The air was thick and still as Helia sat in Krystal's room, the ivy still on the wall and the look on Flora's face still ingrained into Helia's mind. All he saw was fear and shame on her face as she looked at what she had done. Is that what she had been talking about? Being a monster? If so, Helia thought that it was strange and scary but that was only because he had no idea what to make of it. Who could shoot ivy from their hands? Who possessed that quality? Skill? Magic? And how far did that power go? But a monster? No.
"Prince Helia," Helia's head snapped to Krystal who sat on her bed in front of him, "are you okay?"
Helia blinked and his eyes finally focused on the young woman in front of him. He examined her features and noticed that like Flora, there was a new expression on her face that he had never seen before. She looked concerned and anxious, but at the same time, she looked calm and in control. He could tell that she was worried about Flora but she provided a calmness that Helia had never seen from the princess. It made her really look like a future leader, as if she could handle whatever possible stressful situation that came her way.
"What was that?" Helia asked again, desperate for the answer. Maybe Krystal would be a little more forthcoming.
Krystal took another deep breath, "I think that it would be best to start at the beginning."
Long ago, the people of Linphea believed that Linphea had been created by two sisters, Lynn and Feya. The sisters had been inseparable and loved by their mother and father. However, the sisters had a secret, they had a magic that was both beautiful and dangerous. Both had the power to control nature and essentially life itself. But with the ability to create life, they could easily take it away.
Because of their power, the people of their village cast them out and the sisters wandered the land until they came upon a large, lush green forest. It had been filled with plant life and the sisters smiled when they had come upon the land. Seeing that they were the only ones there, the sisters claimed the land as their own.
They spent time with the help of their magic making the land the most fertile and the most desirable land in the world. The flowers that grew there were the most beautiful in the world and the crops were perfect. As a result, more people began to settle in the sister's land and the people began to multiply until one house became two, then ten, and soon, there was a whole village. One village then grew into two that grew into a kingdom. The sisters had no desire to rule over anything, instead, letting the people decide who would rule.
For years, the people of the new land called Linphea after the two sisters, lived together in peace and harmony...until they didn't.
When the people began to move into the village, they had come from all over. Some had migrated from the fishing villages of the east and others from the mining villages of the west. All came with their own skills that made Linphea flourish but the sisters prided themselves of the agricultural utopia that Linphea had become.
The sisters soon discovered that just as they had been able to create life, they were also able to create a new kind of people. People just ike them. Lynn and Feya had made the decision together to share their gift and bestow their magic on the people that they deemed to be pure in heart. They laid their hands on the head of the woman that the people had elected to be queen, making her the next person like them. Then they chose men and women of the village who the sisters believed would be able to make Linphea the best it could be.
However, magic meant power, and those without magic, those without power, began to grow bitter. The people began to band together and decided that the world would have been better without the gift that sisters had. What use was this gift? They already had everything that they needed. Linphea was successful and had cemented its place as the natural bastion of the world.
It wasn't long until bitterness and resentment turned into action. What once started off as a small group of disenchanted Linpheans turned into a movement of people without power seeking to gain power for themselves. Those without the magic of nature outnumbered those with the gift and they knew it.
One night, the people of Linphea gathered torches and any weapon they could find and started with the palace. The people drove out the queen, a kind and elderly woman who the people had once loved, and paraded her into the street. They set up gallows and bound her hands. The old queen wept as she was placed on the scaffold and watched as the crowd cheered and demanded for her to hang. And she was.
Lynn and Feya, now old women in their own right, heard of what had happened in the main city and knew that it was a matter of time before they too had met the same fate as the queen and the other people of the city who had been blessed with the gift. Though now the gift seemed more like a curse. The sisters could not help but to remember the village that they were once cast out from. How could their own people, the people that they loved, turn on the people like them? Lynn and Feya made certain that those with kind and pure hearts would be the ones to receive the same power that they did. How could the people of Linphea not trust their judgment? They had been right about everything else and the sisters were regarded to be fair and just.
Still, the sisters felt the same fear from decades ago grow inside of them and without a second thought, they decided to run. They would live in the forest atop the mountain that created a border for the small kingdom.
"Faster, sister." Lynn, the eldest of the siblings panted as she held Feya's hand as they trudged up the mountain. Their feet were heavy as they climbed and the hems of their gowns collected dark mud. Below, at the base of the mountain, the sisters could see the village that they loved become alight with an orange glow. The faint cries and screams of villagers could be heard traveling up the mountain.
"Hurry hurry." Lynn urged her sister who had grown weary from their run.
Feya collapsed on the ground, not able to take another step. Lynn dropped to her knees by her sister and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"Lynn," Feya's voice was soft and weak, "go on without me."
"No," Lynn quickly replied, "I won't leave without you."
"You have to, I will be fine."
"I promised," Lynn could feel her tears pooling in her eyes, "I promised our mother I would keep you safe."
"You have," Feya smiled, "and now it is my turn to save you. Go."
The cries of the people in the village became louder and it felt as though the air around them had become hotter as Lynn held her little sister in her arms. She looked around, hoping that there would be something that could save them but she found nothing. Lynn had now been too old to carry her sister the rest of the way up the mountain. And what would they do next when they reached the top? The people would find them and the sisters would meet the same fate as the queen and the other people of Linphea who possessed the gift of nature. Lynn was tired of running.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Lynn placed her hand on the ground and shut her eyes. Her body became encased in a bright green light that flowed over to Feya's weak one.
"What are you doing, Lynn?" Feya asked as she looked up at her sister.
"Saving your life."
With one last burst of energy, the sister's tan skin transformed into bark and their bodies grew. It had been the most painful thing that either sister had ever gone through but Lynn did it to save their lives. They could no longer run if they could not move. What once had been two sisters on the ground, fearing for their lives, stood two large willow trees.
They stood side by side and the drooping branches of the willows became entangled together. The sisters were finally safe, nothing would be able to tear them apart.
Or so they thought.
The fires from what would be known as The Great Cleanse had spread up the mountain and destroyed the forests. Lynn watched in horror as her sister, burned with the forest, helpless to stop the spread of the fire. If turning into a tree had been painful, watching her sister burn to ash was excruciating. Lynn did the only thing that she could do and that was weep. Weep for her sister. Weep for the people that they had chosen to become like them. Weep for the loss of the peaceful utopia that they had created.
Lynn's tears restored the forest to its lush state before the fire and soon, the memory of the sisters faded away into legend. However, the fear of those who were different still festered in the kingdom.
The people without what was once called the gift, now called the curse, had taken over but discovered that they had not finished what they had started.
As the tears of the willow watered the grounds of Linphea, the rivers and crops soon began to become filled with the magic of Lynn. Women without powers had begun giving birth to babies born with magical powers. While the almost divine intervention seemed random, the people of Linphea could not take any chances.
The new children who were born with powers were stripped from their mothers and taken out to the mountains and executed. Mothers would cry out for their children but those who were in charge did not care.
As more children were born with nature's magic, the people of Linphea sought to destroy the other willow, the same willow that had magical properties in its tears. Men from the village tried to burn it as the other willow had burned all those years ago. But the willow could not be set ablaze. They tried to cut it down but no axe or saw could penetrate the thick bark.
Realizing that the tree could not be destroyed, the people of Linphea sought to harness its power. People would try to drink from the river or bathe in the pool of tears at the base of the tree but whenever someone did, they would drown in the cold and dark waters. Because of the morbid consequences of bathing in the tears, the tree had earned the name The Black Willow.
