Cayaline

"Cayaline.. cayaline flowwwer... flower... Cayaline..."

Soft haunting whispers sounded in the air, whispers that only a figure kneeling in the cold cave could hear.

It was still summer but the nights were still chilly, especially in a deep desolate cave like this. Because of the biting chill, she shivered uncontrollably making the chains on her body rattle and clang. For years she had tried to scream and struggle yearning for freedom but it was to no avail.

The day her father dragged her down here her heart was completely shattered and her tears never flowed again. Words like an unlucky star and evil parasite were said to her by her own father as her twin sister just watched on the side with no expression like they were unfamiliar.

Her family's betrayal and coldness towards her snapped her mind, body and soul. Just like the Cayaline flower she withered and died before her life could even begin.

To fully understand. how she ended up in this place, one would have to go back twenty-one years ago when the war with the Gorgons was tearing apart the five kingdoms.

***

In the heart of the Rosemane kingdom, the bellowing of the Gorgons echoed across the plains. The armies of Plainfang, Darkfallow, and Nicklewolf were gathered together to face the savage invaders. The Gorgons wielded their weapons with ruthless efficiency, leaving behind a trail of destruction and death.

The Kingdom of Rosemane was among the hardest hit. The Gorgons had set fire to the fields and the farms were left to cinders. It was during the chaos of the battle that Madam Rosemane, who was heavily pregnant, was struck by a poisoned arrow and fell to the ground.

The Lord of Rosemane could not bear the thought of losing his wife and child. He pleaded with the diviner to assist him in saving her. She recommended a rare Cayaline flower with mystical properties, which grew on the cliffs of the Lowoak Kingdom.

The Lord of Rosemane's blood froze upon hearing this. Lowoak had been laid to waste and reduced to rubble. The Gorgons were running rampant having taken over the land. Lowoak's fall was a result of their refusal to assist when war initially broke out. At that time he was the most vocal refusing to assist even as Lady Ava of Lowoak knelt before him with her infant son in hand. This was truly the revenge of the gods.

Just when he thought that was the worst of it the diviner's eyes turned white and she pointed at his wife's belly and said, "Two seeds. One shall bring Rosemane's downfall while the other shall bring it to glory. One a curse and the other a blessing." By the end of this divination, the Lord was in shock. He didn't know that his wife carried twins but this wasn't the right moment to worry about this.

He assembled a small group of warriors to retrieve the flower. They crossed the treacherous mountain paths, dodging boulders and defending themselves against the wildlife that inhabited the cliffs, and bloodthirsty Gorgons running rampant.

When they finally reached the top, they were greeted by the sight of the rare flower hidden behind a cave.

The warriors fought bravely to retrieve the flower, but not all made it. Only two returned to Rosemane with the Cayaline flower.

With the power of the Cayaline flower, the diviner was able to heal Madam Rosemane's wounds, ridding her of the poison. The first child was born healthy, with a head of silver hair. The Lord held his little girl with tender affection in his eyes. Looking at those bright eyes staring at him curiously he smiled.

Her eyes were the colour of a glowing ember, and he knew right away they would name her Sienna the name his wife chose, after the rich earthy colour that she so loved.

But his joy was short-lived as the screams of his beloved wife echoed throughout the castle. He gently laid his daughter down in her cradle and made his way towards the birthing chambers. As he entered the room, he saw the midwives working tirelessly to bring the second twin into the world, but something was wrong.

Too much blood had been lost, and the baby was not coming out. Time stood still as the Lord sat on the edge of the bed, holding his wife's hand and trying to soothe her pain. Five hours of intense labour passed before the second twin was finally born but at the cost of his wife's life.

The Lord of Rosemane was overcome with grief, and his heart filled with anger towards the innocent child in the diviner's arms. He refused to hold her, blaming her for the tragedy that had befallen them. His love for his daughter was overshadowed by the loss of his wife, and he could not bring himself to look at her without feeling a deep sense of resentment.

The midwives gently took the second twin away, but the Lord could not bear to see her. He turned his back, trying to suppress the pain that had consumed him, and vowed to never again hold her or acknowledge her existence.

She was the bad seed, a dark presence that would bring the fall of Rosemane kingdom. With her birth came death further affirming the prophecy. She couldn't be allowed to run around freely and bring bad luck upon his people.

For five years after she was born she had no name. If it weren't for the diviner citing retribution, her father would have starved her and let her die of hunger. She was given a milkmaid and locked in the deepest part of the castle hidden from the world. After being called girl for years the milkmaid finally asked her to pick her own name. Her favourite thing was looking at the moon and talking to it like it was her mother so she said, "Selena."

Her name was Selena, the forgotten daughter of the Lord of Rosemane. At least, she would have remained forgotten if it weren't for the floods during the temporary truce with the Gorgons. Plenty of soldiers stationed near the battlegrounds were either swept by heavy water or died from the plague.

When the lord heard this he went to find his estranged six-year-old daughter. Selena was very happy to see him but her heart sank when she was dragged from the garden to this cold dark dungeon that eventually became her home. The maidservants responsible for watching her were punished severely for letting her out into the garden.