Royal Call

The War to Come

[ Era 684 - X34]

[ Serena's POV ]

It was a bright and sunny morning in the kingdom of Rekina. The capital city of Versie was uneasy due to the evil stench of war that our allied country Regnum left. I know it wasn't Aria's intention to scare anyone, nor was it her fault that they were so angry. But the letter my father received this morning was very unsettling.

"Good job Serena, just a little but more!" Aiden shouted from a distance away. We were in the field outside the palace, practicing more magic. I got better by the passing hour from how well he was teaching me. The meadow was fenced in by a small white picket fence. With vines growing on its borders. The property was pretty old. Herds of unicorns were grazing in the grass. I admired them from afar. Today Aiden was also going to teach me horseback riding.

"Now be very careful your majesty, Unicorns are very territorial. You're lucky these ones are 2nd generation from the ones we started out from, so their easier to work with." He starts helping me onto the saddle.

We spent the next 2 hours galloping and riding around the meadow. The stables are close by so the horses feel more comfortable knowing their mares are safe. "This is so much fun, how long have you known how to ride?"

"Oh probably, about 6 or 7 years. I only recently mastered the Pegasus." He boasts. Aiden looks so happy when he talks about himself. I don't want to make him sound self-centered or anything, but the elves are generally an uptight people. Aiden was different though. He was a lot kinder and more sincere then any of the other elves I've met.

Our peaceful morning was short lived when a squire came rushing towards us. "Princess, Princess!" He pants, grasping his knees for breath. "Your father wants to see you."

"Hectate? What does he want?" Aiden asks. He gets off his unicorn, and I follow.

"I don't know, but he sounded awfully angry about it."

Aiden followed me up the spiral stairs to Hectate's room. He generally kept to himself, not caring how often I left or even where I was going. He didn't feel like my real father for a time, but at first glance I remembered our past moments together. Even the ones with my birth mother in them. And after all those happy times, the painful ones came flooding in afterwards. All the memories of Hectate's awful parenting skills as a father, and his evil abuse as a dad made me cringe. Standing in front of his door, I couldn't escape the past, but I could look to the future, and embrace whatever was about to happen. I was scared.

He stood in front of his window, with his arms crossed behind his back. His bed was to the right against the wall, and his wardrobe was to the left, underneath family photos and fancy paintings.

His back was facing me, and he didn't turn to look. I could tell he knew I was here. Why do I get the feeling that I'm 10 years old again? About to be scolded by a parent.

"Hello daughter..." He starts. Still facing the window. His whole room had this artisan steampunk kind of feel.

"Hello f-father." I try not to sound as weak as he thinks I am. "I've heard you were ill, do you feel bet—"

"CUT THE SHIT!" He shouts. Still not facing me. Aiden did not dare to interfere; instead he turned and closed the door softly on his way out. As Hectate herd the door click shut he turned to face me. He had on a long white and green robe. His hair was kept in an Asian styled bun. A hair ornament shaped like a leaf kept it all together. "A messenger hawk came to the palace today...To my window!"