The Allure of Darkness

25

Loki

I didn't expect her shadows to hurt this much. My lungs can barely keep up with the rest of me. Walking down to the throne room I realize how unprepared we are to go to a whole other kingdom.

I open my mind to Emrys.

We should call it off, brother.

Are you crazy? Father will be furious. We are doing this. Emrys looks back at me and shakes his head. At least try to look like you didn't just blown into a wall.

I quicken my pace to walk with Emrys and Azia. Each step is closer to my dad. I would rather go anywhere else than to talk to him.

He can do anything except being a father. How terrible he failed at that.

When Emrys and I were kids he made some time for us, he loved us but sometimes unconditional love has limits.

Once he stopped looking at us as sons and rather as soldiers it became clear on how my life was going to go.

Anything but the prince's dream.

I would rather be a merchant living instead of loathing life. I would rather be traveling from kingdom to kingdom meeting new people and living a fulfilled life.

I've always wanted to die happy or at least with a smile on my face but I'm afraid my own family destroyed that dream.  Destroyed that dream as they destroyed me.

"Loki we're here." Azia says quickly as we approach the doors.  Her hands start to collapse together, distracting her from her reality.

I look at Emrys. He has a smile plastered on his face. He enjoys these things, he lives for these things.

I wish I could look forward to these things.

"You are late." The king's voice rings through the room.

Here we go.

Azia

"It was my fault we are late." Why did I say that? I don't know.

The king's face whips to me and I think I forget how to breathe. How can someone have this much control over anyone with just a look?

"You'll be punished when you get back."

If I get back.

"Let me remind you three what it is you're doing. You are traveling to the kingdom of Nichle and befriending the prince. We will be going to war with them sooner than I expected and we need to know their plans and how powerful they are as a whole. When you get to the kingdom your story will go as you guys are from a small village near the Arsher border and you are there for the ball and some time after that. Emrys and Loki will be your so-called guards. You either come back here with good information or you come back with your heads on spikes." The kings face displays nothing. Nothing for his sons that he is sending away.

I gulp down anything I wanted to say when the doors open up behind me, leading me to my new life.

"Emrys, I would like to have a word with you." The king says nonchalantly.

With that Loki and I walk out of the room waiting for Emrys to come out.

Emrys

I walk straight up to his throne. I can smell the alcohol from here.

Great.

"Don't let her get killed or run away. We need her even after this is done-."

"I know father, you've told me this-." His fist slams against the arm rest.

"Do not interrupt me ever or you'll end up like your mother ."

Mother. No one knows the truth about how she got her scare except my father.

"As I was saying we need her after we win the war. If she disobeys, teach her not to. You can go now Emrys."

All I am is a soldier to him but that's good enough to me. I get special attention and I'm higher ranking than everyone else. That's all I wanted when I was little and now I have it and I won't lose it.

Azia

Emrys isn't back yet. I'm not worried but I'm scared that the plans are changing.

"How are we getting there? I thought we were gonna travel there but-."

The doors open and out comes Emrys.

He's smiling. His eyes are like emeralds  I feel like they could cut me if I get to close.

"We are going to be teleporting there using Loki." Emrys says while casually walking towards the front of the castle.

"I can only do one at a time, Emrys and with our luggage it will take me three trips." He says it with pride.  Why can't he do it in one trip? Is he not as powerful as he says he is?

"I'll go first." Loki steps forwards and grabs Emrys by the arm and in a second they are gone. All I can do is stand in place when I count the seconds it takes for him to return.

Only 16 seconds.

Loki grabs my arm and pulls me that I'm almost touching his chest.

My breath hitches when I feel myself becoming the darkness.

I feel my body become distorted. I feel like I'm watching myself travel through the world. It's euphoric.

It's all done in a few seconds.

The euphoric feeling fades away as I realize what we are truly doing here, what I'm going to have to do.

I will do anything to somehow, someway become free.

I look around at my new surroundings.

It's night here. It's also pouring here. But the best thing is we are in a ditch.

Absolutely perfect.