Giant bolts of lightning crashed down into the nearby mountains as the wind picked up pace, causing chaos in the city and the fields nearby.
Another sound accompanied the deafening thunder, the sound of a woman screaming coming from a house in a settlement outside the city walls.
A man with a thick grey moustache and rugged clothes sat on his porch, his eyes closed, unfazed by the wild banging of the windows and the wild lightning.
In the night sky, a comet travelled diagonally across the full moon.
Its tail bathed the moon in red and blue as the new colours fell on the city of Rine, the capital of the Istreid Kingdom.
Inside the house, a man held his wife as she laid on the bed, her belly swollen as she shrieked in pain. "The child's coming, it's coming." "Fear not, I am with you. It will be over soon."
The woman nodded as she closed her eyes, struggling to take even the slightest of air. The man held her close, reassuring his wife.
A sudden light emerged in the room, engulfing everything. From the outside, it seemed as if the house was on fire and just as quickly as it came; the light was gone.
As the storm spread across the Kingdom intensified. In place of the woman's scream, now came the cries of an infant.
On an island far away, an old monk's eyes opened in shock as he got up from his meditation and rushed outside his shack.
"An unimaginable power has descended upon this planet."
Somewhere inside a white hall, a tall figure clad in white rose from his throne and stepped out onto the terrace, looking at the bi-coloured moon. "Is it finally the time?"
Elsewhere, in a dark cave, a bright red glow emerged from within before dying out.
On the other side of the world, in a courtroom, the king stood up from his throne as his crown fell off.
The ministers and his royal guard all rushed towards him, helping him back to the throne. "King Temish, is everything alright, are you in need of a sage?"
"I am in no need of a sage. I dread something ineffable has happened."
In the forest nearby Rine, a woman woke up from her sleep as she grabbed a hold of her beating heart and rushed to the window looking at the moon. "The day has arrived."
She smiled before closing the window, leaving the room in darkness.
Five Years Later
26th, July, 1224 TNW
As the sun bathed the golden fields and the gentle wind swayed the crops ever so slightly.
The King and the royal family arrived at the crop fields outside the city walls.
The farmers gathered around as the king stepped out of his carriage with his minister of food and trade by his side.
"Long Live King Belreid." "Long Live the King!"
The farmers chanted as the King raised his hand as the farmers calmed down. "Today, I have arrived to talk with you all, to see if there is anything that the people require or anything that is causing unrest in the fields. Any wild beasts entering and destroying crops or disdain with the market prices for crops?"
The oldest of the farmers stepped out from the crowd, bowing as much as his old body allowed. "Your Grace, this visit truly honoured us and we are deeply grateful for your noble visit to our humble farmsteads. We immensely appreciate your kind inquiry into our concerns."
He then looked around at the other farmers before looking back at the king. "Speaking truthfully, we need no help from the crown at this instance, but we would like to show the king our hospitality and appreciation for his visit."
The King smiled as he stepped forward. "If the people demand it, then I can't deny their demands. Please accompany me for a stroll."
The king, accompanied by two of the royal guards, walked away with the farmers.
Meanwhile, inside the carriage, the queen looked out the window, watching her husband stroll away; she shifted her gaze to her daughter, who sat opposite to her looking out the window on the other side.
The queen matched her daughter's gaze, looking at a single tree at the far end of the crop fields.
She looked all around the fields but could not find another tree 'This is peculiar, there are no more trees in the crop fields, other than that.'
"Mother, may I go to that tree? Please."
The queen turned to her daughter as she smiled, opening the door to the carriage and stepped out, helping the princess down onto the field. "Don't go any further than the tree." "Yes, mother."
The princess then ran to the tree, her golden hair flowing in the wind as she smiled from ear to ear.
The girl arrived beneath the tree as she looked at the wide trunk and felt the breeze brush past her face.
Suddenly, a small hand reached down from above and snatched her tiara as the girl looked up, finding a boy around her age up in the branches.
"Return my tiara." "No!" "Return it this instance."
She stretched her hand out towards the boy, who tilted his head. "Did you not hear me before? No."
"I, Princess Aurelia Reid, the daughter of King Belreid and the Queen Anessa Reid, command you to return the tiara." "Why?" "Because I command you." "What will I get in return?"
