Dawn of Arcane Destiny

Prologue

The wind played with Lillia Leroux’s heavy skirts as she stood solemnly in front of her betrothed grave. Both of them.

She had been betrothed to the Crown Prince of Kamasia and his younger brother after him. Now there was no one to take the throne.

Lillia was bad luck.

She hadn’t done anything intentionally, but it was a well-known fact throughout her home kingdom, Remulon, that she was devil spawn. Her hair was a scar she couldn’t get rid of. Bright red, proclaiming to all who saw her that she indeed was what the rumors said she was.

She told herself that they were superstitious fools, but how could you believe that when everyone around you, including your own parents resented you for it? Hair color was weighted very heavily in Remulon. Red hair was the lowest of low. Her parents both had snow white hair, it represented their purity and divine right to rule. Imagine their horror at having a child who had the devil’s mark.

They told her to be good for something. ‘We need an alliance with Kamasia,’ they said. ‘Be of use and marry the crown prince.’ Lillia had rejoiced at the plan. She could finally do something important. She could leave Remulon in the process. She even fantasized about maybe falling in love. She knew that her parents didn’t love her. As far as she knew, no one had ever loved her in Remulon.

She found love all right. She had slowly fallen for both prince’s in turn.

Now they were both dead.

She felt numb as she carefully built steel fortifications around her aching heart. She missed them both dearly. Prince Calder with his intellect and sweet words to her, and Prince Kesdan with his sincerity and eagerness to make a difference.

She sighed morosely and dropped to her knees. She normally wouldn’t have done so, but there was no one in sight. It was a chilly morning and she pulled her deep green cloak around her.

She looked up at the slender tree before her. The Kamasians had a unique way of marking their loved one’s graves. When someone dies, they are cremated, and their ashes are combined with the dirt and a tree is planted in that spot. Prince Calder and Prince Kesdan were planted next to each other. Prince Calder’s tree was slightly thicker than Prince Kesdan. She felt a tear run from her eye to her chin dripping off to fall to the dirt below. Then more followed. Suddenly she couldn’t stop herself. She leaned over wracked with sobs. This is my fault, I’m to blame for this tragedy. She thought to herself.

She knew others hated her. But she had been able to ignore it by telling herself that they did so because they were shallow and superstitious. But now…

She had murdered two princes of Kamasia. And she hated herself for it.

She wouldn’t be surprised if Kamasia declared war on Remulon. She knew that she would be the first to die. The people were already in unrest because they couldn’t stand the idea of a Remulite ruling them. And a Remulite with no divine right at that.

Lillia had been out here a while. Her fingers felt numb from prolonged exposer to the cold, but she barely paid it any heed. She wiped at her eyes with frigid fingers. Eventually she would have to trek back to the castle and spend the rest of the evening in her quarters. She tried to avoid the King and Queen. She always got looks of loathing. The Queen was quieter about her opinions, but the King was not afraid to tell her exactly what he thought of her. Lillia couldn’t blame him. She had cost him two sons.

Right now, they were desperately trying to find who would be next in line for the throne. The King only had one brother and he had died as a youth. Taking a heir from the Queen’s side was highly irregular.