Life was beautiful.
These such moments, when the clouds were blue, the air was cool, the scent of wet mud filling the nose, the aftermath of a rain, all just enough, to let go, for a moment, all the pain and suffering present.
I sat down on grass, beneath a beautiful apple tree, located to the eastern most part of the garden.
I sat alone, away from the talking of my mother and aunt, the constant snarks of Vaelira. Alone, with only the sound of water dropping falling on leaves to fill my ears.
I had an apple in hand, and Whisperfang on my lap.
Ser Daryn had left around an hour ago, leaving me to practice alone.
Of course, I ditched practice around half an hour ago.
The beauty of Veron Valley is not something present in High Ardent, I ought to enjoy it as much as I can.
Although my rest wouldn't last for long, the approaching footsteps, to whomever it belonged to, were gonna break this moment.
The footsteps quickened, dramatically, when they were around 5-6 meters away from me.
I tensed, I took the handle of Whisperfang in my hand, and drew it.
I threw the apple on the ground and stood up, as fast as could.
Before I could turn around, a fist lodged itself into my face.
The pain was intense, almost made me go unconscious.
The force sent me tumbling back.
I swung my sword.
But before it could reach it's destination, it was knocked out of my hands.
I fell down on the ground, my back to it, I saw the perpetrator, with my hazy eyes.
Vaelira.
She stood there, holding in her hand, a wooden knife.
She looked at down me, towering over me, just like she would even when I would be standing straight.
Her eyes, they looked down on me, literally and metaphorically.
"Hmph," she said, bringing her wooden knife up, showing it to me, "all it took was a wooden knife for a girl to end you."
"Well.." I rasped, sitting up, "I am alive."
"That's because I am your sister." She hissed, "Had it been an assasin, your head and body would've been tragically parted by now."
My face hurt, the momentary adrenaline had now been gone, the pain came, "Agh- Fu-" I stopped myself and then sighed and looked up at her, "Dear sister, would it kill you to let your brother enjoy the rare peace that he comes by."
I sighed again, massaging my cheek, which was swelling up, "Well, I've a question for you, what do you think is the most valuable thing I have?"
"Me." she said.
I looked at her, my eyes deadpanned, "What?"
She tossed the wooden knife aside, and took an apple from the tree effortlessly, tall enough to reach it without much effort, "I've been protecting your white little head since the day you were born, and I'll be stuck with you for the rest of my or your life. Although I hope it's my, imagining a world without my foolish little brother loitering around in it needing me to protect him would be a little harsh for me."
I snorted, sitting up properly, leaning against the tree bark, "I don't feel like marrying you anymore."
"You don't get to choose." She said.
"Grandfather is not gonna be pleased that I got my cheek swollen." I said.
"Let him see just how soft his grandson, and the heir to his kingdom is. Your grandfather has always been fond to you anyway." She said.
She turned around, looking back at the castle, "I'll leave now, I feel tired, feel free to come and accompany me if you wish to come now."
"I'll be staying." I said.
"Your loss." She started walking, "I had specially baked cakes and sweets placed in my chambers."
"You know, if you become fat, I won't love you." I said.
She stopped, and turned around for a bit, "You assume you'd have a choice."
And she continued, soon disappearing into the garden.
- Ser Daryn -
( Half an hour earlier )
The wind was cold, the rain was harsh, the body felt cold, felt the need for warmth, but a will defied it.
This horse, it's a fast one, mayhaps I shall steal it and take it with me to Fort Marin.
Barkley's hurried form couldn't leave my mind.
The sound of horses running filled the streets, I could almost feel the eyes of the folk boring into me.
The last time I was the center of attention like this, it was when I killed Tyrick Hestan.
It was odd, a bad omen.
The word had spread, presumably.
And the people were all focused on what the Vornhalls were going to do about it.
"Stop at the left corner up ahead! My house is there!" Kent roared, the rain covered the voice, I barely made out what he uttered.
I looked ahead, from the next two alleys on the left and right, straight ahead was the gate, and behind the gate was the southern tower.
We slowed our horses, turning left into the alley.
Kent stopped on the 4th house that came up after the alley ended.
There was a pole outside the house, he tied his horse to it and walked up to the door and knocked.
The rain hammered down like the gods were pissed, soaking through my cloak and making the leather of my gloves slick. I squinted up at the wall, water dripping off my nose. "Tom!" I barked. "The fuck happened here?"
Tom jerked his head toward the forest beyond the wall. "Hollowed, Ser. Came outta the trees like fuckin' shadows. Bastards climbed the damn wall."
Barkley spat. "Climbed? Since when do Hollowed climb?"
"Since now, apparently," Tom muttered, rubbing his arm where a bandage peeked out from under his sleeve. "Got a few of ours before we put 'em down. Burned the bodies already."
Kent shifted beside me, his face pale. "My brother—Steve—he was on patrol near the southern tower. You seen him?"
Tom shook his head. "Last I heard, he was with the group that went to check the tree line after the attack."
That was all Kent needed. He turned on his heel and started toward the gate.
Barkley shot me a look. "We followin'?"
I didn't answer. Just followed Kent.
---
The gate creaked open just enough for us to slip through. The field beyond was a mess of mud and trampled grass, the rain turning everything into a fucking swamp. The southern tower loomed ahead, its torchlight flickering weakly in the storm.
