Violetia Amo tread through the stone path in the palace yard. Crunches of fallen leaves followed whenever she placed her step. She was as fair as white-snow, having violet eyes and long hair as her name hinted. Treading in the yard, she was on her way to visit her papa. But halfway there, she stopped and was surprised to see her papa, Ziwo Amo lying on the ground unconscious. And she quickened her steps toward her papa while shouting, "papa! papa!" She stopped by her papa and pulled him up.
"Papa, papa," said Violetia as she shook her papa.
When her papa opened his eyes, his eyes twitched that he raised his hand to cover his eyes from the blinding ray from the Sol.
"Papa, you're alright." She was glad that her papa had awoken.
But her papa had not yet gained consciousness since he looked at Violetia with a dreamy-like gaze.
"Lavendia-dear," said Lord Amo, his hand reached for Violetia's face. "It's you, am I in the Heaven now?"
"Papa dream of mama again?" said Violetia. "How sweet."
"Oh, it's you, Violetia-dear… I feel so weird… had a dream... about a mystic foretold my destiny… he even said about the Invicta Draven's legendary weapons."
"Papa, it's not a dream," said Violetia. "Looks like papa had been sleeping here since the fortune-telling ritual. Every citizen is cheering for papa since papa has saved the Sol from the all-devouring dragon. Papa, you are so great! But why papa slept here? And where is the mystic?"
Lord Amo's white face became pale, scratching his long white hair and his action told Violetia that he was trying to grasp what had happened before. For some time, Violetia was looking at her papa as though she was waiting for her papa to answer.
"Papa, what?"
Lord Amo widened his eyes. Only that, he realised that he has been laying in the palace yard for almost a day. The faint sound of cheering outside the palace affirmed what Violetia had said. "Don't tell me please…" And he stood up fast, with behaviour that showed his confusion and worries while ignoring the puzzled looks of his dear daughter.
"Papa? What had happened?" said Violetia.
Lord Amo didn't answer. Instead, he sprinted.
Violetia knew where her papa was heading. She ran, following her papa along the stony path. Her papa's private chamber soon came into view.
She was not far behind from Lord Amo. Her papa pushed open the wooden door and entered as she followed him into the chamber.
"Close the door, Violetia-dear," said Lord Amo.
"Yes, papa." Violetia closed it with a snap.
Once the door closed, Lord Amo reached for a hidden lever beneath his bed. He pushed it, and the bed rattled upward, revealing a secret stairway which leads to a dark cellar. Her papa began his descent into the basement. So was Violetia.
"Hope the half piece is still here," said Lord Amo.
"Papa mean the half piece of Draven's treasure?"
"Yes," said Lord Amo with a stiff nod.
Torches lit themselves the moment Lord Amo and Violetia entered. Instead of priceless treasures and relics, they were robes and dresses, paintings, portraits and china wares that once belonged to both her papa and mama. All those items were revealed with dimmed light. Everything inside was in place and order. There was no sign that a theft had broken in.
"Papa, where is the half piece?"
Lord Amo didn't answer, but he walked on. Violetia followed her papa whom he passed through racks of paintings and reached a wooden mannequin with linen dress. At the neck of the mannequin where the relic was supposed to be was gone.
"It's not at here," said Lord Amo. Anxiety rose in his voice. "Maybe I have accidentally put it somewhere else." He began to search all over the cellar. After some time, Lord Amo let out a loud breath. "The half piece is not here! It has been stolen!"
From her papa's look, Violetia could tell her papa had suspected the fortune-telling mystic was, in fact, a thief. She followed her papa and ascended along the stairway, leaving the dark cellar behind. With Lord Amo pull of the lever, the bed slid down with rattling sound and hid the stairway.
Lord Amo and Violetia returned to the palace yard where he had slumbered during the eclipse. They wanted to inspect the area around the ritual.
"Did papa see that?" said Violetia as she pointed to something glittering just below the ritual table.
Her papa nodded and picked it up –
A dagger of the silver blade. On the golden handle, there was a simple inscription.
Those who hold this blade shall lead the golden equines.
"The Blade of the Alliance," said Lord Amo. "Crafted by Lord Kinma more than a hundred years ago."
"Papa, this blade is of utmost importance and only the leader can have it," said Violetia, as her papa nodded. "Since this important blade is here, maybe the theft…"
Before Violetia could continue, her papa was gritting with rage.
"Vertucour, you think you can run away with my half piece of treasure? Think again. I'm coming for you with lots of my armies. I can't wait to lay my wrath onto Imperiare. While you will beg for mercy, you will get none…"
"Papa." Violetia was startled by her papa's vow of vengeance.
"You'll regret the day you ever crossed Ziwo Amo!" said her papa, his voice shaken and he hit the ritual table with a loud bang, breaking it into halves.
"Papa!" Violetia was shocked as she held her papa's hand, hoping that her papa's hand was free of injuries. "It may be too rush…"
"What? Too rush?"
"The blade belongs to Vertocour, but the thief maybe not. This is what I want to say."
"Not him?" said Lord Amo. "Everyone in the Eastern Land knows he has the other half piece of treasure. Once he has both pieces, he can possess Invicta's legendary weapons and rule the world. Now that he had gotten away with my treasure and if I let him go away like that, more will come and take away my treasures."
