During a thunder dark, everyone snoozing peacefully. The guards in the castle marched diligently through the halls, their footsteps echoing off the walls as they made their way through the passageways. They kept a sharp eye out for any sign of trouble, as they had been trained to do. Their torches cast a warm glow on the walls, adding a sense of comfort to the otherwise dark and lonely space. Their eyes roamed everywhere, watchful for any intrusion or unusual activity.

And in the middle of the night, the majority of the people slept peacefully, unaware of the constant watch of the guards. They had grown accustom to the sounds of the castle, finding it a soothing part of the daily routine.

The guards on duty froze as they heard a shrilling loud cry coming from the Princess room. And suddenly, everyone stirred awake after hearing a loud and sharp noise, their sleep broken by the piercing shrill. The guards quickly jumped out of their bunks, their faces filled with confusion and worry. The sound that had come from the princess quarters, came from the maid who watched over the princess. They feared that someone had been hurt, or even worse, something dangerous had invaded the castle.

"What happened?" They asked the maid, as she shakenly pointed at something or someone inside the room.

The guards ran in the room with a sense of urgency, weapons ready to defend themselves. They entered the room with caution, trying not to make any sudden moves that could provoke any potential danger hiding in the shadows. King Andrew had joined them as he himself got scared for the wellbeing of his sister. They all stood motionless as they noticed a black hooded stranger standing with the princess in his arms. A sharp object sited on her slender, soft neck while the girl was fast asleep unaware of anything around her. The weapon gleamed at them in the dark room, challenging them. The guards aimed their spears, ready for attack, waiting for the command of their general who stood at the side of his king.

"How dare you step foot in this castle!" Andrew roared in the quite castle, his voice echoing shaking the walls of the room. "Show yourself or there shall be consequences."

The hooded man looked smug even if his face was hidden, his body language showed he has more power than the people in the room. Everyone anxious as his lips moved,

"There will be consequences if you don't listen to what I have to say." The stranger voice was dark like the shadow and smooth like steel. His presence was scary, his aroma was vicious.

"You come to my palace, aiming to hurt the princess and threaten me!?" Andrew yelled, fuming. His body trembled with rage; his hands clenched into fists as his temper boiled. He felt a profound hatred for the stranger who dared to hurt someone so dear to him, his heart racing as he fought to control himself.

"Why of course, it is because of you after all that I come to this conclusion." He sneered. Revenge is a powerful emotion, filled with anger and bitterness. He was a person who was hellbent on revenge, driven by passion and an overwhelming desire to punish the king who have wronged him. His mind was consumed with thoughts of retribution, hearts filled with rage and pain. The stranger was fuelled by a sense of betrayal and a desire to right the wrongs he was subjected to. And he was about to fulfil his revenge.

"Will you please elaborate?" The king laughed, thinking he was just a poor child who wanted avenge his family who might have died in the war. He couldn't have been more wrong.

"You are to come down your throne and get punished for the slaying you have done." The king laughed again as the guards stole glances at each other not knowing what to do.

'Cowards' the stranger scoffed.

"If it is money you want, we can have a talk." Andrew signalled the general with a nod, The general commanded his troops to surround the stranger and be equipped, not taking the show serious.

"How about this girl atone for your mistakes?" He stated which wiped the smirk off the king's lips.

"Get him!" Andrew ordered having enough of this nonsense, he himself pulled his sword but froze mid ways. The stranger reached out and a wave of freezing cold rolled towards the guards, icing over their faces instantly. Their eyes went wide, feeling the sudden cold encase them. They were unable to move, their muscles trapped in the frigid embrace of the magic. The stranger stepped forward, approaching Andrew as the guards were completely immobilized by the spell, their weapons slipping through their fingers as their fingers froze in place. He couldn't move, his eyes faced the stranger to find his hand held up with a power that could compel them in the huge room. He held his gaze while the stranger withdraws the weapon. 'It can't be. No one was able to restore that much magic in themselves for too long! He seemed be too powerful to be able to have the energy to absorb that much magic.' Andrew thought as they couldn't utter a single word.

"I didn't want to do this." The stranger whispered as he caressed the cheek of the beautiful Arica. Her eyes green as it defines the nature, her hair black reflecting the black sky. Lips red as blood. As she slept, the stranger was struck by the sweetness of her face and the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed softly with each passing moment. He couldn't help but feel mesmerized by her peaceful presence, his heart warmed by her innocence and grace. He felt a gentle pang of guilt, wondering if his actions would affect the peaceful image he was watching before him. He felt pity and disgusted at himself but just thinking about what Andrew did, brought anger to his heart.

He was just a stubborn child reaching at the age of fourteen, a heartless child as they say. Driven by revenge, he wanted nothing but to have intangible things such as justice, closure, and satisfaction. He wanted to see his enemies punished, recognized for their pain, and to feel that the scales of balance have been restored. His entire existence was centred around his quest for revenge, leading him to push aside his relationships and commitments to pursue his goal without any compromise.

"I will be generous and give you a choice, be wise. "The stranger spoke with a calm voice, his hands trembling as he raised his hands to close the delicate ears of hers.

