Kingdom's Vice Series: A Voyage of Vengeance ( #2 2015)

Chapter Thirty: An Account of Erena Teyr (Narrated by The Wind)

The nights bring no comfort, show no light. She has known no other life. She had known a boy once, a boy with striking blue hair and calloused hands, the ones that she dreamed would one day lace within her own—on a day when the light would finally shine upon her. The maiden so fair and so kind, yet so unnoticed, uncherished—forgotten.

Her father, Carvannon, had been a miner all his life, for generations the sapphires have stained the hands of the Teyr family, the accursed bloodline, some believed. It soon became common legend that all those of the Teyr who still survived would come to foretell the death of the mines, the world. Her mother, Andaarie, married her father at eighteen and together, they lived in the Cave of Sardon, just east of Sardille. Their sons, Dradon and Sectarin, and their two daughters: Kamarie and Leshin lived in relative peace for many years, until Erena was born. Erena brought the family nothing but grief, after Andaarie passed shortly after giving birth. Erena was disowned when she was just five years old and left to play in the mud puddles alone, for her brothers would taunt her and tease her, call her the cursed witch of Teyr, who would spell the end of their bloodline.

And now, as she lies curled in the dark, the shadows a blanket over her slender frame, she dwells upon the memories, though feint, of the life she had before. The only joy she knew was in that little boy: the boy that cared like no-one else did. He spoke with a kind heart and said only what he knew to be true. Though he was proud, like all of their kind, he knew well not to revel it in it her presence.

"I will marry you one day," she has teased him, thrusting a light punch against his arm. She giggled like a child and ran away from him as he chased her. "What do you say to that?"

He ran about her, chasing the flow of her skirt that swished in the wind, the powdery dust gust. "I would say, maybe." He replied, huffing and puffing, his hands on his knees as he heaved in a breath. "I need a breath, Erena." He told her. "You make me run all night and day after you. Surely you tire of me chasing you,"

She giggled again and twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Never stop." She said.

He smiled, but then his sigh cut the connection between them as he stepped back from her. "I should be getting back," he looked back towards the greenish glow of the towering cave only a sprint away, "Father will be getting impatient for my return."

She nodded and bowed to him, like a maiden would a prince, shy and vulnerable. "Of course,"

He turned his back and shut his eyes. He could hear her crying in silence. He knew what she wanted him to say. And he knew that maybe one day she could have it, but maybe it just wasn't meant to be with him. He whipped his head around to look at her and he said, with the sweetest of smiles, "I will be the Master one day," he chuckled, "and when that day comes, I will see that you have all that you have ever wanted and more, Erena. I promise."

She took that promise and kissed it in her palm, as a little girl.

Even now, on the beach of this abandoned place, she kisses it and imagines him when she feels so alone, like she is that little girl again. She looks up as the sun breaks through the clouds, streaks its light through the dark and hope rises inside of her at last.

"I will find you, Alec. I promise."