Chapter 1

Opening the curtains, the view spread to the castle, down to the harbour, followed by an open, endless sea, where the sun was just rising. The sun was blinding his uncovered brown eye. Tivon loved the view from his window especially in the morning, when the sun shone on the grey stones of the castle.

Kingdom of Naydawin. One of the greatest kingdoms in Krens known for its big harbour and its key trading chain. The kingdom is connected with countless other kingdoms and empires around Krens and even outside of it.

As he gazed from the sea and the harbour toward the main road leading to the castle's entrance, he spotted a carriage. Two blue flags hung from its sides, adorned with a magenta stripe and featuring a white crescent moon and star in the centre.

The Kingdom of Lucine must be one of our most important alliances. Rea, the only daughter of the King and Queen, visits the kingdom every month for a few days. She has been my childhood friend and remains my only friend here.

Tivon heard a knock on the door. As he turned around it opened and a servant walked in, bowed his head and put nicely folded clothes on the chair.

»The princess of "The princess of Lucine is about to enter the castle walls. Do you need any assistance before you see her, Sir?"

»It's okay, I'll manage.« Said Tivon as he straightened his posture.

The servant bowed and exited the room. Tivon grabbed his clothes from the chair and got dressed up. Before he left, he took his journal and the coat hanging by the door.

As he stepped out of his room, he found himself in a large hallway adorned with countless paintings of his ancestors, cousins, grandmothers, and grandfathers. Suddenly, he paused in front of a prominent painting of a plump-faced man in his fifties, with light brown hair that was already turning grey. A wave of discomfort washed over him as he stared into the man's light brown eyes.

My father Urien, the King, ever since the... since the accident he changed. After that he never really cared for me.

He looked at the painting beside him. It depicted a much younger, slim, beautiful woman with brown hair. Her kind brown eyes filled the room with warmth. That woman is my mother, Gyla. She is the greatest person alive, and her love for me has never changed.

He quickly glanced at a smaller painting of himself next to the portraits of the King and Queen, but he turned away, unable to bear the sight of his own sad eyes. I'll be 19 in a month, and then I'll be crowned King of Naydawin. I'm a smart person; I've always excelled in my studies. But my father never taught me how to be a king or what I should do once I become one. Ever since the accident, he has stopped paying attention to me, my studies, and my freedom.

As he walked down the hallway, he glanced over the window towards the sea. I want to go outside castle walls, I want to see what's beyond. Don't get me wrong, I can go outside my castle, but I want to see more. I want to see and connect with my people and I want to know what's happening outside our kingdom.

He walked down the stairs just as the carriage stopped. The carriage door swung open and a girl ran out to hug Tivon.

»Long time no see!« Said a slim girl, her blond hair tied in a ponytail playfully flopping around.

Tivon smiled. »Welcome back, Rea.« He managed to say when the pressure of her hug loosened.

Rea smiled back, but suddenly an older woman struck her on the back with a back of a fan, and scolded, »Maners!«.

Rea quickly fixed her posture, and as soon as the old woman turned to complain to the coachman about the late arrival, Tivon and Rea burst out laughing.

»I'll just get into some more comfortable clothes and I'll be right back with you,« said Rea.

Before Tivon could respond, she was already hopping towards the castle. A unique one. He found himself smiling at the thought.

Tivon looked up to one of the highest castle towers. He reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a journal that he went nowhere without. A perfect time for a little drawing.

As he sat on his favourite spot, the sun was already up high in the sky. Tivon had just finished yet another drawing of a map.

»I knew I'll find you here.«

Tivon turned around to see Rea standing behind him, the sun shining down on her light hair. She sat beside him and nudged his hand. »Future king, huh? In just a month!« Her hand moving across the sky as if she were painting something.

»Yeah... It's been on my mind a lot lately. Mostly because my father doesn't bring it up. I haven't got any studies or any guidance on how to be a king.«

Tivon's posture curled inward, as he wanted to hide his embarrassment.

Rea didn't notice the change in Tivon's posture. »That's probably because he knows that you will be a great king.«

»I guess.« he sighed. »I'll go talk to him right now.«

»Okay. See you later.«

Tivon smiled and made his way to the castle's main hall where he found his mother reading a book and father talking to his best adviser.

»Father I wish to speak to you.«

The King didn't even look up from his papers. »It's late and I don't have the time right now.« he gestured a the pile of papers. "As you can see."

Tivon couldn't ignore the change of his father's tone when he said see.

»I just want to ask you something.« He was surprised to see his father look at him this time. Tivon continued. »I know I have to study about a lot of things and I'm not complaining about it, but non of them has prepared me for the responsibilities of being a king. I'll be 19 in a month and when I become a king-«

»What?«

The tone of the question startled Tivon. »I'm rightful to the throne.«

»You, a king?« He started laughing, making Tivon uncomfortable. »That can't be. You can't be a king.«

Tivon's voice began to shake. »W-what do you mean? I'm your only son, therefore there can be no other-«

»The only way you'll become king is when you marry Rea. We already got that arranged.« said Urien, his tone too calm for Tivon's liking.

He couldn't believe what he had just heard. »But she's my friend! I-I can't marry her. I can rule here.«

»You can't rule this kingdom in the state you're in.« Urien replied, his voice rumbling through the castle halls. Tivon could sense the anger rising in Urien's voice.

