A sense of relief washed over me as I was given the moment alone that I needed to prepare for the events of the day. But that relief was quickly replaced by a nervous and anxious energy as I struggled to focus my thoughts on the task at hand. I tried to put my boots on again with my vision blurry and, without warning, I felt the tears flow. I missed Evanora greatly, her absence making the reality of my situation all the more painful.

The void left by her absence was immense, her warmth, support, and friendship gone with the memories of our time together. Without her, I felt a sense of emptiness that could not be filled by anything or anyone else. The emptiness was a painful reminder of how much I would miss her, and a sign that the path ahead would be difficult and lonely.

"Will you need my help with your shoes, your highness?" The maiden spoke as I shook my head not wanting her to see my crying face. As I was done, I looked at the other way to not face the her as I tried to wipe my face with my sleeve. "Have this, your highness," The maiden stretched her hand towards me holding a napkin. I choked out a thanks and wiped my tears with the napkin. I tried to mask my sadness, trying to ignore the burning in my eyes that made it difficult to see clearly. The tears would not stop, and each one brought back all the pain and grief I felt because of the loss of Evanora.

"We should take our leave now," The maiden gestured towards the door as she took a heavy shawl and draped it over my shoulders. We went out to the hallway and down the steps, it took us a few moments before we reached the garden.

The garden was vibrant and lively, filled with colourful flowers and greenery, but the sky did not match its aesthetic. The sky was grey and the wind was blowing in high speed, the weather a stark contrast to the beautiful scenery surrounding it. A few people stood in the middle with Evanora's body in a glass case, her beautiful frame resting in solemn repose. I felt my gut twist as I took in scene, my memories of Evanora flooding back in a tidal wave of sadness and regret.

I spotted Araz, dressed in clothes similar to my own, standing near Evanora with a small smile. I watched her as I felt a sense of calmness observing the mother-daughter duet standing together. Her memories of Evanora's death would still be fresh in her mind, the grief evident in her face. She stood in silent contemplation, the sombre mood of the occasion weighing heavily on her.

I tried to move but I couldn't make myself to face Araz, suddenly it seemed like it was my fault. Evanora did had contacts with my brother and it could be that Lannis had known about their contact before and found the perfect opportunity to take her out when she was defenceless. I felt a sense of betrayal and shame, a crushing weight on my shoulders. Araz's presence was a reminder of their connection, and the realization of what may have happened made me feel more anxious and guilty. Now I felt a deep sense of unease and fear.

"A soul lost; a new life began," the man in a robe said, speaking solemn words that hung in the air like a cloud of sadness. "We mourn, we cry, and we move on. Such is life," he reiterated. "We pray for the beautiful Evanora, that she finds peace in the afterlife. And we pray for the living that they get the patience to find peace in her absence." As the other mourners left the room, Araz stood by her mother's side, her head bowed as she prayed. Her eyes glazed with unshed tears and silence settled over the garden.

"We keep our corpses in glass case until the person closest to them is ready to bury them. It is tradition, done for so many years." Ernal spoke, standing next to me. His words hung in the air for a moment, his matter-of-fact tone adding to their gravity. I felt a sense of solemn awe as I contemplated the tradition, trying to understand why such a practice existed in this world. I was curious to learn more about this culture and its customs, yet I couldn't deny how morbid the concept sounded.

"It sounds dark,"

"It is," I couldn't help but wonder what the reason for its existence might be. Still, I remained quiet, hoping that Ernal would continue and provide some further explanation. But maybe the answer was within, it was done so the lover could get closure and knowing how much closure could mean after the loss of someone so precious. I believed that Araz would need the opportunity to say a final goodbye.

We stood there for too long in the rain as Araz turned to face us. I felt a sense of unease and fear as Araz's eyes met mine, the power and glare in her gaze making me feel small and powerless. I was scared to be in her eyesight as she stormed towards me, in a quick second I felt her slap. Her hand held so much anger as she took it all out in that single motion. The blow was a sudden and harsh physical manifestation of Araz's anger and grief, and she took it all out on me. I was shocked and stunned, my mind racing to process the unexpected hit and the powerful intensity behind it.

But I could understand why Araz was so upset, the slap merely a symptom of the deep hurt and pain she felt because of the death of her mother, Evanora.

"It's all because of you, she is gone because of you and I will never forget that." She spat as my head spun and face burned. I could feel a lingering remnant of Araz's powerful slap, and I felt a mixture of guilt and anger as the blame was placed squarely on my shoulders. Ernal tried to unsheathe his sword, but I placed my hand on top of it to stop him. "I will resent you for this," Araz sneered, "all my life. She took you in and this is the answer she gets," she continued perhaps waiting for my answer. But I remained silent having nothing to say that would make her feel better. She huffed before storming off, leaving all the burden behind.

We stood in silence as I took a deep breath, trying to control my breathing and tears. I walked over to Evanora's case, which held her beautiful body in its transparent tomb. The tears rolled down my cheeks as I felt the weight of Araz's slap hanging over me, the resentment and pain that I felt clearly visible. I couldn't help but wonder if my relationship with Araz would ever recover from this moment, or if the shadow of this betrayal would be something that would loom over us for the rest of our lives.

