Whispers of the throne

The fire in a village square crackled softly as an elder finished recounting a half-forgotten legend to a group of children in a distant land.

In the forest

Jhonye, hidden in the shadows, leaned against a tree, her eyes unfocused, her mind drifting. The night seemed too still, as though the entire forest held its breath. And then… something stirred within her, a sensation both foreign and familiar.

Suddenly, her vision blurred, and she was pulled into a memory that wasn't her own. A dusty street, the air thick with the scent of poverty. Before her stood a beggar girl, her clothes tattered and her feet bare. Despite her wretched state, there was something serene about her, a quiet confidence that defied her circumstances. Perched on her head was a bird, its feathers dark and ancient, a creature too old for Jhonye to recognize.

The girl, smiling despite her hunger, tilted her head and spoke to the bird in a voice as light as the breeze. "Do you think," she asked, "that one day I could run this country? Eat good meals every day and wear clothes fit for a queen?"

The bird's eyes gleamed with a wisdom beyond the ages, and it replied, its voice low and solemn, "The throne is for those willing to sit upon a mountain of bones, to carry the weight of the dead, and change the fate of the living. Are you willing, child, to pay that price?"

The beggar girl nodded, her smile unwavering. Time spun forward, and the next moment, Jhonye found herself standing in a grand hall. The girl had become a woman, seated upon a black and gold throne. Her gaze was fierce, like the sun's golden rays, illuminating the room with a power that made even the stone walls tremble. Behind her, a massive mural of a black bird dominated the hall, its wings stretched wide as though it guarded the very throne she sat upon.

Before her, kneeling in fear, were the kingdom's officials. Their faces were pale, their voices silent, as if they dared not even breathe in her presence. Beyond the hall's doors, commoners gathered, their cheers echoing through the palace as they celebrated their queen. She had not just taken the throne; she had transformed the kingdom.

Jhonye gasped, recognizing the woman on the throne—the founder of her kingdom, the legendary Empress who had risen from nothing. The vision shattered, and reality snapped back into focus. She stood once more in the forest clearing, but everything felt different. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she struggled to catch her breath. Her eyes, once dull with uncertainty, now glinted with a faint, golden light.

Dylan, who had been watching from a distance, froze as he saw the change. He had been just about to approach her, but now hesitated, startled by the strange aura that momentarily surrounded her. He blinked, then continued forward, his steps careful but deliberate. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but something about Jhonye had shifted. And then there was the cat.

Dylan's eyes flicked to the black feline that now sat calmly by Jhonye's side, its tail curled elegantly around its paws. He hadn't seen it before, but the creature appeared to have emerged from nowhere. He wasn't one to care about such oddities as long as his mission was completed. Still, he couldn't help but wonder at its sudden appearance.

Jhonye, still shaken from her vision, turned to the cat. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice low and unsteady. "What are you?"

The cat, eyes half-closed in a state of laziness, didn't respond. It seemed entirely disinterested in her question, as though it had heard it countless times before. Instead, it closed its eyes further and appeared to be deep in thought, reminiscing about things long past.

Dylan cleared his throat and approached the princess with a respectful nod. "We need to return to the capital, Your Highness. The court is waiting, and there are many matters to settle. Your father's decisions must be addressed."

Jhonye, still rattled, glanced at Dylan but said nothing. She hadn't forgotten how he had acted earlier, with all his talk of duty and obedience. The memory of his cold indifference when discussing her fate still stung, but she kept her silence. There was no point in confronting him now, not until she fully understood what was happening to her—and the strange cat by her side.

As they made their way through the forest and onto the path leading back to the capital, Jhonye found her gaze repeatedly drawn to the cat. Its calm, mysterious aura unnerved her, yet she couldn't help but feel that it held answers—answers to questions she hadn't even begun to ask. The vision of the beggar-turned-queen haunted her thoughts. The golden eyes, the black bird, the weight of the throne… what did it all mean? And why had the cat appeared at the moment her vision ended?

The silence between her and Dylan was thick with unspoken tension, but Jhonye's mind was elsewhere. She could feel the storm brewing within her, a mixture of confusion, determination, and a newfound sense of purpose. Whatever lay ahead, she would face it. She had no other choice.