The Royal Flame

Mer

“Mer” The soft whisper of my mom calling my name wakes me up. A little longer. I want to stay wrapped up in the warmth of the pelts over me. As spring nears, our house has become less filled with the warmth of a lit fire, whereby the morning cold freezes my toes off every time it is time to rise.

Mer? I am not Mer and I do not have a mother, but why does this voice sound so familiar, yet so strange. Opening my eyes a concerned but glad looking dark skin toned woman looks at me.

“Good morning my sweet busy bee. Your eyes are yet to turn, thankfully we have not missed your turning 18 yet. Your dad and I got you something special for your turning.” The woman walks towards a small wooden table in the middle of a small cozy cabin. A low burning fire casts a warm glow over the floor while rays of light fall inside the cabin from every side. I stand up with glee and dribble through the small living room.

“What is it?” words are pulled out from my lips. My body moves around without my permission as if it’s not my own.

With a heavy creak the solid wooden door with its iron hinges opens. A middle aged man with a black beard walks into the room with his heavy leather boots.

“Good day my angels.” His kind loving grey eyes look filled with love at the woman.

“Our little honey bee has not yet turned.” The man of towering height has to bow down to look into my eyes to see it for himself.

“Then our surprise stays a surprise for a little longer. Not much longer left and you will become a young woman.” His caring smile creates small creases next to his grey eyes.

After giving him a big hug, I run again around the table through the room. Once more and then I stop in front of a small mirror hanging next to the fire place. I see an enthusiastic Mer, her hair a bit shorter than I just saw her with. Nevertheless, still the same girl, except for her brownish dark eyes. If I recollect well, a second ago she had brighter yellowish tinted eyes that glowed warmth.

“Shall we release our little ball of energy?” The man laughs out loud.

“Yes please! Can I go with you to the creak? I will help you fish.” I hop up and down out of excitement.

“You mean scaring them away as you always seem to do with your little jumps through the water.” The woman stands disapprovingly with her hands planted in her hips.

The man plants a kiss on his wife’s cheek.

“No worries my dear, we always catch something.” Hearing his words I chase up the little wooden stairs to the tiny attic that stores among others fishing gear. My dad stands downstairs with his hands lifted, waiting for me to pass his gear. Swiftly I pass his gear, jumping down the stairs I follow him out the door. Over the fresh grass and the roses that come out of their winter sleep to greet the sunrays.

“Be careful! Love you!” my mom’s voice yells shakenly to us.

“Good morning Mer!” a grey bearded short man stands behind the small wooden fence that is entangled in rose bushes. Which redirects my attention towards him instead of my mom.

“Good morning Mr. Dimlinn!” I wave with passion to Mr. Dimlinn while hopping in my father’s footsteps.

“What adventures are you two off to today?”

“We will cross the fields of greens to the watery depths of Hinbog!” I exclaim loudly as I circle around dad.

“Good travels my brave adventurers!” Mr. Dimlinn cheers us on with his own engraved wooden stick in the air.

Running in front of my dad I spread my hands, the tall grass tingles my finger tops as I run around it. As we continue the field slowly starts to turn into a blanket of red. The bright flowers take my attention away from anything else. Snapping one of its stem, I run to my dad.

“Here my lord, the prettiest and reddest flower of all this season.” Bowing like a true princess.

“Thank you, my lady. That’s a true promise of a good harvest.” Placing the poppy on his head he walks on. He snaps a poppy of and places it right behind my ear.

“A poppy for this beautiful lady.”

“A poppy?”

“Yes my dear Mer. These are called poppies.” With the poppy in my hair I hop off to the front, knowing the way while I have never seen these fields before.

The day passes slow but glorious. Within the fish rich depths of Hinborg’s waters, father caught two pretty fish that mother will love. While I spend my day in the grass, with my feat in the twinkling water. Knotting the poppy stems together to create a red crown of poppies.

“Mer, the sun is setting. We better make our way back before we worry your mother too much”

“Dad, could you tell me one of your stories on the way back?” He tells the best stories, often when we sit and watch the water flow by. However, father has been awfully quiet today. Father looks me in the eyes, caressing my cheek. Before correcting the poppy crown on my head.

“Your red crown reminds me of a good story you ought to know.

There was once, not too far from here, a marvelous kingdom called Samaria. In its capital city Cirrane, a king and queen lived happily.” Father walks along the path leading to the field with poppies, holding my hand. My hand disappears in his.

“That’s not too far from us!” I exclaim euphorically. He smiles down at me, continuing our small strides towards home.

“However, something was lacking. They were missing a little child running around the halls of their castle, the sound of laughter and true innocence. One night the queen was blessed to become with child. Big festivities celebrated the great news. His majesty and her highness were in total bliss and so was the whole kingdom.

