The Sun.
The centre of the solar system. The point where life is born. The symbolism of goodness. The light that can resolve everything. The only thing that can bring solace, salvation, and happiness.
And that day, the sun above the Twelve Kingdoms was covered by the moon.
The moon. It is not even considered a planet. The scientists call it a satellite. Something that completely depends its existence on Earth. Something that is almost adhered to it and turns around it endlessly. It symbolizes a bad omen, if not evil itself. It symbolizes secrets and shadows. It unravels nothing and leaves numerous questions behind it. Indecipherable mysteries.
That morning in the Twelve Kingdoms, in Eastwood, the biggest city in the East, the Eclipse started.
The sky darkened rapidly. The bitter moon gradually devoured the bright sun. Secrets covered the truth.
And that morning was the last peaceful one that the Realm ever had.
The eclipse soon reached the capital, Reysun, in the South, and soon after to Shadowcliff, in the North, and Westend, in the West.
King Dante II, The Erudite, stood in the sill of the large window in his chamber, with his hands in his temples, lost in his endless thoughts.
The eclipse had scared him. An eclipse was never a good omen, much less now, now that the royal doctors had given him two months of life maximum.
The sickness was feasting on his orally and he was more than certain that death was approaching him, much to his denial.
Since he learned about his dire health situation, there was only one thought occupying his mind, never leaving him to sleep at night.
Who would succeed him after his death? Or, better, which daughter would?
His thoughts travelled to his six daughters for the hundredth time in three days, questioning himself again and again about who could pose the best candidate for his mighty throne.
His eldest daughter, Roslyn, was born and raised in the North. Her mother, Rael, was the leader and the queen of the Free Women, a race of female warriors who were travelling and hunting in the northern forests. Dante had met Rael when he was still a Prince. The only thing he desired back then, was to travel and observe the world with his own eyes. It was in one of those voyages where he met that gorgeous maiden. And when she told him she was pregnant with his child, he pledged to marry her. And so he did. However, Rael couldn't bare the life in the Palace. She hated the glamorous dresses, the disgustingly good manners, the numerous servants. Hence, when Roslyn was just six months old, Rael took her in her arms, stole a horse, and rode back to the North. She gave her child a second name that night. Xael. It was unthinkable for a warrior born to be called Roslyn, she had said in her last letter to him.
Dante couldn't prevent her from leaving. He didn't send any soldiers after her. He let her go with a secret hope of her returning. But that never happened.
Therefore, he moved on to a second wedding. He married Raven Oak from Ravenhill, the only daughter of Raigon Oak, the former wealthiest man in the Twelve Kingdoms. Ravenhill was the capital of the Thieves' Isle, an island that used to be a cavern of notorious thugs. Now the only resemblance between them and their descendants was their strong acidity.
Raven Oak was an amazingly intelligent woman, with two sparkling, emerald eyes. Their wedding took place with every possible luxury and majesty. Nine months later, his second daughter came into the world. They named her Nymeria, but her nun called her Pandora, because her eyes were at the same time capable of good and evil.
He had many happy moments with Raven and Nymeria, but fate hit him hard. Princess Raven felll sick and surrendered her spirit before Nymeria became a year old. Immediately, Prince Dante had ordered for her to be sent to her grandparents to the Thieves' Isle. The Capital wasn't the best of places for a motherless girl.
His third wedding happened only when he was crowned King and needed a queen by his side as the protocols suggested. His bride was Athira Weller, daughter of Phineas Weller of Perlor, the fourth biggest city of the Realm. She gave him a daughter again, and they named her Yvette after his mother, and Ysabelle after hers. This wedding, though, didn't last for long since the queen died from consumption and little Yvette was taken to Perlor, where she lived the biggest part of her life. He was told that she got married with the Duke of Menster's son and heir, a very important man, and that she would soon give birth to their first child.
She is already preparing an heir. What is better for the continuation of our dynasty?
