The moon was shining more than ever. It submerged into the sea of stars from a blanket of neon night, covering the city from above as every home fell to slumber.
Somewhere, inside a cold, misty room filled only with silent weeping. There stood a man occupied in his thoughts, admiring the illuminating crescent. He was covered in a dark cloak that eliminate his face, as if his entire figure would dissapear into the realm of darkness.
Inside the damped room, or rather basement, is embraced of cobblestone walls that hangs lanterns shoning turquoise and a portrait of a noble lady, posing that asserts confidence. She was not an influential lady or royalty but her presence alone moved the society. Who could she be?
In the center, a golden chalice was placed near a coffin; embedded with gems and carved in rose and thorns. Shining even more when the moonlight illuminated it.
The weeping man took it and opened the silver rectangular box, it emitted a pungent smell that made him wince. However, that doesn't matter as what's inside is a human corpse of whose he share a part of. It was starting to rot inside the damped basement when no man could enter.
The corpse was decaying yet the man still find it beautiful as if it's still alive, wearing a white dress and exotic ornaments, displaying flowers around the corpse that emitted fragrance to wash the pungent smell, supposedly, but the flowers were already withered. The corpe's flesh began to dread out and its fairy arms lays across the chest as it sleeps peacefully.
The figure traveled his hand to the deceased cold arm to its face, tracing the features he hold dearly. The man could not help but bit his lip, he had no time to waste as the clock is running out so he shakily held the chalice near the mouth of the corpse and carefully poured the mysterious substance into its lips.
The man began to chant unknown phrases. Mist eventually began to shroud the environment as he enunciate the foreign words. Each syllabels were pronouced accurate and a slip of toungue is high at risk.
He remained unvexed to his current situation and continued to incant. An incantation to save the dead in front of him, his fair lady, the woman in the painting.
It's not an incantation to raise the dead or anything, which is impossible and illegal. It was an incantation to save his fair lady to the future dangers and risks in the afterlife. Not many believed in afterlife but he did. He risked sacrifices in order to suffice the preparation of ritual, even his health and internal organs. After all, you must pay a price for your deeds.
"He was a fool to love. Don't be like him."
A fool. Really. This incantation led him to his death since his heart was the last sacrifice.
Elordie merely sighed at his foolishness, finally closing the book.
"Then? Then? What happened after?" A squeaky voice chirped.
The storyteller looked up to met the twinkling eyes of children who were steadily seated in the soft carpet, amazed by the love story of the greatest sorcerer ever existed since time immemorial, Côme Salvador.
He was an intelligent man who contributed various innovation and spells to humanity that bloomed through the textbooks. The textbook's also includes stories for children to read in a fine afternoon or bedtime, just like right now. He remained to the top throughout the years, not even the modern sorcerers outstand him. But just as the saying goes, those who are intelligent are a fool to love itself.
"It seems this book has a sequel. The story ended with his incantation for the lady." The storyteller smiled, placing the book on the end table beside her.
"Then, where is the sequel?"
"Unfortunately, I do not know its whereabouts."
"Aww..." The group of children's voice echoed through the room, light vanished from their eyes.
"Y-you can always ask the librarian its whereabouts, yes?" The storyteller was struggling to comfort them.
She was not very good at comforting.
"Can you read to us again, Your Highness?"
A voice from the crowd chirped.
Chatters of 'She must' and 'Please!' started to spread among the room. The princess couldn't help but agree. A part of her not, because she would witness the cliched and exaggerated behavior of the great sorcerer towards his love. A part of her yes, because she likes to read for anyone willing to listen, especially children.
"If you find its sequel."
The agreement returned the frolic state of children from before. Gratefulness and thank you's were recieved from the princess.
Elordie was commencing to wary the concept of love. Love exists in many forms, the romantic love rather. As she read and study more books of history, almost most of the prominent figures have gone mentally ill due to their romantic bonds. They perpetrated the most unhinged actions like Dr. Annie Babin who drowned by the river together with her lover, leading to their death. They weren't even criminals or did anything malicious!
There's also King Marcus II who once decapitated every man that gaze to his dearest concubine, including her male relatives.
The most elite paladin, Lord Ernest of North can't surely be forgotten! He declared war to the neighboring country in search for his mistress, believing they abducted her. Only to find out she ran away to the eastern region because she couldn't bear the lord's controlling behavior. Eventually she died by the hands of Lord Ernest after being tracked.
Elordie was unable to comprehend what she had read from the course of years, she somewhat believed that romantic love is the true root of madness.
Not a while later, a knock outside the room disturbed her from her thoughts.
"Who is it?"
"It is Frederick, Your Highness." A clean voice croacked across.
"Come in."
After the approval, the door opened; revealing a medium elderly man in sapphire suit. His white hair slicked back, receding as his horseshoe mustache is not. Frederick Allard, the head servant.
He stood at the double doorway and bowed.
"Children, it is time to depart."
