Epiphany

⇞ pretense ⇞

Someone was singing in the middle of the night.

My eyes shot open and I was completely awake. The voice was beautiful. I also used to sing, Princess Ermeline said that my voice was like an angel and I would laugh but the voice I was hearing was the kind that made you feel warm in the coldest of nights.

Ciara seemed unbothered by the voice to I flung out of my bed as quietly as possible and wore a robe before stepping out because I was still embarrassed by what happened two days ago.

I followed the voice of singing slightly scared but more curious to find the owner of the voice.

It led me to the part of the palace locked down now and I stood in front of the gate. I sat down near the gate leaning my back there. It was cold and I should have been scared but my night in the forest made me braver.

Behind the locked doors a beautiful female voice kept singing and it bought be calm. I know It was a soul, a ghost something that should scare everyone but it brought me peace and I drifted off to sleep listening to the song.

A loud bang on the door woke me up, my back was stiff and my legs numb. My eyes squinted as the sunlight hit my face and I realized it was morning. Nazereth was standing in front of me and I pulled myself up in a clumsy manner.

"How is that you are always in a restricted part of the castle?" He was angry, obviously.

"I was lost."

"Stop it, Stop giving lame excuses. Obviously you are a very diligent spy." And we were back to that.

"What spy in their right mind would sleep on a mission?" I asked a bit agitated early in the morning.

He sighed frustrated at my response.

"Don't you think you are getting braver, are you getting too comfortable here Ermeline?"

"You can continue with the tortures Highness," I swear the stiff back was making me say all this.

He gripped my hands and it burned, I bit back a hiss knowing too well it will leave a mark.

"Careful." He warned but my vision went black and this time I knew what was coming.

It was Nazereth dancing glancing proudly at her sister who tapped on a wooden drum in rhythm and she sang along with it. It was her voice, the voice I heard last night. He smiled at her and his whole face glowed.

The fire flickered like candles flames in his eyes and it felt warm and safe.

"Your turn." She said and Nazereth rolled his eyes.

"Do you want to harm you eardrums?" He said and chuckled, I felt like laughing with him.

"You said you wanted to sing a proposal to Princess Dalia." His sister reminded in a playful tone.

"Chances of her refusing me will increase."

"Yes, since your face and brain doesn't help your chances either." She said with a straight face.

And my memory broke.

"Ermeline!" He yelled and was shaking me lightly.

"Y-Yes," I said looking at the discomfort on his face.

"What happened?" He asked and I remembered his chuckle, the warm eyes and the smile that could steal hearts.

It was all gone now.

I looked at my hand and the red mark of the burn was prominent.

I wanted to feel angry at him for doing that for finding little reason to hurt me to vent out his anger. I was after all a human but these memories made me see the kind of person he was, loving and caring.