After the tragic incident that had befallen Konica, years passed by as the kingdom tried to come to terms with the loss of their beloved queen. The king, in particular, was inconsolable and his grief quickly turned into rage as he searched tirelessly for the evil child who had caused his wife's death. However, little did he know that the queen had made the ultimate sacrifice by giving up her life for the sake of her own child.
As time went on, the hatred for children born as Vedan only grew stronger among the people of Konica. They were blamed for the queen's death and were seen as evil creatures that brought nothing but destruction and chaos wherever they went. The king's hatred for them was especially palpable as he ordered their deaths immediately upon birth, without any mercy or compassion.
The once-beautiful kingdom of Konica was now a place of fear and despair. The people lived in constant terror, never knowing when their lives would be taken away by the king's soldiers who were always on the lookout for newborn Vedan babies. The streets were empty and the once-bustling markets were now abandoned as people lived in hiding, afraid to even whisper the name "Vedan" for fear of being heard.
It was a dark time in Konica's history, one that would be remembered for generations to come. The king's anger had consumed him, and his hatred for the Vedan children had turned him into a tyrant who ruled with an iron fist. As the years went on, the people of Konica could only hope for a savior to come and free them from the oppressive rule of their king.
"Follow me," whispered Jamari, her delicate hand gesturing toward the crow. The bird, perched by the small window of the cabin, hopped down and settled gently on her shoulder.
Jamari had always been blind—a fate she had accepted for as long as she could remember. Yet, her mysterious connection with the crow had granted her something almost magical. Through the bird's eyes, she could finally see.
For years, Jamari had been forbidden from entering her godmother's magical room. But tonight, she had a plan. With the crow's help, she intended to enter the room and retrieve the magical potion that could break the spell binding her to the cabin, and perhaps uncover the secrets Marcella had kept from her.
Marcella had trapped Jamari in the cabin her entire life, casting a spell to ensure she could not leave, even if she wanted to. It was Marcella's way of protecting Jamari from the dangers that lurked outside.
They moved quietly toward the door, the crow glancing back occasionally to ensure Marcella was not behind them. The last thing they needed was for her to catch them in the act; the consequences could be dire.
As they reached the door to the magical room, Jamari's heart raced with joy and fear. She placed her hand on the doorknob, turned it gently, and stepped inside.
The room was filled with mysterious objects and strange potions that glimmered in the flickering candlelight. Jamari's eyes widened as she took it all in, and the crow cawed softly, as if in agreement.
For a moment, Jamari felt truly alive, marveling at the array of potions on display. But then she remembered Marcella's warning: she must never enter this room.
Was she making a mistake, or was this the moment she had been waiting for—the moment that could change everything?
Only time would tell. For now, Jamari stood in the magical room, surrounded by wonder and mystery, ready to face whatever secrets lay ahead.
"Perhaps the potion is here," Jamari murmured to the crow, her delicate fingers trailing over the labels on the various potions in the cabinet. She hoped one of them could lift the spell Marcella had cast on the cabin, allowing her to finally escape after being trapped for twenty long years.
She studied each potion carefully, looking for the one that might solve her problem. Occasionally, the crow glanced back to ensure Marcella wasn't approaching. The crow cawed three times, and Jamari smiled softly, understanding its message.
"Why do you have to be so scared? Mother won't catch us," Jamari said, though her voice was more reassuring than confident.
The crow made another sound, and Jamari rolled her eyes in frustration. "Corvus, you don't have to make me feel so foolish all the time," she scolded, picking up a box and trying to force it open.
"I know Godmother wouldn't keep it in an obvious place, but something tells me it's around here somewhere. Be a proper crow and check that corner," she said, pointing to a shadowy corner of the room. "I sense a strange magical energy coming from there."
The room was strangely quiet, and the only sound was the flapping of wings as the crow flew to the corner. Jamari followed closely, the crows eyes fixed on the strange symbols inscribed on the wall. She slowly bent down to examine them.
"What do you think it means?" Jamari asked Corvus, her voice low as if she were afraid to disturb the silence of the room. The bird focused on the letters, lending her its sharp eyes to study them closely.
The bird croaked in response to her question, its eyes never leaving the wall.