With no way of stopping children with powers from being born, those in charge made rules that sought to keep the people with the curse in line. Having the ability to create and destroy life needed to be monitored and kept in check. Laws were created that no magic could be wielded in conflict against a non-magical Linphean, the penalty would be death. Another law was created that stated that children who were seen using magic outside of the home would be taken from the parents and sold to the highest bidder. Many more laws were created with the sole purpose of keeping the people with magic in line. Those without powers still outnumbered those with powers, making an uprising of those with powers a nearly impossible future.
However, there were those who still lived in fear and bitterness. A small group of people called The Black Circle sought to rid the world of those who carried the curse. The Black Circle longed for the day of the beginning of the Second Cleanse; a day where Linphea would once again be rid of those with magic. However, while zealous, the group was small and many Linpheans saw them as extreme and their members were often regarded as delusional. Still, the dream of the Second Cleanse burned deep in the hearts and minds of members of The Black Circle.
Centuries passed and the rules did not change but the people of Linphea lived in relative peace and harmony. Those who did not have powers still ruled and those with powers would not dare say that they had them. The gift became a curse that now was a deep and dark secret. It was better to live life locking away a part of themselves that was so special in return for a life of freedom and acceptance.
But for some, that wasn't enough.
The sun was setting behind the trees surrounding a large meadow in the middle of the Linphean countryside. Yellow wildflowers grew in the midst of thick grass that felt softer than any grass in the world. But who could be surprised? It was Linphea.
In the middle of the meadow, two girls played together, one bigger than the others.
"Flora! Flora!" the smaller girl called out behind her as she laughed, Flora chasing behind her. Flora laughed as she ran. "You can't catch me!"
"I'm going to get you." Flora gave a jovial threat to the smaller girl.
Copper hair flowed behind the smaller girl's back and Flora reached out her hand and felt the straight strands whipped along her fingers. She was so close to catching her. Just a little further...
Flora caught the girl on the arm, tapping the back of her shoulder.
"Ha!" Flora exclaimed as she stopped in her tracks right away, "I got you!"
The little girl dramatically fell onto the soft grass of the meadow, laughing as he back hit the grass. Flora, out of breath, collapsed onto the ground next to her. Flora set her hand on the ground and the grass around her grew thicker and small white flowers began to bloom from the surface. The girl looked at Flora in unsurprised awe, used to seeing Flora using her magic.
"No fair," the smaller girl said as she tried to catch her breath, "you always catch me."
"Well, " Flora shrugged as she looked up at the clear, blue sky, "I am older than you, Miele."
"When I'm twelve, I'll be able to outrun you. You won't be able to catch me."
"I'll be eighteen by then and I will be far too busy to catch you."
Miele turned on her side to look at her older sister, "What?"
"I'll be eighteen and I will be almost of age which means that I will be preparing to be married."
"Ew", Miele returned onto her back, "I'm never going to get married."
"What do you mean?" Flora scoffed, "Of course you will."
"Nuh-uh," Miele shook her head, "I'm going to live with mama and papa for the rest of my life and I forbid you to get married."
Flora turned her head to look at her little sister, "Oh you forbid me, huh?"
"Yes, I do." Miele responded bluntly, "You will have to stay with me forever."
"I will always be with you, Miele, even if not physically."
"How is that even possible?"
Flora rolled her eyes, forgetting that using philosophical connections of the concept of being with someone would not go well with a six-year-old.
"I'll always be your sister."
Miele rose to a seated position and pulled her legs into her chest, "But you won't be with me, mama, and papa."
"Miele," Flora sighed as she joined her sister in a seated position, "you will be able to visit me whenever you want, and besides, I have been promised to someone so I don't think that I will be able to refuse."
"Promised to someone?" Miele cocked her head to the side.
Flora thought of the best way to say it, "Well, when I turned ten, mama and papa made a deal with one of the other families in the village that I would marry one of their sons."
"Really?" Miele asked, "Who?"
Flora blushed, "Anagan Duman."
"Anagan Duman?" Miele questioned, "Ugh! That's no fair!"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Anagan Duman is the fastest runner in the whole village and if you marry him, he will teach you how to be really fast and then you'll always be able to catch me and I will never be able to catch you."
Flora laughed at her sister's naivete. Miele pouted as she thought about her sister marrying the fast and handsome eldest Duman brother. He came from a good family and many families in the village sought to match their daughter with him but luckily, Flora's parents had made the best offer. Not like they had much to offer. Her father was a farm laborer and her mother was a housewife. They lived a modest life but they were comfortable with just the roar of the fireplace in the winter and the stories that their father would tell them after dinner.
"Does Stormy know that you are going to marry him?" Miele asked Flora, referring to the older girl in the village who always hung onto Anagan. She was pretty and confident, but she was also mean and possessive. But Flora would always roll her eyes as she passed them in the village, Anagan was handsome and his family was well off, obviously Stormy's type. Flora liked knowing that Anagan would someday belong to her and not that nasty witch Stormy.
"I don't think so." Flora shrugged, "I don't think that she would be interested in him if she knew that I was going to be the one to marry him. But I do suppose that isn't for some time."
"How long?" Miele asked.
"Nine years is what mama told me last."
"That's older than me!"
Flora smiled and gave a strong nod, "See, that gives us plenty of time together."
"Flora! Miele!" a loud and warm voice called from a distance, "It's time to come home and wash for dinner! Your father is home!"
Flora shot up to her feet and bent down to grab Miele's hands.
"Come on, Little Blossom," Flora pulled Miele up to her feet, "let's get home, I'm starving."
Flora and Miele walked through the forest to the small house that was situated at the edge of the village. It allowed for the small family to lead a quiet life and most importantly, it kept Flora's magical abilities a secret. Her parents allowed her to practice magic in the home and in the small shed that they had created in the back of the small family garden. There was no law against that, but that didn't keep Flora from creating the occasional daisy necklace for her sister or creating quick flower crowns for the festivals. Her mother would always become so cross with her when it happened.
Miele always asked when she would get her powers which caused an awkward silence at the dinner table. She was young and it was hard to know if she would develop powers like her older sister, but her parents prayed that she wouldn't. They saw how hard it was for Flora to go on pretending that she wasn't special; keeping an integral part of her hidden. But Rhodos and Alyssa would be damned if anyone took any of their children away. That was why when Flora and Miele came back with small flowers in their hair and in their clothing, Alyssa pulled Flora inside to the kitchen and slammed the door behind her.
"What have I told you about using your magic outside of the house?"
"But mama-"
"Flora!" Alyssa glared down at her daughter, "Do not give me any excuses! Do you think that the authorities will hear your excuses? Do you think that The Black Circle will listen to your excuses?! If The Black Circle were to find out who you are... You are twelve years old, you should know better!"
Flora held her head down as she avoided her mother's stern glare. See AlsoListen To My Song, Uwu (Symphogear / Revue Starlight, Crack)
"I'm sorry."
Alyssa inhaled a calming breath, "I don't mean to yell, Flora. I..." Alyssa's voice caught in her throat, willing herself not to let the fear set in of what would happen if Flora were to be found out, "I just don't want anything bad to happen to you. And you need to lead by example. We don't know if Miele is going to be like you and Miele definitely looks up to you."
"I know," Flora sighed, "I won't do it again."
"Thank you," Alyssa gave Flora a small smile, trying her best to diffuse the tension between the mother and daughter as well as ease Alyssa's own worried mind, "you know that you are allowed to use your magic in the shed and in the home. No more magic outside, especially when your father and I can't see you and especially around your sister."
"Yes, mama."
Alyssa pulled Flora into a calming hug and kissed the top of her head, "Now go in and wash up for dinner. Your father will be home soon."
"You won't tell him about what I did?"
