Wake of Devastation, Lost in Desperation

There was a knock on my door and the psychic walked in, uninvited. She waved Mayora out of the room and I watched the young maiden leave. She'd been telling me of her love for one of the knights, and her sister's fondness for Bradley.

The psychic smiled pleasantly at me. She had a young face, despite having been in the castle for a hundred years.

She's supernatural. Everyone knows it.

"What did you talk to my sister about?" I asked. She smiled.

"Your sister's destiny is her own. I doubt she'll want to share it with you. Your destiny is just as much your own secret as hers is hers."

"Then why are you here, in my chambers?"

The psychic paused and smiled. "As you are aware, your father is deciding who you should marry, should you stay in Nove Hrady. He's almost reached his decision. Your sister will very likely marry Bradley."

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. If I knew Eurydice, and I did, there was only one man she'd willingly marry, not that she'd admit it, and it was...

"And you are set to marry Chester." My heart dropped to the floor.

It was the man I would have to marry.

"I can imagine how you must feel-" Anger boiled inside me.

"You can't imagine a damn thing!" I shouted. This wasn't me, but I couldnt help it. That was like killing three hearts with one arrow. "I'll do what I must," I said in a whisper. The psychic shook her head.

"Chester isn't fit to rule a kingdom, and his Majesty, the King knows it." I looked away. Father didn't know a lot of things.

"Princess Sayer, there's a lot of things you must know. Your marriage to Sir Chester-" She sent a sharp look towards the door, then walked closer to me and began whispering in my ear. "Your choice, and your choice alone, will either be what saves Nove Hrady and Zratil les... or destroys it. Now, I do believe you should check who's behind that door."

Wide eyed, I walked over and opened the door to see Micheal standing there, his face contorted in anguish.

"I heard you yelling," he whispered.

"Micheal-" He turned and fled the room and I hurried after him, yelling his name. I followed him out into the courtyard to find that the sun was minutes away from dissapearing for the night. Micheal ran out into the grassy fields and I noticed Eurydice and Chester, talking heatedly. I saw Micheal begin to pull out his sword and I screamed out, an incoherent jumble meant to catch their attention.

Chester had enough time to push Eurydice out of the way before Micheal was upon him, pushing his sword to the other man's throat and taking his sword away.

"I should murder you where you stand," Micheal growled, loud enough for us to hear. Chester's eyes flashed in alarm as Eurydice and I cried out in the same fashion.

Micheal, please-" we both started. He sent Eurydice a murderous glance.

"Micheal, please, don't do this," I said. "He's your best friend-"

"Yes, defend him," Micheal said with venom in his voice. "That way you can be happy and rule the kingdom with Prince Chester II and all your other charming babies! I hope they die," he spat at me. I flinched and he threw Chester's sword away, glared at Chester and I, and walked away as the sun fell beneath the horizon and the sky faded to black, describing the end of my day perfectly.

"What happened?" Chester asked.

"He overheard that..." I looked at Eurydice, who was blinking back tears.

"That the King has arranged for you and Sayer to be married," she finished.

Bewildered, Chester looked back and forth between us, then hurried after Micheal. We watched him go.

"I meant to tell you something, but I can't remember what," Eurydice said. I stayed silent.

When I finally spoke, I knew from the surprised and guilty look on her face that she'd been thinking along the same lines.

"I'm leaving. Back to the Western Kingdom. I'll tell Father to marry Flora to Bradley and be on my way. Good bye, Eurydice." I headed back towards the castle. Mayora came to my side yet said nothing, and her silent companionship made me feel, just a little, better.