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Part Two

Stolas had walked through the palace halls, a frown on his face. It had been hard for him not to remember that night many years ago. He’d been at war with the humans when he’d heard the news. Even years after, he’d still wasted his days by drinking in his local tavern, The Palace Arms. His parents hadn’t done much to stop him, as they were in the same depression themselves, however, they had a kingdom to rule. As he walked in, he’d given a curt nod to the barmaid, who’d gave him a sickly sweet smile back. He sat in the corner he usually sat in and he’d nodded again as the barmaid brought over his liquor.

He spent his whole day either in that tavern or out, walking. That was until he met Aramis. He’d been out walking one day, like usual, and he’d bumped into the man. It was sad, really, how infatuated he became with him so quickly. Aramis was, at first, his distraction. The two had spent every minute together after that chance encounter, and he finally felt at peace with what had happened. Tomorrow, after many years of debating, the two had decided to secretly marry, by the golden well at the edge of town.

Only hours after their marriage did they tell the King and Queen, who’d blessed their marriage, happy that their son had finally found happiness again after the terrible incident. It was the disappearance of their daughter, Carmea, that sent them into this stupor. Stolas’ sister was only a few summers old when she had vanished. Her nurse had tried to tell the royal family that the girl had run away, but they all knew that the nurse hated Carmea with a passion – the only reason the nurse was still hired after her first incident with Carmea was because of how good of a teacher she was. She was fired soon after losing the Princess.

Stolas and Carmea were as close as siblings could be, which is why Stolas fell so deep after she was gone. He thought that when he married Aramis he would forget about the sadness his sister’s disappearance had caused him. But when she turned up in a well, almost a hundred years after her disappearance, he knew he could never forget what had happened all those years ago. What he saw.