"Your secret is safe with me. Though you know that your father could never be angry with you or Miele. I proudly hold the title of Meanest Parent."
"You aren't mean, mama." Flora laughed as she pulled out of her mother's arms.
"Compared to your father?"
"Hmm," Flora twisted her mouth as she thought about her mother's question, "I do suppose you are right."
"Of course I am," Alyssa laughed, "I am your mother. Now go, I will have no dirty children at the dinner table."
Flora began to walk out of the kitchen but Alyssa yelled out to her.
"And tell Miele to wash up too!"
Years had passed and Flora had grown into a beautiful teenager, everybody in the village and surrounding countryside could see it. Miele too grew to be beautiful and the spark that she had as a child grew stronger well into her pre-teen years. Flora now seventeen and Miele eleven, they had still remained close, even when Flora had been preparing to wed Anagan. The bond they had become even closer as Rhodos and Alyssa's worst fears came true, Miele had developed powers similar to Flora's.
Just as Flora had grown closer to Miele, she had also grown closer to the man that she was to marry. Now twenty years old, Anagan had grown stronger, faster, and Flora felt herself becoming more and more infatuated with the eldest Duman brother. He had begun working in the fields with her father and he could cultivate more wheat than any other man in the field. Just as Flora became one of the most desired young women in the village, Anagan became the most desired man. Their impending marriage became the talk of the town and everyone noted how lucky they both were to have each other.
Fathers would talk about how strong Anagan had become and how much of an asset he had become in the fields. Mothers would discuss the future children that Flora and Anagan would have together; how beautiful and strong they would be. The girls of the town would sigh as Anagan passed by in the village and sneer when Flora would pass, jealous of the green-eyed beauty that would one day call Anagan her own. However, while Flora was eager for the day that she and Anagan would become husband and wife, she struggled with her big secret. What if he wasn't accepting of her powers? Surely her parents would have made sure that Anagan and the rest of the Duman family would have been tolerant of what made Flora and her sister unique. Nevertheless, Flora's mind couldn't stop wandering to the strong and handsome man in the village.
In the evening when Flora would sit with her mother and practice her embroidery, Flora thought about the moments that she would share with Anagan in the village. His family owned the mill, making the Duman family one of the riches and fueled the fire of the jealousy that surrounded Flora. Flora would meet him there in the morning, before he went to the fields, and snuck him sandwiches. He would always laugh and tell her that his mother had already packed him a sandwich. He still thanked her and left the mill by placing a kiss on the back of her hand. Flora would blush every time his lips would brush her skin.
"Ouch!" Flora exclaimed as she withdrew her hand from under the cream-colored linen that was pulled tight around the wooden hoop. She stuck her finger in her mouth, catching the blood on her lip, the saliva from her mouth soothing the small pinprick.
"Flora, dear," her mother turned to look at Flora from her seat in the wooden chair, "please pay attention to what you are doing."
"Yes, mama." Flora returned her attention back to the embroidery hoop.
"I prefer my handkerchiefs not to have blood on them." Rhodos laughed as he took his pipe away from his mouth and put the book he was reading on his lap.
Flora rolled her eyes and snuck a glance over to her father, "I don't poke myself that much."
"But you have been poking yourself a lot more than usual, my little flower." Rhodos pointed out.
"That's because she has been thinking of Anagan," Miele spoke from where she was seated on the floor, painting a picture. Her voice was teasing and she looked back at Flora and wiggled her eyebrows up and down.
"Am not!" Flora gasped in offense to Miele's blunt, albeit correct, accusation.
"Liar." Miele scoffed as she returned her attention back to her painting.
"I have seen the two of you at the mill," Rhodos brought his book back to in front of his nose, "you two have become quite close."
"Should a husband and wife not be close?" Flora asked, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks.
"You aren't married yet, dear." Alyssa quickly pointed out.
"Well, I would rather marry someone that I know that I liked." Flora shrugged.
"I like him too," Miele remarked as she dipped her paintbrush into the paint.
"And why is that, little blossom?" Rhodos asked, removing his pipe from his mouth once again. "Should I tell Flora to watch out?"
"Because I know that he will run with me. Flora doesn't like to chase me anymore." Miele pouted.
"Young ladies should not be running anyways and Flora has much more that she needs to focus on when it comes to her future. She will soon be a wife and mother and with that comes certain obligations." Alyssa remarked earning a pout from Miele.
"That is why I am never getting married," Miela said.
"You might want to tell Gryon that." Flora scoffed, knowing that Miele and Gryon had become close ever since the marriage agreement was made for the two of them.
"He knows that I don't want to marry him."
"Is that so?" Flora raised an eyebrow, "Then why did I see you and Gryon holding hands in the-"
"Flora!" Miele jumped up from her spot on the floor to charge towards Flora, her hand beginning to glow a bright green. But Rhodos's hand shot out and caught Miele by the wrist, the glowing green around her hand beginning to wrap around her father's.
"Girls!" Alyssa shouted out.
"But she-" Miele began to protest but Rhodos cut her off.
"Miele, please calm down. While I hate the idea of my little blossom growing up so fast and starting to like boys, there is nothing wrong with growing feelings for someone. You are only eleven, while the customs of Linphea call for a marriage contract to be made early, you have many years until you are going to be married and I remember feeling the same way as you when I was your age. But then I met your mother and everything changed. Now I have you two and I have never been happier."
Miele opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock on the door. The glow around Miele's hand quickly dimmed to nothingness as Alyssa and the sisters looked to Rhodos, wondering who could be calling at this hour. Rhodos released Miele's hand and stood up on his feet. It was times like this, filled with uncertainty, that Flora realized how big her father was, despite his more narrow frame compared with some of the other men in Linphea.
Rhodos made his way to the door and Flora made a move to stand up to follow him, but her mother placed a hand on her lap, keeping Flora in her seat. Nothing bad ever happened in the small Linphea village but still, given the nature of who the sisters were and the late hour of the night, the small family was still on edge and worried about what was behind the closed door.
Opening the door, Rhodos let out a sigh of relief. In front of him stood Anagan, equal in height but larger in size. The young man had a bright smile on his face, his hands behind his back as he stood up straight.
"Anagan," Rhodos's mouth curled up into a smile behind his beard, "what brings you to our home at this hour?"
Flora perked up hearing Anagan's name and her face brightened as she did her best to see around the corner of the living room to the front door.
"Good evening, sir, I was hoping that I would be able to take Flora out for an evening stroll. I know that it is late but I really wanted to see her." Anagan said as he cleared his throat. "Please." He added on for good measure.
Turning to her mother, Flora smiled as she set her embroidery down and stood up. She smoothed over her dress with her hands and ran her fingers through her long hair. Flora wanted to look good, even if it was late.
"As much as I am confident that Flora would love to accompany you on a walk, it is late and we all have a busy day tomorrow. The Summer Solstice Festival is this weekend, I am sure that Flora would love to accompany you then."
"Papa, I want-"
"It's late, Flora," Rhodos quickly cut her off before she could protest even further, "I am sure that you will see Anagan tomorrow at the market."
Flora sighed and nodded, saddened by the fact that her father would not let her spend time with Anagan. But he was right, it was late and they all needed to be up early in the morning. Still, that didn't mean that she didn't want to see him any less.
"Tomorrow then." Flora looked at Anagan. He stared at her with dark eyes and gave Flora a smile and nod before turning his attention back to Rhodos.
"I hope that you all enjoy your evening." Anagan said before waving to the small family and walking down the dirt path back to the center of the village where he lived.
Rhodos shut the door and turned to face the women of the house.
"Well, that was quite the appearance by Mr. Duman." Rhodos scoffed as he shook his head.
