Blood Calling
Aralorn
She walked along the garden trail, admiring the flowers. The different scents and colors always filled her with a sense of peace. Ahead of her stood the castle of Croris, standing tall and proud as it reached for the Heavens above.
The sky was clear as the sun’s brilliant rays of light shined down upon the land. A peaceful day for the land of Croris. Their kingdom was prosperous and had been since her father reigned. However, tendrils of doubt filled her heart.
As of tonight, she would be crowned queen when her father abdicated the throne. It’d be up to her to preserve the peace within their kingdom. To keep it strong and steadily growing.
Within the castle, servants were scrambling to finish up the preparations for the night, wanting to make everything perfect. The people of the kingdom loved their king, and had mourned the queen upon news of her death.
As her gaze landed on a pink rose, she smiled. It reminded her of the afternoons, few as they were, when she and her mother would have tea together. Her mother would tell her stories of the kingdom and they laugh as the sun sank deeper in the horizon, leaving the garden in a beautiful glow of purple and pink skies. Her fingers seemed to move on their own to touch the purple jewel that hung around her neck. It had been a birthday gift from her mother. A birthday she’d never forget.
“Your Highness,” the voice of her guard Simone pulled her out of her thoughts. She was surprised to find her eyelashes were heavy with unshed tears. Blinking a few times to try to hide that fact, she turned to Simone. “His Majesty has requested your presence within the castle.” He bowed to her, keeping his hand over his heart as was their custom.
“Thank you, Simone. I will take my leave of the gardens now,” Aralorn replied, giving a soft smile before turning to head in. Her lilac colored gown twirled as she turned, the skirt swishing along the ground behind her. Her brown hair blew behind her as a slight breeze flew by. Simone followed behind her silently, his iron breastplate glinting in the sunlight and his sword clanking at his side.
Servants bowed and curtsied as the two made their way to the double door entrance of the throne room. Two guards stood in front of the door. Once seeing the princess, they each bowed and pushed open the heavy wooden doors.
The throne room was large, with paintings of past kings and queens and a red rug that led up to the throne. Sitting upon the golden seat lined with red satin cushions was the king. His blue eyes were sharp as ever, the wisdom and knowledge of age set in his gaze. His once beautiful brown hair turning white as the years passed.
His face wrinkled with a smile as he gazed upon his daughter as she entered. She stopped a few paces from the throne and gave a small curtsy before smiling up at her father. Once risen, she waited for him to speak.
“My beautiful daughter. Today you will ascend the throne. This crown shall be placed upon you and all the glories of the kingdom shall be yours.” He smiled down at her, a twinkle of pride in his eyes. “Are you prepared for tonight?”
With another curtsy, her hair fell to cover her eyes. “Yes, father.”
“Good, good! Then we shall feast in your honour, and make merry of the night!” With that, he dismissed her so he could change.
Leaving the throne room in silence, she decided she’d go visit her sister before the night’s festivities began, knowing that she’d be too busy to stop and converse with her favorite person. As she traveled down the hallways, her mind wandered to the few times she and her sister had time to spend together. They’d play hide-and-go-seek, Adelena always finding the best spots since she was smaller. Or they’d be found in the library, laughing over some strange book they had found.
With a heavy sigh, Aralorn turned the corner, hoping to find her little sister in her rooms. Simone stuck to her like glue, walking silently behind her.
He was taller than her by a few inches, and older by a year. She had been a mere teen when he had come into her life. In the beginning, she had been reluctant having him around. She had no desire to have a tail placed upon her, but her father insisted. Much to her own dismay, he was clever. All of her escape attempts had always been in vain. As she grew older, those attempts halted and she began to stop fighting her fate altogether.
“Simone?” she asked, keeping her gaze on the empty hall before her.
“Yes, princess?” he replied, his voice gruff and his armor filling the silence as it clanked along.
For a while she remained silent, thinking over countless things in her head. So much would change tonight. She was almost frightened to know just how much would change. “Nevermind…”
The sky was clear as the sun’s brilliant rays of light shined down upon the land. A peaceful day for the land of Croris. Their kingdom was prosperous and had been since her father reigned. However, tendrils of doubt filled her heart.
As of tonight, she would be crowned queen when her father abdicated the throne. It’d be up to her to preserve the peace within their kingdom. To keep it strong and steadily growing.
Within the castle, servants were scrambling to finish up the preparations for the night, wanting to make everything perfect. The people of the kingdom loved their king, and had mourned the queen upon news of her death.
As her gaze landed on a pink rose, she smiled. It reminded her of the afternoons, few as they were, when she and her mother would have tea together. Her mother would tell her stories of the kingdom and they laugh as the sun sank deeper in the horizon, leaving the garden in a beautiful glow of purple and pink skies. Her fingers seemed to move on their own to touch the purple jewel that hung around her neck. It had been a birthday gift from her mother. A birthday she’d never forget.
“Your Highness,” the voice of her guard Simone pulled her out of her thoughts. She was surprised to find her eyelashes were heavy with unshed tears. Blinking a few times to try to hide that fact, she turned to Simone. “His Majesty has requested your presence within the castle.” He bowed to her, keeping his hand over his heart as was their custom.
“Thank you, Simone. I will take my leave of the gardens now,” Aralorn replied, giving a soft smile before turning to head in. Her lilac colored gown twirled as she turned, the skirt swishing along the ground behind her. Her brown hair blew behind her as a slight breeze flew by. Simone followed behind her silently, his iron breastplate glinting in the sunlight and his sword clanking at his side.
Servants bowed and curtsied as the two made their way to the double door entrance of the throne room. Two guards stood in front of the door. Once seeing the princess, they each bowed and pushed open the heavy wooden doors.
The throne room was large, with paintings of past kings and queens and a red rug that led up to the throne. Sitting upon the golden seat lined with red satin cushions was the king. His blue eyes were sharp as ever, the wisdom and knowledge of age set in his gaze. His once beautiful brown hair turning white as the years passed.
His face wrinkled with a smile as he gazed upon his daughter as she entered. She stopped a few paces from the throne and gave a small curtsy before smiling up at her father. Once risen, she waited for him to speak.
“My beautiful daughter. Today you will ascend the throne. This crown shall be placed upon you and all the glories of the kingdom shall be yours.” He smiled down at her, a twinkle of pride in his eyes. “Are you prepared for tonight?”
With another curtsy, her hair fell to cover her eyes. “Yes, father.”
“Good, good! Then we shall feast in your honour, and make merry of the night!” With that, he dismissed her so he could change.
Leaving the throne room in silence, she decided she’d go visit her sister before the night’s festivities began, knowing that she’d be too busy to stop and converse with her favorite person. As she traveled down the hallways, her mind wandered to the few times she and her sister had time to spend together. They’d play hide-and-go-seek, Adelena always finding the best spots since she was smaller. Or they’d be found in the library, laughing over some strange book they had found.
With a heavy sigh, Aralorn turned the corner, hoping to find her little sister in her rooms. Simone stuck to her like glue, walking silently behind her.
He was taller than her by a few inches, and older by a year. She had been a mere teen when he had come into her life. In the beginning, she had been reluctant having him around. She had no desire to have a tail placed upon her, but her father insisted. Much to her own dismay, he was clever. All of her escape attempts had always been in vain. As she grew older, those attempts halted and she began to stop fighting her fate altogether.
“Simone?” she asked, keeping her gaze on the empty hall before her.
“Yes, princess?” he replied, his voice gruff and his armor filling the silence as it clanked along.
For a while she remained silent, thinking over countless things in her head. So much would change tonight. She was almost frightened to know just how much would change. “Nevermind…”