Seer

Chapter 1

     "It is declared that king Aragon of Lormania has deceased. Let it be know, his son, Lenin, shall take the throne when he is of age. Long live the king! " shouted the mortician. "Long live the king!" The crowd shouted. Lenin looked at the grave of his father. He didn't cry. He just stared. He no longer could understand the world around him. His father's royal advisors soon came before him. "Lenin, you shall be king now. Make your father proud" an advisor said, placing a hand on Lenin's head. "But before my prince can take the throne he must age well and learn to rule properly" a tall man spoke rash. "Yes, yes. Lessons should start now" a woman spoke next. The advisors continue to discuss the work before Lenin. He couldn't take the voices anymore. Lenin ran off into the forest to clear his head.

    Troops surrounded the only exit to the cavern. As dawn came, the children ran out the entrance routinely. They stopped shocked and frighten. A solider picked up a child. It wiggled and squirmed as wet sobby tears steamed its face. The soldier raised his arm and the child no longer could make a peep. The children ran and screamed in horror as the soldiers slaughtered them mercilessly. Their dark blood stained the everstones, dimming their glow. The mothers looked out and cried at the sight of their beloved children. The sound of screams and footsteps was the only thing present. Many men expected death in the pools of blood of their family. Those who remained fought. Stones levitated from the earth taking out a fourth of the troops. Archers were called as the arrows fell like rain. The elder kneed down in surrender. A black armor soldier approach the elder and with a clean slice, beheaded the elder. The soldier brought this as a trophy of the deed. The old seer's head laid on the floor for Garalt to behold. The black soldier bowed, "we have slain the seers as you demanded". Garalt smiled, "you did good, Tores. Come take this gold as reward". "thank you, my king" Tores collected the pouch and left. Garalt laughed at the head and almost danced with joy. "With the seers dead, no one has the power to stand against me!" Garalt gloated.