»In the state I'm in? W-who will be king then? I'm your only son.«

The King paused and looked at the Queen, quietly sitting by the window, gazing out as if she were afraid to join the conversation. »We already got that figured out,« he said, pointing at the belly of his pregnant wife.

My mother is pregnant? He started to feel uneasy, as if the room were starting to spin around him. He started questioned why his own father would not want him to be king.

»I don't u-understand. I should be king.« he asserted, knowing he shouldn't push the issue further. The anger in his father's voiced served as a reminder.

»YOU ARE DISABLED! You can't even see!«

It was the first time since his father mentioned his nonfunctioning eye since the accident, and he never imagined it would hurt this much to hear those words from his own father. Unable to bear ir any longer, he turned around and ran out of the room.

»You could of said that nicer.« said Gyla, quietly.

Urien looked down to his papers, as if nothing happened. »There was no other way.«

His room was simple. It had a bed, a closet, a desk with a chair, and his favorite spot by the window. The room was quiet, which he appreciated. He enjoyed being alone because it meant no one could disturb him while he focused on his studies and drawings.

But today, the quiet bothered him; the silence felt deafening. There was too much happening in his head, and the stillness of the room only amplified it. He tried to calm himself by sitting on the windowsill and looking out at the harbour. A knock on the door shattered the silence.

Tivon didn't look up when his mother entered and sat beside him. For a moment, they sat together in silence.

"Did you know?" he asked, not wanting to make eye contact with her—or rather, he didn't feel ready to.

Gyla sighed. »Yes... But I wasn't expecting him to tell you like that.«

»He's right. I could never be king.«

»That's not true. You are the smartest kid I know, and I'm sure that one day you will be a great king.«

»Why can't he see that?« He finally looked at her, surprised to see his mother's smooth, perfect face so calm.

»I'm sure he has his own reasons. Oh!« She reached into her long sleeve and pulled out a tiny box. »I've got something for you.«

She handed him a box. When he opened it, he found a silver necklace adorned with the emblem of the kingdom - a silver lily.

»It belonged to your grandfather." She explained. "He told me that to give it to the person I cherish and love the most. I was meant to give it to you on your birthday, but I fdecided to give it to you sooner.«

Tivon's face flushed with a happy smile. »Thank you.«

She returned the smile. Gyla kissed him gently on the forehead before leaving the room.

Tivon put on the necklace tracing the line of the silver lily flower.

He dreamed of the conversation.

But this time it was not only his father yelling at him; everyone was shouting. He felt useless. He was useless.

Tivon woke up in pain, a pain that he had known since he was ten. It crawed from his back, through his head, and where the pain was the most unbearable - his left eye, covered by hair.

Tivon forced himself to sit up and reached to his bed shelf where he had his medicine. He grabbed the bottle, only to find it empty. Shit, I ran out. He sighed and forced himself out of bed. I hope I can make it to the storage.

It was always difficult for him to do anything during these pain attacks. Sometimes the pain was so intense that he couldn't even walk. But today, he pushed through. He went to the storage room and collected some blue dry flower patal leaves. After crushing them, he mixes them with water that and drank it. Then he sat there, his body drenched in cold sweat, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Disabled, huh?" He caught a glimpse of his face in a reflection of a window. He hated looking at himself. Even with his eye covered, he could still see it. He hated that. He hated himself. So, he looked away.

Once the pain subsided, he took some flower petals and placed them in a bottle before leaving the storage room. On his way back to his room, he passed by his parents' room, which had the door slightly ajar. He could hear them talking inside.

»Just think about it. His disability shouldn't be a problem.«

»I will not have some crippled, disabled child be a king of my kingdom.«

Tivon stopped. The words cut him like a lightning, leaving him paralyzed.

He could hear the shock in mother's voice. »Urien! Listen to yourself. He is your son!«

»That degenerate will not be my son!«

That was enough to spur Tivon into action. Overcome with anger, he rushed to his room. He grabbed a bag and packed some essentials along with his journal. Before placing everything inside, he tore out any pages that bore the lily symbol. He reached around his neck to where he had his necklace. As he was about to throw away his mother's necklace, he hesitated; he couldn't bring himself to part with it.

He put it back on and hid it under his shirt. He picked up the bag and ran to the kitchen, taking as much food as he could carry.

Sneaking out of the castle was surprisingly easy because he knew about the secret tunnels that even his father and the royal army were unaware of. The hours he spent in the library had finally proven to be useful.

After walking for a couple of minutes, Tivon emerged from a narrow road into the large, quiet harbour, which was empty at this late hour. He looked around to see if any ships were about to set sail, and to his luck, there was one. He knew it would be heading to the Leeside because his father had kept records of every merchant ship's trading routes, and Tivon had memorized them in no time.

Leeside would be far enough for now. He pulled up his hood and sneaked behind a man who was just about to load a barrel onto the ship. Once he got on board, he quickly made his way to the lower part of the vessel and hid behind some crates, next to a small wooden window.

Before long, the ship set sail. He peered out of the window at the kingdom he had grown up in, watching as it slowly drifted away from him.

"I want nothing to do with this kingdom anymore," he whispered to himself.