Within the Snow Witch's chamber, time seemed to stretch into an enigmatic tapestry, woven with threads of anticipation. Serenya's voice, like a silken strand, had spun the tale of the Emperor and the Empress, casting a spell that held both the air and the very essence of the room captive. The air grew heavy, each heartbeat resonating with the weight of the story's significance.
The Snow Witch's gaze, pale as a moonbeam's kiss, remained fixed on Serenya. A pregnant pause followed, as if the room itself held its breath, awaiting the Snow Witch's response to the tale that had been delicately woven.
Besides Serenya, Rowan stood like a sentinel, his gaze alternating between the Snow Witch and Serenya. The chamber was an arena of stillness, every particle seeming to echo with the narrative's potency.
And then, like the subtle unfurling of a winter's bloom, the Snow Witch's lips curved into a faint smile. Her words, when they finally emerged, held a melody that resonated with both mystery and acknowledgement. "An eloquent tale," she murmured, her voice reminiscent of the soft rustle of snowflakes in the breeze. "But you seem to have missed a point or maybe you are still confused."
Serenya raised her eyebrows. "I wonder what that might be?"
"Rothania is not just a kingdom now," the Snow Witch paused, her eyes gleaming with a depth that seemed to pierce through the tapestry of time itself. "It's an empire."
The revelation hung in the air like a suspended icicle, a truth that refracted with light and shadow in equal measure. Serenya's brows furrowed in thought, her mind weaving through the fabric of their journey, trying to piece together the significance of the Snow Witch's words.
Rowan's voice was a gentle breeze laden with curiosity. "An empire? But how—"
The Snow Witch's laughter, as crystalline as the first snowfall, interrupted him. "Ah, little elves, it seems the intricacies of Rothania's evolution have eluded your grasp. Allow me to shed some light."
Serenya and Rowan exchanged a glance, their curiosity a reflection of secrets exchanged in fleeting moments. The Snow Witch's voice fell like the hush of falling snow, laden with the weight of history, each word settling upon their understanding like individual snowflakes composing an intricate pattern.
"After the king ascended, his reign expanded swiftly, stitching together the fates of neighbouring nations, through a bloodbath. Rothania transformed, its realm widening to encompass others, and in time, it was declared an Empire. Yet, the storyteller who reached you seemed to have forgotten to unfurl the full tale—the aftermath that followed."
The revelation lingered, a door left slightly ajar, inviting them to step through into a new realm of comprehension. Serenya's brow furrowed, her gaze flickering between the Snow Witch and Rowan, a silent exchange of curiosity and intrigue. "The aftermath?" Her voice was a question woven with threads of anticipation. "What occurred once Rothania had transformed into an empire?"
The Snow Witch's eyes, timeless pools of wisdom, shimmered with the knowing that only age could impart. "Expansion brings not just riches, but tribulations," she began, her words like ripples on a frozen pond. "The unity that bridges an empire is a fragile thing, requiring more than mere conquest. It necessitates diplomacy, empathy, and an unrelenting effort to harmonize the tapestries of different lands."
As the words unfolded, there was an undercurrent that shifted the tone of the conversation. The air seemed to darken, a chill creeping into the warmth of discovery. Serenya's pulse quickened, sensing a deeper truth awaiting them, a truth veiled in shadows.
Rowan's voice was a thread of curiosity laced with apprehension. "And did the Emperor manage to maintain this unity?"
The Snow Witch's expression grew graver, her gaze piercing through the layers of history. "Unity, when enforced solely by power, is a fragile alliance. The Emperor's desire for control led him down a dark path."
Serenya's pulse quickened, her heart echoing the foreboding tones of the Snow Witch's revelation. "Black magic."
The Snow Witch's voice, though soft, resonated with the force of ancient truths. "Indeed, a power that claimed more than the Emperor's soul and hurt Ysabel. It cast its tendrils over the land, altering the very fabric of Rothania."
Rowan's voice was a mixture of dread and curiosity. His words were a hesitant journey into the unknown. "And the lands they conquered, the people who became part of the empire?"
The Snow Witch's gaze remained steadfast, her voice a river of melancholic reminiscence. "Lands became ensnared, cultures silenced, identities fractured. Unity, stripped of choice, became a fragile amalgamation of suppressed voices."
Serenya's thoughts churned like a tempestuous sea, an enigma of revelations and uncertainties. But amidst the shadowy truths that had been unveiled, a glimmer of realization sparked within her. "WAIT!" Her words cut through the heavy atmosphere, urgency propelling them forth. She turned her gaze to the Snow Witch, a spark of illumination in her eyes. "You referred to the Queen—the Empress—by her name."
The Snow Witch's appearance shifted, a fleeting vulnerability softening her enigmatic facade. "Ah, yes. Yasabel, a name that resonates throughout history."
Serenya's curiosity danced in the depths of her eyes, a spark of intrigue guiding her words. "I wonder, Snow Witch, what history she shared with you?"
The Snow Witch's gaze held a depth of memories, her voice a whisper of days long past. "We were more than just distant observers of Rothania's tale. Our paths intertwined as we both walked the corridors of the same academy, side-by-side at the same grade level."
Serenya's gaze widened, the revelation settling in her thoughts like a snowflake's delicate descent. "You and Yasabel, I mean the Empress... you were fellow students?"
The Snow Witch's lips curved, a hint of nostalgia tugging at her expression. "Indeed. Two souls navigating the intricacies of magic and knowledge. Yet, our paths diverged, leading us to different roles in the unfolding drama of Rothania."
Rowan's voice, a reflection of curiosity, wove through the chamber's air like a whisper carried by the wind. "Did you know each other well?"
The Snow Witch's facial expression shifted once again, a ripple of memories tugging at the corners of her eyes. Her gaze lingered on Serenya and Rowan, her tone taking on a hint of wistfulness. "It is very debatable."
Serenya's brows furrowed, her curiosity piqued by the Snow Witch's cryptic response. "Debatable? In what way?"
A subtle smile curved the Snow Witch's lips, a mixture of amusement and remembrance. "We were not exactly kindred spirits, you see. Quite the opposite, in fact. From the very start, we were rivals."
Rowan's eyes widened with the revelation of a thread that unravelled an unspoken history. "Rivals?"
"But I was stronger, just so you little elves know," the Snow Witch declared with a hint of playful pride.
Serenya couldn't help but chuckle at the Snow Witch's confident proclamation. "Surely debatable."
A glint in the Snow Witch's eyes spoke volumes. Her response carried a hint of amused challenge.
Rowan leaned in, his eyes dancing with mischief. "So, did your rivalry involve any magical duels or potion mishaps?"
The Snow Witch's laughter, like the tinkling of icicles, filled the chamber. "Oh, you have no idea. Our rivalry was both a source of animosity and a catalyst for growth. It drove us to push our boundaries, to hone our skills, and to prove our worth."
Rowan's curiosity was unabated, his voice carrying a note of playful intrigue. "And who, may I ask, came out on top more often?"
The Snow Witch's eyes glinted with a mischievous glimmer. "Ah, that's my little elf," her eyes slowly rolled over as if she was trying to remember it so hard. "I'll tell you next time."