The royal stables were bustling with activity as the stablehands went about their daily chores. Derek strode in, his boots thudding against the dirt floor as he scanned the stables, looking for a horse to ride. He saw some men were busy grooming a few horses at the far end of the stables, their brushes moving rhythmically over the horses' gleaming coats.Derek made his way towards them, his footsteps quickening with each step. As he approached, one of the men looked up and nodded in greeting."Need a horse to ride, Your Highness?" the man asked, wiping his forehead with a rag.Derek scanned the horses, his eyes flickering over the sleek, well-groomed creatures. But his gaze soon fell on a black stallion, untamed and fierce-looking, standing in a corner."That one," Derek said, pointing at the black horse.The man shook his head. "That one's untamed, Your Highness. We don't let just anyone ride it."Derek was too angry to respond, so he strode over to the black horse and grabbed the rei

"I didn't kill him, I swear it!" Sari wailed, her voice cracking with emotion. "I was only there after he fell!"Drea leaned down, her dark eyes boring into Sari's. "Then tell me, Sari, how did he fall? Did you see anyone else in the room with him?"Sari shook her head frantically. "I don't know, I swear! I was just going to check on him, but when I got there, he was already on the ground!"The investigation room of the royal arena was a cold and dreary place, filled with an eerie silence that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The walls were made of solid stone and had a greyish tint to them, as if the very walls themselves were mocking the prisoners who were held there.Sari could see that the walls were adorned with all sorts of instruments of torture. There were rods, whips, nails, ropes, and other things that made her shudder in fear. They hung ominously from hooks on the wall, like a warning to anyone who dared to cross the royal family.The investigator, a tall an

Ragnar was lying on his bed, his breathing labored as he coughed up blood. His eyes were sunken and his skin was pallid, giving him a deathly appearance. The physician was by his side, feverishly concocting a medicine to help ease the pain and cure his illness. The physician's assistant was standing by the bed, a handkerchief clutched in her hand.The assistant, a young woman with a gentle face, leaned over Ragnar as he coughed up another mouthful of blood. She reached out and placed the handkerchief over his mouth, trying to catch the blood as it spilled out. The handkerchief was quickly stained red with the blood, evidence of the severity of Ragnar's condition.The physician worked feverishly, his hands moving quickly as he mixed together various herbs and powders. He added the mixture to a boiling pot of water, the steam rising up and filling the room with the sweet aroma of healing herbs. The assistant watched as he worked, her eyes focused on the task at hand.They were both dres

As the morning sun began to peek through the stained glass windows of the royal kitchen, the head chef, was already bustling about, directing the other maids in their preparations for the day's meals. The air was thick with the scent of fresh herbs and spices, and the sounds of sizzling pans and chopping knives filled the room.The other maids were hard at work, each with their own tasks to complete. Some were chopping vegetables, while others were mixing batter for the day's bread. A few were stirring pots of soup or roasting meats in the ovens. Pots and pans clanged together as the maids hurried to finish their tasks, and the scents of garlic, onion, and savory herbs filled the air.Miranda was tasked with preparing a tray of pastries for the royal family's breakfast. She worked quickly and skillfully, rolling out the dough and filling each pastry with a sweet fruit compote. At another station, Sari was slicing up vegetables for a salad. She worked carefully and methodically, makin

Miranda was struggling to wrap her head around what Fel had just told her. A vision? How could Fel, a non-black blood, be experiencing visions? It just didn't make sense to her. She wanted to ask more questions, to understand how this could be possible, but she didn't want to give away her own abilities as a witch."So, when was the first time you experienced a vision?" Miranda finally asked.Fel took a deep breath and said, "It was six years ago when I was fourteen. I had never experienced it again until recently, and the recent ones have become more frequent."Miranda's mind was racing. She had never heard of anyone who wasn't born with the gift suddenly developing it years later. Was it even possible? She had to find out more."Did you ever tell anyone about it?" Miranda asked, hoping to get more information."No," Fel replied. "It happened only once then, and I didn't think much of it."Miranda was starting to feel a bit anxious. This was something that needed to be handled carefu