Chapter 5: The New Beginning

They throw me into my room. Locking me inside. They took my neckless, the primary source of my magic. And the elven queen locked the rest of it with a spell. I'm powerless against them. For the first time in my life for a long time, I'm weak. I can't protect myself. Not anymore. My world has changed maybe for the better. I may never know. My friends don't trust me, and I don't blame them. I tried to destroy the world. I tried to kill my family, friends, and home. I wanted to wipe it all out. What was left of my soul got corrupted and changed my mind, my heart, my being? The pain I caused cant be forgiven. They should just end it. I lead an attack on my own people because I got corrupted. It could happen again.

The door opens when I finally settle in my desk chair. I just look at it Ravensha walks in with my mother. My mother looks at me then the window saying, "Luna, how could you betray us like this?" I just look down. I just want her to say the word I attacked my people because I'm weak. She then continues, "this was treason even for a princess like you. The punishment for this is death. You do realize this, don't you?" I get up, and Ravensha tenses up, then I go over to the window and look out it. My mother continues, "if it wasn't for your new friend Danny telling us how you tried to warn us, you would already be executed. That being said, until we know the real reason why you lead an attack on your people, you will be removed as the heir until a time when you are fit to be the heir. You will no longer be allowed to roam the castle alone, and you are no longer the captain of the royal guard." I look at them, confused, saying, "so he told you that is how you prepared. The reason I attacked is that I lost myself. My soul got corrupted. My magic darkened the color in my world turned grey." Then my mother says, "very well, you know the terms it is your choice to leave but only with someone else." They then leave the room, the door closing with a click.

I stay in the room all-day reading and writing when I hear a knock. I turn to look, but the door doesn't open, so I say. "you do know that the door is locked from the outside, right?" the door then opens, and Danny walks in. He looks at me, smiling, saying, "I'm glad that they listened to me. Do you know what happened?" I look down, then I nod my head slowly. He continues. "then what happened? I don't understand what happened. You care about everyone here. You loved your people. You would never lead an attack like that without good reason,….right?" I can't meet his eyes. I know why I got corrupted, my soul. Danny takes a step towards me and grabs my wrist. He looks at me, saying, "please, I can't help you anymore if you don't talk to me." I look at him. Saying, "I want them to give me the full punishment. What I did was wrong, and I can't take the chance...that….," he looks down at me. Saying, " you won't, I won't let you, I will help you. I don't want to lose you not again. I can't explain it, but I…I think I could feel a darkness when you changed sides. I feel like there is more to this bond than what you told me."

I just look at him saying, "when this spell is performed correctly, the two who share the souls have a bond that can never be broken. Depending upon how strong the bond is made determines how deep it goes. Some go as far as being able to read one another mind. And as shallow as a deep love that can't be broken." He looks at me, saying, "why don't we get some food?" I look at him and say, "but I'm not allowed to leave without one of the soldiers." Danny then says, "well then a good thing. I joined the royal guard." He holds out his hand continuing, " so shall we." I take his hand, and we leave to get some food.

We walk together down to the kitchens, and Silvia is cleaning up. I go over to the counters and grab some leftover rolls from the previous meal, and I sit down on the floor. I finally realize that I'm still in the same dress when I was one of the Dark Warlock's generals. The color is black with white fur around the neck and hem of my dress. I look at Danny, saying I would like to go back to my chambers to change. I don't want to forget what I did. Still, I most definitely don't want to continue wearing this. It's just a symbol of the pain I caused, and since…" I look to Danny, " you have no intention of letting me face the punishment for the crimes I committed. I should start working on trying to start a new." Then we leave Silvia fallowing.

We walk the three of us through the castle to my chambers. When we get there. I look to Silvia, saying, "I would understand if you don't trust me or feel safe around me." Silvia smiles, saying, "The other day when you attacked, that wasn't the little girl I raised when you first came here. And now that little girl that came here that the first day is back but different, more afraid than before." We all go in, and Silvia goes through my clothes, and she pulls out an emerald green dress. She helps me get it on the sleaves. Start off the shoulder, the gown is long and touches the floor, and bunches up slightly. Then Silvia pulls out a pair of heeled shoes and helps me put them on. Once I'm done changing, Danny looks at me and says, " would you like to back on that walk?" I nod, then we leave, walking through the castle.

