At the break of dawn, when the rays of the sun are slowly shining upon the Empire, devoted followers of the Church of Light perform a sacred ceremony to give glory to sun God and be worthy to receive and use their powers.
From the first Saintess, Avanna Aurron, lots and lots of people in the Empire had been dedicating their life to serve. All of those who had witnessed the miracles performed by the Saintess believed that the way of Life should be by the church and have lost faith in the Imperial family. However, ever since the Avione was born, no public display of healing magic has taken place. Some believed that the Church's close relations to their God has been affected severely. They believed that the birth of the princess caused Helios to curse their land and restrain their powers.
Since then, for fifteen years, only low rank magic spells and rituals are done and the public has never seen the Saintess ever again.
As early as 7 in the morning, Avione arrived at the Church and immediately requested to speak with the Saintess. People inside the monastery were cut off from their daily prayers from her arrival. She wore a flowy dress with light blue ruffles and green outer layers, fit for someone who'd be inside such a sacred place. But even with proper clothing and proper etiquette, the eyes of the people looking at her screamed "curse".
A few seconds more when a man wearing a white robe laced with gold, stating his position in the church, approached her. "G-Greetings to the star of the Empire, I, Edevon the head priest humbly welcomes the Princess Avione Silvaine Aurron." he bows down, "What can I do for your highness?"
Whispers resounded from the people who had been previously kneeling, and she couldn't help but laugh at their actions. "Edevon, I don't think these people know respect. Or are they all higher than me in status?"
Grimace spread across the room like wildfire, each one of the followers cowered with their heads down, "GREETINGS TO THE STAR OF THE EMPIRE, WE GREET THE PRINCESS AVIONE SILVAINE AURRON!" they loudly greeted, waiting for the acknowledgement from the princess of their empire.
"I don't think the Empress would like it that much if this happened again. Remember, I am still your princess." she said, putting emphasis on her last word. "Edevon, I would like an audience with the Saintess. Please take me to her."
Edevon reluctantly nodded, "Right away, your highness."
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"I am simply following the wishes of the Church's followers." Aviella Valentina Aurron, the twin sister of Empress Avery and the current reigning Saintess of the Empire, answered. Her hair tied back behind a golden veil and her face wrinkled and unusually older than her age. Compared to her twin sister, she looked
"Forgive me, your holiness, but your answer is a bit confusing to me as I've known that the Saintess is the highest form and the most absolute being in the Church. How come you say that you are abiding by the wishes of these people?"
True enough, the head of the Church has always been the Saintess which is why it is very intriguing that the actions taken by Aviella are someone else's wishes.
The older female rose up from her knees, muttering a farewell phrase to the statue of Helios shone down by the blazing sun. "I don't think your mother would allow these words to come from me, your highness."
Avione's brows furrowed from the recent remarks she had received from her aunt. As early as she can remember, her mother had never cared for her after she'd been able to walk. The older maids who worked for the Empress became her baby sitters and from then on, her own mother never approached her like a parent.
She did come to see her, on days that there are official affairs in the Empire she had to participate before. The same could be sad about her father. The lady in waiting of the Empress before, Lady Hildegard once told her that the pair had been very excited before she was born. The two wanted to see her as soon as she was born but now, a scoff was the only appropriate reaction to such comments.
And indeed, a light scoff came from Avione's mouth whose eyes stayed glued on the figure walking towards her. "Her majesty never cared for me, let alone have any time to deal with things said to her daughter. You need not worry about that, Saintess."
"Your birth shook the Empire more than you know, Avione. Your mother had just been Empress for 5 years when she had you and it burdened her so much that she had to sacrifice a lot of things." Aviella spoke gently, her voice calming as if it could easily put you to sleep, however sadness coated her words.
Avione wanted to know if she still even cared about her parents, but for someone who has been neglected and left alone by the two, one would eventually grow tired of wanting their attention. "I am here only to ask about the divination that would take place on my crowning ceremony, I couldn't care less if my mother or my father had given something up for me. I couldn't care less."
A sigh escaped the older woman's mouth, "Very well. Follow me"
The two females walked along the halls inside the monastery, people and followers offering smiles and thanks to the Saintess while hate and disdain is what Avione received. Soon enough they reached a secluded place located just beneath a hidden flight of stairs, the elder female's fingertip glowing.
"Your holiness-"
"You may refer to me as your aunt, your highness."