I stared at Evanora's clear glass caste, seeing her beautiful body resting in harmony. The tears continued to flow as I remembered the many moments we shared together. Evanora's beauty was as strong as ever, her presence an indelible mark on my life even in this state. I could no longer feel the warmth of Evanora's kindness or the tenderness of her touch, yet I still felt her presence in the air, like an invisible force that bound us together even in death.

"I love you," I whispered as I placed a tender kiss on the glass casting. I took a moment to breathe deeply, my emotions still raw, I wanted to stay and linger longer, but I couldn't stand and watch her closed eyes, or face the reality. I quietly turned away from the case, leaving the glass tomb behind, that housed my heart heavy.

*******

The sound of a knock at the door drew my attention, and I turned to face the door. With a weary sigh, I called out for the person on the other side to enter.

"Your highness, it is time for your training." Ernal said as he walked into the room. I heaved a sigh and rose from my chair, following after him as he led me through sets of halls and stairs, which eventually led them to a large arena. The room was barren but stocked with weapons, and my heart began to race, I felt my muscles tense and my mind racing, aware of the gravity of the task ahead. I took a deep breath and mustered up my courage to survive this training session. The training would take up my entire day, I was sure. I had spent so much time mourning the loss of Evanora, and I felt unprepared to face the world again, but I knew that I had no choice.

"Remember. There are thirty types of manas present in this realm, each sorcerer possesses a different mana than the other, you possess the Telepathic farming, a rare power, as rare as the poisonous snake mana. The telepathic farming can grow too much that its powers can swallow the human within unless controlled. It can read minds and make any living being age. Whether its plants, animals or human beings." Ernal explained, as I attempted to commit the information to memory and understanding the potential danger of my mana.

"Magic takes years of training," Ernal clarified, "But if you lose your mana, you would be helpless. For this reason, I would teach you how to fight with a sword. All while you study your mana and the other twenty-nine as well. If we aren't training you will be learning. Once trained you will give your exam, you will fight me." I gulped, I would have to fight him, using everything I had learned as the ultimate test. With a sense of dread rising inside me, I considered the task ahead. To fight and defeat Ernal, who easily took down Lannis, I had no choice but it seemed impossible.

"I can't do that, in less than a few weeks?" I protested,

"Is what I hear 'the princess giving up', so soon?" He taunted, pushing me but I didn't say anything for a moment, instead I looked up at him with a quiet, yet stern, expression.

"No," I said through gritted teeth and he smirked, innocently. My frustration only increased when he threw a wooden sword in my direction. I managed to catch it with great difficulty as I held the wooden sword firmly and raised it and he began the training.

"Try your best to hit me with that wooden sword," He challenged and we engaged in a tense fight, my determination to defeat Ernal as I clashed with his vast skill and experience.

My lack of training made me struggle, the wooden sword feeling clumsy and awkward in my inexperienced hands. As I struggled in the fight, my anger began to get the better of me. I failed time and time again, and the frustration of it all made me lose focus but I did not give up. Finally, I must have lost control of myself, I lunged towards Ernal in a reckless and chaotic attack. However, Ernal must have noticed it and easily deflected my attack, knocking my sword out of my hands with a flurry of movements. He kicked my leg, making me fall to the ground as I groaned in pain, admitting my downfall.

As I lay on the dust, stunned from the blow and my numerous failures, I felt the sting of defeat. Ernal looked down and smiled at me as he forwarded his hand for me to take. Without hesitation, I took his hand and got up, dusting the dirt of me.

"Anger is a strong emotion," he demonstrated a set of slow and deliberate movements, his voice patient and calming. To contrast with the chaotic and violent nature of my recent attack, he was a model of control and concentration. Following his words, he urged, "if you can overcome it and learn patience, you will be able to counter my attacks. Move slowly, watch your opponent, think before you strike." He began moving around the arena in a slow and measured manner, his eyes focused on me, while maintaining a sense of control over his emotions. He stood and waited for my next move.

With his words still ringing in my ears, I tried to take a deep breath and regain my composure. I tried to let go of the anger that clouded my judgement and focus on my movements. Trying to remember his advice, I began moving around the arena in a slow, deliberate manner, trying to predict Ernal's next move and stay focused.

Ernal continued his circling as I waited for his first strike. He finally attacked and I managed to dodge the first few strikes. I tried to stay focused and calm, but as Ernal's attacks became faster and more aggressive, I couldn't move out of the way. I took another blow, and this time it sent me reeling to the ground.

I coughed badly as the dust went up in my mouth, I spat and turned to look for my sword which laid a few feet away from me. I groaned and fell on my back on the ground. Ernal's voice rose above the din of battle as he laughed. "Acting too slow will also be a disadvantage," he said, shaking his head in amusement. I felt the sting of the blow, not only physically but emotionally.

"Get up, this is just the beginning. We have much to cover." Ernal said, his tone firm but not cold. I took a deep breath and stood up, knowing that there was more to come, and I couldn't afford to waste time. So, I nodded my head and stepped forward, ready to continue the training. I will not give up, not yet. Not until I had learned all there was to learn, and not to see Ernal's smirk again.

*******

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