The heaviness of her eyelids seemed to overpower her ability to keep them open. She was overcome with one last wave of pain and she passed out unconscious once again.When next she awoke, she was in a large room laying in a bed, under a soft fur blanket. She sat up, surveyed the room frantically,trying to remember what had happened before. She saw no Royal Guards or the man that seemed to be helping her, only a wall made up of wooden shelves with thick, leather bound books.
Some of the shelves were in her line of vision. With snifters and containers with various powders and ingredients. It looked like she was inside of a healers bedchamber. Her sudden movements made her head feel like it was splitting open.
How did she get here? And how long had she been knocked out? What had knocked her out? The last thing she remembered was speaking with her mother in the Royal Dining room, in castle MeadowBrook. Her mother had been late to supper, as was her usual habit.
Always insisting on taking care of her Royal Garden herself.
Her mother spoke fondly about her father, the true King of Zuff, who gave her a single orchid plant as a token of his undying, and rare love at the beginning of their courtship. Bihadlly had kept it all these years, having planted it in her private garden beside her bedchamber when he had passed in battle. Now nineteen years later she had a vibrant, thriving Orchid garden derived from that plant. She was always reminded of his love for her and their daughter. From time to time Flossina would catch her mother there, sitting on a stone bench,alone.
Talking to the wind, or just silently crying. She knew her mother was still in love with her father. It always saddened her to see her mother so vulnerable and grief-stricken. Flossina had never been in love, and didn't know if she truly wanted to be. The stories her mother had told her about her father were passionate and intense.
She sounded so carefree and happy when she spoke of him, and their time together. But seeing her mother now, heart-broken,melancholy, a completely different woman. She didn’t know if she had the same strength to go on if she were put in that very same position. Her mother had to marry someone to solidify her Kingdom while the love of her life, now dead from war’s baby grew in her belly. She had quickly strategized a plan that benefitted herself and her people.
She married a man, but had never loved him. Flossina was aware that her stepfather knew her mother would never hold him in that same regard as her father, but she always showed him respect, kindness, and wifely admiration. To the Kingdom they were a united front. Her mother was a strong Queen and she could only hope she would follow in her footsteps when, or even if it ever became her turn. She had never understood her mother, even after her great love was gone she never took another man to her bed, not even her stepfather.
Her mother was a genuinely good person, and a wonderful Ruler. She and her mother had been washing their hands in the small stone fountain situated beside the large Oak dining table laden with food, when her stepfather came in with his entourage, bearing news from the neighboring Kingdom about their Prince, who would soon become King and was in search of a Princess to be his bride to fortify his reign inside of his Kingdom. She tried to ignore it all. She knew what her stepfather was up to. He always tried to hide it under the guise of caring stepfather and of wanting to be an ‘unconventional’ King.
Flossina didn’t buy it. She wouldn't marry a complete stranger and be shipped off somewhere else because he didn’t want to give up what was rightfully hers in the first place...
