The Game of Time and Crown

Ten

The travel seems like an eternity. But when we stopped in the middle of daylight with no trees or anything nearby, i knew something was up. I peeked through the window only to saw a big city down from where we are.

"Wow," i whispered in amusement.

It's not like any modern city. It's a city with tall walls in a circular position that encloses a a ton of flat roof houses that purely made out of stones. From up here, that is all the details that i can see and nothing else.

"That's Persia," Amaya suddenly said also peeking through the door.

"You've been here before?" I asked her.

She nodded.

In the middle of all the houses, there stood a huge castle. There were vines in it but it doesn't even tarnish how beautiful it is.

The whole palace from where i came from can fit in this Palace and there would still be some space left for a stadium.

There were levels of the palace and it gets higher and at the top is a big balcony that I am sure can see almost everything the eyes can reach.

Darius stood to the edge and sounded the horn before riding his horse with a smile in his lips. Unlike any other ones that I've seen from him recently, this one is different. It's like it's the most genuine one he can manage.

His brother came first before him, the our carriage and then everyone else. I could see from here the dark cyan flag hanging from Darius' arms. It was neatly folded.

He might've felt that someone is staring at him so he turned to check. I immediately pulled my head back inside the carriage making Laleh and Amaya wonder.

"Is there something on the road?" Laleh asked worriedly.

I shook my head.

A knight reminded us to settle and remain in our seats since the way will be very steep. There weren't any violent noises or anything along the way and that remained until all the horses stopped and so are we.

There's a loud creak of metals outside which makes us anxious, but then i remembered that it might have been the gates being opened and the loud voices and claps confirmed my suspicions.

We have entered Persia.

From the window, we saw everyone happily lined along the streets cheering and welcoming everyone. Some were even crying and I am one hundred percent sure that those could be the wives of the knights or their children.

But somehow, i don't feel any joy or sadness. I feel nothing.

I looked at Laleh and her face has remained stoic and expressionless and so is Amaya.

A whole country has just been stolen from them. Their home, their people and this body's true origin.

When the carriage stopped again, we were made to walk until we reach the huge doors of the palace. The flag of our Palace was now in a pole carried by Darius himself.

We were directed to a room of our very own after a tiring hour of walking and walking and climbing through endless steps of stairs.

"I need them in my room, you can put their beds inside mine," Laleh ordered a servant.

The servant faced a knight that we assume is a high ranking one since he wore a different clothe that the other, it nodded to the servant, chasing her away to move our beds.

When we entered into the room, we are greeted by a cold breeze of air, a large bed and a balcony where there were vines and plants, swinging to the direction of where the wind blows.

The bed were made of steel and it's post on shimmering gold. There are two bedside tables with some books and papers, which I guess is a map.

On the other side of the room is another door where I suppose is where the bathroom is.

Without taking too much time, the beds arrived and they were placed inside the room. Amaya doesn't want to be the one near the window so I gladly took the space and settle there. We were just about to sleep when suddenly, there was another knock on the door.

Amaya was the one nearest to the door so she opened it.

"My Princess," the man slightly bowed.

Laleh looked at him.

"Prince Jamshid of Persia. Nice to meet you," he smirked.

Amaya and I both looked at Laleh. She slightly bowed.

"No need for that. I know who you are before I even came to your land." Jamshid waved his hand.

"Could've allowed her to at least say her name," I whispered.

Jamshid turned to me hearing what i just said.

"Your Princess is one of the reasons why Deya is one of the most treasured allies of Persia. I understand that you don't have any knowledge about the pact but that doesn't mean you can run away from it." He walked closely to us alerting both me and Amaya.

"I know exactly what you're talking about. But you do not have to waste my land like there are no living persons in it!" Laleh shouted.

"We have been around your country for a long period of time and the news that your palace shelters Witches doesn't go away so as the great country of Persia decided that it is time for you to leave your place and be her. This is for your own safety," Jamshid confidently explained.

Laleh refused to listen to him, shaking her head.

"My country is given by the Deities, it is holy. We will never hide Witches."

Jamshid just nods.

"I will return once you have checked your emotions. It's nice to finally meet you." He walked out of the door.

There was a long tension in the air before another knock broke the silence.

"This is your garments, your Majesty and so is your apprentices."

The lady left a pile of thick clothes in the bed.

Apprentice?

"Why are we not acknowledge as Knights?" I asked.

Amaya sighed.

"Persia doesn't have lady knights. They do not acknowledge our position here," she sadly said.

