In the Dark of Knight

1.

It is believed that Midas died a ruined man.

The gold be held could not be eaten nor could it keep his flesh warm. Damned for his greed; he could only sit and watch as fate's irony grasped at his life with the same hunger he had known so well.

This tale has been passed word to mouth and finger to page for generations, each instilling the belief that chasing riches and luxury will leave you as cold as Midas. This interpretation was just as shallow as his desire.

Hunger is what drove Midas to his madness.

That intense lack of satisfaction that leaves a bitter taste on your tongue and a hole in your gut that seeps deeper and deeper into your flesh until it envelopes you whole.

This type of hunger is not rare nor is it unique. In the case of my father, it was predestined from the men that came before him. The liquid gold that warmed his gut and filled his cup was more precious than life itself.

It was clear as he watched the downfall of our kingdom with the only remorse in his body towards his empty glass. Plenty of times our villagers would crawl into our castle, begging for reassurance that their king will change for the betterment of the people but each time they were met with curses and ignorance.

As a child, I still remember torches lighting a path to our castle as the people revolted, screaming of his greed and demanding the family be dethroned. I could only hold onto my mother's robes as my father promised to reverse the damage he's done.

Even with his life on the line, that hunger did not cease.

I never understood his yearnings until now. The noisy sound of scuffling feet and rushed feet added to the chaos around me. The sweet sound of silence was my only wish as I could feel the pounding in my head beginning to grow with every passing second.

My ladies in waiting scrambled around with preparing my wedding ensemble, butlers yelled over each other about the reception, and of course loudest of them all was the king, my father, who did nothing but command and give speeches about the importance of this ceremony.

I clearly wasn't the only one sick of my father's talking as our servants rolled their eyes or made busy in any room he was not in.

"Two worlds will collide into one in just little over an hour and I have yet to see progress! This ceremony must be the epitome of perfection!" My father boasted loudly at anyone who was in his range of sight. I wish I could proudly yell like an idiot and have others forced to listen. It was clearly entertaining to agitate others in my fathers eyes.

My father not only held the title of 'greedy idiot' around the kingdom but he was also known for his pride. Refusing to pay back the Driscoll, my father used the rest of the funding for his pity war. Shallow as he is, he promised payment to any soldier who partook and compensation for any life lost.

The Driscoll kingdom was clearly more stable and powerful as the war my father started only lasted a few months. It only took a group of soldiers to march into our castle and demand that he surrender for my father to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness.

With all the debt still on the shoulders of my people, my father had to 'sacrifice' his only daughter to the Driscoll kingdom to be wed to the prince.

My mouth curled in disgust at knowing what would soon become of me. I could only watch the floor as I felt my father's eyes land on me. My stomach sunk lower as I listened to his footsteps approach me, "This wedding will save our people, Annmarie." His hand came down to rest on mine in my lap, "You are a blessing to this kingdom." His underlying tone felt like a threat as I quickly pulled my hand back from his.