"My dearest brother, I hope this letter finds you well. Have you been taking care of your health? You and our parents are always in my thoughts. I find myself missing all of you these days. Life within the castle walls isn't easy. I feel that everyone's eyes are always on me, always judging me. I know that as the Queen, as the King's wife, I'm always going to be under the spot light, but I am uncertain about the extent to which I can endure it. I know I shouldn't say this, but I can't help but wish you'll come here and take me away. Kidnap me if you must. I'm terrified of the day I get pregnant, brother, cause leaving then will truly become impossible."
A letter by Queen Octavia, the mother of King Aricad II, sent to her brother.
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Emily's POV
The promised day finally came, the day where Emily could leave this awful cell.
Sleep eluded Emily as thoughts of Thandor and the group of witches, Aludell, occupied her restless mind. The knowledge that most of its members were close to her age provided a modicum of solace amid the uncertainty.
Thandor wasted no time. He showed up first thing in the morning and had the knights open Emily's cell, freeing her. Emily, grappling with disbelief, half-expected a sudden reversal, a proclamation that no witch would be permitted freedom. Yet, to her surprise, the knights acted without reservation. No outcry, no resistance. Just when she and Thandor were about to leave the knights garrison building, Durthon showed up.
His countenance bore no trace of joy.
"So, you've released her." Durthon remarked, his gaze scrutinizing Emily, who instinctively sought refuge behind Thandor.
"Yes, indeed. The King granted his approval, as you must be aware." Thandor retorted, the mere mention of the King seeming to irk Durthon.
"Silence! I'm not certain how you achieved it, but I'm convinced you bewitched the King somehow! Rest assured, I will find out what you did to him! And when I do, your head will adorn a spike." Durthon proclaimed with menace.
"Ah, accusing me of using magic on the King? That's a grave allegation. I wonder how he'll respond when he hears of this." Thandor retorted, his tone laced with a subtle challenge.
These two really don't like each other. It's scary. I don't want to be here anymore.
As Emily thought that to herself, she noticed Durthon looking at her.
"And her....why did you pick her? You know you can't add any more members to that freak group of yours anymore. You already have a girl in the group, why add another who'll slow the group down even more?" Durthon continued, bitterness dripping from his words.
"And what if she's a girl? How does that pose a problem? Physical strength becomes irrelevant when it comes to magic." Thandor calmly asserted, a wry smile playing on his lips as he observed his words working their way under Durthon's skin. Pressing the advantage, he continued, "It's not as if she's vying to join you or your knights for her gender to matter."
"Leave. Leave before I commit a crime and kill you right now." Durthon retorted, his anger palpable, yet laced with a chilling seriousness.
"Very well. We were on our way out anyway." Thandor responded, his tone nonchalant, as he took Emily's hand and gracefully guided her away from the knights' garrison.
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The moment Emily stepped into the open air, a wave of relief washed over her. It had been days since she felt the warm embrace of the suns' sunlight on her skin, and she savored the sensation.
"That was so frightening, Thandor! I thought he was going to...attack you for a second there." Emily confessed, her voice and body still trembling.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I had hoped we could leave without encountering him. If only we were that fortunate." Thandor expressed, his voice carrying a tone of apology.
"And...what did he mean by you can't have any more members join?" Emily inquired, curiosity piqued by Durthon's earlier statement.
"It's one of the rules, you see. Aludell isn't allowed to exceed six members. Having more than that would be deemed too many witches for comfort or something of the sort." Thandor explained, a hint of dissatisfaction with the rule evident in his tone.
Oh...wait, does that mean if another witch is caught, Thandor won't be able to free them?
Emily couldn't help but feel guilt when she realized this. She wondered if she had taken the spot of somehow who had more to live for than her, as she had nothing anymore.
Thandor noticed the sadness in Emily's expression.
"What's wrong? What's on your mind? I thought you'd be more happy to be out of that place." He inquired.
"I was just thinking that maybe...Durthon was right. Perhaps you shouldn't have saved me. Maybe you should have preserved that last spot for a boy or someone who might be more useful to you..." Emily confessed, revealing the turmoil within her.
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Thandor, sensing the weight of Emily's inner turmoil, bent down so that his eyes met hers at the same level. His comforting gaze met her troubled eyes, and he spoke with a gentle sincerity.
"Emily, I never pass up the chance to save someone. The thought of how 'useful' they may or may not be doesn't come to my mind. It's true I might not be able to save the next witch who gets captured, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you die. Everyone deserves a chance to live, and you are no exception. " Thandor reassured her, his voice steady and kind.
He reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, offering comfort in his touch. "Also, even if you were a boy, Durthon would still have found something to criticize. Don't let his comments bother you."
As Emily absorbed Thandor's words, a sense of reassurance began to replace the lingering guilt. His words resonated with a warmth that eased the burden on Emily's heart. She felt as if she was about to cry.
"T-Thank you...and okay, I won't let it bother me anymore." She said quickly as she looked at the ground, not wanting Thandor to see her watery eyes.
"Now, let's' go. Everyone in Aludell is waiting to meet you." Thandor spoke as he took her hand again and started guiding her through the big capital.