We changed in to our dresses after assisting Laleh with hers. I was given a long sleeve beige dress that is up until my ankles with a slit in both sides and an embroidery in the middle that goes in along the waist. Surprisingly, even though the garments are thick, they are not warm or itchy but rather very comfortable.

When dinner came, we all eat in silence and tried to get a nap. Due to exhaustion, my nap turned into a goodnight sleep.

Or so I thought.

I woke up feeling refreshed and once again, on high hopes that i will be back on my normal timeline.

But I was disappointed.

I brushed of the negative feeling and looked around. Amaya was still asleep and so is Laleh.I put the beige cloak and slowly stood up making sure i don't wake anyone. I walked through the balcony of the room and was in awe of what i saw.

From up here, i could see almost all of the city that is just below the Palace. As i stare at the gate, I realized it was metal and wood unlike the first one that i saw which made out of entirely wood alone. I tilted my head when i saw someone walking towards the gate alone. I was pretty sure it's not a knight since he isn't wearing wearing an armor.

The man continued to walk towards the gate and stopped when in front of the tower that is beside it.

I was about to sit down when he already went in only to realize that it was Darius.

Why is he awake this early?

He went straight for the windows of the tower that is almost as tall as the wall itself, pulled out a rope and swung himself to the edge of the top of the walls and sat there. My eyebrows almost meets as i tried to see what in the world would he do in top of the walls but he just sat there. That was for almost an hour before someone came and shouted at him to go down.

Before he disappeared in my sight, he looked up to where I am but continues to walk.

The other two inside the room was woken up with a gentle knock in the door.

Laleh was called by the king himself. We insisted on coming but Laleh nodded to us that she's okay with going alone. We then both decided to go out the room for the first time since we arrived to look around the palace.

When we reach the part of the palace that seems to be the garden, we entered in awe. There were numerous plants and different leaves inside. But it was just seconds after we entered, Amaya touched my arms and suddenly fell on her knees.

"Are you alright?" I worriedly asked her.

She grabbed her throat and coughed blood.

My eyes went wide and I felt the panic building up so I did the most reasonable thing to do, i tried to drag her out of the garden while yelling for help.

But when I was so close to where we came from, i felt my vision blurred and my arms weakened as I let go of Amaya's unconscious body. I fell down with the sight of the entrance of the garden where we just cam in earlier and stretched out my hands, trying to reach it.

My head feels like they've just been hit by a hammer and i can feel beads of sweat in my face. Everything started to get dark and I was about to pass out when I saw a pair of foot came in in a rush.

I felt my body being carried and just a few seconds, I gasped for a cold air.

"Call for a healer!"

That voice sounds so familiar.

Someone tapped my cheeks and as I tried to recognize who it was, I failed miserably. Instead, I started seeing images of my Mom.

"M-mother," I tried to call her as she fades away.

"D-don't go," I pleaded.

But everything starts to fade. Like papers being torn until they're just gone. And I thought I was too.

I felt like there is a whole human on top of me. I tried to move and fortunately, I could just suddenly feel my arms and fingers. I almost celebrated but then the memories of what happened came to me like a lightning storm. I got up.

"Amaya?" I screamed

"She's alright."

I looked at the direction on where the voice came from only to find Darius standing at by the door.

"Where is she?"

"Beside you," he pointed.

I looked to my right and found her still soundly asleep.

"Why isn't she..." I trailed

"She was the one who touched the flower so the she inhaled most of the poison," he explained.

I was about to ask more when an elderly woman entered the room, which I think is more like a hospital in modern times and asked me so many things.

She then turned to Amaya and looked at her hands. I gasped when I saw that they were almost burnt.

"Laide?!"

I looked at the door when I heard Laleh's voice. Her eyes were drench in sweat and tears, she tried to come near us and tried to hug me but Jamshid came just in time to stop her.

"You can't. It's dangerous," he warned her while still not letting go of her hand.

I instantly checked my hands but there was not any sign of burn or bruises in them except for I feel really sore in my arms and hands and I was pretty sure that is because I dragged Amaya out.

"What happened?" I finally had the courage to ask.

"She touched a poisonous flower, that same flower releases it's poison only after being in contact with humans or animals. She is a direct proximity," Darius explained.

"Is she in danger?" I asked the lady.

"No. But it will take some time for her to recover. It is vital that you pulled her away instantly." she smiled.

I looked at Darius and was pretty sure that he was the one who dragged me out when I was about to pass out.

My God, I am not even here for a day and I almost died. Please bring me back.