Life's Eclipse

Prologue

              He should never have taken that shortcut. It was blocked by a living barricade of guards who immediately raised the alarm. I watched as he gracefully turned on his heel, helpless to warn him of the barrage of arrows. Then, just before one found it's mark in his chest, everything dissolved into a black void. I woke up drenched in sweat. It was just a nightmare. The same one I'd been having for months. Every night it tortured me, making me relive that final moment when Cole died. I could still remember his charcoal locks, his brown eyes like a sea I could drown in for the rest of my life. The warning horn echoed across camp, interrupting my day dreams. I got up, every bone and muscle protesting and still in agony from yesterday's labor. "I am Isabelle Nightwing and I will not bow before anyone." I whispered. For the past three years, those words had become my mantra, the only reason I didn't resign myself to the fate I was currently living out. I trudged out to another day of merciless mining and torture in this horrible place. The prison camp known as Cheoli. Cheoli was a horrible prison camp for anyone who dared defy the king of Diori.

                             The Diori were ruled by a merciless King who destroyed anyone who stood in his way. I swore that he was being helped by some otherworldly force but hey, no one will take a teenage girl's conspiracy plot seriously if she doesn't have evidence. One of the overseers walked towards me. The very same one that killed Cole. He spoke, his voice gruff. "You have a visitor Isabelle." He said, obviously unhappy about the fact. He grabbed my chains and dragged me up a stairwell, that down a hall in the opposite direction. He continued to lead me in circles but I wasn't confused at all. I'm an extraordinary assassin and it takes more than a few hallways to faze me. Then, out of the blue, he marched me into a room full of guards. In the middle of them, on a raised podium was nobody special, just the King of Diori, wait a minute, what was the King doing here? Beside him was... was... Cole. My mind went into overdrive and the room started to spin. I thought nothing could scare me more than my last memory of Cole but apparently, Cole is scarier than the memory of him. Well, that and him being dressed as a prince. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to punch him. I just had so many emotions that I couldn't even move. I was paralyzed as he shove through the guards. My stomach was full of butterflies and who knows what else as he got closer and closer. He embraced me, then put his lips to my ear. 

                        "Izzy" he started, using my nickname "I came back for you, just like I promised." My heart raced. He had promised, but he was shot in the heart. "I know what you're thinking." He said, still holding me close. "It was all staged. I'm the Crown Prince." My eyes widened in shock. I fell in love with the Crown Prince of Diori? I was in love with the son of my worst enemy? Maybe this was a joke, or another nightmare. I stood there open-mouthed as the pieces fell into place. Cole was the name of the Crown Prince. He had the same black hair, same silky skin, same regal gaze. How could I have been so stupid? How did I not see it? Cole, leader of the Space Doctors, who spent all the country's money on space exploration while the people starved. My blood turned to ice in my veins. When I got blood money from work, I always donated a fifth to those who didn't have money left for food after paying taxes. I tried to help those in debt because of him, and here I was, embracing him as a friend. I was numb and emotionless as he guided me to the carriage. I longed to talk to him, but was too afraid to break down the wall of ice between us. Eventually, everything faded to black. But this time, I didn't wake up.