"Papa, I know that it is late but you couldn't have let me spend ten minutes with him?" Flora whined as she walked down the hallway to stand in front of her father.
"Flora, dear, I said no. I am more than confident that you will run into him at the market tomorrow morning."
"But mama and Miele will be there."
Miele protested, "What's wrong with me and mama?"
Flora turned to look at her sister and gave her a soft smile, "Nothing, it's just that it's...different."
"Flora," Alyssa chimed in, "nothing good comes out of late night walks with men in their twenties."
"Mama!" Flora's eyes widened and a deep blush spread across her face, "Anagan is not like that. He is kind and thoughtful..." Flora felt herself becoming lost in the thought of Anagan but she quickly brought her attention back to her mother's accusation, "And I am more than capable of handling myself if need be so I think I could have-"
Rhodos snapped his head over to Flora, "You know the law, Flora! I said no and I will not hear any more on this subject!"
Flora met her father's gaze, his gray eyes pierced into Flora's but Flora knew better than to back down from anyone. Her father taught her to stand her ground, no matter who it was. That included her own father. The father and daughter stared at each other, Rhodos conveying the seriousness of the possibility of Flora using her magic against someone and Flora conveying a strength to let her father know that she understood the severity but that she would not be pushed around. She would not allow someone to take advantage of her and she would fight back no matter the consequences.
"You heard your father," Alyssa did her best to calm the air in the small house, "it's late and we have a busy day ahead of us with the festival this weekend. Say goodnight to your father and head off to bed."
Flora and Miele both nodded to their mother before walking over to Rhodos and flanking him on both sides. They bent down and placed a kiss on either side of Rhodos's face on his cheeks. Flora pulled away and looked down at her father, letting him know that she was still a little upset at her father yelling at her and not letting her spend time with Anagan. He was going to be her husband, how could her father not trust him? How could he not trust her? Nevertheless, Rhodos smiled at Flora, letting her know that despite their moment of mild contention, he still loved her. He would always love her because she would always be his daughter, his little flower.
"I will see you two in the morning. Well, maybe just Flora seeing as Miele has taken to oversleeping."
Miele gave a soft humph, "Mama says it's because I am growing."
"Indeed you are, little blossom."
"It doesn't help that she stays awake and tells me everything that is on her mind." Flora rolled her eyes.
Miele shot Flora a sideways glare as Flora's lips turned up into a smirk.
"Alright, alright." Rhodos chuckled, "Off to bed."
Flora and Miele made their way to their shared room to prepare for bed. Once inside, Flora began to strip out of her gown and put on the thin robe as she grabbed the large brush on her bedside table and began to brush through her hair. Miele followed suit and sat on the edge of her bed and began to brush through her short hair. While Flora brushed her hair with soothing and smooth strokes, Miele seemed to attack the knots that had formed in her hair throughout the day.
"What did your hair ever do to you, Miele?" Flora giggled as she paused brushing her own hair to look at her sibling.
Miele brought her gaze to Flora and stared ahead at her. She took a deep breath and looked at Flora with sad eyes.
"How could you say something like that?" Miele asked as she looked at her sister, also pausing her evening hair ritual.
"Miele, I am sorry for mentioning Gryon. I just-"
"No," Miele shot up to her feet, "not that. I don't care about that. How could you say that you would fight back? You know what happens if we use our powers. You know what they will do to you. Flora, I can't lose you."
Flora set down her brush back on the end table by her bed and pulled her robe close to her body as a way of soothing herself.
"Miele..." Flora's voice came out in a reluctant sigh.
"I don't know what I would do without you and if you left me," tears began to form in Miele's eyes, "I just...I just don't know what I would do."
"Remember what I told you all those years ago? In the meadow? The day that you found out that I was engaged to Anagan?"
"No," Miele let out a small scoff, "I was only six years old."
Flora gave a laugh of her own as she pat the bed beside her, indicating for Miele to sit down beside her. Miele lowered herself onto Flora's bed and Flora wrapped an arm around her little sister's shoulders and pulled her close to her.
"I told you that even if I was physically gone, away in a new house and creating a family of my own with Anagan, that I would never really be gone. Anagan and I will still live in the village and you would be free to visit us any time. But even if I weren't here with you because Anagan and I moved away or if I..." Flora cleared her throat, deciding not to throw the possibility of death out into the world, "Miele, I will always be with you. I am your sister and I always will be. Nothing, and I mean nothing," Flora emphasized, "will ever keep me from you."
Miele looked up at her sister and smiled. Flora raised a thumb to Miele's cheek and wiped a tear that had fallen from Miele's green eyes.
"So no more crying." Flora instructed with a soft and soothing voice, "I am your older sister and it is my job to protect you and worry about you. You shouldn't worry about me. I will always be there to protect you. Besides, I don't think that I would ever need magic to kick Gryon's butt if I needed to."
Miele laughed as she wiped the rest of her tears from her eyes, "I don't think that either one of us would need magic to kick Gryon's butt."
"I was unaware that such beautiful flowers could be so talkative." the girls could hear their father's voice through the closed door of their bedroom.
Flora and Miele looked at each other and rolled their eyes and gave each other a smile.
"I believe papa is telling us that we should head to bed." Flora placed a kiss on Miele's temple, "I will see you in the morning, little blossom."
"Good night, Flora." Miele said as she rose to her feet from her seat on the edge of Flora's bed. She walked across the small room towards her own bed when she glanced out of the window and her eyes narrowed in on a small pot of daisies on the sill.
"Oh no!" Miele exclaimed, "The daisies! They're wilted!"
Miele waved her hand over the daisies in the pot and smiled as they grew under her glowing hand. "There," her hand dimmed, "good as new."
Flora let out a soft giggle as she looked at her giddy little sister. Leaning across the bed, Flora blew out the candle, sending her side of the room into darkness. Miele arrived at her bed and followed suit, the entire room now bathed in the waxing moon and starlight of the Linphean sky.
The sisters shut their eyes and quickly fell into a peaceful and deep sleep, unaware of the eyes that had been watching them from outside of the small, village house.
"Miele dear," Alyssa grunted as she pulled up a cream and green colored dress over Miele's growing frame, "please stop moving."
"I'm not moving, mama," Miele whined, "you are just pulling too hard."
Alyssa stopped her tugging and rubbed a thin layer of sweat off of her forehead, "I swear, you grow every day."
"Really?" Miele beamed, "Do you think that I will be taller than Flora?"
"At this rate, I wouldn't discount it." Alyssa placed her hands on her hips as she looked over Miele's half-dressed form, thinking of a new strategy for getting on the dress.
The sound of footsteps approached the small living room as Flora walked out from the small bedroom that she and Miele shared in their small family home. Dressed in a light pink gown, Flora was placing small white flowers in the braid that she had created at the side of her head that hung over her shoulder.
"Oh, Flora," Miele sighed, "you look beautiful. You'll be the most beautiful person at the festival. Maybe you'll be elected Solstice Queen."
"I'm not even in the running for Solstice Queen but thank you," Flora blushed, " though I wish I could say the same but you are not dressed yet, little blossom."
"I am thinking that we should change your sister's nickname to sunflower or perhaps large weed. She certainly has shot up like one and has begun taking on a more womanly build." Alyssa huffed as she placed her hands on Miele's dress and began tugging again.
"Ow, mama!" Miele called out.
Alyssa stopped at the sound of Miele's cry of pain. "I am sorry, sweety, but you have to wear something suitable today and I haven't done the washing ever since you decided to race Gale in the mud."
"Well, he said that girls weren't fast and I had to show him that we are. And I did. You should have seen the look on his face when I beat him."