During our walk, we run into Cyrin. He looks at me then says, "I don't understand why you would lead an attack on your own people?" Danny looks at me, saying, "you don't have to listen to this come on." Then we go to the gardens outside. Once we get out, I look up at the stars and the moon. I take a deep breath. I walk through the grounds, then everything goes grey, and I fall to the ground holding my head, trying to block out the darkness inside. Danny runs to me and touches my shoulder, saying, "luna, you're not alone. I'm here for you." He holds me close. "no matter who is against you, the pain you cause to others, I will be here to bring you back every time, no matter how many times you leave. No matter how many times you go back to the Dark Warlock, I will always come after you even when all hope is lost. I will never stop fighting for you. Even if your world is against me, I'm here for you." I just look at him, amazed at the color coming back to my world. I look at him, saying, "you can't keep coming for me. I'm hopeless cause there is no point in me sticking around. You should just leave me to let them take me. There is no point in keeping me around or keep coming for me." Tears spill down my cheeks, causing Danny to smile. He says, " to me, there is a point to keep you around. I fell for you, so you can't tell me that you are hopeless because, to me, your everything I will never stop. You can't make me do so." I sit there, and he just holds me tightly, continuing. "and I will never let you go no matter how much you beg, no matter how much you hurt me, I will always be at your side." I'm just completely in shock, and I know in my heart that he's telling me the truth. I can't stop him, so I have to stop myself before I hurt him, the one I love more than the sun and moon more than life itself.

The next day I wake up in my chambers, the memory of Danny's promise deep in my head. I can't let him keep his promise because I'm afraid that if he does, then I will end up killing the one person... …I genuinely care about. Then a knock at the door stirs me from my thoughts, then Flahera comes in and says, "come, I have been ordered to take you to the dining hall for breakfast." I get up and get dressed in a dark purple color and some flats. Once I'm dressed, we leave. We walk through the corridors of the castle together without a word all the way to the dining hall. I get a small plate with barely enough food for one person.

The whole meal, I don't see Danny. Good, it means what is to come next will be easier for me. Once I finish eating, I walk off into the hallway. I don't care if I get caught by a guard. I walk all the way to my chambers and write a note for everyone saying. 'I can't let those I still care forget hurt anymore by the corrupted side of myself. This happened because I let others get into my head and heart. I hurt my people and almost destroyed my home, something that can never be forgiven, so this is goodbye forever, my friends.' I fold the note up and put my seal on it and set it on the desk, and leave through the secret passageways all the way to the balcony. Once I get there, I stand on the ledge looking down, then I turn around seeing Danny running, then I take a step back and start falling. I see Danny's hand try to catch me, but he is too late, thankfully. I then mumble, "It's ok. I did this for you."

Darkness is all that I see now the end has come for me by my own hand to protect my friends, my people Danny. Since I gave up half my soul to save the one I loved, it caused me to be corrupted, so no matter how much I fought myself, the darkness I created would win. Everyone would die, and it would be my fault. This was the only way to save everyone because I know Danny would stop the only ones who could stop me if it came down to it. Many people would've died if I hadn't done this, so I'm okay with how this ended because it could be worse right?

I hear a voice, it's Danny. "Luna, don't leave, stay with me, please I need you to stay. Why did you do this? I would have protected you from anything. You didn't need to prove yourself. You would have been fine the other you wouldn't of come back, and even if it did, I would have come for you as many times as necessary I told you that." I feel a tear on my cheek, then a small heartbeat in my chest, the sun on my face, then my eyes open. I see Danny's face. He is crying, then the sky roars with thunder, then rain falls from the sky. I look at him.

