The Great King Danash

Mirelah;

I sigh for the umpteenth time as I stare out at the vast lawn from the window in my room. There's suddenly a knock on the door, and I turn to it.

"Come in… "I call, and Queen Velnara walks in. I sit up straight when I see her, but she steps aside, and two maids carrying trays with covered plates walk in. The aroma that fills the room makes my stomach rumble, and I subconsciously touch it.

"You didn't have dinner last night, and you skipped breakfast. I had a feeling you'd skip lunch too if I didn't do something. "Queen Velnara says, and I smile at her.

After the maids set the lavish meal before me, they leave the room. I stare at Queen Velnara in silence for a while and then look away while I play with the sleeve of my dress as my question brews in my mind. I know it's not wise to ask but I can't help it… The words slip past my lips before I can stop them.

"Do you hate me too? Or are you just being diplomatic? "I question, and I hear her chuckle softly before sitting beside me.

"As much as diplomacy and pretence are skills every queen must possess, one thing I have never been able to hide is my dislike for something. "She replies, and I turn to look at her.

She smiles softly at me, and the tenderness in her gaze reaches something deep inside me. She's in yet another fitted black lace dress. Her hair is down, and her lips are coated with vibrant red paint. She's hauntingly beautiful…

"If I didn't like you, Mirelah, you'd have known. "She says as she takes my hand, and I draw a deep breath.

I hate to admit it, but this is the warmest anyone has ever been to me… anyone but Meadow. All my life, I've been faced with distant, complex love, so it feels odd to see someone show such direct concern for me now.

"Why do you like me? Don't you think I'm a weak choice for Kealith? "I question, and she smiles at me again.

"I know weakness when I see it. I dined and wined with it for so long that I can sense it no matter how well it's been hidden. And not once since I've laid eyes on you have I seen any bit of the ugly thing. "She says, and it's my turn to smile.

I don't want to tell her that I know she's just lying to make me feel better, so I stay quiet.

"What's on your mind? You have questions… "She speaks, and I turn to look at her again. Will she really give me answers? In just two days I've developed a mountain of questions with no one to ask… If I bear my worries before her, will she give me the truth?

"Will you answer them honestly? "I ask, and she smiles ever so warmly.

"As best as I can. "She replies, and I take a deep breath.

There are so many questions in my mind, but of all of them, there's one I'm quite eager to know the answer to. Now is the best opportunity to understand it. If I miss this chance, finding out the truth might be more tedious than the rest.

"What's Kealith's curse? "I question, and I watch her smile drop. Like I just touched an open wound. 

Her composed facade falters as pain seeps into her expression, and I bite the inside of my lower lip wondering if I should have asked or not…

Queen Velnara sighs as she turns away from me and faces the door. Her fingers are locked on her lap, and she's holding them together so tightly, they start turning white from loss of blood flow.

Silence settles between us for a few seconds, and I'm about to apologize for asking when she suddenly speaks.

"Many years ago… Thousands of years ago… The first king of Blood Crescent created the most powerful empire in the entire realm. He made sure what he built was so strong… so… powerful that no matter how hard or long they tried, other kingdoms would never be able to match up. "She begins, and I listen in silence.

"No one knew how he did it. No one knew at what cost, or price… but wise folks could tell. The price he had to pay for such… perfection… for such power… it was not an easy one. He paid with his life in an unimaginable way. "She continues, and I can hear the heaviness that has slipped into her voice.

"He journeyed to the eye of the gods and asked for power. The gods were impressed. No… mortal had ever made it there. To date, we don't know how he did it. He only wrote books about where he went and what he asked for, but he never gave any account of how he got there. "She explains, and my brows knot.

The eye of the gods is said in some legends to be a table at which the ten gods of the realm sit and oversee the fate of the realm. I don't think it's real, but… Queen Velnara seems to believe it is… and I'm guessing the entire Blood Crescent kingdom believes it too.

"What did he ask for? "I question, and she smiles at me. A bitter, sad smile.

"A kiss. "She replies, and I raise a brow.

"From the god of death. "She adds, and I blink.

"Wh… What? "I question, and she chuckles.

"Right? The great King Danash believed that death was the ultimate power. If you can understand death, you understand life. If you know how to take life, you also know how to preserve it… He asked for the power of destruction because he believed creation was tied to it. "She replies, and I just blink.

Not to be disrespectful, but I think the founding father of this Kingdom was a psycho! King Danash had a few marbles missing…