✿ F I V E ✿
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But all at once the door opened, and in came a little man, and said, "Good evening, mistress miller, why are you crying so?"
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After my encounter with that stranger – whose name I still do not know – questions swirled in my mind. My mother's sudden illness, her hostility towards Mr Fire, why I am not allowed to see him and all the complicated stuff has been bothering me since my birthday. It didn't seem that Mother would tell me a drop of information. Charles knows nothing about the stranger, but still, he saw him on the ball so he must know a little bit of information about the stranger especially since he was particularly eye-catching.
But Charles's reply to my 'do you know who this is?' question left more questions disturbing my mind.
"What do you mean a man with red hair?" he told me.
"You know, the one who danced with me." I explained but he only tilted his head in confusion.
"I saw no such man. You only danced with the nobles, correct? There were no redheads."
"But – " I stopped what I was about to say because he was about to look at me as if I lost my mind. Charles has a photographic memory and I knew at that time that he saw him.
And why was he telling me that the man never existed in the first place?
"Uhm, you know what? I'll be going," I said, "I have some... er, stuff to do." I lamely said as I started to back away so Charles only smiled at me but I knew he was thinking I was a madwoman.
I was finally allowed to leave my room but with consequences. I had two guards with me wherever I go because Mother is paranoid like that – Jason and Peter was what they told me to call them but I am no fool to think it was their real name. Royal guards never reveal their names. They were big and bulky and the height of a tree. Permanent frowns were stitched in their faces and perhaps it was because they are trained to look angry and intimidating 24/7. Both of them had brown hair.
I can trust no one to give me any kind of information and my curiosity was eating at my brain, so I decided to visit the place which could possibly give me the information I need.
The palace library is massive, only second to the public library. It was filled with books – obviously – from fantasy novels to science. There was a massive globe that served as the chandelier hanging on the very centre of the ceiling and there was this cranky librarian who acted as if she was a gatekeeper.
Old Emma is what I call her.
Grumpy Emma could work as well.
She merely wrinkled her nose when I passed by with my guards as if annoyed that she had to deal with people.
I wasn't exactly sure which book I needed so I searched shelves after shelves until I found something that might be of help – The Law Book. I merely scanned the pages – rules that were implemented by previous kings and the latest entry were the laws my father had executed. I took the time to read this because it interested me – what Father thought would be good for the kingdom, but something held my attention.
Territory Law No. 18 – Ban of Magic
Starting from the 6th of August, all magic and magic users are banned from this kingdom lest the users surrender their power to the Senate. The use of enchanted power must only be used by authorities or citizens with license. Violators will be subjected to death penalty.
I frowned.
The stranger was afloat when I saw him. He also invaded my dreams like a sorcerer would and Mother had told me herself that he was some sort of magus. The law clearly stated that magic was illegal except if surrendered to the...
Senate.
I stood up from my seat that Jason and Peter almost flinched. Almost.
That's it.
Of course, why hadn't I thought of it before? The Royal Army wasn't dealing with this situation and that must mean my father had the Senate deal with it. They only deal with magic. Whether he was a registered magician or not, he should have some records in there.
Only one problem though, the Senate is outside the palace.
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~A period before the Princess's eighteenth birthday~ (aka 'flashback')
He merely reached his hand out to lightly touch the border but jerked them away quickly when he felt a scorching heat that marked his fingers. He checked his right hand but there was no wound.
"The Kingdom is still protected, sire." Said the shadow.
He swung around and narrowed his golden-green eyes as his servant eyed him apprehensively.
"But I do think it's time," he replied.
For almost two decades, he has been lying low. After the humiliation he experienced, the loneliness, the frustration, and the vehemence – it was time that he stop wallowing and retain the dignity left in him.
It was the truth that the deal was done, it was the truth that he lost what right he had to the child, but it didn't mean his pursuit would stop there.
There were numerous ways.
It wasn't only him that the Royal family had business with, and the Rivynfords didn't always have good relations with the creatures on the other side.
But still, the Senate was still strong – too strong for him to handle alone. He alone couldn't break the barrier that had been preventing him from stepping foot on the place he once called home.
However, enchantments always has a flaw, and this particular barrier spell was strong, but strength wasn't needed to get past through.
It was a technique he had been mastering for eleven years – a technique that gave him exhaustion and nightmares, but now, this was the perfect opportunity to test his abilities.
He found a way to separate his soul from his body.
"Janno," he said. "Prepare the coffin."
(✿ ♥‿♥)