A Legacy of Shadows

Preparations

Elara’s POV

The days that followed tormented me. It was as if I had been reborn. I felt empty at the same time so empowered. My mind was a jumble of emotions and questions. What does it mean to have magical powers? What happens after now? Yes, I wanted adventure but not magical powers. Now I understand why my mother had kept me from the public eye. She was only trying to protect me.

Just as I was lost in thought, a knock on the door broke the silence. I rose to answer it, expecting it to be a neighbor or perhaps another patient. But to my surprise, it was a royal guard, standing tall and formal. “For lady Lyra”, he said, handing me a sealed letter.

The guard turned back, climbed onto his horse and departed without a word. I watched him go, then turned and walked back into the house, letter in hand. I made my way to Mother’s healing chamber, where she was preparing herbal healing remedies for her patients. “Who was that?”, she inquired. I handed her the letter and her eyes widened as she hurriedly broke the seal to read.

“Mother, what does it say?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. She looked up at me, her expression serious. “The king’s court has requested that I supervise the cooking for the queen’s birthday celebration." "And you, Elara, will be part of the serving staff”.

I felt a mix of emotions: excitement, nervousness and a hint of fear. What would it be like to serve the royal family, being face to face with them?

"But why are you the one to supervise?" I asked, my brow furrowed in confusion. "Why were we chosen?" "What's wrong with the cooks in the court?"

Mother's expression turned serious, her eyes darting around the room as if ensuring we were truly alone. "Elara, we cannot question the queen's decisions". "When she chooses someone for a task, it's not our place to ask why."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. "But why not?" "It seems strange that she'd choose us." “ We are healers not cooks!”

Mother's voice dropped to a whisper. "The queen's reasons are her own; we do as we're told, it's not safe to question her decisions." Her eyes locked onto mine, a warning in their depths.

I nodded, understanding. The queen's power was absolute, and her word was law. I wouldn't dare question her decisions, especially not in the castle.

"I'm more concerned about something else, Elara," Mother said, her voice low and serious. "Your...abilities." "You need to practice controlling them before the birthday celebration."

I felt a surge of anxiety. "What if I accidentally use magic in front of the royal family?"

Mother's eyes were stern. "You can't afford to let that happen, we need to make sure you're in control.”

"We have only three days until the queen's birthday celebration," Mother said, her voice firm and focused. "We need to make the most of it. Thankfully, I don't have any patients scheduled for now, and I won't be attending to any new ones until after the event. My full attention will be on preparing you for the royal court and helping you master your powers."

With that, Mother intensified our practice sessions, pushing me to control my magic and behave like a proper serving girl in the royal court.

The days blurred together in a whirlwind of magic practice and preparation. Mother drilled me on etiquette, protocol, and the intricacies of serving the royal family. I struggled to master my powers, but with each passing hour, I felt myself growing more confident.

As the eve of the queen's birthday celebration dawned, Mother's instructions became more urgent. "Remember, Elara, you must be invisible, don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself, and above all, keep your powers hidden."

I nodded, my heart racing with anticipation and fear. What lay ahead? Mother watched me for a moment, then turned to head into her room. She emerged with a small bag and handed it to me. "Go get dressed, Elara. We need to leave for the castle soon. "We don’t want to be late." "Meet me by the carriage."

I took the bag, feeling a surge of excitement mixed with nerves. I headed to get ready, eager to begin our journey to the castle.

Some few minutes passed, and my mother was getting impatient. “Elara!” she shouted. “Maaa!” I responded, rushing out of the house, quickly turning the locks at once! I jumped into the carriage.

As I settled in the carriage, I gazed out the window, marveling at the scenery passing by: The houses and people standing and staring as we passed them, the hills and the lush forest. It was my first time in a carriage, and now I’m headed to the palace. What an adventure! I thought to myself.

The carriage came to a halt and I found myself at the gate of a gigantic and magnificent building. I followed my mum to the where the royal guards were positioned. “Gate pass pls”, he said. My mum quickly handed him the letter that was brought by the guards three days ago. “Let them in,” he voiced out, accompanied by a signal to the other guard. We heard the jingling of keys and a push. The gate groaned as if it was protesting being opened. The guards stepped aside, allowing us to enter the castle grounds. “What a sight." I said. My mum smiled at me in return.

As we walked, I couldn't help but notice the bustling activity around us. Servants and staff scurried about, preparing for the queen's birthday celebration. Mother led me to the serving area, where I was introduced to the other staff members.

"Remember, Elara," Mother whispered, "Keep your head down, and don't draw attention to yourself."

I nodded, taking a deep breath. I was determined to do my best and make Mother proud.

As I nodded, I looked forward, and a person in a crisp white apron with a golden pin on their lapel was approaching us. The apron was immaculately clean, and their shoes were polished to a shine. Obviously, this person worked in the palace.

"Hello, Lady Lyra," the person said with a slight bow to my mother. Mother responded with a gentle smile and a nod.

The person turned to me and asked, "Are you in the kitchen or serving?"

I looked at Mother, and simultaneously, we both said, "Serving."

The person nodded and said, "Okay, come with me."