Cursed night

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

One generation passes away and another generation comes but good and evil abide forever. the wind goes towards the south and turns about unto the north, it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to its circuits.

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full, unto the place from where the rivers come, that is where they return again. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing. How much is enough?

On such a night.

A fragile-looking young lady with pale skin and a series of pearls of sweat forming on her forehead lay on the giant extravagant bed with several maidens around her, holding her hand while others pace around the room like crazy.

Her shrieks could be heard from everywhere in the palace. "Where is the damn midwife?" a woman in her mid-age yells at one of the maids who keeps peeping at the hallway.

The palace physician never leaves the palace, they were usually available 24/7 but on this particular day, not even a single one of them was in the palace.

After all, it was a dark rainy night, it has been raining continuously for the past 5 days, and Kailani could feel her life coming to an end. Fate or not, she was determined to deliver her baby safely.

"Hang in there Kailani, the physician will soon be here," the mid-age woman holding her hand whispered slapping the back of her palm to keep her from fainting due to the severe pain.

"S-save my baby mother," Kailani held her mother's hand with her trembling hands. The whole of Malavon kingdom was awake looking for a physician but with no luck.

It is believed to be a cursed night. Kailani didn't have much time left, she end up seeking the help of a witch, her worse enemy. In a time of desperate need, your worst foe could be an option, even when King Acer her beloved husband was against it so was her mother but it was her only hope. "Mother, you-you need to call her," Queen Kailani hissed in pain.

"Hurry and call Zana here," her mother finally ordered. "Yes your majesty," the maid nods and leaves quickly to bring the witch.

Zana is a beautiful maiden that practices black magic but you can't blame her all she did was because of love, her love for the king and what did he do in return he locked her up in a dungeon and in chains and shackles.

The maid returned with Zana who met the king at the entrance, the king glanced at her momentarily and turn his eyes to the other side.

"My king," Zana sarcastically whispered with a gentle bow. One glare at her could scare the hell out of you, her shabby appearance defines her true evilness.

"Listen to me you witch, if anything happens to my wife or my child I will have your head," the king grabs her hand and mumbled.

"Oh I forgot, how can I present myself like this to the mighty king of Malavon," she sarcastically grins and with a single wave her appearance changed, she changed into an elegant long black robe, and her hair which was messed up before was now well combed and loosen around her neck, she was a true beauty even with her evil nature.

"Much better, I could go back to the dungeon because you know, there are three lives at stake here and why should I help you? what is it in it for me?" Zana smirks walking close to him. "Or you will take me as your queen, and we can rewrite our story, I'm willing to forgive you for your betrayal," Zana sounded desperately like any woman in love.

"Stop dreaming that will never happen, now what do you mean by that?" the king quickly inquires angrily.

"I can't save all three of them and I want to keep my head on my neck so I better go back," Zana said turning her back to the king with a smile, she was fully away he was going to stop her why because she knows him just too well.

"Stop right there!" he ordered while she smiles. "Do you mean the queen is carrying two babies?" the king asked as Zana turn to face him slowly. "Yes," she answered without delay.

"You need to save all three of them else..!" the king threatens, pointing his finger in her face.

"Please don't threaten me, my king, there is nothing you can do to me other than kill me, and I dare you to kill me," Zana clicked her tongue, venting out the frustration she had accumulated from the king's constant rejection.

"Please save all three of them," the king whispers with desperation in his voice.

"Deal, I will save all three of them," Zana smirks as she walks past the king and enter the extravagant room decorated in red.

She couldn't help but imagine the room belonging to her and the king. King Acer was desperate but he knows seeking Zana's help will come with a price that will cost them much more it was a risk he was willing to take for the sake of his wife and unborn children.

King Acer sighed when he heard the cry of babies coming from the room, he was delighted to finally see her two beautiful daughters and hold them in his arms. The queen still looks weak but was fine, "My precious little treasures," as the queen spoke, a relieved smile spread across her face.

The king named the eldest baby Oaklyn and the younger one Jaelyn. The room that was once filled with horror was filled with happiness and giggles and surprisingly the storm of the night ceased. It was bliss or perhaps the doom of the kingdom and the king.

Suddenly King Acer spotted a dark hairy batch on one of the baby's left arms, he was immediately concerned. Babies with birthmarks in the kingdom are considered to bring misfortune and are instantly killed.

"What is that on her arms, Zana?" the king asked nervously pointing at the baby's arm drawing everyone's attention.

