My mind has always been a maze of unanswered questions, ones I couldn't escape. What is my true strength? What burdens does this body carry? How did my father's kingdom fall to ruin? And where is my sister?
I still believe she is alive. I can't let myself believe otherwise, even if that monster I call my father killed her.
"No. She cannot be dead. And if she is, I will find her body and give her the burial she deserves," I muttered, my voice thick with fury, each word a promise of vengeance. She is the last piece of my family, and I will not let her memory fade into nothing.
Lost in these thoughts, the sharp knock at my door pulled me from my reverie. My heart skipped, a mix of hope and dread flooding through me. I rushed to the door, but when I opened it, there was no one.
Only a golden box, its surface etched with strange symbols that seemed ancient, otherworldly almost Egyptian in design.
I frowned, feeling the weight of something unspoken. "I'll deal with this later," I muttered to myself, pushing the box aside and going back to my thoughts.
But something about it nagged at me, an instinct I couldn't ignore.
I opened the box carefully, finding an envelope sealed inside. As I unfolded it, my breath caught in my throat. The words felt like they were meant for someone else
like a cruel twist of fate.
{In Loving Memory of Susan Aries}
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Susan Aries, whose spirit has touched all who knew her. Susan's warmth, kindness, and unwavering faith will forever be cherished.
We invite you to join us as we celebrate her life and commend her to the care of our Heavenly Father.
Funeral Service Details:
Date: March 17, 2030
Time: 7:17 AM
Location: The Celestial Covenant Church1477 Starlight Avenue, Rosewood Hills, MA 02778
A reception will follow at Rosewood Hall, 1377 Starlight Avenue, where we will continue to honor her memory and offer support to one another.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Susan Aries Memorial Fund for Community Outreach.
Your presence would be a great comfort to her family and friends as we gather in love and remembrance.
"Susan?"
The name hit me like a sudden gust of wind, cold and sharp. It was familiar, yet distant, a ghost that haunted my thoughts.
I froze, the world around me blurring. I hadn't heard that name in years
how many years had it been? I thought I had lost her forever.
How could she be gone now, after all this time?
My mind raced, flashing back to the last time I saw her. It was in a field, the stars scattered across the sky like a million whispered secrets. She stood there, a figure of grace against the fading light of the evening. Her eyes
those eyes were like distant constellations, their depths holding a thousand stories. Her dress swirled in the breeze, and her golden-brown hair caught the light of the moon, turning it into something ethereal.
She was as beautiful as the night itself, a dream I couldn't wake from.
I shook my head, forcing the memory back into its cage. "I need to make sure this is true," I said, clutching the envelope as if it could offer me answers.
I glanced at my worn clothes with a sigh. "I really need new ones," I muttered, but there was no time for that now.
I had to go. I had to find out if she was really gone.
Her place
she was the only one who could give me the truth. After all this time, she had always been the one who knew the answers, the one who understood the unspoken truths of this world.
And I couldn't lose her again.
….
| Someone Else's Point of View |
It was midnight when I arrived at the palace, breathless, my heart pounding with the weight of the news I had to deliver.
I prayed she wasn't in one of her moods. This was not the kind of news anyone wanted to hear.
I knocked softly at her door, the echo of my knock sounding too loud in the silence.
"You can come in, Mr. Adam," she called, her voice sharp, laced with an authority that made me wonder if I would leave this room alive.
I opened the door slowly. What I saw inside took me by surprise. There she sat, alone at a table, a plate of birthday cake before her. The irony of it hit me hard
her father had passed just the day before, and here she was, marking her 17th birthday without him.
Her eyes, usually filled with determination and fire, were clouded with a quiet sorrow.
"This is the first birthday I've celebrated without him," she said softly, her voice thick with unspoken grief. "He promised he'd return to celebrate with me… but now… he's gone."
I felt the weight of her loss, her words cutting deeper than I expected. Her father, the one constant in her life, was gone.
And now she had to face the world without him.
She met my eyes, a mischievous gleam dancing in her gaze. "So, Adam, what's the news? Did you deliver the envelope and the golden box to the right address? I trust there were no mistakes?"
I swallowed, unease crawling up my spine. "Don't worry, madam. We delivered everything to the address you provided."
Her eyes narrowed, a dangerous edge in her voice. "I hope so. I will not accept failure."
I hesitated, my worry growing. "But Miss Susan, will your plan succeed?"
I couldn't hide the concern in my voice.
She laughed, the sound rich with sarcasm and something darker beneath.
"Oh, how naïve you are, Mr. Adam. Has any of my plans ever failed?"
She smiled then, a cold, assured smile.
"This one will succeed. You'll see."