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Eva Windweaver squirmed anxiously in the thick red-gold doorway behind secretary, who announced in the flat intonation of a deaf man,"Eva Windweaver."

Arrogant bastard didn't even reveal her full name as if she were a lowly servant herself.

"Bid her enter." An amused male voice declared.

Eva recognized the critical tones of the glorious, ruthless King Theodore Garrick at his court.

Theodore Garrick was not only an angry man but also an ambitious one. The Kind who would aggressively place anyone into critical positions to keep his power. Eva had always sided somehow with Theodore in hopes of becoming one of those favoured ones.

Eva knew for a fact that she found her match as she was his equal in ruthlessness and lust for power and Eva knew that she needed to tamp it down.

With downcast eyes, she slid into King Theodore private receiving chamber. It was a duplicate of the main throne room, but smaller.

The floor was made of hard marble, as were the jewel-inlaid tawny walls and ceilings. Even the line of servants off to the left was brilliant and flawless.

The arrogance display of raw wealth left Eva with such illness and envy.

"Come closer, Windweaver." The terrifying voice of King Theodore emerged from the far side of the throne room.

Fear struck Eva. Theodore himself was present as he promised. Even though Eva requested this meeting, yet horror attacked her as serpents twist in her stomach.

Hastily Eva knelt and made her obeisance at the foot of a magnificent throne in a shape of an ancient tree.

Eva kept her head down until Theodore cleared his throat, "Rise and indulge in the glory of Theodore Garrick."

Eva Rose and assumed the worst was gone, yet she saw an angel warrior of a man with a thick, messy head of golden hair. The Archmage stood to the right two steps down from the King in the position of the kings champion, High Lord Anakin Windoom, stood one step down of the Archmage.

To the King's left stood his high advisor, Mavrik Ierdrebin. One step below him stood high priestess Syrarth Shrolvo. What Eva saw made her blood run cold. How Did Theodore know the topic she was to discuss requested this powerful council.

"You served me devotedly as a royal army officer in the changing lands of Astax, Eva, and you served me well in Xascon."

Theodore's words wrapped around her, living things, penetrating the edge of her mind, seeking rift in her mental armor. Eva blinked them away, instantly regretting the demonstration of lack of control.

She urged her mind back to the subject the King and his council obviously discussed today. Xascon? The furthest Kingdom? Why that?

Images flowed unbidden through her mind. Or possibly were summoned forth by the King's will. Whether Eva craved it or no, the memories overtook her. A more savage, crude place she'd never witnessed. The prisoners turned colonists who lived there, scraping a living from the untamed wilds, were little more than barbarians, criminals, and rebels banished from Xuclistan to live or die as their will to work ordered.

The original who inhabited the land were once highborns half-breeds of natural race.
"Xascon Had been at Peace for a very long time," Theodore commented.
That should be great. Right? But why did she hear dissatisfaction in Anakin's answering grunt? Eva waited carefully. She wouldn't speak unless she got the order.
"His Royal highness saw it fit to have a full settled colony in Xascon. And it's clear that the wardens will be replaced with a high ranked officer.
Was this the true reason they summoned her to this meeting? Did they they see her fit to become that high ranked officer?
"All these years you served me well." Said high advisor Mavrik.
Was this how he saw her like a faithful voiceless bitch that would get the job done?
Approval was clear on the Archmage face. Yet when she gave high lord Anakin a side glance she could see unspoken words.
Mavrik continued, "You would be the perfect choice to control that land as well as anyone. And you've always placed his royal highness interest above all. Don't you agree?"
She was about to answer but a fast movement to her right forced her to remove her gaze from her King for a second. Petrified, she shifted her gaze back to the lower steps of the golden throne. It was an insult to look away form the king while spoken to and she knew that first hand. Eva could breathe easily when she saw her King staring at the wide open golden door.

"What is it, Nania?"Anakin's snapped.
Eva eyes widen in fear. Nania the King's witch? They said that she was never wrong about a vision she had. She even saw the death of Anakin's older daughter years ago. Maybe that is why Anakin hate her to the bone.

But Eva couldn't believe her eyes Nania didn't look her age she looked young. She was born of the extremely long-lived rave of elves. Yet half of her face was hidden under a mask. Some people say she lost that half long ago when Theodor wasn't the King. Some said it was the doing of one King. A king that was so powerful that even the Archmage couldn't handle.

"The prophecy is about to come." She announced in a loud voice.

Shouted Anakin. "Write it down and share it later with his Royal highness, we are busy now."

