waste any second and went for my father, I realized he was still breathing, I was crying already when I reached for his hand he squeezed, “Father! Please, who did this to you? Did that demon did this to you? Where are the others? Father, what shall I do?”, I splurted while controlling my tears not showing weakness but my father know how devastated I am.
“My dearest son, I know that the Lord will take me now, I do not blame any of my sudden death, I may be killed by the demon you just slayed, but I know that they did not do it with their own will. All I need you to promise me son is that you take care of the kingdom, the people and no matter what, do not kill any demon. Negotiate if you have to dear son, war is not the answer to everything. Promise me.” Father told me weakly, and it makes me weak, weaker than I never had been in my life.
“Father no, you just cannot say those things to me, I cannot do this all yet, father we still need you here, I am just your son, I am not that capable, you are the king, the kingdom needs you, your family needs you!” I shouted to my father panicing as his breathing had slowed down.
“Balem, I know that you are able.” He touched my face while tears in his eyes.
“You are now the king, the greatest king Serendra will ever have. I love you, son.” As his hands descends and his eyes closed.
“Father! No, no! Father! Please, do not leave me!” I sobbed without stopping, my mind was clouded with rage, all I have in my mind is how to kill all the demons that are present in the world.
After crying too much, the guards had came back after fighting off the other demons telling me that they had captured one demon that they had heavily injured and the rest had fled. They took my father’s body and Philip told me that they shalled arrange my father’s body.
And then I thought of my mother and sisters. I went down and fetched them form the underground room without saying anything. My mom was asking me what happened, and where is father, I cannot answer, it was as if my mouth cannot move, Philip tooke us to the room and saw father lying there as if he was asleep.
“Philip, why is the king asleep already and why did you brought us here?” Mother asked Philip while raising her eyebrows, confused of what is happening she rushed to my fathers side and held his hand. “My love, why are you sleeping already? I thought you were out there fighting, were you that tired?” Tears were now flowing, she was caressing father’s face. I know mother knew that father was not just sleeping, Dianna held my hand while sobbing silent tears, and I picked up Calique, our baby sister staring nonchalantly at me not knowing what is happening.
The room never felt so cold, we just stood there, letting sadness and soft sobbing fill the room. All I had in mind is that I should get revenge. They did not just killed my father, they killed the king. And I will make every single demon out there to pay for what it’s worth.
Hi! This is my first time writing a story, ever in my life. And I’m so happy that I could somehow share to the world little pieces of my imaginations. And please bear with me, I am just a first time writer, please do comment anything that could help me from improving my writing or point out any wrongs so that I could do much better in my next chapters. But please don’t be too harsh, I will try to reply to your comments as it is a way that I am acknowledging your comments. Hope that we’ll be together in this story! Don’t worry there will be steamy scenes and when I’ll do them I will say it in the previous chapters so that you could atleast prepare for it.
Alice. :)
