Long May She Reign

Prologue

The clearing was peaceful, serene even, it was calming to the world around it, an escape from the chaos caused by the external powers at play.

As the early morning sunlight spilled between the tops of the tall trees, the world seemed at peace with itself.

One tree was shorter than the rest, quite noticeably so, and it was the only one that was flowering with petals as white as the snow that covered French lands during the winter seasons.

Despite the lack of clouds in the sky, it began to rain from above, only gently but still noticeable to any who would enter the grotto.

The rain covered the pale petals in a thin layer of dew, soaking them through, though they maintained their shape, it was almost too perfect to be true.

The silver haired seer approached the tree with an air of caution around her, setting her hand against the trunk slowly as if it was calling out to her.

As her hand hit the tree, the rain turned red, and thickened, the aura of the grotto had changed.

It was blood.

One individual droplet of the blood splashed down on her face, and as she wiped it she realised her hands were covered in blood that came seemingly from nowhere.

Suddenly Mara shot up in her bed with a shaky exhale, "She is coming," she whispered to herself.