Changing Her Stars

In the land of Tarriel, there were five distinct kingdoms. The human region was Croxiar, the Elven kingdom of Lorina, Dwarven was Khin Kohldur, the Orc kingdom was Gru-Tar, and lastly, there was the dark realm of Ulguzzar, which was inhabited by the Ooagi. Little was known about the Ooagi because those who entered into the Ulguzzar kingdom never returned to tell the tale, or so people rumored. Some said they were shadow people, others gossip that they were mutated experiments from the Orcs, and still some speculated that they were a myth altogether. The only thing that was certain was that the realm was completely engulfed by a darkness so impenetrable and thick that it seemed as if the kingdom was hidden from sight. There was a magical wall that blocked onlookers from snooping, and once someone dared enter the blackness, their body would disappear completely and were said to never be seen again. Within these kingdoms, the races lived in a shaky peace. A little over a hundred years ago, a human named, Iasha Delorath, became the first emperor and united the kingdoms with a peace treaty that was still honored to the present day. However, the stability that was once relied on was no longer recognized by the other races. Due to the uptake in auras within the human race, the other groups were growing nervous at the thought that war may break out sooner rather than later. Auras were a specific type of magic tied to the person's soul and used a conduit to express their magic, which was usually an item that resonated with them. Any item could be a person’s conduit, such as swords, shields, pens, necklaces, holy relics, or any other personal item. Because it enhanced their abilities to perform greater magical acts, a person’s conduit was always with them and valued as their most treasured possession. Most people with auras discovered them at a young age, which would give them ample time to discover how useful they could be. A small group of people had an element tied to their aura, making them more powerful. Emperor Delorath was said to possess an incredible aura with the element of fire, and he had been hailed as the land’s savior, and had made the city, Loris, his capital city within the human kingdom, where the royal family still took residence. Though the five kingdoms no longer lived under the rule of one emperor, each had a king that ruled over their respective kingdom and met once a year to uphold the peace treaty. Due to Emperor Delorath’s unique aura, all across the kingdom of Croxiar, people were preparing for the Festival of Stars. It was a national holiday in honor of the peace treaty that had been struck so many years ago. The Croxiarian people were eagerly anticipating this long awaited day because the Festival of Stars mainly drew its lore from the first ever celebrated day. It was said to be the most magical day of the year because the Emperor had used his unusually powerful aura in a moment of pure joy and lit the night sky with flaming stars that exploded into mesmerizing shapes and colors on that first night. This lore had been passed down for generations. Maids scuttled about and giggled as they gossiped. Flowers were being picked from the gardens and arranged in fancy vases as the rest of the decorations were being set up. Everyone was bubbling with excitement as the day of preparing slowly drew closer to the night of festivities. And for most, it was a day to look forward to; however, it was five years to the day that Leira Freemont was sent home as a newly divorced woman. The Festival of Stars had been her favorite of the season, and now, it only held bitter memories for her. Leira’s ex-husband, Viscount Hubert Chancer, had sent her packing on the first morning after her unfortunate accident. It had been a scandal that Leira was still paying for and haunted by, even though so much time had already passed. To all of high society, she was a disgrace. To her own family, she was an eyesore. Now, she spent her days locked away behind closed doors, away from prying eyes. Away from the eyes of her own family. She was the eldest daughter of Marquess Garrick Freemont. She had a subtle beauty with light hazel eyes, small pink lips, and rosy cheeks, as well as a sprinkling of freckles on said cheeks, nose, and arms. Her long brown hair had a natural wave that cascaded down to her lower back. She had a quiet personality, and had been easy to marry off due to her agreeable nature at the age of 17. She had been her father’s pride and joy until the day she arrived back on his doorstep clutching papers with a tear-stained face. After realizing that she had been divorced only four years after her marriage, his affection for his eldest daughter faded overnight. She now spent her days watching the world pass her by from her singular window from the only room she was allowed to be in. Her father had taken to heart the saying, “Out of mind, out of sight.” She only saw her parents a smattering of times a year, and she hadn’t seen either one of her sisters since their own wedding days. Her older brother ignored her, and her younger brother had forgotten she’d existed. Leira was alone, except for her maid, Mari. She lived a quiet existence and had accepted her fate long ago. No one had believed her side of the story, and all that mattered was that Lord Chancer had issued the divorce. Since coming to terms with her lonely life, she had