The noble children stood up from their spot, bidding farewell to the storyteller. And one by one, they exited to the door Frederick was standing from. After they all went out, the princess relaxed her head to the back of the chair and put all her weight to the bottom.
Reading 15 story books to children can be very tiring.
Why did she read 15 story books to them, you ask? Originally, she isn't their storyteller or scheduled to tell tales. Those children were wandering around the Palace Belleveu after they had studied at the Imperial Library with their tutor which is located beside the palace, they found themselves lost. Luckily, they bumped into Her Highness Elordie while opening doors in the hall one by one as if to find a path to where they originated from. Palace Belleveu was heavily guarded, so how did they managed to enter? Elordie was baffled that a group of children around five to seven years old managed to find her personal library in a gigantic palace. Moreover, it was located by the end of the hall. They were more suprised than the princess when they unexpectedly met her in person!
Elordie remembered that her father, the Emperor, is having an audience with the Ruler of the East. So she had no choice but let the children inside, afraid they might run and be frolic, and perhaps accidentally opening the door of the court room. The children in this epoch are expected to be independent at the age of 5, but children are still children and she couldn't take the risk. The tiny bundle of lights were suddenly 'bored' and requested the princess to read, so the she fished some forgotten books in her shelves that were suitable for children. And that's how it happened and why she is very exhausted.
"I deeply apologize for my tactless behavior to let those children wander, Your Highness. Their study session ended early since the tutor had other meetings to attend and instructed them to stay in the library."
Elordie didn't even realize the head servant was already in front of her, the poor man was kneeling in one leg.
"It was no one's fault, Frederick. Stand up, you're going to break your back."
Elordie waved her right hand to the air sluggishly as the left hand supported her face.
Even if without palace guards, the Palace Belleveu was heavily covered in protection spell, blessed by the God itself.
Frederick looked like he had something to say but the girl cut him off. "Besides, I liked the feeling of reading to them. It is rather different from when I read to my siblings."
The old man slowly stood up. "It is good to hear that Your Highness enjoyed the presence of the unwelcomed."
Frederick was a stern man who is straightfoward with his words. That's what Elordie liked about him, but it can be intolerable sometimes.
The largest star began to set in the east, painting the canvas of sky with orange and pink hues. The princess admired the view through the gaping window before standing up to leave. Somehow, after seeing the sunset restored a hidden memory from the back of her mind that stretched a smile to her lovely face.
Clouds of thoughts envelop her mind as she exited the room while Frederick followed behind. Her golden pertubed eyes focused on the marble floor, already covered in yellow streak from the vanishing sun through the long windows. In this long and wide hallway, exotic ornaments and foreign items are in display. Carved walls hangs the Imperial Family's commissioned paintings by famous artisans.
One of them was a young girl about ten years old, smiling brightly as her eyes illuminated stars of hope. She wore a puffy dress embroidered with sapphire jems, crowned of white flowers with large petals. She was the young Elordie who once had a foolish dream.
"Frederick, just get rid of that. Every time I pass by, it makes me sick."
Ah, yes. The princess always request this everytime.
Elordie barely glanced at the painting, hoping to forget the sickening sight of it. Every now and then, when she looks at a young portrait of her makes her head want to bang the wall repeatedly. Her hatred for her younger self perhaps doesn't please her current taste.
"Unfortunately, His Majesty doesn't permit Your Highness's portrait to be moved or disposed."
And the same old answer replied.
Being hanged by the ends of hall, the painting was followed after by her siblings in order. The current palace she resides is the Palace Belleveu, that is not far away from the palaces. After moving out from the Palace of Verlian, supposedly where all Imperial princessess and princes reside, the Emperor ordered to place his children's portrait in the first princess new residence. Though Elordie was against of it, she must pay the price.
Elordie didn't bother to reply. Passing the beams of light, reflecting from the chestnut hair that fell to Elordie's slim waist. Most of the palace guards were guarding the court room today, sniffing an opportunity for recognition. Only the heels tapping as they strive being the sound present.
After a not so long time of walking, Elordie finally arrived to her chamber's door. With a snap of her finger, the two ivory door opened.
Elordie didn't bother to glance back as she entered. "Frederick, I wish not to eat for supper."
Frederick remained outside, bowing. "As Your Highness wish."
The door closed, the princess now unescorted in her room.
The interior were builded with embracing ivory walls. Two marble pillars stood near the entrance facing each other, two large windows parallel to the door, and ceiling covered in mosaic elements, forming a picture of happy looking angels. The queen sized bed, drowned in silky sheets with its frame in the right wall. Hard carved and gilded shelfs
Elordie walked towards the wooden desk facing the window; already engulfed by the light beams.
She sat in the desk chair.
The sunlight from the setting star now engulfed her face, not blinding her. The chestnut haired girl heaved a sigh before drawing a quill to its ink, writing to the parchment in front of her.
107th Day
I wish to uncover the shrouded mystery beneath the reoccurrence. The Greatest Mage of all was I found the most intruguing. His perceptive mind remains an hope to this day.
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