Death

[Music Recommendation: eden (hava nagila interpolation) - dramatic violin interlude]

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Year 1784.

Evening.

It was raining heavily as if the sky was crying; dark, heavy clouds hung low in the sky, casting a somber feeling on the deserted street. The cool breeze gently caressed the people gathered around trees or houses to seek shelter from the storm.

A figure sprinted along the lonely road as fast as she could. Her soaked skirt clinging to her thin trembling legs. Each step she took was like a desperate cry, with her feet creating a splashing sound as they stepped on the mudy wet road, mixing with rain water.

Street lanterns on each side of the road hung low, flickering with each raindrop that fell on them. Roads were barely visible to her Hazel eyes, squinting tightly she tried to look beyond the heavy downpour.

Elestria Sinclair, racing against time on this rainy night, a 19-year-old girl, just got to know about her mother, who is no longer alive in this cruel world.

The world around her became blurry as tears streamed down her cheeks.

A bright sparkle over her head caught her teary eyes as the clouds clashed, producing a booming sound that sent shivers down her spine. Each sparkle over her head seemed to mock the hopes she was holding onto.

She hurried to the royal castle, where her mother's lifeless body was kept waiting for any family member to bury it further. Her heart trembled with the thought of what would happen if she never heard her mother again. What if she is left alone in this world, where she doesn't know anyone?

46-year-old Agatha Sinclair, Elestria's only family, worked as an assistant librarian in the royal palace's library, which was designed specifically for the crown prince.

Her throat ached "Please..wait for me, Mother.. Don't leave me," she whispered repeatedly while her voice trembled from the pain and cold she was feeling. Her hazel eyes reflected tears that blended with the rain.

Her breath hitched with each step, as the royal palace came into her view.

Reaching the imposing main gate of the royal palace, the echo of her mother's laughter played in her mind slowing her pace, as she stumbled over a stone and fell flat on the ground, the impact leaving her knees and elbows bruised and blood dripping from her wound.

Raindrops brushed against her grazed skin, carrying away the blood, leaving sting of fresh wound. Despite the excruciating pain, she stood up, clutching her hands tightly on the dress hem, to get rid of the physical pain. Her eyes were brimming with sorrow and darkness, as well as anger towards the world.

The palace guards, stationed near the gate under a thin umbrella, stopped her from moving further, their red eyes fixed on her.

She brushed aside her light brown hair, which clung stubbornly to her wet face, hovering over her eyes, making it difficult to see.

The wet fabric of her dress stuck to her body, subtly showcasing her figure in the dim light coming from the lantern, which hung not so high from the gate. Elestria struggled to catch her breath while she clutched her trembling hands on her chest to calm herself down.

One of the guards, with a wicked glint in his eye, watched her with an intensity that went beyond mere duty. His gaze lingered on her damp figure more than required, the clinging cloth emphasizing the curves of her body. A sly lick of his lips and the subtle graze of his tongue across his fangs for blood lust created unpleasant surroundings in an already tense situation.

Not knowing who they actually were or their true intention, Elestria spoke in a weak and trembling voice, "Please let me go; my mother is inside." Aware of the recent death at the royal palace, the guard stationed near the gate moved aside, allowing her to enter the entrance.

She cautiously stepped forward when the guard's domineering voice cut through the rain-soaked air and stopped her. "He will go with you," one of the guards remarked, pointing to the guard standing next to him.

Joining her, the second guard gestured for her to move forward on the path leading to the heart of the royal palace.