Jamari shook her head in frustration. "I don't speak Elvish, Corvus. I never learned the language; it was too difficult for me," she sighed before adding, "whatever Mother is hiding here must be Elven magic."
The bird croaked again, moving closer to the letters and studying them closely for her. Its eyes darted back and forth, as if it was trying to understand a secret code.
The room was filled with tension, and Jamari couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched but there was no one in the room except for her and Corvus. The strange letters on the wall had a weird magical energy and she was very good at sensing even the smallest bit of magic.
As the crow continued to study the letters, Jamari couldn't help but wonder what her mother was hiding. Whatever it was, it was clearly important, and she was bent on uncovering the truth. Corvus moved even closer to the wall, its feathers ruffling.
Jamari hesitated as she studied the letters in front of her, her heart beating with curiosity. She turned to the bird which was still keeping its eyes fixed to the wall, seeking some kind of affirmation.
"Do you want me to touch it?" she asked, but the bird remained silent. Jamari took the bird's silence as a sign that she was on the right track and she decided to do just what she had in mind at the moment.
Slowly and hesitantly, she stretched her hand forward, ready to know what was behind the wall and if it could be the key she had been searching for. As she extended her hand, the letters on the wall began to glow brighter, the blue light coming from it casting a glow on her face.
Just as she was about to touch the letters inscribed on the wall, a voice spoke up behind her, causing her to jump in fear and quickly withdraw her hand. She and the bird spun around to face Marcella, her godmother, who stood with her arms folded and a serious expression on her face.
"I warned you to stay away from this room," Marcella said sternly. "Didn't I?"
Jamari's heart sank as she realized just how bad the situation is. She had known the risks of entering this room, but her desire to find the portion had overridden her better judgment.
"Oh, godmother, you are back so early" she stammered, unable to find the words to justify her presence in the forbidden room.
Marcella's gaze flickered to the gem in Jamari's hand, and her expression hardened. "You stole the key gem and used it to get in here, I see," she said. Anyone could tell she was disappointed at that moment. "Give it to me."
Jamari's hand instinctively tightened around the gem, but she knew there was no escaping Marcella's wrath. She reluctantly handed over the gem, her mind already racing with thoughts of the consequences that would follow.
Marcella's sharp eyes pierced through the room as she addressed Jamari. "Did you come here looking for the potion that breaks the spell I cast around you? Do you really want to leave this cabin, that bad child?"
Jamari shifted uneasily. At that point she would do anything she could to avoid Marcella's scolding . "Godmother, I-"
Marcella cut her off mid-sentence, turning her attention to Corvus. "How could you let this happen, Corvus? You are the responsible one here, and you were supposed to lend her your eyes. That doesn't mean you should let her see things she wasn't meant to or go into forbidden places."
"Godmother, don't blame Corvus. It's all on me," Jamari interrupted, trying to take the blame.
"You broke my rule and then stole from me. Why do you have to be such a brat?" Marcella asked, her annoyance in her voice.
"Why do you have to lock me in here forever?" Jamari shot back, her frustration mounting.
"It's for your own good. The moment you step out of this cabin, you are in immense danger," Marcella said, trying to reason with her at that moment.
"Danger from what, exactly? Why won't you tell me?" Jamari demanded, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"I will tell you when you are older," she replied, her voice softened slightly.
"Older! I am twenty years old, godmother. I am old enough," Jamari protested, feeling like a child throwing tantrums.
Marcella's eyes folled with anger at Jamari's outburst. "You may be twenty years old, but you still have much to learn, my dear."
"If my real mother, Marie, were here, she wouldn't have let me spend the rest of my life in this place. But it seems that's what you want," Jamari said, her voice choked with tears that brimmed in her eyes.
"Well, your real mother died trying to save you, brat. At least don't make her sacrifice go to waste," Marcella shot back, her tone cold and unfeeling.
"I hate you!" Jamari spat out the words with finality, turning on her heel and striding away in anger. Corvus, her faithful seer, followed close behind her.
Marcella exhaled, feeling the weight of her years of effort and sacrifice for Jamari bear down on her. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to stream down her face. The child she had raised as her own had just openly confessed to hating her.
"Perhaps I have been too hard on her," Marcella mentally chastised herself. "But it's for her own good. I can't watch her destroy herself."