"Papa," said Violetia.
"Violetia-dear," said Lord Amo as he placed his arm around Violetia's shoulder. "Papa know what to do. Papa shall teach Vertucour a lesson he would never forget."
Violetia was at a loss of word, she knew her papa wouldn't listen. Her papa was persistent. It was pointless to advise her papa. No one ever could change papa's decision; except for her mama. But her mama had left her and her papa many years ago.
Lord Amo made his way to the great hall, which was the largest building in the palace. Violetia followed by. Reaching there, he asked an attendant to call for a meeting. The attendant nodded and took a long wooden stick and hit the drum repeatedly, urging everyone to assemble in the great hall.
Then, Lord Amo made his way along the red carpet and Violetia followed by. From the entrance where they entered, they could see a marble throne and behind it, hung a huge black banner with a sigil of a white circle inside a red nine-pointed star. The lord ascended the nine landings to marble platform where his throne is and sat. In contrast, Violetia sat on a small bench below the platform. Both of them waited for Solluna's men to come.
Not long, every of Lord Amo's man appeared from the hall's side entrance. All wore in their standard black robe with marks of circles and crescents on it. They came in groups and were curious about what had happened to have been summoned. Nobody spokes the moment they entered the hall. Each stood at both side of the red carpet with their head facing down. No one dared to look at their lord. When Violetia turned to her papa, she noticed her papa's brows were knotted together, giving off an angry look on her papa's face.
Once all Lord Amo's men had come, he raised from his seat; so was Violetia. All his men kneed immediately and spoke in unison. "May my lord live as everlasting as the Heaven and Earth! Let the Solluna's banner stands up high in the Eastern Land!"
Though the greetings were lofty, Lord Amo didn't look please either. He was furious. The only thought he had was that his treasure had been stolen and theft had escaped. How could the thief manage to escape? And even skipped the heavily guarded palace, his own royal home? Violetia knew her papa would soon lay his heavy punishment on the guards that had neglected their duty.
"A theft had broken into my palace and escape with my treasure!" said Lord Amo. His voice was sure loud as thunder. "And to my surprise, he could escape undetected. How on Cyaia this could happen?"
Nobody dared to speak. The hall became silent but for the faint sound of heavy breathing. Everyone had sweats dripped from each forehead as though the temperature was scorching hot, yet the autumn air was chill.
"Who was in charge of guarding the palace and the city's gate at the time of Solar eclipse?" Lord Amo had a gaze of fury at his men, looking like a predator searching for its' prey.
"My lord," said a lady. The only thing special about the lady that she was not wearing the usual black robe but a crimson dress. Her face did not show any fear when she set her looks at Lord Amo. "What stolen has been stolen. There is no point to punish those who had unknowingly let the theft escape. Besides, at that time of Solar eclipse, it was dark and everyone was worried about the Sol. And also, the sky was dark, it is easy that the theft could escape."
Lord Amo changed his look when the lady was speaking, but his anger hadn't resided yet.
"I shall declare war with Imperiare tribe!" Lord Amo spoke out.
All his men were appalled at his sudden declaration.
"My lord," said the lady. "It is too rash to have a war without first knowing what had actually happened. This is not something to be taken lightly. This will destroy a hundred years of peace in the Land." The lady could still remain calm, although everyone was terrified.
"Vera Xin," said Lord Amo. "Don't ever think that your position here is a privilege to talk back to me like that!"
"My lord," said Vera. "Your humble follower never dares to think like that. My priority is to the Solluna and the people."
Lord Amo's anger seemed to have subsided a little following Vera's admission of her humility. "Well, Vertucour Imperiare had stolen my treasure piece. He was so absent-minded that he left his only relic to me." He took out a golden blade from his robe, showing to everyone in the hall. "The Blade of the Alliance."
"My lord," said Vera. "Maybe it is someone who wishes to have Solluna locked in a war with the Imperiare. So that he may gains…"
"Enough, Lady Xin!" Lord Amo was red with fury. His intensified voice made every Solluna's man trembling with sweat. Only her who dared to remonstrate and advise him. No one had the courage like Vera Xin.
"Papa," said Violetia. "Lady Xin may have a point."
"Enough, both of you!" said Ziwo, without looking at his daughter. "We will proceed with the war! An ally has given me a detailed map of Imperiare tribe. This shows the terrain and the defences. I have confidence that we can win."
"Papa, who is the ally?" said Violetia. "Can he be trusted?""
Ziwo, with his followers and Lady Xin, turned to Violetia. "Yes, my dear. He is a foe of Imperiare, and he would do anything to see it fall. That's the reason we can trust him."
"My lord, who is he actually?" said Vera. "He may also happen to be that theft…"
"Silence!" said Ziwo, "Talk no more. I shall declare war with Imperiare tribe! Prepare all men and resources. We shall depart tomorrow."
"But my lord," said one of the lieutenants. "How can we gather resources and men in a short time?"
