Amadora's Symphony

Chapter 2

The library granted the princess solace. There was a total of eleven people in there and most were the castle scholars who were somewhat familiar with her; they had no reason to disturb her. The few who weren't scholars showered her with pleasantries then nervously scurried off.
The afternoon went by quickly. Evelyn had always loved reading - particularly historical non-fiction and the legends of old.

Thousands of years ago, Amadora was ruled by an alliance between the Fae and humans. It was a time of peace and tranquillity and was referred to as the Golden Age in Amadora's history. After generations of peace, a Fae Queen ascended. She believed the Fae were far superior to humans and as such should rule the whole of Amadora alone. They waged war on the continent and it didn't take long for humans to start being enslaved and violated. The human king couldn't do anything because of how much more powerful the Fae were and instead he became a mere figurehead, nothing more than a symbol.

Generation after Generation was enslaved, tortured, exploited, massacred, until Agenor, Evelyn's father appealed to the Maker. He was granted immortality and strength to rid the Fae out of Amadora. After the Great War, Agenor ruled all of Amadora from Castle Faircrest in Dasakai - the central country. The Fae retreated to Alfheim, a continent to the east. Even now, millennia after the war, Fae were rarely found on the continent and had to pass various tests and security checks to enter.

Today she decided on reading some ancient fae books. Even though her father and most of the common people despised them and even though she couldn't understand the primitive brutishness the Fae were renown for, she couldn't help but love the idea of how free they were and how connected they were to the earth and nature. Legends say that some Blessed Fae could control the elements, although she had never heard of anyone having witnessed this first hand. They were also known for throwing amazing parties and celebrating a manner of strange holidays - or so the books said and Evelyn loved the simplicity and natural beauty of the values Fae held.

Seventh remained leaning against a bookcase behind her and Evelyn couldn't hep but feel somewhat bad for deciding to leave the chambers, at least there he was more relaxed and let more of his true self show. In some ways, he too was caged in this castle. His cage was his armour. Whilst in armour he had his lethal image to uphold. He was calculating and stoic. Once the armour was removed the true Seventh would begin to reveal himself. Still calculating and constantly on the look out, but relaxed and more human. That was where their similarities ended, though. Seventh was a stiff. He never revealed his true self to anyone - not even Evelyn. She knew more about the castles stable boy than she did him. However she knew he was lethal and had an aura to him that screamed at every instinct in her to run, but then he had shown nothing but concern for her safety when he saved her those few years ago. Where Evelyn was a bird in a cage, Seventh was a wolf.

It was after eight when they returned to the chambers, and an hour later Evelyn still couldn't sleep. Her party was tomorrow and she really didn't look forward to it. She loved parties and dancing but all the Lords here were trying to win over her father. It was a desperate show of them broadcasting their military or political feats.

She didn't want to sleep. Sleep meant tomorrow would arrive faster and she sincerely hoped that tonight would last an eternity. She decided to go to the fire in the main room of her chambers. The fire there was warm and soothing. Throwing on some plain clothes - tight fitted black pants and a tunic - she left her room.

As per her agreement with Seventh, she knocked on his bedroom door, directly next to hers. Seventh was always on duty but after eight he was able to wind down and remove the armour - in his own room of course.

"Seventh!" she called quietly and opened the door to poke her head around the corner. He was stood at the window. His room was very basic. Just a bed, desk, wardrobe and a chest. Nothing was left out.