"Too bad all I can think of is the look on your face when you came home covered in mud when you were wearing one of your best dresses."
Flora let out a soft laugh as she put the last flower in her hair, "I have an idea. Why doesn't Miele just wear one of my old dresses?"
Alyssa looked over to her oldest daughter and then back down to her youngest daughter, "Seeing as this dress doesn't want to budge, I suppose that your suggestion will have to do."
Flora smiled and held out her hand to a half-dressed Miele, "Come on, let's get you dressed."
Miele and Flora walked into their small shared room and Miele wasted no time in getting the tight dress off of her body. Flora crouched down onto the dirt floor in front of a large wooden chest and opened it, the hinges squeaking as the chest opened to reveal a rainbow of fabric. Rummaging through the fabric, Flora pulled out a dress from the bottom of the chest, a dress made of light green fabric.
"Here you are," Flora rose upright and handed Miele the green dress, "do you need help putting it on?"
Miele smiled down at the dress and ran her hand over the soft fabric, "Please?"
"Of course, little blossom."
Flora held the green dress as Meile stepped inside. The dress slid up with little give and stopped at Miele's ankles. Flora began to tie the white ribbons at the back of the dress.
"How does that feel? Too tight?" Flora asked as she looked over Miele's shoulder, waiting for her response.
"Not at all." Miele looked down at her feet, "Though it is a bit short."
"Maybe mama is right," Flora shrugged, "you might grow to be taller than me."
Flora could feel Miele's chest puff up slightly under the fabric of the dress. It was no question that Miele looked up to Flora, to Miele, Flora was near perfect. Flora was faster, stronger, older, and everyone talked about how beautiful she was. Sure, people in the market would tell Miele that she was cute, she was only eleven, but it was nothing compared to the comments that Flora would receive. Miele wasn't jealous, her sister was, is, beautiful but it would be nice to have something that set her apart.
"Do you really think so?" Miele asked, a toothy smile plastered across her face.
"Only nature can decide that." Flora shrugged as she tied the last of the ribbons on the dress and smoothed her hand down Miele's back to flatten the material of the green dress.
"I can certainly hope."
Flora simply nodded as she walked over to Miele's bedside and grabbed her brush. She returned to her sister and began brushing her copper hair. It was always so smooth and Flora was envious that Miele had gotten her father's hair. Flora and Alyssa would always share in the lamentations of their thick and curly hair. Flora began to hum as she brushed through her sister's hair. It was just notes, an unrecognizable melody, but the sense of calm that washed in the room and the moment shared by the two sisters was a picture of pure peace.
The last moment of peace that anyone in that small house would have.
The small village was alive with the sights and sounds of the Summer Solstice Festival. The bakers had prepared desserts common for the festival, like fruit tarts. There were banners and flags of Linphea hanging from every banister that could be found. Music began to fill the village square as anyone who could play an instrument had brought out their instrument of choice and began to play. The village square was also filled with flowers of all kinds, creating a place of beauty in the usually utilitarian village center.
Two sisters walked into the village square with their parent's behind them hand in hand. They were the picture of the perfect family but most everyone in Linphea looked happy on the day of the summer solstice. The sun was shining, the flowers were in bloom, and music rang throughout the village. Holidays were always such a celebratory and happy occasion. But not everything was as it appeared.
Every holiday in Linphea had an element of celebrating both the occasion itself but also the Great Cleanse. There were banners heralding the courage and might of the people who had taken action against those with the curse, to make Linphea a more just land for those who did not have the gift...curse. However, to those living with the gift of nature, seeing images depicting the slaughter of people like them due to an immutable trait that they could not control was nothing short of a threat and promise. A promise that if they were to be found out, that they would be punished. Punished for something that made them special, that made them dangerous.
Miele gripped Flora's hand as they walked through the village and stumbled on a small puppet performance of that fateful night. Children and adults alike cheered as the puppetmaster hung the puppet depicting the old queen and as Lynn turned into the Black Willow, signifying the victory of the non-magic Linphean people. The drama was presented every year and every year, Flora and Miele held onto each other even closer, especially after Miele had developed her own powers.
"Keep moving, girls." Alyssa pushed lightly on Flora and Miele's back, ushering them further into the square, past the small wooden puppet theatre and the cheering crowd.
"I wish that they wouldn't-" Flora began but was soon hushed by her mother.
"No talk of these things, Flora. You know better than to criticize. Stay positive and try to ignore the talk of the cleanse and focus on the celebration of the solstice."
Flora nodded and looked out into the crowd where she saw Anagan standing by a stall where a man poured out the wine. She smiled as she looked at the tall man putting a goblet to his smiling mouth. He was chatting with some of the men that Flora recognized as men who worked in the fields with Anagan and her father. Their laughs traveled across the crowd of the village and Flora smiled in response. She hadn't seen Anagan since that night when he came to her home unexpectedly. Rhodos even remarked that he had not seen Anagan in the fields the rest of the week. Flora thought that he might have been sick but he looked fine as he stood laughing and drinking with the other men.
"Papa, may Miele and I go talk to Anagan?" Flora asked as she turned around to her father, her eyes wide and hopeful.
Rhodos looked to the small group of men as they stood next to the cart of wine barrels. He scrunched his brow as in thought.
"I don't know, my flower. Men drowning in wine are not men that I want around my little girl."
"Papa, I am seventeen and we are in the square." Flora gave a slight whine. "And I will have Miele with me. We will be fine."
Rhodos conceded with a smile, Flora was right. What was the worse that could happen? Every part of the square was visible, even with the crowds.
"Just don't wander outside of the square and be sure to meet us by the fountain at dusk for the ceremony."
Flora beamed as she gripped Miele's hand tightly in excitement.
"Yes, papa, I will."
Flora and Miele took off into the crowd towards the men and wine, Rhodos calling out to them, "And make sure that you keep an eye on your sister!"
Flora and Miele made their way through the crowded square and to the group of young men. Their laughs became louder but they immediately quieted when the two sisters approached.
"Happy Solstice, girls." one of the men said before he took a sip of his wine.
"Happy Solstice!" Miele exclaimed in reply, clapping her hands together. This earned a collection of soft laughs from the men apart from Anagan.
"Happy Solstice, Anagan." Flora blushed as she greeted her intended. Anagan looked at her and bowed his head slightly in reluctant recognition. Flora's smile faltered slightly at Anagan's glum greeting.
"Wine, Flora?" one of the men drew her attention back to festivities as he held out a half-full goblet.
"I can't," Flora smiled as she held out her hands in front of her in declination, "I'm not old enough."
"Oh come on," the man pushed the goblet forward, "have some. It's a celebration!"
"Well..." Flora looked down at Miele. She was placed in charge of her but she supposed that one glass couldn't hurt and Miele was more than capable of handling herself if something were to happen. Plus, if something were to happen, the town is full of people who would step in. But the chances of anything happening were slim to none.
Flora gently took the goblet of wine in her hands and brought it slowly up to her lips. The men around her smiled and waited for her response.
"How do you like it? It's a special solstice blend, incorporating some of the summer berries from my father's farm." one of the men said as he looked at Flora in anticipation.
"It's good." Flora replied, not wanting to sound rude, "Though a bit sweet for my liking."
"Someone as sweet and graceful as you not liking wine is like a fish not liking water." one of the older men chimed in causing Flora to blush.
"Flora likes tea." Miele stated, earning herself a few glares from the men that surrounded the sisters. Flora looked down at her sister and then up to the men. Why did they look at her like that? She handed the goblet back to the men and turned her attention back to Anagan, brushing off that weird interaction between the group of men and her sister.
