I walked away from them both and went back to my shared room. I grabbed the thick, leather, black journal from the floor to put it on the shelf. My uncle has always been mysterious, quiet. He's friendly toward everyone, but remotely never opens up about himself. I let go of the book and moved my hand inches away. A quick hesitation like this could ruin our relationship. I dropped my head and took the book off the shelf. A quick decision like this could shatter our foil thin bond. I clenched my teeth and eyes and threw the book on the desk. A crisp edging itched out of the journal.
A quick whistle tugged it out. An old picture slumped to the floor. With skin as pale and bright as a full moon, and long, black hair to her ankles, a beautiful woman was artistically painted on. Being average in height, she stood graciously and playfully next to a spotted horse. She was happily laughing, while feeding the animal. In her other hand, she dangled a gold helmet.
The brightest yellow vines growing on the intact stone column showed me that this was prior to the war. I've never seen that type of greenery. It was beautiful. Many trees lined up against the columns connected to a pristine gate.
Who is she? A previous lover to uncle? My mother never told me about any significant others to uncle and since her death, he has shown zero interest in others. Is it because of this woman? Or was this an unrequited love?
Looking back away from the background, I looked at the core in detail. The dark horse tail was scattered around as if he was wagging. The halter's buckle was an emblem of the fallen royal family. A single branch of Olea Europaea growing vertically. A focused owl perched on the branch, whereas a snake is wrapped at the end hiding. No one really discussed what happened before the war. They only ever talk about Empress Athena and what she contributed to the unity of the clans. No one talked about her downfall. No lessons at the academy teaches about the royal family. Only books in the academic library do. That, and my mother. The difference is her title.
I have heard rumors, fairytales, superstition and more about the queen who ruled all lands and races with her own power with peace. I heard how she taught everyone skills to survive. My mother told me she took pride in education and agriculture. When war among the clans were about to break out, she was always able to stop it with wise words. I heard so many stories of a dead woman. When I was younger, my mother told me about how the Goddess stopped war between the zombies and goblin just by an allegory about a bowl of pears.
If I ask Theo about any of this, he will be suspicious. Was this an unrequited love, as I expected? Is this a member of the fallen family? This elf was beautiful. Not many elves can reach this type of secular beauty. This could be her, or even someone closely related. At bars, I used to hear about how all the females were envious and all the males were in awe over the royal family. It couldn't be that Theo was in love with the Empress or her family? His position was raised after the war. That must have been heart breaking for him to be the authority now when it amounted to nothing. She's dead. The entire royal family are dead.
I put the picture back, loosely in a crack of the book. Confused, I read the filled pages. This book never wrote in first person and was directly writing to a lover. Skimming through pages, the writer had become attached to a being that was out of his own reach, even though he knew he had her. He loved her. Only the ended paragraph was ended in first person. I flipped to the end of the note, and read,
"My life, I pray that the Isle and our family are safe and well. I know that our people will protect you while I am away. Soon enough, everyone will have forgotten the Kenel'vich clan. Need not worry. We will arrive home soon enough, to see both of my radiance. I know that I have written to you that worrying would be needless, but I can worry for you and our friends. All your safeties. I know that you all are the strongest in combat and tact, but I wish I could be there with you. To write the truth, I am anxious about our beloved friend. Ever since our voyage to Arana to retrieve your first half of the Principles Disobedience, he has begun to behave bizarrely. He expresses himself with superiority. He speaks with insolence. Both to everyone, including I. I will give you this journal as I have given you all my completed works after each separation. If the plan deters, our beloved friend will surely hand this to you, for it has stories of our love and our moments. I will be home soon enough. Love, Your Commoner."
Someone persistently knocked on the locked door. I forced the journal close and whistled it between the stacked books on the desk. I shouted, "one second please."
Hearing the locked turn, I shrugged a coat over me. Theo walked in and questioned me quickly, "Why was this locked?"
Seriously. I rolled me eyes, "I was getting dressed."
He dropped his weapon nicely, "for what?"
"I wanted to go to the top deck to see the night sky." Before he could reply, I ran past him and went straight to where I told him.