I touch his cheek, and for the first time in months, I feel whole, and the corruption within my soul is gone. I'm me again. I move my hand from his cheek to the back of his neck then he looks at me with the biggest smile I have ever seen on his face. He leans down and kisses me so gently as if I would break. Then he says, "Why did you do that? I thought I lost you. Please promise me that you will never do anything like that again." I smile though he doesn't know why, so I say, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt one of my family again. I didn't want to hurt you." He responds, "but you still hurt me in a different way than intended, but still, it would have hurt." I look to him, then he lifts me up in his arms and walks off, taking me to my chambers, then he sets me down on my bed then leaves.

I walk around my chambers until my mother walks in with my retainers. They all kneel down in front of me. I'm confused, then my mother says, "Lutilia Fletia Respiria, you have proven to us all that you are ready to lead us that you are prepared to lead this domain and that you are the true witch queen who has kindness in your heart and a soul of purity. Because of your willingness to sacrifice yourself for your people. In three days, you will be the next queen, so prepare my child." I look at her as she hands me my neckless, and I take it. I look to them, saying, "What about the villagers? They more than likely don't trust me anymore. Besides, why would I want it? I don't deserve this. I betrayed my people." Then my mother says, "the reason is that you never wanted this who better to rule fairly and justly than you. The people will understand why I made this choice eventually, but you need to get them to know why you believe in them." Then she says, "Silvia, come help your crowned princess to change to see her people." Silvia nods then gets to work with the other maids.

Once they Finnish, I'm in a ball gown. It's dark purple with silver flowers on it that almost look like stars in a midnight sky. They put my hair up in an off the shoulder twist. With a moon rose tucked in on the opposite side of the twist. Once they finish getting me ready, they take me through the castle upstairs around corners until we are at the door that leads to the balcony. I stand there as the announcements begin. I can't breathe… I can't do this, so I run for the second time since I learned how to fight run. I run and don't look back until I'm deep into the garden I lean against a pillar in the garden, taking deep breaths, trying to calm myself. Then I hear footsteps. I turn to look at a sword forming into my hand. I turn to see Danny. There he says, "you are, Silvia, said you ran off again. I was worried the whole royal guard is looking for you." I look at him, saying, "I can't do this the people they will not work except me as their future queen. I led an attack on my own people. That is something that can never be forgiven, and I put myself before my people several times I'm not fit to lead them."

My sword disappears. Danny says, "You're wrong. The reason you are fit to lead is that you know your mistakes, and you are willing to change or make amends." I look at him, saying, " the people will never follow me anyways." Danny then kneels down in front of me, so I stand up straight, looking down at him, confused. He says, " Your wrong" he's looking down at the ground. "the royal guard is behind you until the end" he takes his sword from the sheath on his hip, handing me the hilt, and he's holding the blade. "I am with you until the end. A friend that will faithfully stay by your side, the captain of the royal guard, I promise to never let anything happen for as long as I live, so please stay become the queen this kingdom needs." I stand there looking at him with tears of joy in my eyes. I smile, saying, "Thank you, but I don't want you to be the leader of the royal guard." He looks at me, confused. "I want you to be one of my retainers that way. You will always be at my side. I need more allies like you, so stay not as a guard but as my…" He looks at me, willing to do anything for me. I can tell by the look in his eyes he says, "I will never leave. I've already told you this now let's go get you to the others." He gets up, taking his sword and putting it back in his sheath. He then starts to lead me towards the balcony. Still, before we are there, I look to him, saying, "don't leave me please," he smiles, saying, "Never."

We go out, me Danny, Ravensha, Flahera, and Jack, all of us out on the balcony, me in my dress and them in their armor. They stop before we reach the end of the terrace, but I continue. I hear my mother yells, "Your future queen Lutilia Fletia Respiria. She will be crowned in three days. Then the coronation ball will be afterward the same day, so prepare for this fantastic day, a day of new beginnings." Everyone cheers. I don't understand why they can trust me to support my rule, but I can't do this on my own I need someone to help me with my rule.

