I had reached the bottom of the endless pit of despair. All the abuse, discrimination, manipulation, lies, and betrayal; even that was better than the fate I was given. But rather than wallowing in my own self-pity and begging you for forgiveness for crimes I never committed, I made a promise. A promise I intend to keep.
I was born as Salaeli Allore Devoe, although my family was poor and lived in a small village on the outskirts of the Sun capital, we were happy. The night I was born there was storm that decimated the surrounding area; this was seen as a bad omen as we lived in the Sun capital, a region were storms rarely touched. My mother almost died on the spot, luckily, she recovered but was permanently bed ridden. The woman who was once known for her beautiful crimson hair and young facial features now looked worn through and haggard after the birth of a single child. I was labeled as "the child who sucks life," so growing up the other children in the village would always run away or tease me or throw stones at me and call me a demon child. But none of that mattered to me because I would always go back home to my beloved mother and father, who would welcome with warm smiles and more love than I could have ever understood.
My Father was an upstanding man with high principals and an overwhelmingly strong demeaner. There aren't any schools in the village, yet he made sure I grew up educated and well mannered. Everything I knew about the world and the people who live in it. The hate, the love, the fear, the thrill, the death, the birth, the good times, and the bad; everything that I am is essentially because of my father.
The 72nd Lunar Star festival, a day I will never forget. My father had taken me into the capital to attend for the first time ever. It was my tenth birthday; I remember it clearly. We got into a rundown cheap carriage, big enough to fit only the two of us; and left for the capital. The trip was a total of three days long, but the vast green acreage and beautiful clear blue sky is engraved in my mind. Succulently sweet fragrances flooded into my nose. Upon arriving at the capital, we were met with an incredibly lustrous golden gate with depictions of various dragons, knights, and at the top sat the crown of the king. It was the prettiest thing I had ever laid eyes on. The image didn't even compare to the real thing though. The real crown isn't worn unless there is a special occasion, like a marriage or a meeting with neighboring king. On the rare occasion that a royal family member is within public view they always wear their family insignia proudly on their chests. Each branch of the royal family has a specific insignia verifying their identity. Those directly related to the king wear the insignia of a five headed golden dragon with emerald eyes. Each head represents a branch of the family, and the green eyes represent their unlimited wealth and power.
The town was decorated with vibrant colors and there were tons of people singing and dancing in the streets without a care in the world. I had never seen such an abundance of food and happiness in one place. The children were playing with their toys and even participating in events with one another.
"You must stay close to me and don't wonder off." Father whispered.
I just nodded and grasped onto his cloak. He led me down the bust street to an Inn. The colors were dim compared to the brightness outside but there was a homey and almost nostalgic feeling. After settling in he told me to stay in the room while he went out for "business."
"I'll be back before you wake up in the morning. Don't open the door for anyone either." He said.
"Okay dad." I smiled sadly as he left me alone in the darkness.
After unconsciously standing in solitude for a while I regained my composure at the sound of fireworks and various exclaims from outside the window. The spirited vibe made my heart flutter and masked my brief feeling of aloneness with thrill and a sense of peace.
The next day passed in a flash, and we were already on our way back home. I was exhausted from the trip so during the carriage I was fast asleep. When we got back, we were greeted by the pungent smell of singed wood and the sight of a thick smog filled the air. In a panicked state my father grabbed me and ran back home.
Our home was completely decimated, nothing was left not even the bones of my poor mother whom we left behind. From that day forward my father was never the same and frankly neither was I.