Beyond the Sunset

Prologue

I gazed deeply at the grand statue before me, a symbol of my late mother's essence. My father had told me that she had passed long before I could even remember. Sadly, I never got the chance to meet her, for she left this world too soon. Now, I stood before her stone likeness, speaking to it as though it were alive. This was a ritual I often embraced, especially when the weight of sorrow pressed heavily upon my heart.

I scrutinized her eyes, so strikingly similar to my own. It was no wonder I had inherited them from her.

I gently traced her features with my fingers, exploring the contours of her face.

"You miss her, don't you?"

I paused for a moment, startled by the voice behind me-it was my father. He had caught me here once again, and I could sense his frustration rising, for I had not attended the ritual earlier.

I slowly turned to face him, and to my surprise, I saw him gazing up at the statue behind me. It seems I am not the only one who misses her.

"You didn't attend the ritual again. They are waiting for you and have high expectations..."

I gulped. "I don't feel well, Father, so..." I feigned a headache, pressing my hand to my forehead.

"That was your excuse the last time, and how many times have you used it, Nadia? Should I call for a doctor to examine you?"

I froze, my eyes widening in surprise. "U-Uh, n-no, Father!"

"Never mind, I understand, my dear. The truth is, I'm here not to disturb you about your mother.... Demir is in the hall and wishes to see you."

Demir is a good friend of mine; we grew up together. I heard he just returned from a long training away, and I've missed him as well. It feels like no one has disturbed my life in these past few months, huh?

"A smile crept onto my lips as I cautiously approached my father. As I studied his face, a realization washed over me: he was growing old. His features were deeply lined with wrinkles, yet his handsomeness still shone through.

"I'm sorry, Father."

He gazed deeply into my eyes, holding my shoulders gently as he patted them.

"I'm not ready to see you grow old, Nadia. If only it were possible for you to remain a child forever, so I could witness your laughter instead of the tears that fall from your eyes."

My lips parted in surprise at his words, and soon a smile broke through. I gently pushed against my father's chest.

"Father, I'm not that old yet; I'm still the little Nadia who used to run through the halls," I laughed.

"I still remember how you dashed in front of us and how you fell before the council... your cries were so loud, it felt as if there was no tomorrow," my father chuckled. "I can't explain the panic I felt when I saw blood on your knee. All I could think of was that if your mother were alive, I would surely age prematurely from my negligence."

As I smiled, tears I had been holding back since earlier began to fall. He truly missed Mother as well, and that was unmistakable in his eyes.

"Time is truly accelerating now."

"Father..."

"Come on, go see Demir. I'm sure he's eager to see you."

I lingered by his side for a moment longer before nodding and following his advice. I made my way to the hall to find Demir, and it didn't take long before I spotted him.

I wanted to surprise him, but my eagerness to startle him resulted in the opposite. Unfortunately, I failed to catch him off guard.

"You can't surprise me anymore, Little Nadia," he said, turning to face me.