Eden's Wall

Chapter 1

Ten years later...

Serenity tried to sleep, but recent events replayed through her head. She closed her eyes and prayed the visions would stop, but there they were.

She and her sister playing out on the deck as they waited for the return of their father, King Cassius. Little Princess Ava, at the tender age of nine, had the same bright blue eyes and long curly blonde hair as her sister. Sera held her small hand in hers as she twirled and danced. It was good to see her smile, as the last few days have been grim. To hear that their mother was slain and then to have their father leave in order to find answers. It was all too much for a heart to bear.

"I can see a ship! Do you think he has mother with him?" Sera felt her eyes mist. Ava was too young to understand that mother was gone, and that she would not be returning from where she had traveled. "I've missed listening to her voice as she read to me in bed."

"Ava," Sera racked her mind for the perfect words. She wanted to be firm but loving. "Darling, mother is with the angels now. She isn't coming back to us now or anytime."

She watched her little face stare out at the sea, eying the boat intently. Feeling a pull on her hand, she had no other choice but to run after Ava as the girl ran for the docks with hopes of jumping into mother's arms once again.

"Wait, no..." Her warning fell silent as she followed. Ava waited patiently for the ships to dock when Sera swooped her up into her arms, snuggling the child before swinging her around to sit on her back. She watched the Tempest workers command the waves to carry in the ships, and felt a sort of envy as she admired the teal lights play on their skin. What a beautiful thing to be chosen by Eden to carry an element within you. Unless of course, you were a female, in which case one would be sentenced to death.

The vessels were tied and a plank was dropped onto the wooden deck. Sera set Ava gently on her feet as the ship's hands came rushing off in waves. Her eyes passed over their features in haste until she locked onto the man they'd been awaiting.

She studied her father's facial features and tried to interpret his conclusions as he approached them. Ava tried to rush and hug him, but Sera caught her first. He was a puzzle of a man and even though each piece was fitted, he was never the same picture twice. Ava scrambled in her sister's arms as she reached to him.

"Where is mama? Why haven't you brought her back? Is she still on the ship? Can I see?"

"Let her down Serenity." She did as she was told, not wanting to let go of the hand that held hers. Ava walked up to their father and he kneeled down to her. He reached out and touched her face with a tender hand, and for a moment, he seemed to care. "Mother won't be coming back Ava my dear," he stood and turned his back to her, "don't ask again."

Sera heard a low strange buzzing in her ears when Ava tugged on the king's pants and pitched a fit. "Where is she? Where is mother? What did you do to her?" The King flipped on his heels and Ava backed up a step.

"You dare accuse me? Have I not made it clear that she is gone?" His voice echoed through Sera's ears, or was that her heart beat? She watched hopelessly from the side and cringed as Ava kept falling a few steps back. Closing in on the edge of the dock, their father kept advancing. As he continued to shout at his crying child, he became more of a threat than family. "When I give an order Ava, I expect that order to be obeyed, unconditionally!"

Sera couldn't watch any longer, "She's just a child father." This got his attention quickly, "A child who mourns our mother."

"What happened to moth—?"