Shades of Grey

| Prologue

17.02.2014

| Prologue |

She was young when she was told the news, young indeed. Bernadette didn't understand how to handle the information, her young mind could not process it all at once as she was led towards her room by her guardian.

Fourteen years from now, when she was the ripe age of twenty-one and her body had died three times by the hand of an evil man. A man that anyone around her, if asked his name, would know of and shake of telling the tale with worthless excuses before turning away pale-faced to run from the asker.

She was destined to be the vessel to an ancient evil that had created three of the most devastating wars that the universe would ever know. A carrier of a disease that had been known to create and destroy in many forms and in many ways, caused suffering to many years of hatred in the days before she was born.

'Don't worry about them,' her guardian smiled down at her warmly, 'Their prophecies don't usually come true.'

'Ana,' she whined, 'You're lying to me. I can always tell when you're lying.'

'Really?' was the reply, a brow raised curiously. She looked down at the young fiery-haired princess and smiled softly. 'Stop fiddling with your dress.'

'It's itchy!'

'Well, stop itching then,' said Anastasia.

Huffing, Bernadette dropped her arms to her sides as she walked alongside her guardian. She couldn't help but admire her beauty. Tall, with long slender legs hidden behind a flowing violet gown that had been specially made for her name day a few weeks ago. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into rhe elegant plaits of a lady; braids that only those of royal blood should wear; being the guardian over such a young princess who knew how to braid, her attire was set aside for childish play, but it was her eyes that enchanted the little princess.

Big and envious green eyes seemed to watch the people as they walked by, as if to make sure they were no danger to her keep. They glittered like grass in the fresh morning, yet sparkled with as many as three different types of green depending on her mood. A rarity to change the shade of an iris colour at such a young age herself, but it was beautiful nonetheless.

Bernadette wanted to be a part of it all, to take her mind off the bad words that she'd heard from the elders, the fear that she was growing up just to kill the universe and cuddled closer to her guardian with a small, yet tired, smile on her face.

Her own eyes traced each crack and hole in the wall, wavering lines that held the structure tall, but it did little to help settle her nerves. How could she concentrate and be the happy child she was before she'd entered the hall, now that she knew she would carry a disease that could one day destroy everything beautiful?

Pressing herself up closer to Anastasia, she sighed, 'Ana, will I kill people when I'm older?'

'No, little one,' Anastasia smiled softly, 'You'll save them. You've always had a big heart. I don't think you're capable of killing.'

'Even when I go evil?'

Anastasia looked down at her with a frown. 'Do you want to be evil?'

'Well, no,' said the child, shaking her head. 'Daddy always said that being evil was naughty; that bad people who hurt others are evil.' She looked as though she was about to cry. 'I do-don't want to be evil.'

'You won't be,' promised Anastasia, though it was a heartfelt promise, it was slightly withdrawn - even she didn't know what the future help for their kind anymore.