I sat in a beautiful room; my wound being treated by kind and gentle hands. The clean white sheets of the bed were a stark contrast to the muddy ground I had been sitting on, the warmth and comfort of the soft fabric bringing me comfort. Outside my window, I could see the rain falling against the glass, the sound of the storm like a soothing melody in the night. I felt overwhelmed by the change of events, yet the peace of this room brought me respite.

After the creature addressed me as the princess of Acacious, my world was thrown into a whirlwind of emotions and activity. Men and women came to my aid, taking care of the lifeless body of Evanora while I was taken elsewhere to help me clean up. Araz was led away to be taken care of as well. She was still in the grips of her grief, and she wanted nothing more than to be close to her mother. Yet, she had no choice but to follow the kind hands of those who were leading her away. The tragedy was still fresh in our heart and mind, and she was still in shock. It was all happening too fast, and I felt overwhelmed by the sudden changes in my life. My mind raced with questions, but for now, I had no choice but to accept the help that was being given to me.

As I lay on the bed, my wounds being treated, I was lost in the memory of the terrible event. I didn't even get a chance to take in my surroundings, the pain of my injury making it impossible to move. I was alone, my mind playing the incident on repeat, and the knock on the door caught me off guard.

"Come in," I called out for whoever it was, my voice weak and hoarse from the pain. The creature reappeared, bowing in respect as he stepped into the room.

"Your highness," he said, his words filled with both reverence and concern. "I only come to get to know your condition and if you are doing well," he continued. I didn't respond, my voice still hoarse from the pain and trauma of my injuries. My mind was racing with the memories of the tragedy, as if it was happening all over again in my head. It was difficult to focus on anything else, but the creature seemed kind and gentle, as if my wellbeing was of concern to him.

"Who are you?" He seemed surprised at my question but with a smile he answered.

"I am Ernal Frost, The steward, The speaker and the royal Advisor, at you service." As he introduced himself, it felt like he was clearly an important figure in the kingdom of Acacious. He was a man of many titles, and he was clearly devoted to the kingdom. It was clear that he was a skilled warrior too, his bravery and courage reflected in the way he wielded his sword.

"So, you are my brother's advisor." He chuckled in response to my question, as if amused by my lack of knowledge of my own kingdom. I felt embarrassed, as if I had asked the wrong question, and my confidence in myself began to wane.

"Your highness, your brother is the king of Acacious, you are currently staying in the Acecious." he continued, explaining the situation in more detail. I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information that was being thrown at me, my mind racing with questions and confusion.

"My brother is at war, correct?"

"Absolutely."

"And he is at war with Acecious,"

"Correct,"

"Does that mean I am residing in the enemies base?"

"You are," he said, confirming my assumption, and it felt like my world had been turned upside down all over again. I gulped fearing for my life once again.

"Your highness, let me explain this to you properly. You are actually living in your to be wed husband's house, the king of Acecious. I have brought you here for your safety, you were harmed and we couldn't let you die. You will be returned to your brother as soon as we ensure you are safe. My duty to you is to train you, teach you and keep you safe in every way so do not be afraid." Ernal's explanation made it a bit of sense, and I began to calm down somewhat. I felt relieved to know that I was in safe hands, and even grateful for the protection that I was provided. But I still felt tense not feeling trust in his words of affirmation.

"Wait you said my to be wed husband?" I asked, confused.

"Yes, Faelen Heka is your fiancé. It was an engagement done when you were just a child and although no one agrees to it, anymore. You are still his fiancée by the fact that it wasn't broken." I was bewildered by the new information, and it was yet another thing that I would need time to process and come to terms with.

"Ernal, tell me the whole situation, why come I don't know anything?" I asked, my voice filled with confusion and frustration as I tried to make sense of the situation, whispering the last part only to myself. Ernal took a seat on a small stool that was covered with expensive red cloth, positioning himself to be eye-level with me.

