Marked: Part 2; The Wronged

Chapter 49

"Hehah!" Amilia yelled, hitting Jero's staff. Jero jumped back away from Amilia.

"Not enough power." She said twirling her staff for another hit.

"Enough." Unora said walking into the room. "Take her somewhere else, I must sharpen my dearests skills." She waved her hand around in the air. "Go, now."

"As you wish, my lady." Jero left with Amilia trailing behind her.

"Where are we going?"

"I wanted to take you to the silent hall."

"The silent hall?"

"Yes, it is a hall of mirrors. But they're not normal mirrors."

"Ugh." Amilia groaned. "I would rather not see myself in a mirror, thank you, I've had enough of her bickering for eons."

"Oh, you won't see Nsefen in these mirrors, Amilia." They reached the hall and Jero opened the door in a flimsy. They walked in and Jero moved her staff to shut the big doors.

"Wow." Amilia said. "Look at all these mirrors." They were basically in a big hallway full to the brink with mirrors. None of them overlapped the other but some of them were different styles. Amilia walked right up to one and only saw herself. Which was a rarity. Usually she saw nothing but Nsefen. Jero touched her staff to one of the mirrors that was different from the rest. Then all of the mirrors glowed silver and suddenly things began to appear. "Is that?" Amilia said, tearing up.

"It is, these mirrors are little gateways that allow you to see others."

Amilia laughed, "it's Oglm, and Elsie, Leo, Jasvinder, everyone..."

"Yes, that's true, but you can't talk to them, they can't hear you. You can hear them, of course, but it doesn't work the other way, I'm afraid.

"That's fine, perfectly fine. I- I'm just so happy to see them all. And Jasvinders doing alright, looks like he's still recovering though. But I don't see a hospital bed!" Amilia smiled. "How long has it been, do you know?"

"About a month now, I believe."

"Wow, that long, huh?"

"Yes."

"What the heck is Leo wearing?"

Jero walked over to the mirror Amilia was looking into.

"Hm, I think it is a prince suite and crown."

"What is he doing wearing that stuff? Where is all of his soldier garb?"

"Well I can only assume that he has taken your place while you are gone."

"Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot about all my responsibilities to the kingdom. But why him?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Jero laughed, "He was the rightful heir to the throne until Nsefen was born."

"What!? He was?"

"Yes, you see, when he was very young his parents passed away. Yxeyhfkx received a telegram straight from the front lines saying that the Mr and Mrs. Peperico had been killed fighting on the front lines. So they decided to go ahead and adopt him rather than turning him away, therefore, making him their son. And well, when Nsefen was born, he was no longer heir to the throne, since he was not blood bound. But now that you are gone, away from your post, he is acting prince."

"Can't imagine he likes it, he doesn't seem like that sort of person."

"I imagine he tried to refuse, but Cristel dragged him back somehow."

"Wait a second, you met him?"

"Mhm. I did. He was apart of Yxeyhfkx's army, remember?"

"Yeah but I didn't think that was the first time."

"He didn't tell you that either?"

"Tell me what!?"

"Yxeyhfkx asked him to watch over his daughter. You see he was an adult when Nsefen was born. He babysat her for ten years, until she was three years old. At that point Nsefen had become very attached to him. Always pestering him. At feeding time she would mess around with him, constantly getting him dirty. She only wrecked rooms when he was watching her. And wouldn't quiet down for her naps and nightly slumber. Yxeyhfkx saw how much she enjoyed Leovan's company and asked him to watch over her. So Yxeyhfkx asked him a daring question. If he would go to the local sorcerous with him and become only two years older than Nsefen. Leovan agreed after Yxeyhfkx explained himself." Jero stopped and stroked her skin. "But, and I know you're wondering this, the spell didn't just revert his age. He was actually bound to Nsefen, so when she came to Earth he reverted as well to match well, your age. He still has all of his memories though, nothing was erased. I'm surprised he hasn't told you anything at all."

"No, I never knew about that."

"Ah, I see."

Amilia turned around and saw all the different people, some she hadn't seen in years. She saw how everything was now. How stressed Jkdek and the council was. How on edge Oglm was, with all his pacing and racing thoughts. She saw just how busy her mother and Leo had become. How hurt Jasvinder truly was, whatever Elsie was doing as well. She didn't see Unora or Yxeyhfkx though.

"Are they not on here?"

"Who?"

"Unora and Yxeyhfkx."

Jero laughed, "Of course not. It's her magic mirror room. Why would she need to see herself, or anyone she has dictation over?"

"Oh, I guess you're right."

"Come on," Jero started. "Best we get going if we don't want to attract attention to ourselves." Jero put her hand behind Amilia's back, and moved her along.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Whatever happened to Yrmkff?"

"Nobody knows. He just went ahead and disappeared one day. He was gone so long that they declared him dead. Gosh," she said, putting her finger to her chin. "It's been almost fifty years now."

"Really?" Amilia said stunned. "What made him leave?"

"He was afraid of going back to his army after he nearly died fighting. Yxeyhfkx did so well that Yrmkff was afraid to come back."

"Sounds like you talked to him."

"I did, I used a spell to contact him after ten years had passed. He told me not to look for him, so I never bothered to."

"Huh." Amilia said.

"What?"

"I have a deranged uncle somewhere out there."

"Maybe."

"I'm going to go ahead and say he's still alive. No one from this family just 'dies'."

Jero laughed, "Yeah, I guess you're right." They walked along the hallway, sadly their time had ceased. Jero had to put her back in her cell. Amilia could tell because her eyes were not as radiant as they had been only seconds before. She realized that that meant that Unora had taken control of her. Forcing her to do things against her will. Amilia sat down on the cold floor and stared and she watched Jero disappear down the hall. Then she slouched back and closed her eyes with a big sigh.