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As Thandor walked Emily through the bustling streets of Arixalum, the capital grandeur unfolded before her eyes. The vibrant tapestry of colors, the lively chatter of merchants, and the harmonious symphony of daily life replaced the grim memory of her previous journey through these streets with Durthon. Emily couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the capital, and she turned to Thandor with a wide-eyed expression.
"It's so different seeing the capital like this! I couldn't take a good look when I first came here with Durthon." Emily remarked, her voice filled with awe.
Thandor, walking beside her, his hand still holding hers, smiled. "Arixalum is a big place. I'm sure you find it overwhelming, but don't worry, you'll get used to it with time."
Emily was so overwhelmed by the sights, she didn't notice the knight following them to keep an eye on them. Thandor knew he was there though, but didn't feel like it was the right time to tell her about this. He thought the girl has had seen enough out of knights these last couple of days and deserve a break from them.
As they continued walking, the duo reached Silverbreeze Street, where the Aludell house stood. The street lived up to its name, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers from nearby gardens. The houses on either side were adorned with intricate carvings and colorful window shutters, creating a picturesque scene. Emily never saw anything like it.
"And here we are, Silverbreeze Street. This is where Aludell calls home." Thandor announced, gesturing towards a charming house nestled amidst the others.
The Aludell house was a two-story structure with ivy-clad walls and a welcoming blue door. A small garden adorned the front, filled with vibrant blooms that swayed in the gentle breeze. Thandor led Emily to the entrance.
What a beautiful house. It looks just like the other houses around here. Doubt anyone will guess a group of witches live here by looking of it, I wouldn't have guesses so.
"Welcome to your new home, Emily." Thandor said with a warm smile, unlocking the door and inviting her inside.
Will this beautiful place truly be my new home? Can I believe those words?
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As they stepped in, Emily couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. The interior was both cozy and warm. It wasn't the same type of warm her house in Saalinna gave, but it was a similar one.
"Oh, they're here!" exclaimed a girl, running towards the group while holding the hand of a younger boy.
"Time to start introductions. Emily, this is Nicole, she's a little older than you are. And that boy is Karl, the youngest here." Thandor introduced them as he walked to their side.
Nicole had cascading red locks and striking green emerald eyes, which complemented her radiant smile. Emily found her to be beautiful. Emily's mom used to tell her fairy tales about princes and princesses, and this girl, Nicole, is how Emily always imagined princesses to look like.
Karl, on the contrary, didn't display much expression on his face, though Emily did find it adorable how he's holding Nicole' hand. He had short deep black hair and iris colored eyes.
"It's nice to meet you!" Nicole said, sounding cheerful.
"....Hello...."" Karl greeted as well.
"Um, h-hello. My name is Emily." she introduced herself, not entirely sure what to say.
"Nicole, where are Liam and Jaxon?" Thandor asked, wondering where the missing members are.
"Oh, they are in the training room." Nicole answered.
Training room? Is it for...magic?
"Karl, can you go get them for m-" Before Thandor could finish, he heard approaching footsteps.
"No need! We're coming!" Jaxon shouted as he and Liam approached the rest of the group.
"There you two are! Come here and introduce yourselves!" Thandor demanded.
"So you're Emily, huh? I was told we're the same age, but I see I'm taller than you. My name is Jaxon." he introduced himself, not sounding overly interested in Emily. He had blond hair and brown eyes. Emily also noticed he wore a glove on his left hand, but not on his right one. She found it strange, but the other boy, Liam, made her lose any focus she had on Jaxon.
"Hello, Emily. It's...great to have you with us. Welcome to Aludell. My name is Liam." The older boy named Liam introduced himself. Emily couldn't help but widen her eyes in surprise.
His chestnut brown hair.
His hazel eyes.
His face.
He looked so much like Jack, an older version of him, a version Jack would never get the chance to become. If she didn't know better, she would have thought it was Jack.
Everyone noticed Emily was looking strange as she stared at Liam.
"A-Are you okay?" Liam asked, his confusion and concern evident in his voice.
Emily felt an impulse to rush toward the boy, an overwhelming desire to embrace him and offer an apology to him. She wanted to apologize to Jack—yet, she reined herself in. This boy wasn't Jack. The Jack she knew is is nowhere anymore. Not here, and not anywhere.
Tears welled up once more, escaping her eyes.
"I-I'm sorry! You just look so much like someone I used to know!" She apologized. She felt embarrassed crying in front of people she had just met like this, but she couldn't stop the tears hard as she tried.
Thandor approached Emily and enveloped her in a comforting hug.
"Emily, what you've been through isn't easy. While we can never replace your family and loved ones that you lost, we can still be your other family. You see, Emily, as witches, none of us here in Aludell have much family anymore. All we have is each other. So...we'll be here for you. You are part of our little family here now, okay?" Thandor spoke with a gentle voice, and the rest of the group regarded them with eyes brimming with empathy and sadness.
That night, Emily slept in Nicole's room. With no bed arranged for her yet, she shared Nicole's bed. Throughout the night, Nicole embraced her like a caring mother holding her child. Sleep, however, remained elusive for Emily, her mind consumed by a whirlwind of thoughts.
Family....They'll be my family.
Chapter 1: A Normal Girl - End