"Your memories are wiped out, when your brother sent you to Kelertiwa he wiped them so you wouldn't try to find him." He explained my lack of memory, his words measured and precise. "It started when the late King and Queen of Acacious, Langstan and Delilah Kaldwin, your parents made a pact with Lazar and Faye Heka, rulers of Acecious. A marriage pact to stop the ongoing war since centuries, you and Faelen were to be wed when at age and produce an heir who will rule the realm as one." I remained silent as he continued,

"Alas a tragedy struck; your parents unexpectedly died the very next morning when the pact was signed. It was a dire situation, because the reason of death was poison, a rare one, and the only possibility people assumed was that the Queen of Acecious had done it. Who also is known as the Queen of Poison, she possessed the powers of a snake."

"Did she really do it?" I asked, wanting to know if she was the murderer of my parents.

"No, she did posses such power but it wasn't her. She wanted peace and nothing more yet no one believed them. At the age of eighteen, your brother took the throne and declared the Queen as the murderer and the war kept going. It was such a tragedy that the late King of Acecious died too, with once again a rare poison. The Queen Mother investigated in this matter; she couldn't find who gave the poison to her husband leading to his death."

"How can you be sure it wasn't the Queen Mother?"

"Because she has a strong claim, later she did find out it was a poison done while they were in Acacious, a poison that worked slowly. It was a plan to accuse the Queen Mother." Ernal replied. The story took a tragic turn, with the untimely deaths of my parents, as well as the Queen Mother's persecution due to a plot to frame her for the murders. It didn't seem like there were any winners in this situation, only a series of unfortunate events and a relentless war that had no end in sight.

"Is the Queen Mother still alive?" I pressed after a beat, my tone tinged with confusion and anger. It was a question that had been on my mind for some time, a question that I felt I should have known the answer to already. Instead, I had been left in the dark for so long, with no knowledge of my own past or who I was.

"Yes, she is still alive," Ernal said, his tone calm but his words laced with caution. "She resides with her son," he continued.

"Can I meet her?" I asked, feeling anxious and impatient. Ernal held up a placating hand, and his expression turned cold as he denied my request.

"You can't see her," he said firmly. "The situation is complicated. You are not in good health; you are weak and seem like you would need a lot of training. The princess of Acacious whose destiny is to stop the war, who is the only Princess to be born with magic at this time is weak. I was disappointed to see that, so I have taken it upon myself to train you once you get well." I felt a flash of anger as his words hit like a dagger to my heart, my pride hurt by his assessment. I felt weak and helpless, as if I already wasn't. But it didn't feel good when someone else pointed it out.

"I realise I am not strong, but I don't have much mana to train properly." Ernal took a breath and cleared his throat, his face solemn as he looked at me.

"I will teach you, but for now I want you to rest. Your friend Evanora's Funeral is tomorrow." I felt my eyes fill with tears, the grief and pain of losing Evanora flooding my heart once more. I nodded slowly, accepting the situation but knowing that I had no other choice. It was a dark day, and I felt that I would need to be strong to make it through the difficult times ahead.

"Wait," I stopped him wanting to know just one dire question. "I want to know, why I was sent to Kelertiwa?" He gave me a reassuring smile, trying to ease my concerns. I hoped he understood that I needed these answers, after being in the dark for so long.

"The reason he sent to there was because you were cursed, and it stated as;

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.

Your brother was scared you would meet the fate, he hid you, he did what he thought was in the best interest, as a precaution." Ernal looked up at me, his face contorted with concern and worry as my eyes widened in shock and disbelief. I realized that my fate was intertwined with the war between the two kingdoms. Oh, how am times have I felt the brush of death and yet I was saved. The curse could be avoided, but also a deep fear that I cannot return to Kelertiwa anymore and if the war did not end, I would face my death. I hadn't known that I was important, but I had not realized how fragile and dangerous my life was.

"I think this is enough for today, I will take my leave now" Ernal gave a small nod and stood up, stepping closer to me and taking his usual bow, "Your Highness," He addressed as he took his leave.

************

I stayed in my room all day, trying to digest everything I had been told. I wished I was back with Evanora and Araz, back in the village of Witches. I wished I didn't asked for more. But I knew I couldn't ignore my fate, this was what I was born for, this was my destiny. Sleep wouldn't come to me, for once I wished to be back in my comfortable hammock. I was attached to it and I couldn't sleep in this comfy bed.