    Lenin walked along the forest. He couldn't take the constant pestering of the advisors. "I don't even want to be king" Lenin tossed a rock into a pond. He looked across the pond and grew speechless. A girl sat there crying, her tears were blue as the water. Lenin watched her, instantly intrigued by the pure white hair. He walked across the pond. Gently, Lenin tapped her shoulder. The girl jerked quickly. She lunged at Lenin, pinning him to the cold grass.
He struggled to breath as a blade pressed firmly on his throat. "W-Who are you?" Her voice was shakey, despite her strong grip. "My name is Lenin. I honestly mean no harm" Lenin hardly managed. "I don't believe you. how can i trust you?" the knife eased. "Yennefer! Stop! That's prince Lenin!" Iginus rushed down from the tree. Yennefer stopped and moved off Lenin. She looked at him closely. He did possess Aragon's wavy black hair and tender hazel eyes. "....sorry..." Yennefer said shyly. "What are you doing with Yennefer, Iginus?" Lenin looked at the familiar who used to always accompany his father. "King Aragon gave me to her" Iginus looked at Lenin, "how is he without me?". Lenin's face grew emotionless, "My father no longer lives". Iginus gasped. "We must keep moving" Yennefer walked away carrying Iginus with her. "Wait! You can come with me" Lenin said following her. "No. I would easily be found in public" She quicken her pace. "here you can put on my cloak to hide your hair. I'll help you" he unfasten it off his shoulders. "No is no. Leave me alone" Yennefer stopped and turned to face him, "go to your people. I don't wish to be bother". Lenin gave her a determined look. "Let me help" he stepped forward. "Move one step closer and I hit you" Yennefer curled her hands into fists. Lenin lifted her up, slinging her over his shoulder. "Put me down this instant!" Yennefer kept punching his back. He threw the cloak over her head. Lenin slapped Yennefer's butt, "hush up and just stop fussing. For a cute girl you are stubborn as a boar". She let out an inaudible mumble. "Better. Come along, Iginus" Lenin said, lugging the girl along. From under the cloak, Yennefer looked at the village. It was different from hers. Merchants had shops along the streets. Some peddlers had carts filled with rare exports. Above lines of clothing hung to dry. Everyone greeted Lenin with a smile and wave. Yennefer marveled at the kindness. "Nice to see you can be quiet" Lenin chuckled. "Put me down before my legs grow stiff" Yennefer commanded. "Sure" Lenin put her down and helped her fasten the cloak. "I am not a baby. I could do it myself" She fixed the hood on her head. "Just being a gentleman like my father taught me" Lenin continued, "are you hungry?". Yennefer hasn't eaten for hours. She could feel her stomach turn. 'For all I know, their food can poison me' Yennefer thought gazing at the unfamiliar fruits. "No. I'm fine" Iginus looked at her with worry. Yennefer returned a kind smile that only eased his concern. Lenin opened the gates as the guards stood at opposite side. "HALT! Who are you? What is your business with the crown?" The guards stopped Yennefer. "Stand down, guards. She is my woman. Consider her your princess" Lenin demanded. "Yes. Sorry, milady" the guards bowed before her. Yennefer nodded and grabbed Lenin's arm tightly. "Your woman? Are you mad?" Yennefer whispered harshly. "No" Lenin replied sweetly, "It's more believable for me to bring a girl home then a whore". Yennefer paused flustered. Her rosey cheeks turned a deep red. Lenin leaned in closer, "I'm only messing with you, beautiful". Yennefer blushed. "What is your problem?" She questioned. "You look better without that cold expression" Lenin lead her through the castle. Yennefer grumbled, as she looked around. Yennefer stopped at the portrait of king Aragon hanging on the wall. He had the same smile, he had giving her the day before. Lenin looked back, "You met him before. What did you think of him?". Yennefer touched the portrait, "He was a kind man. I honestly don't know how his son is so rude". Lenin smiled. "If you keep on insisting being cold, I'll gladly spank you" Lenin teased, walking closer to her. "I can kill you easily. Don't test me" Yennefer looked down at his hand that now held hers. "Just come on. You can bathe, dress and have dinner with me" Lenin said happily. He opened a door at the end of the hall. The bedroom was wide. All the appliances of a house fitted into this one room. "Humans sure know how to be fancy..." Yennefer examined every object. Lenin watched the tiny girl roam the room. When she looked at him, they just looked into each other's eyes. "There's some dresses in the wardrobe you can change into" Lenin made his way to open the two big doors. It was lined with dresses from evening gowns to night gowns. "I hope you don't expect me to wear those" Yennefer said with disgust. "I do. You're meeting my mother at dinner, and she likes formality" Lenin took an evening gown from the wardrobe, "now just put this on when you're ready and Iginus can take you to the dining room". Lenin left with a stride. "Your prince is bossy" Yennefer complained to Iginus. Iginus laughed as he turned on the pipe filling the tub. "Lenin is just a complex boy. Now heat your bathe, I won't let you be late under my watch" Iginus said finding his way to the bed where he curled up. A single flame sat idly on Yennefer's finger. She hovered the flame over the bottom of the tub, "Iginus, why do you only take form as a ferret?". Iginus sighed, "my true form would terrify a child like you forever. Even adults fear me". Yennefer nodded as she entered the warm water. Lenin entered the throne room, his smiled creased as he saw the sad look his mother wore. "What's wrong, mother?" Lenin said as he walked in further. "The seers are dead. Every last one" queen Sabrina wiped her tears. Lenin looked at the ground, death has been on everyone's lips these days. "Well I have a guest for dinner. I believe she'll cheer you up" Lenin grabbed Sabrina's hand, eagerly tugging her along. "Who is she?" Sabrina questioned. "You'll see" Lenin added, " She's quite charming". Guards opened the doors as queen Sabrina and Lenin entered the dining room. To the side, an aquatic dress swished about. "Yennefer, greet my mother" Lenin spoke proudly. Yennefer lifted the dress and stood before the queen. "Pleased to meet you, queen Sabrina" She curtsy. "Your hair.... How are you alive?" Sabrina's widen with shock. Yennefer looked the queen in the eyes. "I wasn't home at the time" Yennefer's face grew colder as it fixed into a blank stare. "What is the matter?" Lenin looked between the two ladies. "This girl is a seer, Lenin" Sabrina said as curtsy to the girl before her, "my condolences for your people". Yennefer nodded. Dinner carried on in silence. Yennefer hardly ate as she passed her food onto Iginus who gladly
filled his belly. Once the plate was empty, Yennefer stood to her feet. "Pardon me. But I wish to rest" She quickly exited the dining room. "You should go to bed too, Lenin. Tores wishes to take you horse riding tomorrow" Sabrina said without not even a gaze at her son. Lenin scoffed, "I refuse". He looked out the window at the full moon and thought of a fun idea. Lenin walked into the room quietly. The white strands glowed in the dark. "Yennefer..." he whispered as he crawled onto the bed. Yennefer awoke to the movements on the bed. "Who's there?" She drew closer to the light. Lenin grabbed her hand, "You'll wake Ignius. Just follow". Yennefer crawled out of bed, " I look like a ghoul". Lenin walked through the castle. All the guards slumbered. "Be careful not to wake them" Lenin warned as he opened the main door quietly. The two walked to a building west of the castle. "What are we doing, Lenin?" Yennefer asked as Lenin opened the building door. "Why, we're going to play archery in the forest, Yen" Lenin handed her a bow and quiver. "Must you shorten my name?" Yennefer placed the quiver over her shoulder. Lenin nodded taking his bow and quiver. They traveled into the forest for several minutes. Only the full moon lit their way. From the distance, Yennefer could hardly make out an old shelter in the dark. As they grew closer, she could see the targets nailed amateurly to the building. "You wake me up in the middle of the night, just to shoot arrows" Yennefer said with disdain as she leaned against a tree. "Stop being difficult" Lenin smiled brightly as he pulled her off the tree, "we can have a game. If you win, I'll give you anything you want and if I win you have give me whatever I ask for. Deal?". Lenin stretch out his hand. 'There's not much for me to lose' Yennefer thought. "Fine. Deal" She shaked his hand. "Ladies first" Lenin said, motioning her to begin at the farest target. Yennefer raised her bow and fired. Swoosh. The arrow pierced the bull's eye of the target. Lenin rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "How do you do that?" Lenin said looking at the centered arrow. "Instincts" Yennefer shrugged, letting the prince have his turn. Lenin took a deep breath. The arrow aimed at the bull's eye towards Yennefer's arrow. "You aim to split my arrow?" Yennefer watched as Lenin narrowed his eyes. "I want to win" Lenin fired the arrow. He grinned widely as his arrow went straight through hers. "Good job" She clapped, "but what will you have me do?". Lenin looked at her with a mean smirk.

