THE SILVEAN

The first thing I felt was my father's blood on my hands. The second was the fire burning my lungs. I wasn't prepared for any of it, expecting my life to be filled with Sunshine and Rainbows yet fate smiled cruelly upon my wishful thoughts. I was seven when the royal palace of Aurelia got burnt beyond recognition. They claimed it was an accident and that our enemies took us by surprise but I knew it was all just a conspiracy. With the dense thick smoke clouding my vision I tried to navigate my way out, servants screamed. Guards ran. Maids cussed at our impending doom. Yet in the middle of it all no one saw the girl in the nightgown. Silver hair draping, red blood eyes, Clothes tattered and cheeks covered in ash. My father Sylvester liora was brought to his knees in the throne room. A blade craved into his chest. Five men in dark cloaks, council emblems imprinted on each and everyone of them. Stood towering over my father 'Traitor' one spat with disgust 'The Five nations have no use for a king who wants peace, barely able to keep himself alive' Dad's eyes found me. He smiled. Even then, all he wanted was my safety first nothing else mattered 'Run little Angel' he whispered 'The necklace don't let go'. Around his neck, a chain of silver Not a gem. Not a metal. A heartbeat. My mother's last gift and her precious keepsake. The fire raged engulfing my father completely, I lost it and lunged forward. The world exploded Heat. Pain. But mainly pain, the ceiling fell The stone embedded in my chest sent a jolt through me going ice cold, then blinding hot. I called out 'Dad' nothing but silence answered. I was dying. I knew it the way you know you're falling, that I wasn't going to make it. But I wanted to catch a glimpse of my father one last time. The stone was drinking from me, every breath cost a year, every heartbeat took a month. It was killing me to save me and saving me to kill me. 'So fragile' a voice said 'So broken' Not in the room but deep down in my bones. 'Let me help you', it whispered. 'I can ease the pain' my throat full of smoke as I watch my father's ashes lay before me scattered on the marble floors. Then it spoke. Live, the voice said. But I ride you I didn't understand. I couldn't. How was a mere seven year old supposed to comprehend that. But I understood the meaning Don't die Yes I choked Yes. Cold flooded me. Not the winter kind. Void. The kind of cold with no stars. Just empty. And the voice, satisfied grinned Good girl, I heard footsteps but they were too late, the void was already creeping in and with it no hope of turning back. Right before my consciousness faded, I heard it. Even though it was barely a whisper You live for me alone Then black. Days later I woke up in a car. No father, No Home. Watching my life shrouded in void and nothing more, I touched the silver necklace hanging on my neck glowing under the sun's embrace, maybe that's what made it warm against my skin despite the bone chilling cold. Then a whisper that wasn't mine. We're alive, Eira. I didn't know what that meant. I would, but unease still lingered in my heart.