Lord Amo gave him a quick gaze, and that jolted him. The lieutenant realised that he has spoken something wrong. Terribly wrong, that Lord Amo raised his hand, and the lieutenant rose as if something had tied his body, pulling him up. He struggled to break free from the invisible rope, but then he succumbed to the pain that he shouted an inhuman scream.
"My lord," said Lady Xin. "This man is a new officer in the palace. Please forgive him."
"Is that so?" said Lord Amo as he withdrew his hand.
The lieutenant dropped on the ground with a thud. His head was wet with sweat as his body was still quivering.
"There are people and resources in this city and more in the nearby villages. Take them if you must!" demanded Lord Amo.
"Yes, my lord!" All the followers answered together. It seemed that everyone had forced to go for war and rob every civilian for the war. In fact, no one was willing to go for this reckless war and moreover, no one ever dared to object their lord.
"The meeting dismisses!"
And Lord Ziwo descended from his throne and made his way to the entrance, passing before his trembling followers. "May my lord lives as eternal as the Sol and the Lune!" The words were giving out the tone of fear that even the blind could know everyone was shaking to their heart. Only when their lord had gone out, everyone stopped trembling and stood up.
Yet still, they were grave as though they were facing death like that lieutenant who was on the verge of death. They knew their lord was ill-tempered and always made terrible decisions without rational thought. Every decision Lord Amo had made was equivalent to leading them to suicide. Though Violetia and Vera still maintained smooth looks, they had worries which were unnoticed.
"Dear my fellow brethren," said Violetia. She stood from her bench to face her fellow brothers and sisters. "I shall persuade my papa to cancel his plan."
Violetia's words had given them renewed hope. They knew Violetia was the one that has blood relation with Lord Amo. She could do it, perhaps. Yet, Vera had an uncertain look at Violetia. "I hope that Sister Violetia could persuade my lord. That's our only hope."
Violetia nodded. "Don't worry, the lord is my papa."
When the Sol had painted the western sky red, Violetia had dinner alone in the dining chamber. Though the table was occupied with plates of delicious cuisine, she felt empty, and her feast was imperfect without her papa. Where was her papa? Her papa was so attended with the preparation that he had no time for rest. She sighed and could only wait for the right time to talk.
Once she finished her meal, she went to the palace yard. The sky was almost dark as the Sol had sunk beneath the horizon. She wished to see the silver stream at the night sky and so, she trod toward a pavilion.
Her papa was there, looking at the red western horizon. He sighed and then looked down.
"Papa think of mama again?"
Lord Amo turned toward Violetia which was in her usual lavender dress, looking perfectly elegant in her purplish hues. Ziwo smiled a warm nostalgia at the sight of his dear daughter.
"Yes, Violetia-dear, said Ziwo. "Papa misses your mama so much. You really look just like your mama. Beautiful like your mama… purple hair, violet eyes and snow-white skin." And Ziwo tipped his princess' chin with his thumb.
"I miss my mama," said Violetia. "If mama's still alive, we would be happy as yesteryears." Ziwo saw the nostalgic face on Violetia that he placed her hands on Violetia's cheek.
"I do miss Lavendia too," said Ziwo. "But what had gone is gone. We have to accept that Lavendia was gone. There's no way we could live as what we want."
"Papa, why is that?" said Violetia. "Solluna is like our big family. We could live happily as long if we wanted to."
"Violetia-dear, it not as simple as you think. There are enemies outside and inside Solluna. It's the enemies inside that is more dangerous. We can't live as what we want. We have to be very careful."
"Papa, you're right. What if the enemies had expected papa to go for war? Maybe the war was part of their plan. Papa, we can't ill afford for the rash war."
"Worry not, my dear. Papa had prepared everything," said Ziwo. He seemed to have confidence that he knew what he was doing, but that didn't really convince Violetia. "Lady Xin was the follower papa trusted with papa's life. She's loyal. You can help her with papa's affair when papa's away."
Sister Vera could be papa's most trusted follower. But what if a coup happens even when Lady Xin in charge? She couldn't dare to think if Sister Vera could handle it.
"No one dares attack papa since everyone fears papa. Papa knows. Only this byway, no one would dare to oppose us."
At that very second, Violetia gasped when she saw wisps of black vapour surrounded her papa. The smoke seemed to evaporate from Ziwo's pale white skin and disappeared into thin air. Violetia thought she was just imagining thing that she shut her eyes, shaking her head and then she when looked again… There was no black vapour. Perhaps, she was really just imagining things.
"Lavendia would have the same opinion as you, dear," said Ziwo. "And she would always make me change my decision. Your mama was betrayed by an ally when she tried to advise against an unworthy war. If your mama had never advised me, your mama would be still alive."
Violetia couldn't think of anything to say. She frowned when her papa used her mama to justify his decision. She had failed again to persuade her papa to change his decision. Perhaps her papa detected her change of grimace that her papa gave her one warm embrace.
"It's late, Violetia," said Ziwo, pulling himself out and looked at Violetia. "Papa need to rest so that papa can wake up early tomorrow."
And Ziwo greeted Violetia a good-night-sleep which she bade her papa the same. As Ziwo left her alone, she looked upward and spotted a silver stream that runs across the dark starry sky. "Mama, it's up to you."