Enchantra lay in bed, his eyes closed as he drifted into a deep sleep. He dreamed of the past, a time when he was still just a young man and his world was much simpler. In the dream, he remembered the first day when he met Nebula, the woman who would change his life forever.
He saw himself as a young man, barely out of his teens, standing before a young woman he had never met before.
The woman was Nebula, the daughter of a powerful duke and Enchantra's own cousin. They were to be married, a union arranged by their families to cement an alliance.
Enchantra approached Nebula, unsure of what to say. She looked up to him, her eyes guarded. „So, you're the prince," she said, her tone cool.
„Yes," Enchantra replied. „And you're the duke's daughter."
„I am" Nebula said, with a nod. „I suppose we should get to know each other. We'll be married soon enough."
Enchantra was surprised by her matter-of-fact-tone. He had expected resistance, perhaps even anger, at being forced into a marriage she didn't want. Instead, she seemed to accept the arrangement with a certain resignation.
„I suppose we should," Enchantra said, feeling a twinge of guilt. He had never wanted to be a pawn in a political game, but he had no choice in the matter.
The days leading up to the wedding passed in a blur. Enchantra stood at the altar, the priest reciting the vows. Nebula stood beside him, a beautiful woman with dark long hair and piercing blue eyes. Her face was expressionless, as if she was feeling nothing at all.
„Do you, Enchantra, take Nebula to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the priest asked.
„I do," Enchantra said, his voice barely audible.
Nebula's father, the duke, leaned in close to him. „Remember, Enchantra, our families are now united. You will do everything in your power to keep this alliance strong."
Enchantra nodded, but he felt like he was suffocating. He looked over at Nebula, who was still expressionless.
The ceremony continued, the vows exchanged, and soon they were pronounced man and wife. As they walked down the aisle, Nebula's father pulled Enchantra aside.
„I expect great things from you, Enchantra. My daughter is a powerful woman, with the ability to create illusions. She will be a valuable asset to our family. Use her wisely."
…
His dream then shifted, letting him relive the events that led up to the alliance with his brother. He was young, but he still remembered the fear and uncertainty he felt at the time.
He was in the throne room, speaking with his eldest brother, the future king. His brother was speaking about the need for a strong alliance, for someone to help him defeat his other brothers, who sought the crown for themselves.
Enchantra looked at his brother and spoke, „I'm not sure if I'm the right person for the job. I don't possess the skill nor the strength to take on our brothers."
His brother replied, „You underestimate yourself, Enchantra. You have the mind and the cunning to outwit them. And with your love for invention, you could create weapons that could give us an advantage in the war."
Enchantra thought about it, and then he remembered his wife, Nebula. She possessed the power of illusions, and he could incorporate that into his weapons. He replied, „I do have an idea, but I'll need Nebula's help."
Her ability inspired him, and he knew he could create something powerful with her by his side.
…
Years passed and the war between his brother and his opposing siblings raged on. He had a breakthrough and succeeded in creating weapons with the illusions, thanks to Nebula's powers.
Enchantra stood before his eldest brother, eager to share his last invention. „Brother, I have something that will turn the tides of this war," he said with pride in his voice.
„What is it?" asked the eldest prince with a look of curiosity.
„I have created a weapon that uses the power of illusions. My wife, Nebula, has the ability to create them and I have incorporated it into our weapons. It can make our enemies see what we want them to see, leading them to fight each other."
The eldest prince was impressed. „This could be the edge we need in this war. I want you to go on a mission, gather all of our opposing brothers, and show them the full power of this weapon."
Enchantra agreed and set out on his mission, confident in his plan. He gathered his brothers, still pretending to be in an alliance with them, and gathered them into the grand hall.
„Look who has decided to grace us with his presence," one of the brothers sneered, „the weak one without any elemental magic."
Enchantra stood at the entrance of the grand room, where his brothers were gathered. They were sitting at a long table, discussing battle plans for the upcoming battle. As he approached, the second-eldest brother motioned for him to come closer.
„Enchantra, come here. We have much to discuss." said the second-eldest brother.
Enchantra approached the table and stood at the opposite end, looking at his four brothers. The third-eldest brother sneered at him.
„What is he doing here?" he asked, looking at the other three brothers. „He's not strong enough to fight in the war."
„That's not true," the second-oldest said, defending his youngest brother. „Enchantra has been working hard to create weapons that will give us an advantage on the battlefield."
„Ha! What weapons could he possibly create?" the third-oldest said, laughing.
Enchantra remained quiet, not letting their taunts to get to him. He had been working tirelessly on his weapons and was confident that they would change the outcome of the war.
„Enchantra, what have you created?" one of the other two brothers asked.
„I have created a weapon unlike anything you have ever seen before," Enchantra said, pulling out a small orb from his pocket. „This weapon creates illusions that can confuse and disorient our enemies. My enemies."
„Illusions?" the third-oldest brother said, rolling his eyes. „What good will that do to us?"
„Trust me, brothers," Enchantra said, letting the orb balance in his hand. „These weapons will give me the advantage to win the war."
As he spoke, he pointed the weapon at his brothers and activated the illusion. The room was filled with a bright light, and when it faded, the brothers were surrounded by creatures of their greatest fears, causing them to turn against each other blind in panic.
The room was filled with the sounds of shouting and clanging steel, but Enchantra stood back, watching as his brothers destroyed each other. When it was over, he emerged victorious, the only one left standing. He looked down his weapon, a smile spreading across his face. He had finally succeeded.
…
Enchantra had returned from the mission, filled with pride and satisfaction after successfully deceiving his brothers and turning them against each other. However, his mood quickly changed when he saw his eldest brother in the company of a familiar woman, Charmica.
Enchantra was taken aback. „What is she doing here?" he asked his eldest brother.
„She's here because I decided to marry her," the eldest brother replied matter-of-factly.
„Marriage? To her?" Enchantra was shocked. Charmica was a commoner, and not worthy of becoming part of the royal family. More importantly, she was the lover of one of his now-dead enemy brothers.
„Yes, to her. She is a strong woman, and I see a lot of potential in her," the eldest brother explained.
„But, she was the lover of our enemy. How can you even consider this?" Enchantra asked, his tone becoming heated.
„That is not important," the eldest brother replied calmly. „What is important is that she is now mine, and will become part of our family."
Enchantra couldn't believe what he was hearing. He and his eldest brother had always been close, but this decision caused a rift between them.
„I cannot support this," Enchantra said firmly. „This will only bring shame and dishonor to our family."
„Your objections have been noted," the eldest brother said with a dismissive wave of his hand. „But my mind is made up. Charmica will become my queen, and that is final."
And with that, the disagreement between Enchantra and his brother was set in stone.
…
Enchantra woke up with a start, sweat beading on his forehead. He was still in the midst of the disagreement with his eldest brother about Charmica. He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream.
But as he sat up, he couldn't help but think of the last mission his brother had given him. To remain in the west and stop any potential rebels who opposed his brother's rule. It was a task that he took seriously, but also one that kept him away from the center of the kingdom and his family.
Enchantra sighed, getting out of bed and getting dressed for the day. He couldn't help but think of Nebula, his wife, and the life they had built together in the west. Despite the distance from the rest of the kingdom, they had found happiness in each other.
But as he thought of the upcoming conference with his brother, he couldn't shake the feeling that their disagreement was far from over. He just hoped that this time, they could find a resolution and move forward, together.
The conference with his brother was coming up, and he had to prepare for it. He didn't know how to approach the situation, but he knew he had to keep his emotions in check. He again reminded himself that he is a diplomat and a peacekeeper, and that he needed to be calm and collected in order to succeed in the conference.
…