Eva watched in shock as she saw Nania heated gaze fixed on Anakin. And then she fixed her eyes on the King. Did she have a death wish?
Eva fixed her eyes on her King once again. He was also watching the silent endless battle between Anakin and Nania.

"Your meaningless politics can wait. The impact of this vision is more important now. An ancient magic touched me today. A very old one!"

The King frowned when he heard her word. He almost lost control over his emotions. Old magic worries him? Weird.
Theodore rested his back on his throne, he seemed distant for a moment, where Anakin leaned forward aggressively. "Was that vision of yours about his highness?"

"Would I bother his highness if it wasn't?" She challenged Anakin.

"Do speak then." Ordered Theodore in a loud voice.
"Here it comes-" Nania stopped talking all of a sudden as her eyes were locked with Archmage in another heated battle. When Eva shifted her eyes back and forth between then, she saw the Archmage warning stare.

He knew about this vision way before her. Interesting.

"Maybe I should not share this after all."
Anakin moves faster than Eva would believed possible. Pushing himself across the room to Nania. The high Lord held her roughly in his hands, shoving her against the wall, gazing into her eyes.

"Start singing for us, Nania. You waisted our time and energy." Anakin hissed.

Nania tried to breath but failed. "You all going to die." She said in a low voice. "The end is near."

"The end of what? How are we going to die?" Anakin breathing hardly.
Nania could hardly speak, "An old soul will rise again... In the wild... the curse is finally removed." Her voiced chocked more as Anakin was still cutting her air supply.

"What madness are you speaking off?" He said shaking her violently. "You better show me!"

"You asked for it," she hissed as she forced her vision on all in the throne room.

The force of the vision forced Eva to her knees, almost sending her to the darkness. Her thoughts were all over the place. Eva gazed back at the King who was unaffected by the vision.
But then she saw it the old spirit was rising, the shadows were gathering, forming a shape. Yet the shape wasn't clear there wasn't a face or anything just his green, green eyes. "Soon," the voice hissed.

"Hear this, for I only speak the true. An old soul will rise again. From the depth of the furthest land to destroy us all and seek revenge. The old great magic will return with him, he will change the earth and it's born. The stars will shine once again upon our lands and the skies will tumble when he's approaching. He's greater than thee, Theodore Garrick, the last King of Xuclistan. When all these halls are coloured in blood. Theodore your fate was written in the stars and cannot be undone. You will pay for your betrayal. The end of Xuclostan is so near."

Deadly silence filled the room. Everyone gazed at Nania, her head was healed high. "Betrayal is the worst thing, my King."

The building of fury in Anakin made Eva winced in fear. She knew that look. Anakin was so close to snapping. He wasn't a stable man when he loses it.

Yet Nania was far from done and she pushed her finger into Anakin chest. "And as for you, my dear. Your line shall end at Xascon."
Anakin face turn so red. Eva noticed Anakin hands drifting into the golden locket around his neck. Some said that within some of his daughters ashes remind. Fury was clear in his eyes, like a mad man driven by his madness. "Lair."
And once again Anakin launched himself at her , knocking Nania off her feet, forcing her to fall backward violently. She must've hit her head as she collapsed, spilling the first blood on the golden throne steps.

Fear was clear in Eva's eyes, she was selfish and a coward thinking about her safety before Nania's. But she saw what Anakin madness could lead to.

Once again it seemed Nania was forcing a vision on everyone. Yet it seemed that everyone was in pain. Anakin hit the floor a long with the rest of the council. Except Eva, she saw Nania staring at her, forcing her to see something. Eva couldn't understand what she was seeing but she heard Nania in her head clear. "Help him. When the times come, be like the earth that steady him and like the air he breathes child of the light. You are the chosen one to guild the old soul."

Then a single chocked word escaped Nania's lips. "Awaken." Before her body went a limp.

Anakin went of like a mad man destroying everything he finds, storming around the room. Before he finally broke down. Laughing like a mad man.

"That is enough Anakin," said Theodore in a loud voice. "I know how great is your loss, but do not allow it to blind you. You lost so much in Xascon, but we are in Xuclistan not in that forsaken land. And please stop killing my witches they are of a great use to me."

Eva gazed around the room it was covered in blood. When the halls covered in blood.
Had the prophecy started thought Eva? Did that witch sacrificed her life to start it? She said that she "betrayed him." Was this her way of fixing what she did?
"Get up, Eva."
Eva rushed up as Anakin shouted. "I have something for you to do, Eva."

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Welcome to my new Book "Blood Promise."I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! I'm sure by now you know what to do. Vote & comment & share. Have a great day!💗