POV Charmica Aethos
After the Enrollment of the Silvermist School of Magic, Queen Charmica found herself lost in her thoughts. She contemplated the recent plans and the next steps of the plan of rule. In 12 years, there would be a competition, where everyone, regardless of their social status, could participate. The Competition would be fierce, and Charmica knew that only the most talented and strongest would make it to the end. The winner would be rewarded with a marriage to one of her children, the princes or the princess, and this was something that worried her. Everyone can win the competition, even commoners, as they may have the ability to compete with the nobles. She is the best example of that.
Charmica sat in the carriage, next to the king and their children. She looked over to Watson, her eldest son, who was barely five years old, and he looks out of the window, lost in thought. She can't help but feel a pang of guilt when she looked at him. She had resigned him to a life of mediocrity. Watson was not talented, and he would struggle with the geniuses that would come his way. As his mother, it pains her deeply to think that Watson may not have the same opportunities to carve his own path in life, and instead, might be forced to follow in her footsteps- a path that she herself did not choose and that has left her with a bitter taste in her mouth.
If the worst came to pass, and one of her own children had to be sacrificed in the competition, she knows that Watson would likely be the best option of the princes. But she wants him to have the freedom and power to pursue his own passions and dreams, to choose his own destiny, rather than being forced into a marriage that may not be of his own choosing, simply because it deserves the interests of the ruling class. Instead, she wanted him to find true love, something that even she herself doesn't have anymore.
After all the years that she is queen, Charmica still doesn't have the full trust of her people, and she doesn't care to have it. She despises the people for what they did, and forgiveness is something she cannot give. She is neither a part of the nobility nor the commoner faction. The manipulation of the king through her charm is just one of the ways in which Charmica exerts her power, causing significant disadvantages for the commoners. Charmica never desired to be accepted by the people, as she believes they do not deserve her. Her true love, the second oldest prince, Prince Zephyra, who is now dead, is the reason she thinks that. He is the reason for Charmica's current state, and also the origin of her hatred and existence. Only because of him, she lives and didn't die in the war for the crown, against the man who is now by her side.
Zephyra's kindness was known throughout the kingdom, and many people respected and loved him for it. He treated everyone with respect, regardless of their social status. He had a unique perspective on life and didn't discriminate against commoners like other royals. In fact, he even fell in love with Charmica, a commoner, and didn't let her status come between them.
Unlike his brothers, Zephyra recognized Enchantra's potential and never underestimated him. He believed that Enchantra was in cooperation with Glaciana, the current king. As the war escalated, Zephyra took a defensive position and prepared for his possible defeat. He didn't want Charmica to be part of the war, so he asked her to stay away from it.
Charmica, who loved Zephyra deeply, understood his fears of losing the war. She decided to take matters into her own hands and charm Glaciana to keep him out of the war. Her efforts were successful. Glaciana, being the opportunist that he was, saw the advantage in this and sent Enchantra to finish the war instead.
After Enchantra killed the brothers and the war was over, Charmica came into the hall and saw Zephyra dead on the ground, stabbed with his own sword. She was devastated, as he had told her the night before that she would become queen, and now he was gone. She wept bitterly, her eyes filled with sorrow and emptiness.
She wept through the night, her tears an unceasing river of grief, until her eyes were raw and her throat ached. She cried until the morning sun rose. Only then did she realized that she couldn't cry anymore.
She remembered Zephyra's last will for her and remained by Glaciana's side. She became the queen, and the kingdom cheered for their new ruler. But unlike Zephyra, who would be a kind ruler, Glaciana never showed sympathy towards them. Despite this, they didn't care about who became king as long as there was peace after all the terrifying years of war.
Charmica felt a burning anger inside her towards both the commoners and nobility.
Despite manipulating and deceiving everyone to try to improve her situation and do whatever it took to maintain her position as queen, she was still not accepted as the rightful queen, making her hold on the throne fragile. In order to solidify her position, she gave birth to three children: Watson, Galadriel and Leni.
As years passed, a small group of people grew tired of the monarchy and started a rebellion. They were fed up with the poverty and discrimination they had endured for way too long, and were willing to fight for their freedom and against oppression.
However, the majority of the population remained hesitant to start another war. They had been through enough turmoil and suffering, and were relieved when the royalty began making efforts to establish a peaceful kingdom.
…
Charmica looked at Watson and noticed how excited he was about the enrollment. She could see the spark in his eyes as he spoke about his fascination with magic.
„So, how was the enrollment for you, Watson?" she asked him, trying to keep the conversation going.
„It was fascinating! I can't wait to learn and become a mage like you and father," Watson replied, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Charmica listened to Watson, but didn't respond directly. Instead, she shifted the conversation towards the topic of the next ruler. „Watson, one of you will become the next ruler," she said, her voice firm. „And for that, you need to be powerful. But as you are now, you only resemble weakness. If someone stronger than you were to be married into the family, they could easily take control over the kingdom. And if that were to happen, the Aethos family would perish with time."
Watson looks at Charmica with a puzzled expression. „What do you mean by that?" he asks.
Charmica takes a deep breath before answering, „What I mean is that we need to ensure the future of our family and the kingdom. We need to be strong and powerful, and not rely on anyone else to maintain our position."
Glaciana intervenes and says," „You will never achieve anything in the field of magic. You will never be the equal of geniuses, much less more powerful."
He continues, „I heard of a rumor that there is a place in the northwest beyond the kingdom, thousands of kilometers away. A peripheral archipelago. There are rumors that there are people inhabiting the lands that use another form of power and it's achievable if you work hard."
„They say that if one trains in this power, they can become just as powerful as the greatest mages in our kingdom."
„And you believe this rumor, my dear?" Charmica asks with uncertainty.
„I cannot say for certain, but it's worth investigating. If there is even a chance that we can gain an advantage for our family, we must take it."
„I have decided that we will send you to this place to train and become experienced in many fields. When you come back in 12 years for the competition, I expect you to show the power of the Aethos royal family."
„It won't be an easy journey, Watson. But we believe in you and your dedication," Charmica adds when she saw Watson dropping his shoulders. She places her hand on his shoulders and says with a reassuring smile, „Watson, don't give up so easily. You may not have the natural talent for magic, but that doesn't mean that you can't learn other forms of power. And who knows, perhaps the power that the people on the archipelago possess will be something you're more adept at."
Glaciana nods in agreement. „Besides, the journey will be an adventure," he says. „You'll see new lands, learn new things, and gain valuable experience. And when you return, you'll be a stronger and more capable man."
Watson looks up at his parents with a renewed sense of hope. „I won't disappoint you!"
„We know you won't, Charmica says with a smile. „Now go and start preparing for your journey. We'll make all the necessary arrangements," she says as they arrive at the royal palace.
…