I tried to shake off the pain in my abdomen as I stood up from the bed. Recalling Ernal's words, calling me weak, I hated the feeling so much yet I couldn't deny the truth. I took small steps towards the window, sitting on the seat beside it. I sighed in relief, slouching in the chair as I looked out at the dark, watching the rain. Then I suddenly remembered the curse, that the lightning would hit me, wondering if it really would happen. I felt my chest tighten with fear, but I pushed it away and told myself that I should not worry about something that might not happen.

I sat there for what felt like hours, staring out the window as the sun peeked from between the trees. Everything in this world was new to me, and the glass window, which was rare in my village, was common here. The furniture, which looked as if it had been painstakingly crafted with such care and expertise, was a sight to behold. The size of the house was staggering, and it dwarfed the whole village in comparison.

I tried to sleep but I couldn't, and I felt a strange sense of restlessness, suddenly I heard whispering coming out of my door. I slowly stood up in pain and crept towards the voice, curious who or what it belonged to. I couldn't help but feel a sense of uneasiness, my instincts telling me to proceed with caution. I put my ear up to the door and strained to hear anything that could give me a clue as to what was happening outside, my breaths coming in short bursts as I waited. The anticipation growing within me like a fire, burning away my patience as I finally heard the conversation clearly.

"-seems to be getting well, but she is too weak. Her powers- she didn't use any but her mana is too less, it is surprising since I thought she was sent to be trained by the witches." I stood motionless as I listened, a tinge of embarrassment washing over me. Ernal spoke of my weaknesses as that my mana was low, and suddenly I felt the desire to prove that I was stronger than he thought, to show him that I was not weak.

"Very well," I stiffened as I heard another voice, the two words said softly yet filled with immense gravity. I froze as I tried to imagine what this new presence meant. The voice was gentle and yet terrifying, a sharp contrast to the authority and confidence with which Ernal spoke. I felt my heart beating faster, my breath coming in quick and shallow breaths as I tried to control my fear and anxiety.

It was silent. I felt a sense of dread as I waited, my mind racing with all the possibilities that could occur. But the silence stretched on, like a heavy blanket covering my body and smothering my thoughts. I felt a sense of impatience and urgency to find out what was happening, and the longer I waited, the more frustrated and anxious I became.

"After the funeral, take her to training and back to her brother so she can regain her memories," The voice said again, still quiet yet piercing through the air like a cold wind. "Don't make her stay here, she isn't our responsibility." I heard the words repeated, my heart sinking as the words sank in. After the funeral, I would have to leave. But I couldn't help but wonder why this had to happen. I felt a wave of sadness and frustration wash over me; my thoughts filled with so many unanswered questions.

Yet I felt a sense of elation and hope, what if this was for the better, a chance for me to regain my memories, I could finally be with my brother again. I felt a flicker of joy and nervousness in my heart, my mind buzzing with the possibility of reuniting with my family.

"The training will take a few weeks-"

"Get her out of here" It was silent after that for a while as I took the courage to open the door to find Ernal standing there, his expressionless face and calm demeanour both unsettling and reassuring all at once. I felt a sense of relief that the moment was now over, yet an unease still lingered. I could feel my heart beating rapidly in my chest as I tried to make peace with the situation.

"Your highness, I apologize for waking you up from the fuss," Ernal said, bowing in deference to me. I waved my hand in response not minding it as I looked down the hallway in search of the mysterious voice I had just heard, but I could only make out a shadow of a tall and lean man walking away. His hair was as white as the moon, and his body moved with a sense of lightness. In an instant, he turned the corner and was gone. I felt a wave of curiosity as I tried to puzzle together what I had just seen. The mystery was intriguing, and I couldn't help but ask who he was,

"I wish I could tell you who he is," Ernal said in response to my question. "But I am forbidden to disclose the information of ours to you, as you are still our enemy. I hope you respect that." I was taken aback by his response, feeling shocked and disappointed but nevertheless realizing that his answer was a fair one. I wondered who this mysterious man was and why he could not be revealed to me, but I accepted that I would have to let the mystery go unsolved for now.

"The funeral will be starting soon," Ernal said, drawing me out of my thoughts. I felt a wave of sadness wash over me, as I remembered how important this day was and the significance of what was to come. "I will send a maiden to help you dress and the medic to change your bandages," he continued, before bowing and taking his leave, leaving me alone, standing in the doorway, with my thoughts.