But then he thought about his daughter from his fourth marriage, Liana Castelle, daughter of Braiton Castelle, his First Minister. The only fruit of that wedding was an unbelievably beautiful girl, who looked more like a princess from a fairyrale. She strongly resembled her mother and many believed that she would make a suitable queen. They named her Venus, after the Latin name of Aphrodite, and Ambrosia, because she looked like a real goddess. They wanted her name to have a touch of immortality. And later, when Liana took her own initiative and chose to live in a convent and give up in public life, he didn't stop her and kept Venus with him, in the Palace.
Of course there was a fifth wedding for him. This time the bride was from the West. The Princess of the West herself, the renounced Ovia Aragon, who undoubtedly was one of the fairest and richest maidens on the Realm. Together they had a daughter, whom they named Adele Gaelle, and resembled him more than any of his previous daughters. Just two months after her birth, the Queen got pregnant again and everyone thought that this time it was time for the coveted son that they were expecting for years. However, in the fifth month of her pregnancy, Queen Ovia had a miscarriage and laid her last breath due to uncontrollable bleeding.
The King was inconsolable, especially when they informed him that the dead baby was a boy.
After all those tragic events on his life, King Dante didn't want to marry again, no matter how hard his counsellors pushed him by bringing him new proposals from various lords inside and outside of the Realm. He kindly declined each one.
Adele was sent to Westend, to her grandmother, Azelia Aragon, a very strict and cruel woman.
He lived some months alone, to grieve for his wife and get drowned into despair and discontent. But, when he travelled North again, a former friend of his knocked on his heart again. Love. He fell in love with Ember Andalon, the gorgeous daughter of Lord Robert of Winterwall, the Princess of the North and married her soon after she announced her pregnancy. Some months later, she gave birth to a perfectly healthy girl. At the beginning, he didn't even want to see her, he thought that the gods were too cruel to him, that he would never have a son. So, he burst all his anger onto an infant. But, when he finally accepted her existence, and actually paid her a look, he forgot all about his stubbornness. This child was a wonder. She carried the indescribable beauty of her mother, and yet someone could see his characteristics on her, especially the fire of Erudite and Curiosity on her crystal blue eyes. They named her Phoebe, a name suitable for her fairness and majestic figure.
His marriage with Ember was full of happiness, love and sweetness. She was pregnant again, the royal doctors sweared that she was carrying twins, and everyone expected a son, a true heir to the throne. The King coudn't be happier. But, sadness hit him again with a new wave. Some councils with bad intentions, and vile members of the Court started planting a despicable idea in his idea. That the Queen had been having an affair with the Duke of Somerset, See Andrew Pennerd, one of the most trusted advisors and friends to the King. They claimed that they had caught them on act and that the twins that she was carrying were bastards of the duke. The King grew utterly upset. He called for witnesses. All of them were paid to lie to him. And they all confirmed that abominable story to him. Therefore, in an explosion of jealousy and sorrow, he ordered See Andrew's beheading and Ember's death on the pyre, after her constant torture in the central square of the capital for a while day. The innocent woman died in screams of pain, cries about the injustice that was done to her, and accusations about the true traitors, who were still alive and rejoicing at her death.
When everything ended, King Dante had ordered for Princess Phoebe to be transformed to a deserted island, the Isle of the Hermit. He said goodbye to her in tears, and sent his most trusted servant, Lady Britta, with her. Lady Britta took two trusted ladies with her, Kora and Gracen, to help her achieve her purpose as best as she could; Gracen was accompanied by her husband, Veren, and all four of them had a single task; to raise Phoebe and make her a suitable queen. His last daughter was now called Ina and no one had ever revealed her who she really was, while she was growing up in the Isle of the Hermit, isolated from the rest of the world.
King Dante looked outside his window. The eclipse was not over yet. He sighed audibly, but with an obvious determination.
I will write to them. I will write to all of them. I will summon them to the Palace, requesting their presence as soon as possible. And here, I will teach them how to rule the Kingdoms, how to become great leiges. I will prepare them all equally. May the best win the throne after I die.
He instantly called for his Lord Secretary, Cromwel, and dictated him a letter, that would be copied and sent to six different parts of the Realm. To the six sisters.
Long Live The Queen!
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