"Anagan," Flora smiled again to the large man, "would you like to take that walk now?"
Anagan looked at Flora and exhaled, a smile coming across his face, "I would love-"
"What about me?" Miele crossed her arms as she looked up at Flora, "Papa told you to watch me."
Flora sighed and gave Anagan an apologetic look, "Sorry. I got ahead of myself and forgot that I-"
"It's quite alright.' Anagan cut her off, his voice a little more dark and sharp than usual, "I know how...special...of a child Miele is and I know how much your family doesn't want anything to happen to her."
Flora felt a chill go up her spine as Anagan's words hit her ears. There was something different, something sinister, about his remarks about her sister. But Flora shook it off. Perhaps Anagan still wasn't feeling well.
"No matter," Flora gave Anagan a smile, "Miele and I would love to spend the afternoon with you and enjoy the solstice."
"Very well." Anagan replied as he held out his arm towards Flora, she wrapped her arm around his, "I am certain that this solstice will be one to remember."
Flora and Miele spent the rest of the afternoon with Anagan, running into his co-workers and friends from around the village. He talked to them with a lightness that he had not afforded the sisters the whole time that they were with him. Flora felt her heart begin to sink in her chest, he held her close the whole time but whenever she or Miele would talk to him, his grip on her body tightened. Something about him was so strange, he had never treated any of them like that. Had someone said something to him in the market about them? Was he still upset by the other night? He didn't seem upset when he left but then again, if Anagan was anything like Flora, admitting one's feelings right away was always difficult.
Still, something about Anagan was off and Flora had a bad feeling when she was near him. It was just so...awkward. His touch was cold, unlike the times in the market when their hands would brush when she handed him an extra sandwich or when he would place a hand on her arm when they talked by his family's market stand.
"This afternoon has been lovely, Anagan." Flora gave him a polite smile, "Miele and I must meet our parents for the celebration. Will I see you tomorrow?"
Anagan looked down at Flora and then to Miele, he bent down and placed a kiss on Flora's cheek and raised a hand to brush a lock of hair away from Flora's face.
"Not tomorrow. I don't know when I will see you next."
"Are you going out of town?" Flora asked.
"No."
Anagan gave the sisters one more glance before he turned on his heels and walked away into the crowd, leaving one sister completely dejected and both of them utterly confused.
"What? Why did he say that?" Miele asked as she grabbed Flora's hand.
"I...I don't know." Flora replied as struggled to keep a brave face for her sister. She just wanted to go home and cry as her mother braided her hair to make her feel better. But she tried to heed her mother's advice and think positively. Flora knew that people had bad days and some people just don't provide the connection that the other person is looking for. She would worry about Anagan's sour attitude another day, she would not ruin the solstice celebration for Miele or anyone else in her family.
"Maybe he is busy tomorrow." Flora rationalized more to herself than Miele.
"Oh, okay," Miele answered, knowing that something might have been wrong by the look on Flora's face. Miele was eleven years old, not eleven days old, she knew when something was going on. But Miele could see that Flora was upset and didn't want to push the topic even further. Flora had rarely looked so sad, much less sadness caused by Anagan. Anagan was always so nice to Flora and now he was acting so weird and it obviously had an effect on her sister.
"Come on, Flora," Miele pulled on her sister's hand, "let's head back."
The small family stood in the square by the fountain as the sun began to set over the small Linphean village. Flora and Miele stood side by side as they ate candied nuts, their parents chatted about various household conversations like the schedule for the next day and what they would have for dinner. It was such a happy and normal scene as most people were waiting for the evening festivities to start.
First, the mayor would open the ceremonies for the night, commemorating the solstice and also thanking everyone who made such a day possible. Next, the town historian would come up and tell the story of the first solstice and the importance that the longest day has on the town and what it meant for the crop and harvest. There was no talk of the Great Cleanse much to the pleasure of Flora, Miele, and anyone else in the village who might share their gift, or as everyone else saw it, their curse. Finally, the competitions would start.
The men of the town would line up to find out who could carry the heaviest barrels of grain, every single one of the men drunk beyond recognition and making absolute fools of themselves. It didn't make things better when the prize was a barrel of wine from the village vineyard.
The next competition would be the pie-eating contest that drew the attention of both adults and children alike. The pies were sourced from the bakery and always a variety of different flavors. Miele begged to join the contest every year and Alyssa would always say no, Rhodos would always talk Alyssa into letting Miele join. This year, however, not a peep came from Miele when those who wanted to participate were called up.
"Are you not going to beg mama to participate?" Flora asked as she giggled.
"I don't want to ruin your dress," Miele responded.
"It's your dress now, little blossom. Besides, you are almost too tall for it as it is." Flora remarked.
Miele thought for another second but her opportunity had passed, the contest was set to begin. She sighed as she looked up at the large wooden stage and at the people who were standing behind a row of pies.
"Oh well," Miele shrugged, "looks like I am too late. Also, Rio Andrews is up there and he wins every year."
"I think that you could have given him a fair fight." Flora wrapped her arm around Miele's shoulders, "Nobody eats a blueberry pie like you do."
Miele laughed, her body shaking against Flora's with every quick inhale and exhale. The contest began and everyone began to cheer on the people who they wanted to win. It was a close contest but like last year and the year before, Rio Andrews came out on top; finishing his cherry pie in record time. As a prize, he received a basket filled with bread and fruit. He took a loaf in his hand and bit into the bread, earning a laugh from the crowd.
The sun had now turned the sky a bright combination of yellow, orange, and pink. A stripe of blue settled on the topmost edge of the sky, signaling the impending arrival of dark and the end of the solstice. It was time for the last event before the release of the lanterns. The sky would become illuminated with small flickers of fire that intermingled with the twinkle of the stars above. Flora had heard that in the capital, the lanterns would produce so much light that the night seemed like day but Flora loved the intimate scarcity of the lanterns as they dotted the sky. Instead of creating a new sun, it was as if she and the small village added to the existing perfection of the heavens.
But first, it was time to crown the solstice king and queen. The royal court decided by nomination in the square a few weeks prior. The usual candidates were the children of the richest families or the children who were the most popular. Of course, anyone was free to nominate whoever they wanted. Flora had been nominated every year but each year, she refused the nomination. She didn't like the attention, she would much rather spend the evening close to her parents and sister enjoying the festivities rather than worrying about the state of her hair or dress throughout the day.
The nominees were called to the stage. The nominees varying in age from as young as ten to as old as twenty. It always drew a laugh from the crowd when a younger person was crowned with an older one. The look on Stormy's face last year when she was crowned with a twelve-year-old brought enough amusement to Flora to last her a lifetime. The nineteen-year-old, curly-headed woman was beside herself. While the king and queen did nothing together, it was still so funny to see them stand next to one another.
The crowd hushed as the master of ceremonies announced the solstice king.
"Your king is..." there was a slight silence that fell onto the crowd and the anticipation built, "...Karel Fridolf!"
A man with shoulder-length hair that had been tied back at the crown, stepped forward with a large smile on his face. He was the son of one of the farming families at the edge of the village. He was their only son and at fifteen had won the solstice king crown. It wasn't unexpected, just unlikely.
"And your summer solstice queen..." if the anticipation had been building for the king, it had reached a fever pitch for the queen. It was as if everyone in the square took a collective breath and held it. Winning king was great but for some girls, winning solstice queen was everything. The women on the stage held hands as they waited for the master of ceremonies to read one of the names. But his brow furrowed and his head cocked to the side as he read the name scrawled on the folded piece of paper.
"Miele Salgueiro!"
Flora's head snapped to Miele and it seemed like everyone else's had as well.