"Then please refer to me as simply Avione too, auntie."
Accepting the offers of informality between them, Aviella nodded, "What is it you were going to ask about?"
"That," replied Avione, pointing at the majestic glow coming from her Aunt's finger. The light seemed all too familiar in feeling and somehow, an impulse to touch it came over her. "Is that magic, auntie?"
Taking steps down carefully, the bright haired female chuckled at the curious question her own niece have asked. "From how you are reacting, I suppose Avery told you that she was never able to wield magic."
"Precisely what she said."
At the end of the staircase, is a large door engraved with mysterious symbols all around. The princess examined the faint bright light coming from each symbol on the stone. From a bit of reading in the Royal Library, some of the letters were used to symbolize historical events and people throughout the history of the Empire.
Seeing the brows of her niece furrowed, Aviella knew that the girl had seen the ancient scriptures on the walls. "Would you like to try reading that?"
Avione's golden orbs squinted, barely making out what the symbols read, "Sol, salvator et lux mea, audi vocem meam et esto robur meum, nam ego cum tua luce pugnabo malum?" she said intonation changing in the end, "Did I read it right...."
The answer to her question was immediately answered when the place rumbled, debris falling from above as the door slowly opened itself to them. "I'm impressed. Even your grandmother had never learned how to read the ancient symbols founded by the God for the empire. I must say, you keep on surprising me, child."
A room filled with scrolls embedded with gold and seeming thin line of light wrapped around each one, tools and equipment used for alchemy and books that had never seen the outside world for decades. Avione took a step amazed by the view before her. "Auntie, what is this place?"
'Did Margaret knew of this? Has she been inside this place and read every single book here?' Worry clouded Avione's mind, wanting to get every piece of knowledge she can get in order to escape her determined fate. She wasn't even sure if deviating from her previous steps would mean that Margaret would never enter her life.
"The previous saintess, my aunt told me a story before I was the lady of monastery. She said that the God we worship, the one who gave us powers had left books filled with spells only the worthy can use." the elder woman stood in front of a large book, placed in the center of the room and opened it. "This place would've been impossible to enter without the blessing of our God."
"I am having troubles understanding what you meant."
"If you are having doubts whether you will be my successor, this can be a form of assurance that the power I have been using for years are running in your veins, Avione."
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Her visit at the Church left Avione dazed for the rest of the day. Even while she sat in front of her mother and father during dinner, all she could do is blankly eat the food on her place. Her mind was occupied with what her Aunt told her that she accepted the invite for dinner from the Empress who had never done that before for the past 15 years.
"Do you not like the food?"
"...."
"Avione, is the food not to your liking?"
Surprised by the loud voice of her mother, Avione flinched before wiping her mouth gently with a napkin. "The food is okay, your majesty."
"I see."
Silence again ruled inside the room. The servants present inside the room including Rowena felt the heavy atmosphere and wanted to get out for their own good, but for someone who had to serve the Imperial family, one would never dare. The clanging of the utensils and the sound of the knife scratching the porcelain plate where the food lies were the only sounds audible.
Until the Empress cleared her throat, "I have heard that you visited Aviella." she says, putting down the fork and knife she held. "Did you talk to her about your crowning ceremony?"
"Yes." replied the princess, taking a small sip from the juice prepared in front of her, "I asked her if she would be able to attend my ceremony, and Auntie said that she'd make some arrangements to make it possible."
"Auntie?" Avery asked.
"Yes, auntie Aviella." she replied and pushed away the empty plate before rising up from her seat. "I apologize but I would have to excuse myself early, your majesties. I am exhausted from the trip." Avione bowed slowly and turned her back from her parents.
Avione maintained a stiff expression on her face. Not until she heard the door closing behind her did she released a sigh. 'What are they up to? Inviting her to eat dinner with them? Was it a bad idea to visit the Empress? Why are they suddenly acting like this?'
Arriving at her chambers, Avione changed into a comfortable night gown and surrendered herself to the soft cushion of her bed. The fatigue from constantly thinking about her death and the fact that she had the power was enough to lull the tired girl to sleep.
The light of the moon entered from the balcony and through the glass windows, as a strong gush of wind opened it. Letting it a figure of a woman with keys and clocks dangling from all over her body. She floated slowly to the sleeping figure of the princess and gently placed her hand on top of the female's head.
"You better not die this time child, your missions remains unfinished."