Yennefer looked down the cliff. Below she could make out Lenin standing by the lake with her clothes. "What twisted person makes a girl do this!" She shouted. "Me of course! Now jump!" He yelled with a happy tone. Yennefer sighed stepping closer to the cold edge. She jumped. SPLASH! Water volted up from the lake. Yennefer swam close to shore. "Happy, Prince?" Yennefer said. "Very" Lenin grinned, "now let's get back to the castle before dawn". Yennefer coughed, "my clothes and turn around". Lenin laughed as he turned his back. Yennefer yanked him into the water as she got out and dress. Lenin stood up soaking wet, " you should of let me strip first". Yennefer chuckled, "no one here wants to see that". Lenin scoffed, taking off his shirt. "One day, I'll make you regret saying that", Lenin said heading back. "Dream on, Prince" Yennefer mocked. The two children snuck back into their rooms. When dawn came, Tores bursted into the sleeping prince's room. "Wake up, Prince Lenin. We'll go horse riding" Tores said with force. Lenin turned over, "ride by yourself. I am too tired". Tores growled, "Tired? What could you possible do to be tired?". Lenin huddled the sheets closer. "Unlike you, women find me attractive" Lenin snickered. Tores marched to the bed and pulled off the sheets with fury. He paused as he saw the small girl cling onto Lenin. "Sssh... you'll wake her" Lenin said stroking her hair. "I expect you to be ready to ride in the afternoon" Tores walked out. "You are very useful, Yen" Lenin smiled. "You owe me" Yennefer grumbled getting out of bed, "why don't you like Tores, anyway?". Lenin sat up, "he's just always glares at me and i know he is a bad man". Yennefer put a hand on his shoulder. "Now that you will later take the throne, there will always
be bad men", she said wisely. "Seer knowledge i see" Lenin laughed as he jumped out of bed. "Don't mock me" Yennefer said throwing a pillow. "Just get dressed, little lady. We're going riding" Lenin smiled.