To War We Go

"Is she healed and ready to be presented to the realm Eduarda?" The king says as he steps down the stairs. His beard was trimmed and ready, a royal armor on his body, black with red as his sword was at his waist.

Eduarda sultrily walked to him, her large breasts bouncing with every step she took. The rest of the guards eye her seductively as she tried to make a move on the king. Her purple hair was pinned up and her dresses made me want to gag at her. I know my dad was on his third wife but he was not going to go for someone that threw them on him. Even I knew that much and I was only seven years.

"My king, the 'princess' is ready," She says moving around him but she dared not to get too close to him.

King William stepped closer to the bars of my prison cell. I was dressed in the armor of our kingdom. My hair was pinned up by braids on top of my head and I wondered, what could be running through his head as he looked at me with scorn-filled eyes.

Did he see the crown princess?

Did he see a weapon?

Did he see a monster?

Or did he see the daughter he abandoned to his council?

Probably all four but then again I knew I was never his favorite child. I reminded him of my mother when he stared at me. A mother I never wanted to know about because he was all I had ever known and needed.

"Serah,"

Flashbacks of the day when he first laid his hands on me appeared in my head and I stood up pushing those memories back.

"Your majesty," I bowed at him standing up. This time the chains were on my wrists only. The pain had numbed after having them wrapped around me for so long.

The King clicked his fingers as the chains disappeared from me and the door to my prison opened. Eduarda used her magic to cover and heal wounds but it was still there aching under their disguise. I stepped to the door as my father asked for my hand. I looked at his opened palm and then I showed him my wrist as he placed a silver bracelet laced with his miasma. I trembled from the extreme power that felt like it was placed like a grizzly bear's skin on me.

I shook my hand away from him stepping back as I tried to get adjusted to it. My chest heaved as I felt like I was suffocating and then he touched my forehead and I glanced at him under hooded eyes. After a few minutes, he let go, as the shaking subsided and he began to walk away. I followed him silently as we went up the long spiral stairs to the surface. I shielded my eyes from the brightness of the realm. It was still the same as I remembered it the last time I had escaped. We traversed through the halls as many caelestians stopped and stared. Some even whispered and pointed, I let out a low sigh as I picked up on some of their conversations.

It had been a long time since anyone had seen me. My appearance had changed. I wasn't that happy-go-lucky princess that they all knew. I guess that's what happens when you do the wrong thing by trying to make your father proud. A lesson well learned.

"You will not speak unless spoken to, do you understand?"

I glanced up at his back as he was poised just as a king should be.

"Understood, your majesty,"

It was a known fact that my life was no longer my own. There was a low threat in his voice. I could not speak to anyone even if I wanted to. It wasn't like anyone would want to talk to me. My siblings despised me; they never tried to reach out to me.

I was the forgotten child.

A cursed child

****

"So she's finally ready for war?" Queen Athena rose from her throne as King William went to her side. He took her palm and placed a chaste kiss on the back of her hand.

"Who would have thought that a child could be bred for war," Sir Talberon remarked as the council entered the throne room.

I could feel their hateful glares upon my skin. Their essence trying to break loose to attack me as my darkness was ready to whip out at them.

Different Caelestians surrounded me as I glanced to the side to notice Dracyian and Skythe along with that idiot of a crown prince Zecane. He was glaring at me, but his cheeks were tinted red.

I ignored my siblings and looked ahead near the throne room only to freeze. The Oracle was here. The throne room suddenly became silent as she waved her hand in the air.

Her dark chocolate skin glowed under the lights. She was dressed in a beautiful grey clothed dress with our kingdom's insignia tattooed on her neck. A sign of allegiance to Obscurum.

She stepped forward towards me towering over me. Except I could feel her heavy aura. Every caelestian in Iracundia is evil and has darkness inside of them. That is what we are taught growing up in our realm.

So why were the Oracle's aura and essence so pure?

"Ediskrad pu esir," In an ancient tongue she spoke words that I could not understand.

I didn't feel right as she said those words. I took a step back as the council got into their stances.

"Stand down, she will not hurt anyone, isn't that right princess?" The Oracle catches me off guard as she bent down kneeling in front of me.

She took my hands into her larger hands clutching them. I suddenly obeyed and shook my head remembering my father's words.

"I won't hurt anyone, I swear," I quickly responded. She rubbed the back of my palms. And then I looked at her features. Her brown locks fell forward as her white eyes stared into my own.She was a seer. A caelestian that could foresee the future. But she wasn't activating her powers on me.

"You won't hurt anyone right now, that is what you meant, did you not?" The Oracle says as the room turned chilly.

She released my palms and patted my shoulder as she stood up. "She is more than capable to go forth with this war, your majesty," with determination in her eyes, and an orb of silver grey swirled in her palm, she shot it above in the air.

"We graciously accept your guidance," The King bowed slightly at the Oracle.

I sucked in a breath as the orb she shot up meant death. The silver-grey orb shattered as red and black dust fell.

"To war, we go!" The King yelled as each caelestian threw an orb of their own. Signaling their power, what caelestian they wore, and a victory of what's yet to come.

A victory for them yes but destruction for me.

******