devoted herself to the only solace left in her world: painting. It was the only luxury given to her by her father. She painted everything she could see from her window. She painted everything she could see in her prison of a room. She even painted Mari, and how she remembered her siblings. So, at this year’s Festival of Stars, Leira had promised herself that she’d finally paint the explosions in the sky. She was determined to capture the beauty of the evening on her easel and enjoy the festival as much as she could from her room. What she wasn’t expecting was her father bursting into her room, red in the face and out of breath. “Get ready at once!” he barked. Flustered, Leira looked around in confusion, unsure of how to respond. “I said get ready!” he yelled, storming over to open her closet doors. “What do you mean, Father?” she asked timidly. He grabbed her small suitcase and threw it onto her bed. He then began tearing her simple dresses off the hangers and throwing them into the suitcase. She only had four other dresses, so it didn’t take long for him to pack them for her. “You’re leaving tonight.” “Leaving? What do you mean?” she called out. He smirked at her. “You have another chance to prove yourself, girl. You won’t disappoint me again, will you?” “Another chance? At what?” “You’re getting married, Leira. You’ll make him happy this time, won’t you? You won’t get yourself divorced twice, will you?” Dread filled her as he spoke. She stood frozen, rooted to the ground. The blood drained from her face as she processed his words. “M-married?” she stuttered. “Yes, Leira. Married. Don’t just stand there like a useless dunce. Get your things and finish packing. Is that the nicest dress you have?” Leira nodded, trying to regain her senses. “Damn. That won’t do. I think your mother still has a few of Larissa’s old dresses. She’s taller than you, but I think it’ll do,” he said. She didn’t hear him shout at the servants to finish packing for her and fetch her her sister’s dress. She didn’t hear him yell at her for being stupid. She didn’t hear him storm out of the room or slam the door. It wasn’t until Mari was dressing her that she saw her father had been serious. She was going to get married. Again. Who would it be this time? Would he hit her like her ex-husband had? Would he starve her? Call her fat? Touch her when she didn’t want his advances? Grope her? Would this mystery husband treat her as her ex had? Fear crippled Leira, and she fell to the floor. Tears sprang from her eyes and dripped down her cheeks. “Please, miss,” Mari cooed at her. “You must get dressed. You must be ready before your father returns. He said you must look perfect.” She nodded numbly as Mari helped her stand once more. She knew that Mari would be beaten if she wasn’t presentable. Leira had learned early on as the eldest daughter that it was the staff that would be punished for the children’s mistakes. She had taken the blame as much as she could, but it was usually the servants who suffered and she who had to watch, at least until she had come home that fateful day. Wiping the tears from her face, Leira attempted to pass the redness off as make-up. She pinched her cheeks to redden them as well, and let Mari finish dressing her. Larissa’s dress was a tad big on her, but Mari helped tie it in the back and into a fashionable look. Once her father stormed back into her room like a hurricane, she was ready. He seemed pleased with her and ushered her out of the room that she had been trapped in for three years. She was pushed into a carriage by herself with the coachmen instructed to take her to the Hollow Inn in the small village on the way to Loris. Apparently, her new husband’s people would take care of her from there. As she rode in silence, it dawned on her that she would not be able to paint the colorful explosions in the sky. She would not be able to watch the festival from her window or eat the few snacks Mari would sneak into her room. She would be forced to marry yet another man who would be able to do with her as he pleased. It was a relatively short ride of only a few hours to the Hollow Inn, and once there, she was escorted to a small room. Everyone seemed on edge and nervous, which only heightened her fears. Who was the man she was going to marry that made the villagers act so? No one had spoken to her or even really glanced her way. Leira was lost in her worries, and as she was locked into yet another room, her mind brought up unpleasant memories. She paced in her room, gnawing at her thumbnail, which was an old habit that her ex-husband had abhorred. She began feeling claustrophobic. The walls seemingly closing in on her. Her breathing became more labored, and she struggled for every breath. Dashing to the window, she found the latch and unlocked it, lifting the panel up for fresh air. Taking in big gulps, she felt herself calming down. Her mind cleared, but her fears stayed. Unable to take it any longer, Leira pushed the window panel up further. She was extremely grateful to be on the ground level, though she knew she would have jumped even if she was on the second story. This was her chance, and she was going to take it. No longer was she going to let others dictate her life. She was going to live for herself. And so, after taking a tentative step outside, she took another and another until she was running. She fled from the inn and from her second marriage.