Prologue - Telling of a Dark Future

Today I will tell you one of my darkest memories.  A very specific and recent memory of the day that changed everything.

I will never forget the day he died.  Hopefully after telling you my memory, neither will you.

It was a quiet, Sunday morning and I was strolling through the park with my family.  It was my son Nico's third birthday, and we wanted to spend some time outside with him as a small family before going to my mother-in-law's house for the bigger celebration.

We hoped it would be the first birthday he would remember, and that the day could pass by flawlessly, with nothing more troublesome than a sugar overdose from all the cake he would be eating.

How very naive we were.

The park was beyond beautiful that day.  It was a beauty you had to get accustomed to, however, seeing as we live in a very rainy and cloudy kingdom of which most beach-goers would not approve.  But if you paid attention and stopped wishing for the sun to return, you could be reborn in the fresh air that followed our daily storm, and the breeze that blowed constantly over the grass.  The stone-grey mountains in the distance remained snow-capped all year, but they were picture-worthy and brought our kingdom protection from most outsiders.

It's little things like these that you learn to appreciate once your world collapses around you.

My husband Jacques, my son Nico and I laid back in the wet grass, letting it tickle our feet as we enjoyed a light picnic.  Nico, a mirror image of his light-skinned and blond-headed father, could look forward to a happy future in our kingdom.

It put my soul at rest to know that I no longer had to pay for his health care or education.  The economy was growing, and our security was better than ever before.  My son could grow up in a safe environment, without foreign threat, and could be the greatest of whatever he desired to be in the future.  Jacques and I could breathe easily.

Or so we thought.

This comfort was all thanks to our king, Duvan II.  Every Saturday morning, he would give speeches to his different provinces, pass candy to the children and praise our kingdom's progress.  Even though he was getting older, he claimed he had many years to go for us to rise above the rest in economy and education.  We would rise together and as a team.

Seeing his polite face and numerous charitable contributions, who could doubt him?  He was one of the nicest kings we had ever had and would continue to lead us happily into the future.

We turned up for his speech the day before, but sadly, it was cancelled.  The news got out that King Duvan II was ill and needed to rest for a few days.  However, having some of the best free healthcare out of all the other nations, no one doubted that he wouldn't make a quick and complete recovery.

They lied to us.  He was not sick at all.  He went missing.  The palace did not want to cause a panic by announcing his disappearance, so they lied to their people... .

After sitting in the grass for so long, Nico started to get restless.  We packed up our picnic and decided to take a walk along a near-by stream before heading off to his grandmother's house.

Nico kept trying to get closer to the stream.  We yelled his full name, playfully threatened to not give him any presents, and even pulled him back a few times.  But little Nico was persistent.

Near a curve in the stream, Nico began jumping up and down and pointing at the water.  As we ran over, exasperated at his antics, he shouted, "Mama! Papa!  Vien, regara!"  Mom! Dad! Come, look!

I remember my first impression of the man we saw laying in the water, face-down with bloody robes.  At first, I pulled Nico away and was ready to either call the proper authorities or leave the scene without a word.  Heartless, that I knew, but I did not want to get involved on my son's birthday.

Little did I know, I had no choice.  My life would be entirely changed because of this.

Jacques leaped into the stream, nearly tripping on his way to the dead body.  I yelled, "Be careful!", while trying to hold on to a curious Nico.

Squinting my eyes at the dead body, I saw two daggers sticking out of his back.  I held my hands over Nico's eyes as Jacques turned the body over with gentle but firm hands.

It was there that all my happiness ended.  Laying dead in the stream, was King Duvan II, stripped of his glory.

My scream echoed in the empty park and was soon joined by my and Nico's tears.  Our kingdom was so well-protected, it was impossible for foreign enemies to enter our territory.  Could that mean someone on the inside had killed him?  Who would want to commit such an atrocity?  Would could have such an evil heart as to kill the one man who had given us everything to hope for and be happy about?

I held Nico to me, as though fearing he would slip away along with the security of our kingdom.  He sobbed, pulling at my sweater.  Even little Nico seemed to understand that things were never going to be the same.

~~~~~~~~~~

Seven figures stood in the tiny room that was barely big enough for them to walk around without bumping into one another.  It was difficult to see each other in the first place, since the hanging lightbulb flickered on and off every few seconds.

One of them was giving orders, occassionally yelling and gesticulating violently at the others, who were lined up against a damp wall where they feared for their lives.  He used to be their friend, how could he do this to them?

They all had blue skin.  The color blue of the calm Mediterranean on a summer's day, or of a singing bluebird that fluttered around bravely.  All seven of them had heads that were pointed on both sides.  Their clothes were all elegant and finely stitched, so that begs the question, what were they doing in this poor and lonely place if they were of high-class?  Their bodies were shaped like that of a human, for the most part.  The light flicked off, and the creatures were hidden once more.

The light turned back on, and one of the blue figures on the wall, the only woman, yelled, "We don't want to be a part of your plan!  You're a traitor, and it will never work!  Think of the rumors, our greatest enemy could come back!"

As though a punishment for her words, flames burst all around her arms.  Concentrated in tight circles from her wrist to her shoulder, the flickering fire burned her blue skin and she screamed in agony.  The other figures against the wall berated the blue man standing in the middle of the room, whose hand was pointing at the female.  He had caused the fire.

The flames died out, and when the creature standing in the middle of the room began to talk, the room's lightbulb flickered off once more.

In the darkness, his words echoed a deep, lurking threat.

"They're all slowly dying.  Being killed off by my master in order to get to the one he really wants...She will be here soon, taking their place, and you will act as though nothing is wrong.  I am above all of you, and you can prove nothing against me.  I could kill all of you in an instant, you worthless fools!  You really think you can outwit me?"  He shouted with venom.  The light had still not turned back on

"She will be next, and she will die so my master may rule once more.  We will kill Adriana Jimenez for thinking she could take his place!"

Reviews

[snopadelic]

I like the way the death of the king is personalised right at the start. The second half is stunning. I liek the imargery that is brings up, the fear of the blue and it adds a bit more mystery to the procedings.