Enigma of Mnemosyne | Runaway Series 1

Prologue

Prologue

The air in the throne room was thick with the scent of lavender, a scent that always reminded me of my mother, Queen Charlotte Kennedy Grace Victoria. But today, the fragrance felt suffocating, like a shroud draped over the room.

Everyone were silent when I opened the door.

My father, King Stephen VIII, his face etched with worry, stood before the council, his voice a low rumble as he spoke of the prophecy. The prophecy that had haunted our kingdom for generations. The prophecy that lead nothing but despair and destruction.

“The prophecy is clear,” the High Priestess intoned, her voice echoing through the vast chamber. “Fifteen years ago, the Queen Charlotte bear a child in her womb, a daughter, whose beauty will be unmatched. But this beauty will be a curse, leading to the downfall of Larkspur,” she stated.

A gasp rippled through the council, followed by a murmur of fear and confusion. My father, his face pale, looked at my mother, Queen Charlotte, who sat beside him, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. I was trying my best to prevent myself from crying.

“The prophecy speaks of a union,” the High Priestess continued, her gaze fixed on my mother. “A union between the princess and the prince of the neighboring kingdom, a union that will bring peace and prosperity. But the princess's beauty, a gift from the gods, will also be her downfall. It will be the catalyst for war and destruction,”

“The girl in the prophecy happens to be Princess Kennedia Dulcamara,” their stares shifted to me. I feel my cheeks burn red because of embarrassment.

My heart hammered in my chest.  I wasn't even living the life I wanted — shopping spree, school, friends, boyfriend — and already my life was being dictated by a prophecy.  I was a pawn in some grand game of destiny.

“But there is hope,” the High Priestess added, her voice softening. I feel the spark of hope igniting inside my heart. “The princess can choose to leave Larkspur, to renounce her claim to the throne. This will break the prophecy, ensuring peace and prosperity for the kingdom,”

Fifteen years ago, my mother, the queen of Larkspur, announced she was pregnant. The kingdom rejoiced, celebrating the arrival of a new heir. But their happiness didn't last long when the book of prophecy proclaimed that the heir will lead the destruction of the country. Yes! I was the princess of the prophecy, the one destined to bring ruin to Larkspur.

Years passed, and I grew up in the shadow of the prophecy. I was shielded from the whispers, the fear, the anxieties that plagued the kingdom. But I knew. I knew what I was destined to become.

When I turned fifteen, the prophecy began to unfold. Rumors of my beauty spread like wildfire, reaching the ears of the prince of the neighboring kingdom. They sought my hand in marriage, a union that would bring peace, they said, but I knew it would be my downfall.

I couldn't bear the thought of sacrificing my own happiness for the sake of a kingdom that had already lost its way. I had to escape. I had to find my own path, even if it meant defying the very fabric of my existence.

One night, under the cloak of darkness, I met Caomhie, my closest friend and one of our servants whom I trusted the most, in the secret garden behind the palace. The moon cast an ethereal glow on the blooming roses, their fragrance a bittersweet reminder of the life I was about to leave behind.

“I'm leaving,” I said, my voice choked with emotion.

Caomhie, her eyes wide with shock, looked at me, her face pale. “Leaving? But where will you go?”