Aurelia gasped at the boy's remarks. A hand landed on her shoulder as she looked back at her mother.
"Mother!" "Is there a problem Aurelia?"
Aurelia pointed at the boy. "This boy stole my tiara and is not giving it back, he even disobeyed my command."
Anessa patted her daughter on the head as she smiled, stepping forward. "Sweet boy, May I know your name?"
"I am Kanah." "You have a wonderful name, Kanah. Can you return my daughter's tiara to her?"
The boy looked at the queen, and then at the princess, who was holding her mother's hand and frowning at the boy?
"What will I get in return?"
Aurelia pointed at the boy as she tugged her mother's hand. "See mother, he has been treating me the same way." "It's okay, Aurelia."
She then looked back at Kanah. "Would cake suffice?"
Kanah tilted his head. "I am sorry; I meant to say, will cake be enough for you to return the tiara?" "What is that?"
"A cake is something that you eat; it is sweet and very delicious. Would you like some?"
Kanah nodded as the queen stretched her hand out, and Kanah placed the tiara in her hands before jumping down.
"Bring two servings of cake for the children." "Yes, your majesty."
A maid accompanying the queen bowed before leaving.
Anessa placed the tiara on Aurelia's head as the maid returned with two servings of cake.
Kanah took his share and began eating it as he sat on a flat stone. Anessa guided Aurelia to sit beside him as she handed Aurelia her share.
The two kids began eating their share of the cake; Aurelia was the first to finish her cake and then set her sight on the one beside her.
Swiftly moving her spoon, she took a spoonful of Kanah's cake. He then moved his plate away from her. "You are stealing my cake." "You stole my tiara first."
The two squabbled with one another for some time as the queen watched on. "Why don't the two of you head out and play in the fields?"
Upon hearing the suggestion, Aurelia looked at her mother in disbelief. "Am I really allowed to play with him?"
Anessa nodded as she sat between the two children. "You have my permission to do so as long as you promise to stay within my eyesight and not hurt one another."
The kids looked at one another as they giggled before running towards the fields.
After some time, the king and the farmers arrived under the shade as the king looked at his daughter playing with the boy.
"Who is that boy?"
A man with a grey moustache stepped out from the bunch as he took off his cap and bowed to the king as he joined his hands, praying. "He is my grandson, Kanah; please forgive him if he has made any mistake. I will punish him greatly"
The king looked on at his daughter as she smiled and giggled while playing out in the sun. Her golden hair shined brightly in contrast to the boy's black hair.
The king smiled as he held the man's hands and helped him up. "May I know your name?"
The old man frowned in confusion. "My name, your grace, my name is Benjamin."
"Benjamin, your grandson has made no mistakes. He is but a child, playing and enjoying the good in life; he deserves no punishment."
He looked at his wife and found her watching the children play as she rested her chin on her palm. "I must admit, I've never seen my daughter enjoy herself so freely. Answer me, will your grandson be willing to play with my daughter again in the fields if she so wishes?"
Shock overcame Benjamin as he looked at his grandson and the princess playing before he turned to the king, standing up but still keeping his head bowed.
"Yes, I think so." "Good to know."
The children played until came sunset.
"Night is about to fall, Aurelia. Shall we return home?"
Aurelia looked up at her mother as she nodded, then turned to face Kanah, who met her blue eyes as she smiled at him.
"Will you play with me tomorrow?"
Kanah nodded as Aurelia smiled, shaking his hand before walking away with the queen.
Benjamin came, lifting the boy up in his arms. "You gave me a fright, kid."
He patted the boy's head and ruffled his hair, removing the dirt from his head. "Did you have fun?"
Kanah nodded as he snuggled into his grandfather's shoulder, looking back at Aurelia.
.
.
.
.
The king tucked Aurelia into her bed as Anessa sang melodies to her. When she was asleep, the two gently graced the back of their hands on her cheeks. "I am glad we took her with us today." "Yes, dear, she was so happy."
The king then held his wife in his arms as he sighed in relief. "I think being with Kanah would be good for her. She will have a friend who does not treat her as the heir to this kingdom, but simply Aurelia."
Anessa smiled as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "I also felt the same. With him, she would not have to put up a facade all the time. I wish for my daughter to experience all the joys that I wish I had."
The two then left the room closing the door leaving Aurelia with her dreams.