Life and Death (Book 1 of the Mergence Series)

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

Jacob Lee - Conscience

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

Nearly 16 years have passed since the birth of Mira, and with her had come a time of joy. The kingdom had rejoiced at the announcement of her arrival, and each year on the day of her birth was festively celebrated.

The young princess has grown into a beautiful young lady with golden-brown eyes, and a smile that shone like the first light of a new spring morning. Those who saw her, thought her to be the most beautiful young maiden they had ever laid eyes on. She was often dressed in gowns of pastel shades of green or pink, or of earthy tones like brown and cream, and her long curly brown hair was always braided with the buds of flowers she picked on her daily morning and evening walks through the garden. Her feet were always bare, much to the annoyance of her mother and caretakers. Her sandals were often found at the entrances to the garden, tucked away in a bush, or sitting side by side on the garden wall along the path.

It wasn't that she preferred to go barefoot, she just loved the feeling of the cool grass between her toes, and the hard grown beneath her feet. It made her feel connected to the earth and to nature, like she was as much a part of it as it was of her.

These walks were almost never taken alone, either one of her siblings, or caretakers was with her. The occasions that she walked alone were so rare she could count them on her fingers.

This day, was one such day, having snuck way from her escort and slipped out of her shoes, the young princess knelt at the garden pond. Her fingers brushed lightly over the surface of the water, making the light beneath the surface bounce and shimmer. She was dressed in a gown of Bergonia pink and ivory, a lily tucked behind her ear and her braid decorated by small blue and purple flowers.

" Mira." A familar frantic voice called and a sigh slipped from the young girl, brushing the dirt and grass from her dress as she turned to face the approaching elderly women. Nanny Margo had looked after her for all of her life, she was there as witness through it all, her first steps, her first word, even her first near tumble down the palace steps when she wandered out of sight for too long; her older brothers joked that that had been the beginning of many attempts and that her failure to get away the first time had fueled her desire, even at a young age, to give the poor women a heart attack.

Nanny Margo was a plump old woman with grey streaked fire red hair, and deep brown eyes outlined by wrinkles. Don't let her age and appearance fool you, however, the old woman was sharper then a freshly made sword and when in distress, she knew how to move. She'd had to deal with not only she and her 6 siblings but raised her own son at the same time, which was no easy task, especially when he learned to move on his own.

Mira often heard the maids gossiping that he was walking from the second he was born, and the ability to run came not long after. Almost no one could run faster than Hugo.

As the elderly women reached her, she immediately began scolding her for running off, giving her usual threat that she would inform her parents, but Mira tuned her out, her dark eyes on the space between space between two hedges that sat on either side of a stone path led further into the garden to a large maze. Staring back at her were 3 pairs of bright yellow eyes, and she could almost make out the low rumbling of a growling dog that sent a cold chill down her spine.

" Mira, are you listening to me? " The old maid demanded. She blinked and the eyes were gone.

" Sorry." Mira mumbled, shaking the daze from her mind and Nanny Margo let out a sigh before handing the girl her shoes and leading her from the garden. Mira glanced back as they walked, but the glowing yellow eyes did not return, and the cold chill did not fade until long after she had returned to her room to meet with her mother.