"I'm...I'm...I wasn't...papa?" Miele turned to face her father who looked too surprised to be of any help to the confused eleven-year-old. She hadn't been nominated. She had never been nominated. Why was her name called? Was this all some joke?
Flora broke the shock and silence of the crowd by clapping her hands together. The rest of the crowd gave in and began cheering for the eleven-year-old.
"Go up there, Miele," Flora whispered in Miele's ear as she nudged her forward.
Miele stumbled forward and nearly tripped on her own feet. She made her way through the crowd where she stood at the front of the stage while the master of ceremonies placed a crown of summer flowers on her head.
"Oh, I wish she was wearing a dress that fit properly." Alyssa sighed as she continued to clap for her daughter. Rhodos laughed as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist.
Miele wore a sheepish and unsure smile as she waved out to the crowd. They cheered for her despite the confusion and Miele slowly relaxed. Her waving became more animated and her smile widened. She was really the queen. She won. Always in Flora's shadow and now she was the one in the light of the bright sun.
"Attention!"
But all good things had to come to an end.
Anagan stepped onto the stage followed by his brothers Orgron and Gantlos. There were a few other men of the village that stepped onto the stage as well, carrying a long rope and dressed in all black. The crowd stopped cheering as the men made their way next to Miele, Anagan standing at the front of the stage, poised to address the crowd.
"Attention my fellow Linpheans!" Anagan cried out, "I am here to inform you! Nay, warn you!"
Flora looked up at Anagan and the men, a terrible feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. What was Anagan doing? Who were those men and why were they up there? Was something wrong? Was someone attacking the village? Was there an emergency somewhere?
Anagan continued, "A few nights ago I stumbled on something wicked when I had paid a visit to the Salgueiro family. With the intention of taking their lovely daughter, my intended, out for a stroll, I saw with my two eyes a direct sign of the curse."
Flora's eyes widened as Anagan talked about that night and what he had seen. But what had he seen?
"As I made my way back home after my visit, a coin fell out of my pocket and I turned around to bend down to retrieve it. To my surprise, when I rose up with the coin, I saw a scene most unpleasant. There in the window of the Salgueiro house, Miele Salgueiro waved her hand and with a glow of green light, like the light of the founding sisters, the flowers rose back to life. I couldn't believe my eyes but why would I make something up like this? I love Flora and there is no way that I would willingly imagine something like this."
Anagan looked out to Flora, her green eyes filled with fear and panic. She met Anagan's eyes, pleading him not to continue. To recant his accusation and state that it had all been an honest mistake, a joke even. But Anagan broke eye contact and glared down at the small and scared eleven year old.
"Miele Salgueiro, you have been caught using the curse and in the name of King Titus of Linphea, I bestow upon me the authority given by the law of this land to take you into custody where you will be sent to the capital to be sold in whichever way they see fit."
"NO!" Flora exclaimed as she shot forward. The sounds of Rhodos and Alyssa's protests and cries fell on her deaf ears as everything around her faded into a cacophony of meaningless noise. All that mattered was the scared girl on the stage.
"MIELE!"
"FLORA!" Miele exclaimed as Flora pushed through the crowd.
The men in black with the rope came and seized Miele, making a move to bind her hands behind her back but she resisted, creating a struggle.
"FLORA HELP ME!" Miele screamed as tears flowed down her eyes.
"MIELE I-" Flora felt a firm grip around her arm, pulling her back into the crowd and away from the stage.
The flowers of Miele's crown loosened from their position and fell onto the wooden stage as Miele struggled against the hold of the men in black, the men of The Black Circle.
"LET GO OF ME!" Flora resisted, kicking and screaming, the fabric of her dress slowly ripping with every kick and her hair falling in her face.
"MAMA! PAPA!" Miele desperately called to her parents who were also being held back by members of the crowd. "DON'T LET THEM TAKE ME AWAY!"
"MIELE!" Rhodos's voice could be heard shouting out for his daughter as Alyssa's screams filled the empty spaces.
"STOP PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!" Flora shouted, looking directly at Anagan. Her eyes were filled with tears as she pleaded with the man who she was to marry. The man who had said he loved her and not a moment later, condemned her sister to a horrible fate. He said that he loved her yet was stripping away the person she loved the most.
"It is for the best." Came Anagan's cool and apathetic response to his crying fiance.
"ANAGAN PLEASE! PLEASE!" Flora cried out again but when Anagan turned his back on her, Flora abandoned hope that he would be of any help. He had just so easily ruined her life, her family's life, Miele's life.
Miele continued to struggle as she called out to her family, "PLEASE STOP! YOU'RE HURTING ME!"
The ropes wrapped around Miele's wrist and before anyone could make another move, Miele's hands began to glow a bright green and the rope quickly turned into vines of thorns and she broke through. Without thinking, Miele sent a blast exploding white flower petals towards the men, hoping to distract the men to make a run for it. But as she ran, she collided with one of the large men in black who seized her yet again, a sinister smile on his face.
The man swiftly pulled Miele down to her knees and grabbed her copper hair in his fist, his other hand firmly wrapped around her wrist.
"See?" Anagan addressed the crowd, "I have not lied to you! My eyes did not deceive me that night!"
The crowd, once filled with confusion, began to cheer as Anagan pointed to the eleven-year-old kneeling on the stage, her head being held up by a man's fist in her hair. Shouts of "witch", "demon", and "monster" erupted in the crowd.
"No..." Flora's voice was soft as she looked around the crowd and up to Miele. She was only a little girl and they were all of their friends. Why would they say something like this? They would talk together in the market, these were her father's coworkers. They shared meals with these people, brought them food when they were sick, and played with their children. Now they shouted taunts and jeers to the small girl on the stage.
"And now, she has raised a hand in combat. It brings me no joy but the curse must be broken." Anagan announced as he took a step towards Miele. Placing a hand on his hip, he unsheathed a silver blade from his belt and held it up in the air.
Flora couldn't do anything but scream as more people held her back.
"MIELE!" Flora shouted and the world around her fell away as she looked up at the stage and to her weeping sister.
"STOP! STOP THIS NOW!" Flora demanded, her cries landing on deaf ears. She was drowned out by the cheering of the crowd as the blade came into view and was held up for all to see.
"By royal law set forth by King Valtor, First of His Name, Ancient King of Linphea, and the Great Purifier, I sentence Miele Salgueiro to death as punishment for raising a cursed hand to a pure Linphean. May the great creator have mercy on your soul."
The man in black pulled on Miele's hair, her neck stretched back as the crowd yelled and Anagan looked down in Miele's eyes. She cried as she held eye contact with the large man with the blade. She had looked up to Anagan, he was handsome, strong, and the fastest man in the village. She thought that when he and Flora were married that he would teach her how to be fast too. He always let her win when they raced. Now, he held the blade to carry out her death sentence. He was going to kill her.
Miele couldn't talk, she couldn't breathe as the blade glinted in the flaming light of the setting sun.
"MIELE!" Flora's throat burned as she screamed and pleaded, "TAKE ME! TAKE ME! PUNISH ME! LET HER GO! PLEASE! JUST TAKE ME!"
Miele blinked as her older sister's voice filled her ears. She looked down over the bridge of her nose as she searched the crowd for her sister. Flora still struggled against the men who held her back. She looked out to her parents who were crying and shouting. Her father fell to his knees as he held her mother. Miele locked eyes with Flora once again and gave her a small smile before nodding her head slightly.