She wouldn't marry a complete stranger and be shipped off somewhere else because he didn’t want to give up what was rightfully hers in the first place.She had never let anyone know, but she couldn’t stand her Stepfather. He appeared kind and brave to everyone else, but she could see through him. He was power hungry. She was to rule over Zuff, just as her mother had, and her mother had before her. She would serve the people and guide them, do her royal duty by upholding the peace of the land, but she would only do that as the rightful Queen of her home, and none other. Her stepfather would have to come to grips with that. They all sat down at the table and began their evening meal and that's as far as her memory went.She looked down at her clothing and realized they weren't hers, and there wasn’t a
"No....no... I...can't....It can't be! Who...who would do this? Who would do such a thing?""Princess, you did..." ******************Marlon had only meant to stay for a few moments, but he had gotten sidetracked with his own thoughts of her. Something other than what he saw was pulling him to her. He didn't like leaving her alone, even if she was unconscious. He felt she was already his ward.Day was turning into night. He stood there looking out over the sea of desert as the sun set in the far off horizon, contemplating his next move. He was surprised she had awakened when she had. The damage that had been done to her body was almost completely healed up. He could see that her face, neck, and shoulders were
Marlon had swore a blood oath that when the time was right he would rescue his father at whatever the cost it took. That cost at the moment was his life, a price he thought paled in comparison to his father.Five years ago he had put his plan in motion and payed the previous healer who had resided there before him with a handsome sum of gold to leave the Kingdom and start fresh somewhere new and faraway, and to forget seeing Marlon. When the physician saw the large amount of gold bullion he was overjoyed and happily taught Marlon everything he knew, which took two years, but finally the man made him recite the ancient oath a healer took, thanked him again for his generosity and disappeared. For three more years after that he had bided his time playing the part by day and thinKing of ways to seek out his revenge by night. The first task was killing the King
"Aye, Queen Bihadlly was murdered by her daughter, Princess Flossina. They say the Princess fled once it was discovered and has been killed by the Royal guard. They are afoot right now scouring everywhere in search of the Princess's body. Poor Queen Bihadlly."Marlon knew the news Lokul was telling him could be true. He had the Princess on his exam table heavily sedated and in need of more healing. He would have to move her soon. He tried to not rush his neighbor as to not give any indication something was amiss."I will keep an eye out then. Grave robbers are on the move again selling body parts. I'm sure a Princesses corpse will sell for a pretty penny. I could ask around if they know anything when I am at the trading post?" He hoped he sounded convincing."Aye, Marlon. That would be a fine idea. I will do the sam
A fierce, black dragon appeared from out of nowhere, catching them just twenty feet before they were to hit the ground, and they were off to safety.***Now he stood here, in his private chambers, at dusk with the red and orange ombre sky as a backdrop, looking at her, after just delivering the horrible news of her mother’s death. He could see she was about to fall apart. He saw the unshed tears of sadness welling up in her big gray eyes. A telling trait of her innocence. No one could act this good, he thought. She looked so lost and confused to him. Her voice was quiet but regal. He wondered if she even noticed it. He felt like an ass."My mother is dead? And I..." She couldn't say the words."Committed the crime." He
Only time would tell if she would wake up, and when she did he would be there for her... **********Flossina jumped up quickly when she heard the random, loud, crack and rumble of the thunder she heard overhead. The loud sound seemed to vibrate through her body. She felt a gentle swaying motion underneath her. She quickly stood up and realized she was no longer in the bed at the handsome strangers castle, but on a large, golden papyriform boat. It Felt light, yet solid underneath her now sandaled feet. She looked over the side of the boat and noticed that the water was pure black. She then looked heavenward and saw there was no sky, just a black void with flashes of white lightning, rumbling and groans of
"Welcome, Flossina your journey begins." The woman said smiling at her.Flossina felt her worry and fear melt away at the sound of the woman’s voice. It resonated within her."What journey? Where am I going?" She didn't like not being in control of her destiny. "Where am I?""You are in Amduat. I am Khepri. This is my brother Thoth. We are your companions for the journey." She explained.Those names sounded familiar to Flossina. Why? Then it came to her. These were the demigods. Gods her mother had told her stories about when she was a child. She never thought this land existed. It made her love and adoration for her mother heighten, because she had been teaching her even in the childhood stories about her faith. Now s
Flossina heard the somber words of the demigod and it only made it harder for her to comprehend how she had ended up in the underworld. She wished then she could see her mother."May I retire?”She asked.Khepri led her to the chamber inside the boat. It was beautiful, with bowls of fruit and different jugs of wines strewn all around the room on tables. She smiled. She wished she could enjoy this, but the occasion didn't seem befitting. She wasn't sleepy and she suspected they knew that. She was sad. Sad for the loss of everything she held dear. It had happened all so soon, and nothing like she had thought. Her mother and her Kingdom were taken from her. She felt like an absolute failure. She sat down on the bed of large pillows and silk cushions. Her tears stream