3: Whispers of Destiny

Jay left the council room, the weight of his father's dismissal heavy on his shoulders. The corridors of the palace, which once felt like a labyrinth of shadows, now seemed like a prison of silence. His mother's identity, shrouded in mystery and forbidden by his father, beckoned him with a siren's call.

If answers won't come from the king, I'll find them myself, he thought, a flame of determination igniting within him.

His first stop was the library, a place where he had spent countless hours lost in books and scrolls. The librarian, an elderly man named Eamon, had always been kind to Jay, offering him solace in his loneliness.

"Eamon, I need your help," Jay said as he entered the dimly lit library.

Eamon, with his wrinkled face and gentle eyes, looked up from his desk. "Prince Jay, what brings you here today?"

"I seek information about Lilith, the Blood Rose Witch. Anything you have," Jay's voice was urgent, his eyes searching.

Eamon's expression shifted, a flicker of concern crossing his features. "That is a dangerous path, young prince. Why seek such knowledge?"

Jay met Eamon's gaze, his resolve clear. "It's a path I must walk. She was my mother."

Eamon sighed, the weight of years in his eyes. "Very well. Follow me."

They moved through aisles of ancient texts, Eamon leading him to a secluded section. Here, the air felt thicker, the silence more profound. He retrieved a dusty tome, its cover worn by time.

"This is one of the few remaining texts about the Blood Rose Witch," Eamon said, handing the book to Jay.

As Jay opened the book, a world of secrets unfolded. The pages spoke of Lilith's unmatched power, her defiance against the norms of her time, and her mysterious disappearance. But the text was vague, the truth hidden behind allegories and myths.

"The answers I seek aren't here," Jay murmured, frustration lining his words.

"Legends are often rooted in truth, but finding that truth is a journey not for the faint of heart," Eamon advised.

Jay closed the book, his mind racing. If the answers weren't in the library, he would seek them elsewhere. His mother's legacy was a puzzle, and he was determined to solve it.

Leaving the library, Jay knew his quest was just beginning. He needed to venture beyond the palace walls, into the kingdom and perhaps even beyond. Somewhere out there, in the vast world of Evlogia, lay the key to his heritage and his power.

As the sun set, casting long shadows over the kingdom, Jay felt a sense of purpose he had never known before. His journey to uncover his past and embrace his destiny was about to begin.