Bloody Death

July 29th

The days drew long and quiet in the palace. Prince Michael resided in his room with Grace on most days. It was only on the most important of events that he switched places with Daryll and pretended to love Princess Lisa. Today was the last rehearsal before his crowning and he had to make sure that he had this right.

Queen: Not quite yet, my darling. You must wait for the priest to place the sacred ornaments into the palm of your hands.

They rehearsed again as Daryll watched it all from the ceiling. The wedding was to follow that night and he couldn't wait to take over the Neverland Kingdom to rule into the darkness with his wife. As his grin grew wider with each passing day, the heart of Princess Janet grew heavier.

Haikiem: Dearest Princess, do not fret. Mother Hindi shall show us all that we need to know.

Janet: And I hope that it is soon that we see her. My Kingdom is in danger and I cannot live knowing that my family is in the center of that danger.

Prince Haikiem took her by the hand and looked into her eyes.

Haikiem: Princess Janet, if we must go to war and we both survive, marry me.

Her sorrows were silenced and her eyes became soft. She had no words left to utter. Would father approve? He has all the qualities of a decent Prince and husband.. She thought.

Haikiem: If it is too soon, you may say so. But I want to marry you. Mother Hindi hath said that you are my wife and here you are. We are meant for one another, therefore we must be..

She hugged him and began to allow her face dampen with the tears of joy and sorrow.

Janet: Together..

He held her close and then they went off to Great Mother Hindi's place in the palace. Her eyes were covered in grey film and she knew who they were from the second they came in.

Mother: So, you have found her Haikiem?

Haikiem: Yes, Mother. She is just as you said.

She nodded and touched Princess Janet's hand.

Mother: What troubles your soul, child?

Janet: Tis my Kingdom. There is an unspoken darkness falling upon Neverland and I do not know what it is. But I know that it is a great danger to us all.

Great Mother Hindi became silent and then the vision came. People running and screaming. Blood on the streets and a fallen Kingdom. All under a dark and bloody moon.

Mother: Haikiem, I must go with you. The time has come. This darkness is what blinded me and now it is time to end it forever.

He became worried for her and shook his head.

Haikiem: You do not mean-.

Mother: Yes.. This shall be my final journey.

Haikiem: Great Mother Hindi, I cannot let you go.

She stood up and looked at Haikiem as if her sight had never left her.

Mother: Haikiem, I am a woman of great age. Many children have I blessed and now I have my destiny sitting before me. This is why I have come. For, I cannot last always. This is a war started long before your Kingdom, here in Ethiopia. It is a war that only I may stop. If I do not, my presence here is in vain and the ancestors shall curse my soul.