"Arica, the princess of Acacious shall be stricken by lightning if the war is not terminated within seven nights. This curse shall fall upon her until either the war concludes, or she is no more." The tears poured out the stranger's eyes as he cursed the poor child, the only innocent little girl who had nothing to do with his brother culpabilities. The one he fell in love with is bearing all the consequences. he stared at Arica, his emotions conflicting within him. On the one hand, he felt sorrow for her and her situation, knowing that she did not deserve the fate that had been cast upon her. On the other hand, he felt anger at her brother and his actions, which had brought this upon her.

The stranger was torn between loving Arica and cursing her brother, and he cried as he felt conflicted and helpless. But his tears were also fuelled by his desire for revenge and justice on his behalf. He could not bear to see Arica suffer, and yet he must bring his revenge to fruition.

"What are you doing here Faelen?" She spoke with her enchanting voice, who seems to have woken up from her sleep. He turned to face her as he felt himself getting weaker by the magic. He made sure no one heard their conversation as he spoke,

"Sleep, my love." He placed her on the ground as she rubbed her eyes to look at him clearly. He stepped away from the guard as the princess smiled at his retreating figure. Andrew saw the scene unfold in front of him as he gritted his teeth. In time, they could finally move their limbs but till that time the stranger was gone into the rising sun. The guards searched every nook in the palace and the town but found no sign of the stranger in the hood.

**********

"How is it that someone other than Arica holds this magic? I made sure that everyone reported to me who held the potential to use it!" Andrew yelled to the monks, who stood still and silent, eyes fixated on each other in a knowing glance.

"If I should find that anyone goes behind my back, I will have your heads." Andrew sternly stated, as the monks bowed their heads but said nothing.

"Perhaps the person who cursed Arica resides within Acecious." Querandí spoke as she gracefully entered the council room. "This curse is merely a distraction to us; we must prioritize on the capture of the Empire of Acecious. Once that is done, we may focus on finding and killing the perpetrator of the curse and lifting it from Arica."

"I cannot allow her to succumb to the curse as her brother and king, for it is my responsibility to protect her. We must find an end to this war so that she is kept safe-" Querandí cut the King off, clearly trying to keep her rage under control. She believed Andrew to be too weak and foolish to properly rule and make decisions.

"Calm yourself and think rationally, my child. Your parents wished for you to pursue justice and claim what is rightfully yours. This is merely a distraction, not a hindrance. I have found a loophole, and with that, we may achieve both the destruction of Acecious and the lift of the curse. Do not let your emotions cloud your judgement."

A sense of relief washed over Andrew as his mother-in-law's words washed away any lingering doubts he had. She was right. This was simply a distraction, a hurdle to overcome rather than a barrier to stop him. "What loophole?" Andrew asked with a gleam in his eyes.

"Arica could be sent to another realm as the curse wasn't precise on which one. The curse seemed like to done by a child." With a sense of resolute determination, Andrew thought deeply about his mother-in-law's words and finally made a decision. He signed in relief, knowing that he now had a clear path forward. Whatever the outcome, he knew that he must see this through to the end.

"Where would we send her?" He asked,

"Why of course the realm of the witches," Without hesitation, Andrew agreed to her command like a slave to his master.

***********

"The audacity of you to go there and do something so disgraceful!" Ernal yelled as he stood in front the man who was double his size.

"I did what I see is right," He walked past him and sat on his throne, overlooking anything said by the man.

"Your mother will be most displeased when she learns of this." Ernal said, looking into the painted eyes of the late king, and thinking how kind and gentle he had always been. It pained him to see the crown prince becoming so harsh and cruel. He wondered what had happened to turn the young prince's heart, and if there was any way to rekindle some of the kindness and compassion he used to have.

Ernal stormed out of the throne room, leaving Faelen to contemplate those sparkling green orbs. It wasn't a mistake exactly, but he felt a heavy burden weighing on his heart, the guilt of inflicting pain on her soul. A sin that could not be undone, committed for his own gain.

He shook off these thoughts and turned his mind to his next move. If he was to move forward, he must keep his emotions in check, and focus on his true objective.

********

The monks gathered and used the magic drawn from the land to create a portal to Kelertiwa, the smallest realm with only a couple of towns, which was ruled by a stern Queen. Arica was to be exiled to the lowest ranking, where she would have to hide the truth about her magical abilities, so the threat that the Queen would use her as leverage against the king's bounty would be of low chance.

Andrew carried his sister through the portal, his heart heavy with sorrow. Finding a simple cottage, he discovered a lady with her child sleeping peacefully and was surprised to find the surroundings windy, smelling of burning flowers. The home was filled with herbs, yet the neatness was lacking. With a heavy feeling and duty reminding him that she was no longer his responsibility, Andrew hesitantly placed her on the side of the cottage without disturbing the lady and hurried out. The petite seven-year-old Arica was laid with gold and a letter explanation, her memories distorted and forgotten.

The woman opened her eyes as she felt the stranger in her cabin, her gaze quickly rising to the small child laying on the floor. With a smile, she took in the beautiful sight of the pretty little girl, her tan skin, and her soft features. She knew well that the child was from a wealthy society, and was irritated at the audacity of the king leaving his sister here. She ruffled her red curly hair as she read the letter, she was unsure if Arica would be safe, yet the king left her here. This child was a blessing in her eyes, she would look over the matters in the morning and gave no more thought as she went straight back to sleep. 

*******

Any Questions or any part you don't understand I can change or explain better.  

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