Then I saw the bodies.
Three men, sprawled in the muck. Their armor was torn, their throats ripped out. But the worst part? Their eyes. Milky. Unblinking. Staring at nothing.
"Fuck," Barkley muttered. "They're Hollowed now."
Kent stumbled forward, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "No—no, Steve ain't here. Maybe he—"
A guttural growl cut him off.
From the shadows near the tower, something moved. Slow. Wrong.
A man—or what used to be one—shambled into the light. His face was half-gone, his jaw hanging by threads of sinew. His fingers curled like claws, blackened at the tips.
Hollowed.
Barkley drew his sword. "Well, shit."
The Hollowed lunged.
I met it with steel. My blade sliced through its neck clean, sending its head rolling into the mud. The body crumpled, twitching.
"Burn it later," I snapped. "Let's find Steve."
Kent didn't wait. He bolted toward the tree line, his boots splashing through puddles.
We followed.
---
The forest edge was quiet. Too quiet. Even the rain seemed to hush here.
Then we heard it.
A wheezing, wet sound. Like a man drowning in his own blood.
Kent froze. "Steve?"
A figure slumped against a tree, one hand clutching his gut. His armor was dented, his face pale as death.
Steve.
"Brother!" Kent rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside him.
Steve's head lolled toward him. His lips moved, but no sound came out. Just a trickle of black sludge.
I knew what was coming.
"Kent," I said, low. "Step back."
Kent didn't listen. He grabbed Steve's shoulders. "Hold on, brother! We'll get you—"
Steve's eyes snapped open.
Black.
All black.
His hand shot out, fingers digging into Kent's arm.
"FUCK!" Kent tried to pull back, but Steve—no, the thing that was Steve—was stronger. It hissed, its mouth stretching too wide, too wrong.
I didn't hesitate.
My sword punched through Steve's chest.
Kent screamed. "NO!"
The Hollowed gurgled, black ooze bubbling from its lips. Then it went still.
I yanked my blade free. "Burn him. Now."
Kent just stared, his face blank with shock.
Barkley grabbed his shoulder. "Come on, lad. Ain't nothin' left of him now."
The rain kept falling.
And the forest watched.
----
Targan.
Grandfather wasn't going to attend dinner.
He had some food in his chambers and fell asleep, he did call for me though.
Infact now, seeing from how he was, it doesn't look like he is going to die for a while, he seemed healthy.
I had cleaned myself after I left the garden, changed my clothes and went to the dining hall.
The castle was big and like a maze, one could get lost among these rooms and ways.
I took the turn, and saw the door of the dining hall, open, scent of tasty food coming out.
I walked forward and into the dining hall.
There they were.
Aunt Celesse, Mother, Vaelira, and of course, Mother's aunt, Lady Shelly.
Lady Shelly looked at me and smiled, "Come here!" She said, opening her arms.
I hesitantly stepped into her embrace, she grabbed my shoulders and took a good look at me, her eyes narrowed when she saw the swollen cheek, which everyone had noticed by now.
"What kind of a fool dared to hurt the prince?" Lady Shelly asked.
I looked at Vaelira, "A savage girl with no regard whatsoever for her dear brother, and the rare peace he gets."
"Tsk. Should've known." Lady Shelly said.
Mother sighed, "And you two are gonna be married.."
Aunt Celesse chuckled from the far side of the table.
Mother pulled the chair beside hers and signalled me to come forward, Lady Shelly let go of me and I sat beside mother.
And we had dinner.
Sometime later
Dinner was nice and peaceful, aside from the occasional small talks and mother occasionally feeding me from her own plate, it was all quiet and peaceful.
I had left for the balcony, finishing my meal early.
The wind still carried the smell of wet dirt, and the coolness, the world felt beautiful.
It had not been too long, when Aunt Celesse came and joined me.
She walked through the door of the balcony, announcing her presence long before with her footsteps, she came and stood beside me.
She placed her hand on the railing, took one good look at me, and then at the stars in the night sky, "The twinkling stars are beautiful, aren't they?"
"They do not twinkle." I said.
She looked at me, puzzled, "What?"
"The stars are celestial masses, millions of leagues away from us, faraway into the infinity beyond the sky. Their light travels, and is distorted by the wind, it moves, becomes colder and hoter depending on the level, that displaces the light and makes it look like they are twinkling." I said, absently staring out into the garden.
"Alright..." Celesse dragged out, "It seems you've quiet a interest in these things."
"A wise man who does not know about the world around him, is no wise man at all." I said.
"A wise man, huh?" She smiled and looked at me, "Father would be happy to have his kingdom passed to you."
I fell quiet, and then after a moment, "Can your condition not be healed? Can you really not have children?" I said.
Her eyes lost the glow and moved down, but still looking at my face, "Who knows, I've tried everything I can, contacted every doctor and scholar I could, yet it seems like I am cursed."
"Maybe... The fault was with uncle Kevin?" I asked, looking her in the eye.
She stared deep into my eyes, "I don't know."
I sighed and looked out at the stars before turning around, "Good night, it's getting late."
"Good night.." Aunt Celesse dragged out, still looking at me.
I nodded and started walking.