"I can only imagine each one of them dissecting me as you announce my presence."
"See who is here again."
"I can't believe it. She is back."
"With the same aura still."
"The right one dies, so that the other governs."
"I don't think I can handle that." She exclaimed with a firm certain tone
"So what do you want us to do?" Rayane asked
"There is no other solution, it is either I order for them not to be here, but then they are going to feel insulted and declare immediate war against me, and I don't have the strength to handle that clearly or I just go there, assist and accept being torned appart" she sigthed "I have no other choices" she added staring at the reflexion of her darkened eyes on the mirror, her almost watery eyes of a child and her thin figure portraying the emptiness of her soul.
She took a huge deep breath then exhal before letting a drop of tear falling all along her cheek.
Powerless in front of this situation, the young queen asked Rayane for help.
"What do you think we can do?"
"Pick the choice that you'll be able to handle." he suggested after sigthing.
His annoyance about the situation made her teeth bite the inside of her lips's ends, as she remained static staring at herself in the mirror.
"You are weak" she thought
"Stop victimizing yourself" is what she thought Rayane wanted to say, before being reminded of her mother's words.
"So from your perspective, everyone is against you, you are always the victime, pull yourself together, and do some self-reflexion"
"A victime" A storyline that she never liked, never wanted for herself.
"If so many people says so, then you must be the problem" a voice echoed.
As she tried to runaway from it, her gaze met the picture of herself as a little baby with big cheeks on a little purple wheel chair staring at the camera with the biggest purest shinning smile.
She then looked at herself.
Then on the picture.
She paused.
Focused on her smile.
On her eyes.
Then on her reflection on the mirror.
Something within her chest, somehow spoke to her, with the strength of an ego that could be called resilience.
"I am not supposed to look like that" She said out loud.
She took a deep breath.
Held it.
Then exhaled, then hug the picture strongly against her chest.
"I am going to love you, and give you all the love, warmth and protection that you deserve"
And just like the queen that she was, she whipped up her tears, put her make up back and started practising for her speech as a queen.
"Rayane?" she called
"Yes" he answered as he stood against the door's frame.
"Could you help me recite my speech?" she asked as she was applying her color corector.
"But of course my queen" he answered.
As courage was being chosen by some, others who were bestowed by it since birth; were welcomed by the unstable waves of the ocean hitting against the coast.
Tom and Abghase had come back unsatisfied from their mission, and now they had to make their report to the General of the Soulless castle.
That catsle that had ones belonged to Jacob and Abghase's family had welcomed for the last 15 years the biggest enemy of the 5 kingdoms that the realms has ever known.
"As I can see, you didn't obey my orders did you Tom?", a familiar voice
"Family is important no matter what happens, no matter the ideas that you differ on, on times like those, you should always put that aside and reunite "
"uhhh,..... I did do it for the family uncle" Tom answered as he marched right past him "And it is quiet hypocritical of you to say that, knowing you didn't try to assist your own brother's funerals" he added.
One thing that an old veteran like Nobu Tagliditse hated more than abandoning a family member was and will forever be cowardness, even when such behavior came from himself.
As Tom was marching toward his quarters the floor trembeled. His uncles rage was being absorbed by the floor, giving him the ability to remain calm.
"Tom, I think you owe someone an apology" Abghase said with annoyance
Tom turned his head back, stared at Abghase and said "No"
"Tom Massinissa Tagliditse, if you ever become one of the reasons why the oldest catsle of my family goes to ruin I swear" Abghase added as his pupils contracted.
"It is fine, he didn't trigger me, I simply couldn't control myself. My apologies Abghase" Nobu answered with a smile as the floor Stopped shaking.
"No at all my lord" Abghase answered as he bowed in front of oldest version of Tom.
"My dear Nephew" he said as turned back at him
"As you can see the amount of regret and anger toward myself is so that I have to let the floor down my feet absorb whatever amount of magic I generate" the uncle said