The End of the Beginning

{Alastair Kaiser}

"It can't be," I whispered in shock. "I refuse to believe it."

"Your Majesty…"

Tears rolled down my cheeks. "No no no no no," I shook my head and stood up. "No she is not dead. You all are lying."

Nobody said another word. They all looked down and avoided my gaze. "Arlan!" my voice became a shout and he flinched. "Tell me they're lying. Azora is fine, isn't she? I will bring her back home right this instant."

"Your majesty," he looked up with tears in his eyes and my heart broke. "They brought back her body, it's in her own room right now."

It couldn't be, I told myself. She was supposed to meet me this week itself. I was about to welcome her and make her happy…

But she's gone.

My head spun and I stormed out of the throne room. I reached her bedroom and opened the door slowly. There in her bed she lay, looking as beautiful as ever. I touched my forehead to her hand and her body was as cold as ice. There was no warmth left in her body anymore. She was gone. I would never see her smiling again. She would never call me 'brother' with that kind smile again. She was dead.

Dead.

I dropped down to the floor not caring who saw me. I heard footsteps behind me followed by Arlan softly calling to me. My heart hurt so painfully I was unable to breathe. "It hurts," I said and Arlan laid a hand on my shoulder. "It hurts so much. I can't breathe."

I couldn't stop the tears from coming. My body was shaking and I could not see anyone or anything but feel her cold hand under mine. My world was gone. The only person I'd ever wanted to make happy was gone. I knew we could never be together is why I kept my distance from her. I wanted her all to myself and the fear of it made me push her away. I was her brother by blood… was it really okay for me to love her?

But now she's dead. Did anything else matter anymore? I can never see her happy again. I can never see her again. The thought kept echoing loudly over and over in my head until I went deaf.

"Your Majesty!"

I looked blankly at the person who shouted. It was a knight of mine… whose name I could not recall.

"Your Majesty, this is me, Arlan – your trusted knight." He looked at me with sadness in his eyes. "It's been about five hours, we should head back."

"Nobody is to come to this room," I declared and then cast preservation magic onto her body. Until I knew how I could cope with the grief and pain of her loss I would not bury her.

No matter how long it took.

The next month went by a blur. I found myself not being able to concentrate on anything. There was this hollow feeling inside me that I could not put into words. I felt empty. My appetite was wavering and my body started shaking at the mention of Azora's name. I was no longer fit to rule the empire anymore. Even if I took a break I doubt I would be able to recover. The smartest decision was to hand it over to the next person in line, Shers – my younger brother. But before I lost the kingdom too I had to try one last thing.

"The wizard?" Arlan echoed my command in shock. "You want me to bring back the Wizard from the prison?"

The wizard commonly went by the name Briam had one magic that was unique to his own kind. He could bring back people from the dead.

He was a foul man who had committed many frauds and murders and it had taken the late emperor several decades to track him down. I already knew he was going to bargain for his freedom but I was willing to pay any price to bring Azora back.

"Your Majesty," he bowed when he saw me. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Bring Azora back," I said, my stare boring into his. He smiled cynically. "I will release you if you do as I say."

"Your Majesty," he cocked his head to the side. "It will cost more than just my freedom."

"I will pay whatever price is required," I stood up and strode over to him. He sighed and then lifted his hands. "Remove them."

The guards uncuffed him and he rolled his shoulders once before casting a simple spell that cleared his clothes and appearance from someone who hadn't showered in months to someone who had. "Your Majesty, this will cost you your kingdom."

"I care more about Azora," I replied in a heartbeat.

"Not a good ruler eh?" he laughed a little and then stood up straight. "Half of my blood belongs to the demons. If I bring someone back from the dead it will cost me too. Are you ready to make a deal?"

"Conditions."

"You can never tell her about this arrangement, I will turn back the time to when she is alive but you would not be able to tell her about any of this in your entire life." I nodded and he continued, "And you won't ever be able to see her again."

"What does that mean?"

"You'd become blind, your Majesty," he said solemnly. "She had her eyes gouged out before she died, it's because her eyes are closed so you didn't know."

"And how do you know that?" I said blankly, devoid of any emotion. Her eyes were gouged out? "Why did she do that?"

"I possibly cannot know the answer to that question. I came to know through this knight's memories," he replied, nodding at Arlan.

"I couldn't say considering your mental state," Arlan's voice lacked any sort of emotion whatsoever. "She gouged them out on her own because she didn't want to see the world anymore. The day we received her body..."

"Enough," I said and he fell silent. I turned to Briam. "So if I give her mine will she be able to see again?"

"Yes," he replied.

I looked one last time at the love of my life and closed my eyes.

"Do it," I commanded.

"Your Majesty!" Arlan shouted but Briam already had what he needed to cast the contract.

"Everyone's memories except for you, mine and hers would be removed," Briam said as I felt my surroundings get colder. "Don't repeat the same mistake again, your Majesty. Do tell her properly that you love her this time."

"As long as she lives it will be okay," I smiled.