They were the most generous and loving king and queen the lands were ever bestowed with.

The royal families throne had never been challenged before. As the royal blood lines holds unearthly powers which gives its females the power to control fire. Making the royal family unbeatable as long as there are any females present. Enemies would burn, but surprisingly the king and queen were truly kind hearted. Even letting their own far relative Asunta live within the castle. However one’s happiness leads to another’s greed. The king’s half-sister Asunta unhappy with the lack of power and status, was living in the shadows of her brother. Steering evil plans, waiting for the perfect timing.

She had accounted for all, except for the unexpected blessing of a child. If a son would be born nothing was to be feared, however a daughter would bring immense uncertainties to Asunta’s plans.

Haste brings mistakes and one’s downfall. Knowing this, Asunta manifested herself close to the king and queen, winning their favor. As she waited close by, on the birth of the growing child within the queen.”

Father stops in his tracks. In front of us our house can be seen from afar. Lights inside lid up the small windows. Two horses are tied up against our small wooden fence. We got unknown visitors.

“Mer” Father bows down through his knees. From his chest pocket, he removes a small necklace with a small round pendant.

“We were meant to give this to you to celebrate your coming of age.” Placing it over my neck he looks me into the eyes.

“Did they turn grey?” I whisper hopeful. Even I feel something is off.

“No, they did not.”

“Then why?” I take the pendant in my fingers.

“The day is not yet over.” I mumble to myself.

“I know my dear Mer. I wish we could wait and see for a couple of days, but they are already here.” They, he must mean the visitors with their two horses.

“Listen my child. Every child normally turns with the morning glory of their 18th day of birth. We did not think this would happen but we prepared ourselves. Take this.” Father places a small leather bag over my shoulders, where he earlier put the two caught fish in.

“You know that children in our village have disappeared the moment they turn 18. They are taken for harsh trainings to Cirrane, to never return. Only because the color of their eyes does not turn grey. Your mother and I do not wish for such a life for our dear child. Run my child. Run to the depths of Hinborg, follow the stream upwards to the woods that leads to the mountainous area of Memoril. Turn there right, North, till you find the town of Ancia. Run my child, and never turn back. One day we will come find you there.” With the whispers of direction he gives me a brief hug. To brief for me to return or process what is happening. He gives me a final push in the direction of the river. While he walks off in the opposite direction, towards our home.

With a last turn around he waves me to hurry along. Nothing else but danger and a dark future awaiting me back home, I understand home is no longer home. One step forwards turns into a second and soon I am running. No longer with stretched out arms to be caressed by the high grass. I run as if I am being chased, with the small shoulder bag bouncing on my back. My father’s pendant around my neck, which I slide inside my shirt for it not be easily seen.

Reaching Hinborg before I know it. A figure awaits me, lightened by the setting sun.

Mr. Dimlinn turns around, his saddened eyes look at me understandingly. Without any words he lifts his stick, pointing to the right. The direction my father told me to run towards. Instead I run towards him, slinging my arms around him.

“Thank you. Please keep an eye on them for me.” Slightly tightening my embrace, I let go. I start to run, off to follow the course of the river upwards, to Memoril and Ancia, like my father told me to.

With a deep breath for air, my head turns back up again. Mer has released my head, resting with her hip on the corner of the wooden massive table she awaits my response.

“You were me, I was you.” I cough up, glaring up towards her.

“Mer has been blessed with the power to control the mind.” Isbeil states unbothered as she walks into the kitchen.

“Or to show you mine” Mer grins at me. She showed me such a personal part of her life. Everything that was dear to her. The serene place she used to spend her days at with her parents in peace. Yet I cannot seem to be thankful as the whole experience makes me feel sick.

“Isbeil, get Ella some water.” On Eresa’s command Isbeil grabs an empty cup. With some mumbling of words from the top of her moving fingers water forms. Dripping into the cup in front of me.

“The experience of reliving someone else’s memory is not kind to the stomach. It gets even the strongest of us.” Eresa gives me a tap on my back as she lifts up from her seat, placing back all the herbs she used and the paste.

“But your eyes are now different.”

“It takes one to discover and understand their own powers to show.” Mer gives me a squeeze in my hand.

“You parents, did they?” Mer softly shakes her head as an answer to my question.

“Watch out for her though” Isbeil laughs mischievously as she tilts her head to Mer.

“with a single touch all your thoughts are bare to her.” A quick look back to Mer, and she as well now grins mischievously. Softly I remove my hand from Mer’s touch, unsure if I am being teased or if Isbeil truly warned me.

“Enough ladies, it is time for Ella to take the first steps towards the discovery of her own powers.”