Queen Namarie's Chambers
The Queen could be seen pacing uncomfortably in her chambers. A worried expression was her face as her mind went far back into the past.
"However… on the twins' eighteenth birthday, they will die." Those were one of Hera's last words, and it kept ringing in her ears.
"Your majesty, Nimueh is here." A guard outside announced.
"Send her in." Queen Namarie ordered, and the door opened, allowing Nimueh come in.
"Your majesty, you sent for me." Nimueh said as she bowed.
"Yes." Queen Namarie nodded, "Have you made preparations for tomorrow?"
"Yes, I have. I'll make offerings tomorrow on the Crown Prince's birthday." Nimueh answered.
"It's for the sake of my son, so take special care when doing it." Queen Namarie cautioned.
Nimueh nodded. "Yes, your majesty. That's why I asked that the King participates in it, along with the Crown Prince."
Queen Namarie hesitated a bit before she then said, "Will… things really be alright?… Tomorrow is his eighteenth birthday, the day the witch had spoken about. Will he really be alright?"
Nimueh smiled and said, "Worry not, your majesty. That has already been taken care of, a long time ago."
Queen Namarie still didn't look relieved as she walked closer to Nimueh. "My son said that he sees a girl in his dreams every night. I'm afraid the girl he is seeing might be his dead twin sister. I feel so uneasy about that. If anything happens to him…"
Nimueh didn't let her finish. "Your majesty. The Princess and I are connected through my dark magic, since she is the one with the curse. If I live, the Princess would die. And if she lives, I will die. But take a look at me. I'm alive, aren't I?" She assured the Queen. "The fact that I'm alive, proves that everything ended seventeen years ago. So don't worry, dreams are only dreams. Nothing more."
….
In the streets of Eldrador, the people could be seen going about their various activities, and among them a few people were busy constituting nuisance.
Edward and his accomplices were all drunk, and were busy going from one stall to another, spewing gibberish.
"Buy whatever you want! It's on me." Edward spoke out loud as he staggered in front of a stall where female accessories were being sold.
"Do you really mean that?" One of the ladies with him asked, as the rest of the ladies giggled and clapped in joy.
"Move aside!" Someone yelled, and when everyone turned around, they saw soldiers carrying something, and they made space for them to pass through.
As the soldiers passed by the group of drunks, Edward, due to his drunken state, brazenly went close to them, and uncovered what they were carrying.
Everyone gasped, as they saw that it was a corpse.
"Oh my! It must be one of those corpses from the black forest!" Exclaimed a woman.
"The forest?" Another woman close to the woman that had spoken asked.
"You haven't heard? Lately, so many corpses has been found around the black forest. It's such a dangerous place, so one has ever gone there and come back alive." The woman answered.
She then pointed towards where the forest was, and from very far away, a kite could be seen. "You see that kite over there? Rumors say that the kite was made from the clothes of the corpses found there."
Edward happened to be listening to what the woman had said, and he also looked towards the direction the woman had pointed. The kite was indeed there. Then as he looked away, he spotted Alexander and Griswold in the crowd, approaching where he was.
Edward smirked and walked towards them. Alexander and Griswold who were lost in their conversation, didn't see him until Griswold bumped into Edward.
Griswold's eyes widened in shock, as he moved back. He bowed his head a little, and said, "I'm sorry, sir."
Edward ignored him, and faced Alexander instead. "Where are you off to?" He asked, "Did something good happen to you both, today?"
Alexander and Griswold exchanged looks, before he then replied, "I lost the race. So what good thing could possibly happen to me?" Then he bowed and began to leave with Griswold.
"Hey, Alexander!" Edward called out, causing them to pause. "I heard you would do anything to get your hands on money. Do you want me to help you out?" His words were a little sloppy due to the alcohol.
Alexander stayed silent, and Edward smiled. "You see that kite over there?" He said, pointing towards the kite. "I want it so badly. Bring it to me."
Alexander looked at him with an amused expression on his face. Even Edward's accomplices had confused looks on their faces, wondering where Edward was going with this.
"You are quite drunk, older brother. You should head home now." Alexander said and bowed, before taking a few steps away, intending to leave, but Edward's next words made him pause again.
"Five-hundred gold coins!" Edward said as he moved closer to Alexander again. "How are you going to save that huge amount by gallivanting the kingdom? Just bring me that kite, and I'll give you that five-hundred gold coins."
Alexander still didn't reply, so Edward nodded. "I'm not going to force you. I just thought you needed money that's all. I'll get going now." He said and signaled for his accomplices to come along.
"I'll do it!" Alexander spoke with clenched fists.
"What? Are you crazy?" Griswold couldn't believe his ears.
Alexander ignored Griswold, and continued, "I'll bring you that kite. In exchange for that, you must keep your promise."
Edward smirked. "Don't worry. All these people are my witnesses." He said, pointing to his accomplices and a few other people that had gathered instead of focusing on their businesses. "I'm your big bro, I won't cheat you."
Alexander looked like he had made up his mind, and then without saying a word, he began to head towards the way to the Black Forest.
Griswold immediately ran after him. "Are you really going?" He asked.
"I already am, as you can see." Alexander responded while still walking at a fast pace.
"It's the Black Forest we are talking about here. You could die in there."
Alexander paused and turned to Griswold. "It's five-hundred gold coins we are talking about here. Do you know how much medicine we would have to sell to be able to raise that kind of money?" He said, and continued going his way.
"You crazy bastard!" Griswold couldn't help cussing, but at the the end, he still followed after him.
After Alexander and Griswold were out of sight, Edward's right hand man moved close to Edward and whispered. "Are you really going to give him that much money?"
Edward tuned to him and replied, "Of course, I will. I never go back on my words. But that is if he brings me the kite, though." He spoke with meaning behind his voice.
"But you are clearly sending him to his death." His right hand man said.
"I didn't force him, did I?" He asked, and then he muttered to himself, "Bye Alexander!"
….
Alexander and Griswold had gotten into the Black Forest and Griswold was still trying his best to make Alexander change his mind, but Alexander turned a deaf ear to him.
As they moved further into the thick forest, they started hearing strange noises most likely from wild animals. Griswold then leapt in fright, and held unto Alexander, who was also scared, but was trying to be all brave and mighty.
"Let go of me. Why did you follow me if you are so damn scared? You are being such a nuisance."
Griswold had a hurt expression on his face when he heard Alexander's words. "A… nuisance? I'm a nuisance?" He said, "I followed you because you are my friend, and yet…" Another growling sound came from the forest, and Griswold immediately held unto Alexander again. "Ah geez! Did you hear that?" Griswold yelled, forgetting that he was just mad at Alexander a few seconds ago.
A while later. They had already gotten deeper into the forest, when Griswold suddenly remembered something. "Have you heard the rumors?" He asked.
"What rumors?" Alexander responded, clearly not interested in what Griswold was about to say.
"A rumor about a cursed ghost that appears in the forest. The ghost has a pretty face, but digs into you and rips your heart out." Griswold explained, and Alexander just scoffed.
"Give me a break. Ghosts do not exist." Alexander said with a wave of his hand.
As they advanced further, the growling sounds bacame louder, and they could now hear the rustling of leaves.
"Something is coming! It must be a tiger!" Griswold exclaimed as he wailed and fell to the ground, holding Alexander's legs like that was his lifeline.
Alexander looked down at Griswold, intending to shush him, but his mouth opened in shock at what he saw. Griswold had peed on himself.