Zana the witch, leans closer to the King and whispers something into his ears. accompanied by a loud burst of laughter. The king was left horrified and It remains a mystery the things Zana had told the King.

It feels like the same cursed night in the kingdom of Malavon only a few years had passed. In a blink of an eye, time flew into days, weeks, months, and years.

It was a bright day in the Kingdom of Malavon, the sun was up and blesses the trees with a gentle warm shine. Still, very early in the morning, A little girl, 6 years of age, dressed in a black dress with her long hair held in a ponytail. She was still elegant even without accessories. Her smile was her best crown and her heart her kingdom, her eyes her people.

She was smart, strong, and intelligent. If not how could she escape from the palace under the watch of all those guards without being seen or perhaps she was invincible?

And a boy, he had to run for his life, he has to stay alive, a 16 years old boy dressed in a royal robe covered in dirt and mud ran for his life, there were men in black running after him. He managed to escape from their crutches.

He looks tired and haggard and unaware of his whereabouts all he could see were trees. All he wanted was to live, he has to live at all costs.

"YOU MUST LIVE SON!" those words become his super strength, they kept ringing in his head over and over again so he dare not stop even when he couldn't feel his legs. He still pushed himself forward dragging his feet. He just needs to run a little longer, just a little more.

"water," he whispers, suddenly everything becomes fuzzy, and the earth around him starts to spin. His body couldn't hold on any longer. He slowly falls to the ground but instead of landing on the ground, his head landed on a soft lap.

He could never forget the beautiful shining black eyes that stared at him.

"Here, have some water," a little sweet voice whispers with a smile. He couldn't see her face clearly but he was sure she looked like an angel that pulled him back to life. She gave him life. He holds her hand as he drinks the water from her water jag.

"You must be hungry? you can have this," the little girl offered, bringing a donut wrap in a piece of paper from her side bag. She wasn't so thrilled to give him her food, but she thought he was probably more hungry than she was.

"No it's fine," the young boy decline her offer, he was too much of a gentleman to take the little girl's food even when he was staving for more than two days and nights. But his stomach wails giving him away.

"Take it before I change my mind," the little girl says with a straight confident face making him smile at her actions. It was more of a command. He slowly puts his hand forward and takes the donut.

"Thank you, I will surely pay you back a hundredfold, wait till I get back home. I am the...," The young boy hissed holding the donut in his hand. He was grateful for the kindness the little girl showed him and he wasn't afraid to reveal his real identity to her.

"You never saw me here and you don't have to pay me back. Just don't get yourself killed," the girl smiles at him as she picks up her bag to leave.

"Wait! At least tell me your name?" the boy asked. "May God protect," the little girl replies and leaves in a hurry. "What! what kind of name is that?" the boy asked astonished wondering if he was really seeing things. Did an angel just save his life?

The little girl left in a hurry leaving behind a small carved rabbit. it wasn't perfectly carved but he loved it. He smiled picking it up, by the time he tried to stop her, she had already disappeared from his sight.

The young boy holds unto it tightly while he eats the donut.

"Thank Goodness we found you, your highness," a man sigh in relief walking close to the young boy. He didn't look up to him but stood on his feet, lifting his head up with confidence. He was determined, 'this will be the last time,' he thought still eating his donut. He was weak and always depended on others to save him but not anymore.

It only takes a determined mind to achieve something. Nothing is changed until something is Changed. And you can either sit and wait for that change to happen by itself or you get up and make that change Happen.

Years later...

Malavon was not as powerful as it used to be due to the fast-rising king from the southern kingdom of Zalvon.

The time has come for Oaklyn to be the queen and the mother of a nation as she has been waiting all her life but she was unwilling, why because King Jetaime the monstrous king of Zalvon demands that King Acer surrender to him by marrying his only daughter to him.

"Surrender or die." The golden scroll reads as Oaklyn nervously stares at her father, he can see and understand her fear but what choice does he have?

"You're worried aren't you?" King Acer enters his darling daughter's room to find her still up and pacing in the room.

"I will never let anything happen to you even if it means going to war," King Acer said as he holds her shoulders but quickly Oakyln gave him a soft smile to set his heart at ease.

"You don't have to do any of that Father," she twirled a strand of her hair while she assure him. She continued this time in a softer tone. "I know a way out of this so just trust me," it seems they both were thinking of the same thing at that particular moment.