"MIELE NO!" Flora shouted one last time. Miele moved her eyes up to Anagan and glared. All fear left her face as she stared down the man that she once looked up to. As he held the blade in his hand, Miele couldn't think any lower of the man. She never broke eye contact and Flora watched as her little sister carried enough bravery and strength for the both of them. With a swift swipe down, Anagan placed the blade against Miele's neck and pulled.
Flora's body became heavy and the world stilled as the silver cut across Miele's neck. It felt like a lifetime for the blood to begin pouring out of Miele's slender neck and onto the stage, staining the wood. Flora felt the cheers of the crowd reverberating through her body but everything was silent in her ears, the only noises she could hear were the screams of her parents and the beating of her own heart.
Everything was black except for the sight of her sister's lifeless body falling onto the stage. Flora's mouth hung open in disbelief. This had to be a dream. She would wake up, see her sister across the room from her still sound asleep, and she would run across the room to pull her sister into an embrace. Miele would ask what Flora was doing but Flora would just rock her in her arms and tell herself that it had all been a dream. A terrible dream. Flora squeezed her eyes shut but when she opened them, Miele's body was still on the stage, surrounded by her own blood. The dress that she had given her was stained with blood and her green eyes stared at her, lifeless and vacant. Realizing that this wasn't a dream, Flora felt her breath leave her body and all she saw was red.
Flora was known for her sweet nature and even temper but seeing her sister on the stage and the sound of cheering re-entering her ears, the world around her became as red as the setting sun behind the horizon.
Enough was enough.
With an ear-piercing scream, Flora's body began to glow a bright green and with a blast, the men who had their hands on her shot off into the air. Their bodies hit the ground and Flora's breathing became shallow but even paced. The cheering in the crowd stopped and all eyes were directed to Flora. Anagan snapped his head to look at his fiance and his black eyes widened in shock and terror.
"Flora..." was all Anagan could say as his eyes met green. He was a strong man, afraid of very little. But when he looked at Flora and the way that her eyes shot daggers at him mixed with the glow of green around her, Anagan could not hide how scared he was.
Flora smirked as she looked at him. Good, be scared. The glow around her intensified and she raised a hand, poised to strike.
"FLORA NO!" Rhodos shouted, not wanting to lose two daughters in one day but Flora only had one thing on her mind.
Revenge.
They all cheered as Anagan slaughtered her sister. Anagan said he loved her, loved her , before killing her little sister for something that she could not control. The baker who had baked their birthday cakes every year had held her back from getting to her sister. The men in the same fields that her father worked at every day had held Miele down as Anagan sentenced her to death. She would make them pay.
If they wanted to call her sister a monster, she would show them a monster.
"...my father said that when he arrived at the prison where they had held her to be directly sentenced by him due to the severity of her actions, the guards told him what they had seen that day." Krystal sighed as Helia listened on intently, hanging on to her every word.
"They said that the village square had been littered with bodies with remnants of vine wrapped around their necks, thorns protruding out of their eyes, ivy growing out of their mouths..." Krystal's eyes glazed over momentarily as she recounted the stories of what happened in the small village, "They found her sitting on the stage, naked, and holding her sister's body in her arms. She didn't resist when they brought her to the prison and when my father looked at her, she sat in the corner, her knees pulled to her chest. My father said she did not look afraid but she looked so morose that he took pity on her. Something in him told him that she was worth saving and I am so glad that he did."
Helia's mind was racing hearing the stories of what had happened. Krystal didn't go into detail but Helia wasn't dumb, he could read between the lines. Flora had massacred her whole village, her parents dying in the carnage. She told him that she was the monster not him, that there was no way that he could love her. But after hearing the story of what she had been through, the utter betrayal of that Anagan asshole, Helia's only question was how could Flora find it in her heart to love him.
"When I met Flora, she was quiet and I felt drawn to her. Maybe it was because I felt that we were somewhat the same, sad and lonely. I think that you know what I mean, Prince Helia." Krystal looked to Helia and he definitely knew what it was like to feel sad and lonely. Also angry and dejected. "I begged my father to make her my servant, to be part of my group of handmaidens and ladies-in-waiting. Flora has been in the palace ever since but when she came of age, she was set to be sent off and married but Flora begged me to talk to my father. She didn't want the same fate to befall her as before. Everyone knew who she was and no Linphean man of good standing would want her. I talked to my father, and because of Flora and his ability to see firsthand the pain that the ancient laws of Linphea brought to people as sweet and kind-hearted as Flora, the law was changed. Magic would no longer be punished by slavery and there would be no death penalty against those with magic when used for self-defense. However, change cannot happen overnight in the hearts of zealots like The Black Circle. So, my father announced that those who wielded magic against those without magic would be sent to the capital to be trained as a Guardian, an elite soldier for Linphea. Flora was the first and she became my personal handmaiden and Guardian."
Helia exhaled, doing his best to take in all of the information that Krystal had given him. Then the realization sank in as to why Flora followed Krystal so blindly. Why she was so set on ensure Krystal's happiness above her own. Helia now understood.
"Flora owes you her life. You...you saved her." Helia's blue eyes met Krystal's green ones, his voice no louder than a whisper.
"No, Your Highness." Krystal gave Helia a soft smile, "Flora saved herself. She saved all Linpheans with magical abilities. My father called it the Guardian Law but in the palace, it is known as Miele's Law. Just like the founding sisters Lynn and Feya, love between the two sisters created a country, and centuries later, the love of two different sisters changed that very same country for the better. Had it not been for Flora, my father would not have seen the trauma that the ancient laws had on the best people that Linphea had to offer."
Helia couldn't respond. He couldn't find the words. It all made sense. Flora owed the princess her life, even if Krystal did not think so. Flora had been through so much and what were his problems compared to hers? She had been so strong when he yelled at her, when his father and Duncan spoke to her; just like her sister had been that day on the solstice. Flora was the strongest, kindest, bravest...she was more than what he could hope for and much more than he could ever dream of deserving. Yet she told him that she loved him.
Rising to his feet, Helia stepped forward and bent down to grab Krystal's hands. He pulled her up from her seat in front of the vanity. As he stood in front of her, his hand in hers, Krystal looked at the prince with wide-eyed confusion. With as much gratitude that he could muster, Helia squeezed Krystal's hands and held them to his chest before placing a tender kiss on her forehead. It was in this moment that Helia felt another love grow in him. He loved the princess. Not at all in the same way that he loved Flora, but he would always have a place in his heart for the young princess who brought the woman that changed his life to Hademort. The same young princess who saved Flora's life and by extension, saved his life.
He pulled back and Krystal's face turned a beet red. Helia released her hands and looked to the door.
"Thank you, princess." Helia gave Krystal a bow, "I will see you at tea tomorrow."
"Of course," Krystal smiled, "I will see you tomorrow."
"Good night, princess."
Helia walked away from Krystal and placed his hand on the door, pushing down on the handle and leaving the princess's chamber. Closing the door behind him, Helia collapsed against the wall and lowered himself down to the cold stone ground. He placed his hands in his head as he began to breathe deeply, in and out, in and out.
Looking up, Helia looked out the window across the hall and out towards the mountains. He imagined a tall willow on the tallest peak and some source of magic. Were there people like Flora in Hademort? If there were, he certainly didn't know. Helia momentarily chuckled to himself, thinking about someone out there in Hademort like Flora. If there was someone out there, his father would have harnessed their power already and...
Helia's breath caught in his chest.
His father...the Hademort military...Duncan...
What would they do if they found out who Flora was? Helia didn't want to think about it. He couldn't think about it or he would drive himself mad. There was so much more that he wanted to know about Flora, and he would gladly spend the rest of his life getting to know more about her. But in the sea of all of the things he didn't know, there was one thing that he did know...
Nobody else could ever find out.