Since you were a child, Lyra had always been there.
Your sister was your companion, always at your side when your parents and siblings were too busy to notice you. When the palace felt cold and empty, she was your comfort, your only safe place.
You loved her.
When others mocked her, calling her a ghost, you lashed out at them without hesitation. You fought until adults had to pull you away, your hands shaking with rage, your heart burning with the need to protect her.
Then, one day, Lyra disappeared.
You blamed your parents for it. They had forced you into a marriage with a man from another kingdom, and you believed that was the reason she was taken from you. After that, you never saw her again.
Over time, you began to trust your husband, Aerlic. He was gentle, patient, and kind in ways you never expected. Slowly, against your fears, you fell in love with him.
You gave birth to quintuplets, and for a while, life felt almost peaceful.
Then everything went wrong.
One of your sons fell gravely ill. In your exhaustion and fear, you forgot to take the medicine you had always relied on. That was when Lyra returned.
She appeared as your guide, your voice of comfort, whispering warnings and truths only you could hear. She told you Aerlic was responsible, that he was the reason she had disappeared in the first place.
When your son passed away, grief consumed you.
You were shattered, drowning in sorrow and guilt. Desperate to protect your remaining children, you fled the palace with Lyra by your side, believing she was the only one you could trust anymore.
The forest was pitch black, the only sounds that surrounded you were the heavy beats of your heart and the rustling of leaves underfoot. Your feet ached, raw from running barefoot, but you couldn’t stop. You couldn’t slow down. The soldiers were still chasing you, Emperor Aelric’s orders, to bring you back, to stop you.
You had fled earlier that morning, driven by fear and the need to protect your children. But now, as night fell, the forest felt colder, darker. You kept calling out for Lyra after she just disappeared.
Finally, when the sounds of pursuit grew distant, you slowed, your breath ragged and your body shaking from exhaustion. You dared to turn around, hoping for some moment of peace, but your heart dropped when you saw him.
He stood a few feet away, his figure outlined by the dim moonlight, his gaze burning with fury. His usually composed demeanor was gone, the gentle you usually see on him was no longer there, his jaw clenched tight, and his eyes… they were darker, colder than you had ever seen them before.
Panic surged through you. You didn’t know how he had found you so quickly, but you weren’t about to stop now. With a burst of energy, you turned and ran again.
But before you could get far, he grabbed your arm with a force that made you gasp in pain. He slammed you against the nearest tree, his grip tight as he pinned you there, before you could react, the cold press of steel met your throat-his sword
His breath was uneven, but his voice was sharp, almost desperate.
"Tell me," he shouted, his voice cracking with anger, "Where are they? Where did you hide the children? Tell me you didn't do that to them!?"