Epiphany

⇞ princess of udairis ⇞

* This chapter is written from Ermeline's PoV because I wanted everyone to see what she was going through and what was happening in the Kingdom while Azer and the team was making it's way to her rescue*

Now. Read.

➻➻➻

Fear, that is all that I have known my whole life. I was kept locked in towers for so long that I had wondered if a day would come that I would not see the light of the day.

Every time I ate something I would be scared that maybe today my parents decided to poison me since I was taking up their resources. I was afraid that I would never find friends, love, or just simply life.

So I tried to keep my mind occupied, through paintings and books and sleep. Even as a kid I would cry myself to sleep because no one knew but darkness in that tower and terrifying for a twelve-year-old because I wasn't locked in this tower since I was born, I was locked since I was cursed.

Since my greedy father destroyed yet another family and obviously for his bad karma I was paying the price. 

After a long while, I found a friend, someone who would tell him stories and listen to mine, someone who would find my art beautiful, someone who would lovingly braid my hair and even laughed in my ever haunting tower.

Her scar filled body, her sunken eyes told me that she had her own set of worries and maybe she could feel the same for me but we never touched that topic. She was more like a family to me than my own family. Once in a while, my brother would come to visit and five days a week an old teacher would come with new books and lesson but that was it.

Even my food was decided for me, so I can't forget the hot stolen pieces of bread Zephora stole for me or little jelly made candies that were fun to chew.

It would have not been an exaggeration to say that I did not starve myself to death just because of Zephora. She became a friend, a sister, and a lifesaver for me. 

But now as I was awaiting death in the same tower, I prayed she never reach here, she, my brother and Syrion. Had it not been for Clarence I would never know where she went, had it not been for him I would still live alone in fear. Yet he gathered all the courage he could and helped me escape. Had it not been for him, I would never escape.

But I did and found a love and a family among the Enebris Travellers. I came to know what wonders world held and what joys of life were, I came to know what happiness meant and how you can start caring for people who are not even your own blood.

And I found my own power and decided never to feel helpless again, never to be held prisoner and never to be looked down upon just because I was the weaker sibling. From the ways of weapons to the elemental power I earned it all.

Yet, here I was again surrounded by guards in my own home, seconds ticking up and rehashing the time of fear. But this time I felt something I didn't feel before because I was always powerless and confused.

This time I wanted to live, I had power and I felt angry.

So when my own father walked in looking furious, I knew he was in no mood to keep me as a prison, he wanted my death just like I wanted his.

"I should have never kept you alive, no matter how much your foolish mother begged." He said so hatefully that it made me wonder if he really was my father.

"I wonder father  if half the earth feels the same way about you." I spat out the words.

"Silence, do not dare to speak to me in this tone."