Story of Evil

Chapter 1: The Golden Queen

Chapter 1: The Golden Queen

Once upon a time, the world was divided in four countries: Gold, Sapphire, Ruby and Emerald. The Queen of the Golden Land was pregnant and gave birth to a twin: a boy and a girl. They were both blessed by the church's bells. The boy, Len, and the girl, Rin, grew up together. They were best friends, but then the most awful thing happened. The King and Queen had a fight and divorced. Len was taken by his father, leaving Rin behind. Their future split into two. Len became a normal citizen, while Rin grew up as a beautiful princess. When she was 13 years old, her mother died and the burden of the Golden Land was her responsibility. Blinded by jealousy, she became the most fearful and evil Queen anybody ever knew. She was 14 years old now. This is where this story starts.

"Your majesty, we're already late," somebody uttered behind her. The Queen didn't even glance at him. She was only looking in the mirror, watching how her servants tied a ribbon on her head, powdering her nose and cheeks and putting make-up on her eyes. It had to be perfect, since she had to give a speech for her people. She didn't really care about them, but they were her most valuable source of cash, and lots of it. And what is power anyway if you can't rule over someone? Even if you are feared and everybody smiles in your face, thinking that this is the arrogant wench they have to pay taxes for, the strength of dominance is as sweet as the best Turkish sweets, served at tea-time along with brioches.

"They can wait," Rin mumbled. The servant was shocked.

"B-but my Queen, they're..." She didn't let him speak.

"How dare you 'but' me," she sizzled at him. He took one step back. "Who do you think you are? Those people out there are weak without me. They don't exist without me. They're nothing..." She waited some seconds. "Just like you." This time she turned around, watching him in his pitiful eyes. He didn't even breathe. "You are even worse. You have no right to exist." She beckoned some servants. "Get him away from my sight. I never want to see this pitiful person again." The guy looked pale by hearing what she said. Two servants held his arms and pulled him to the dungeon. "Oh, and before I forget it, make it painful so he can think about his deeds." The other staff tried to act as if nothing had happened. They certainly didn't want to end up like that guy. Even though she saw their expressions, the Queen didn't care at all. She focused again on the mirror, watching her beautiful self. 

"Len!" somebody shouted. "Len! Are you even listening?" His best friend stood next to him. "Did you stay up late yesterday? Seriously, there is something like sleep. It appears to be healthy."

"I couldn't sleep. I had a bad dream, so I read a bit." Yes he was having a bad dream, maybe not even a dream. He had been in an orphanage since he could remember. Due to his amnesia, he didn't know who his father was, nor anything about himself and his past. He had been having weird dreams since then. He always saw a girl, looking just like him. They were playing on a beach. Was this a memory, or just some 'déja vu'? He didn't know.

They were running. Suddenly the girl didn't really watch out and tripped. She cried, so Len ran over to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Through her tears, she smiled and nodded.

"It's okay. It's surely just a prank by the naughty twilight. We have to get home soon, before it gets dark." That's right. It was a game they were playing. Just fantasying about a ghost who watched them from beyond the lake's horizon. He wanted to swallow them, so they had to run away from him.

"That's right," he said, "we must return home soon, before we get eaten."

 If that was a memory, that was his only one. He wondered who the little girl was.

"That's just like you, always reading. Now let's just go to the marketplace for the Queen's speech." Len nodded.

The Queen was a half hour too late. When she finally stood on a balcony, Rin looked down on them. Those people who came here just to hear her speak, were just little. She was the Queen and everybody was her servant. She was the greatness of this whole land, and they were just the tiny little workers. They were the ones who worked for her and only her.

"Dear citizens," she began her certainly boring speech, but Len didn't listen anymore. He remembered those blue eyes and golden hair. He saw her this morning in his mirror. It wasn't really true, but she was like the female version of him. Could it be? Was she the girl from his dreams? Why didn't he came to any of her speeches earlier? This was for a school task, so he really had to come. That was how the Queen looked like. Just like him. Was it coincidence? Maybe. He really had to talk to her. He knew it was her. Maybe he would know more about his past this way.

"And that's why my heart belongs to this whole land. We are together, like one whole family. I wish you all best luck." Rin did her very best to smile. She had to appear to be interested in the land, didn't she? With those words, she ended her 'pep-talk' and headed into the crowd. This was Len's chance. He pushed some people aside, who directly started to yell at him, but he didn't listen. He only had eyes for the princess. She was highly protected by bodyguards.

"Your majesty!" Len called her. "Your majesty! I have to talk to you!" One of the bodyguards stopped and pushed him back.

"Go away," he just clamored.

"B-but this is important for me." Len wouldn't give up that easily.

"Go away," he repeated. Len was convinced that this would work. Then he just had to act another way. Because he was little, he could stoop easily and avoid the guard. Len was fast and it took some seconds for the guard to get that that little brat got past him. "Hey!" Len jumped away from all the guards who were attacking him. He was almost there. Almost. All he wanted was to talk to her, but one guard could grab his legs, causing him to fall. He was slammed on the ground, only touching the end of the dress of the Queen. She turned around and stared frightened at the boy. She didn't expect that at all. Len took a look at her. He was eye to eye with the Queen. He couldn't believe it. Still, he saw himself. How could she look so much like him?

When she saw his eyes, she knew it was him. "Len," she whispered, but nobody could hear her. He was already far away from her, taken away by the guards.

Len's friend stood at the market place. He looked everywhere for him.

"Hey, Len!" he yelled, but nobody heard him. "Where are you?" But Len was already gone...