When the announcements have been made, I leave with my retainers in tow, including Danny. We walk to my study. When we go in, I walk to my desk and have a seat. I look at my friends and Danny, saying, "I am going to need some help in the coming days. The work is going to pile up, so I need to know that I can trust you all to help me." They all nod as I continue. "Flahera, I will need your help to sort the problems from the villages. Ravensha, I will need your help to sort out the most urgent requests from other kingdoms and jack you in charge of new soldiers' training and recruitments. Each of you will partake in the training of the soldiers." They all respond, "Yes, milady."

I look at them. Saying, "Dismissed." They all leave except Danny. He looks at me. Saying, "Why didn't you want me to have a task?" I look at him, saying, "Because you have never worked with me before. You need to learn how to work with me and my team as a whole." He responds, "I don't think that is the case here, but I won't press you anymore if you don't want me to." I keep quiet, looking at him. I don't want him to have a specific job because I've fallen for him, and I don't want him to get involved in this craziness more than he already has. But maybe I should have fallen for him, and he has the same feelings he told me that much, but how far has will it go?

The next day I'm still in my study, working on my paperwork. It pilled up a lot when I was gone. I look to the window when my stomach growls, so I get up and make my way to the dining hall, still in the ball gown from yesterday. When I get there, I get some food. I try to sit in the usual spot, but my mother has me sit in her place at the table. My retainers come to sit around me then next to them who came for the coronation. I look around the table, and I notice Danny is acting strange. I wonder why he is acting differently than I see my mother is as well. She keeps looking towards Danny as if she has a grudge, wonder what that's about. We go through our meals all in silence. A soldier runs in, going straight to me. The soldier bows before me, saying, "Milady, I regret to inform you that the castle has been breached by an unknown assassin." I look to him, saying, "take my mother the queen to the throne room and place the royal guard there to protect her. My friends, you're with me. We are going to search the castle top to bottom and all the secret passageways." The soldier takes my mother away. "Ravensha, you will take a group to the tunnels, Jack. You will lead a group on the insides of the castle walls, Flahera, the woods. I want to know if whoever is here has back up Danny, and I will lead troops on the inside of the castle." They all nod and run off to get the men they need.

I get changed into my armored dress then, Danny and I run through the castle, checking every room, every corner everywhere. But there isn't anyone here that we can find. When Danny and I are about to give up, we hear a crash in the throne room, so Danny and I take off in a run. The door to the throne room isn't on its henges. I run in, and Maloney is there holding her sword in her hand and blood covering the blade. I keep my eyes on her saying, "Danny, check on the queen, and the soldiers make sure they are alright and get them medical attention if they need it." I then prepare a spell without saying a word, and my staff appears in hand. She runs at me with fire in one hand and her sword in the other I stand at the ready. She swings her sword down on me, and I move my staff to block her attack. She attacks, and I stop how it goes for a while because I'm trying to wear her down. It's the only way I'm going to be able to defeat her. Then I notice her falter, to I make my strike knocking her out. I place a spell on her that prevents her from using magic. The other retainers come running in. Once they take her, I run over to Danny to take care of my mother and the soldiers. I stand there looking at my mother, who is bleeding out. I kneel down next to her. She starts to speak weakly as I hold her bloody hand.

"Luna, it had been the best part of my life to watch you grow up to become this kind-hearted princess, and even though you were not born into this life of luxury, you have taken to it. More than anyone ever could, you never changed how much you cared about others" tears are streaming down my cheeks as she continues, "so please never change who you are. Find yourself someone who is just as kind and caring as you that has a good head on his shoulders and will help, support, and love you. This is the only request I have. My last request, so please don cry. I knew that this was to come with the end of this war." Her hand grows cold; her breathing stopped. She may not know what happened in my past, but she still accepted me for I am. She took me in when I had nothing. She was the only mother I ever knew.

The next day I spend it in my chambers the whole day I spend it all alone for tomorrow, I have to lead. No matter if I'm ready or not, the kingdom will be counting on me to take charge. To show them to a new era, a new time, a time of peace and prosperity, a chance for a new life. But the question that I need to figure out is what kind of ruler I want to be?