Fog covered the streets of Velaris as the sounds of crows filled the air. At this time of the night everyone was forbiddened from stepping out of their home.
But that rule didn't apply to Nyx, dressed in a long, rag like dress. She walked up the hill leading to the palace with a basket in her hand. Her shoulders trembled in fear and cold as she dragged her tired body up the heel.
"What took you so long, Nyx?" Her step mother yelled immediately Nyx had shut the door behind her. Her step mother, Andrea Wilson walked out of the pantry with a scowl on her face.
"I'm sorry ma'am, the fog was too thick to get through I didn't mean to come back so late" Nyx was quick to apologize as she bent her head avoiding the gaze of her step mother.
"Humph, give me that" Andrea snatched the basket from Nyx as she pushed her out of the way. "Get lost".
Nyx was quick to flee away from her step mother's presence. She never went a day without getting scolded or slapped by that wicked woman. She stopped in front of the large dusty door leading to her room with a small smile of helplessness, she grabbed the lantern she always placed by the side of the door, litting it as she opened the door.
She never asked to be born of royal blood and now she was but she was still living life like that of a maid. As she walked down the endless line of stairs, she looked behind her feeling like someone was watching her. "Is anyone here?" She yelled but she ended up getting an echo of her own voice coming back to her.
Shaking her head she proceeded further, arriving at the basement of the castle, she sighed as she shrugged off her shoes. "Away from those horrible people" she yawned as she dropped the lantern on the table before looking at the huge poster she had pasted on the wall.
It was a large drawing of a man, she had seen in her dreams countless of times. She had no idea why she had drew him but as she slept at night, she swore the eyes of that poster always glowed red but it made her feel safe. While thinking, Nyx didn't know when she fell asleep.
As the night deepened, the poster of the man on the wall glowed for a while but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
Nyx was woken up by banging on her door, she stretched her tired limbs as she looked at the poster with a small smile. "Good morning" she smiled at it as she immediately heard the pounding on the door which made her run out of bed to open it.
"Uhm good morning" Nyx greeted the old woman standing in front of her. This was the lady who managed the staffs at the palace and Nyx was wondering why she was here.
"Keep the greetings to yourself. The royal family are expecting you downstairs as soon as possible, don't waste my time" the old lady didn't allow Nyx talk, she turned as he walked up the stairs, her heels made clicking noises as she walked.
Nyx frowned as she slammed the door in front of her. She hates it when she gets summoned because they made her day harder than they already were.
She quickly jumped into the shower as she had her bath, she never really had time to be able to take care of her long raven dark hair so she just combed her fingers through them. Wearing her usual attire which included a short rag like dress and cream flip flops, she pulled her hair into a bun as she immediately ran out of the room.
The Royal Castle was large and guarded by various top trained warriors carefully selected by the late queen also known as Nyx's mother. There hadn't been a robbery of any kind but this morning the whole castle was in a state of panic.
"What do you mean she is just waking up? Get her here now!" Nyx heard her father yell as she stepped foot in to the throne room. Her father and step mother were already seated looking at her with heated eyes.
"Good morning father, ma'am" Nyx bowed as she stood straight looking at her palms as she waited for them to say something.
"Why are you waking up this late? Weren't you aware of the commotion happening in the castle?" Her father yelled at her, his chest heaving in anger and she was sure he was bound to hit her soon.
"I-i'm not aware father. Can you enlighten me some more?" Nyx said her voice dripping with sarcasm as she stared straight at him. Due to her facial expression it sounded like her being curious but Andrea knew her step daughter too well.
"Oh shut up, this palace was robbed last night. They managed to sneak into your room too, how are you not aware. You bitch!" Andrea said as Nyx raised a brow at her. If her step mother had a heart attack she wouldn't give a damn honestly speaking.
"I sleep really deep ma'am, so I didn't know" Nyx replied but she was a bit shaken up by the news, who was able to break into the palace? And even defeat warriors choose by her mother!
It looked suspicious and weird... whoever did this they had planned it for a while.
"It's the neighboring kingdom, they left a scroll to your father telling him he had offended them deeply and they wanted compensation or the cries of innocent people would fill the air" Andrea said as she sighed heavily.
"How could you offend someone that great dad?!" Nyx practically screamed. Ever since she had been born her mother had kept her far away from the border leading to the other side of the neighboring kingdom to avoid a war.
"I'm sorry Nyx. But you're getting married"