Under the magnolia tree there is a boy by himself, he could not sleep that day that he stay up all night. At dawn, he stepped out of his humble hut and the sunrise made him smile.
Maybe he wasn't that sleepy, or he did and the sight of blossoming flowers early that morning made him twist and turn and he denied sleeping.
He wrapped his tiny body with a worn out mantel and taking a 5 minutes walk toward a magnolia tree. His feet was working non stop these past weekdays that not only his feets that are in pains, his waist is throbbing that he couldn't stand properly so he decided to sit down and lay his back on the tree.
He sighed. His felt calm as he watches the sun rays reflection on the lake in front of him, he wanted to smile but the muscles on his face ignored his desire.
As he looked down, he see his trembling fingers, they were full of tiny scars. He sighed and clasped his palm together so he stays warm.
"I need to stay healthy" he is not afraid to be sick, he is not that childish needed an adult to attend him when he is sick, he is worried his fund won't be enough for his meals the very next days deducted from his medicine.
He used to stock few medicines, but after several years medical needs became pricey that he went to mountain to get similar herbs for his cough.
The length between the mountain and his hut is too far, it will be pass the afternoon once he get off from the mountain. His weak body won't tolerate that much, what if he faint from hunger.
"mother" He closes his eyes and began to cry. If only he is not a coward, he would jump into the lake and drown himself, he did it few times and couldn't do it because it was suffocating.
"auuuu" A wolf peeked though him behind the tree callung for his owner. "come here" when he opened arm, the young wolf understand and leap into him.
"who is a good boy" He snuggles Ieogo wouldn't let it go though the wolf struggles in his hug.
"ermm, what is this?" he notices a slight burn on the wolf fur.
"where were you?" he let it go.
"Auuu.." Iego running in circle. The taint was not only of the on his head, but also on Iego's lower body especially his paws. He couldn't imagine this wolf trespasses the maids' residence if he wasn't the one bringing it along, and his hut is too humble to have a chimney.
Unless, his heart is breathing fast as he dashed into the abandoned mansion without stopping. Maybe he was wrong, how did the mansion get into fire? That mansion was abandoned but forbidden for servants, he knew that because he's the only person who could go inside using a hidden chamber.
What if someone broke inside and accidentally burn the mansion? Is it the king's doing? He won't let it happen, he will kill himself if the last memories of his mother vanish this time, he don't care.
Huff!
"No-" he plopped to the ground. It was already late when he arrived. The whole mansion including the magnolia trees is in fire.
"No!" most of his mother's belongings is still there although she's been dead for five years. Her attires, her accessories, bed, paintings, the Queen's portrait, the tiny pot of flowers she left behind that he watered everyday is now gone.
"Ieogo, are you all right?" The wolf must have play inside of the mansion when when the fire was not huge, he must be mad if he think it was Ieogo that causes the fire,
The wolf was too quiet unlike before. He he turned around but the wolf wasn't there. He was playing with something among bushes.
"Ieogo? What you got there boy?" sniffing he patted his wolf while bending over to see inside the bushes. A round object could be seen hidden and Ieogo was pulling it with its paws.
The wolf whimp to his owner as if if he wants him to get the thing out. He let go of the grip on his mantel and reach for the round thing.
"what?" he frowned, it was rather heavy and the thing is stuck between the bushes, what caused it to stuck was none other than the string attached to the round object.
He looked at his wolf, there's a blood smeared on his mouth, his hand still holding Ieogo's plaything. In the middle of screening,
"bloody hell!" He threw the round object above his head realizing the round thing was the head of a beheaded woman with long hair. Ieogo too freaked out and jumped far away from the scene.
He couldn't believe it, was it a hallucination because he is too tired? Not a single smoke, not debris in the air, there's no fire the begin with, in fact the mansion is still in tact.
Right now, Ieogo too dissappeared from his sight, he tried to call the wolf but he forgot his name? When did he raise a wolf to begin with? His father hated animals, that's why Lukas hated him.
Thump,
Since when it get dark? The morning just started it should be broad daylight. His vision focuses on the detached corpse on the grass because recognised the pendant on the corpse he saw his father put it on the Queen's head last year as a gift.
No doubt, the only woman with black hair in this palace
Wisterian people are trendy with fashion including dyeing their hair in various colour but not black.
He touched the end of the woman's hair taking out the pendant but he stop mid way as something troubles him, his hands were free of scars. Unlike before, including his clothes his body felt fit.
"what is the meaning of this?" the head rolled to him, the more he stepped back, the quicker the half burnt head coming to him.
Sometimes they are closed, sometimes the eyes are opened, some other times the eyeballs are moving searching for his whereabout and rolling until it touches his feet.
"guarhhh" surprised the pendant fell from his fingers. Never in life he would imagine he will looked away from Thalia's gaze.
"Arghhh!" unknown forces lit the head on life including paralysed body. He couldn't moved so he called out for Lukas. He keep on screaming with fire burning every inch of his skin until his throat became sore and couldn't let out any sound.
Drip,
Drip,
Drip..
Water droplets fall from the sky dripping only where he stands, something wet and cold perch on his head. A presence of someone huge sat next him which meant he is in a lying condition.
"is he all right?" it was his father all along he was talking to Clarity Robane whose wiling his forehead with a damp towel.
"I hope so" Lukas grabbed his son's hand stroking his tiny prince's finger while sobbing. Clarity Robane patted the crying king and tell him everything will be all right.
"I gave him the sunrise, nothing could ever wrong with it, the crown prince is in a good hand"
"Her grace would be here soon, she have the rest of the sunshine if this is not enough" said clarity Robane.
Mother? What is he talking about? He killed mother and tell my father she's on the way to meet me? I need to tell him the dead guard under the willow tree, the ugly woman that wanted to eat me. I need to tell him