The Night Everything Changed
Spring that year came rather late.
The air was cold, and the flowers had not bloomed. Parts of the castle, especially the empty guest rooms and the long corridors outside. No one but the guards patrolled that area. Only that unfortunate enough to be stationed there being forced to endure to cold and darkness. There were no lights and no fire to keep the area warm.
Most of that warmth was instead reserved for the more active right wing of the castle, which were mostly populated by the castle staff and, importantly, the royal family. It was, of course, because this was the primary residence of the House of Vesparte, the current dynasty of rulers that reigned over the Kingdom of Wyrith. This castle had been their home for generations, and that day, it was no different.
Until night came, and everything changed.
That night, all the current members of the royal family were gathered in the court, one of several meetings that had been held that month. The topic was the same: the increasing tension in the political relationship between the Kingdom of Wyrith and the Dukedom of Tarin. It had been in the minds of everyone, ranging from the king and queen of Wyrith, down to the crown prince, and then to the rest of the family, even though this wasn’t supposed to be their concern to begin with, especially for the youngest of the core family.
That day was like any other day in Thomas’s life. The prince, youngest of the family who bore the name Vesparte, was as far from the throne as a royalty could be. He was not required to attend the court like his eldest brother, Robert, who was the crown prince and the next in line to the throne. Yet, on that day, he was implored to come to the court on the behest of an advisor, who insisted that the family was to learn more about the developing situation, along with the talks of their alliance with Clydeth and Manarithia.
That alliance would be one borne out of a marriage between the middle princess Miriam and the crown prince of Manarithia. That day was supposed to be the day when they formalize the union, and where a formal party would be held. Thomas was required to attend, given that it could be a while before he could meet Miriam face to face. He did not hesitate to attend; Miriam, along with Henrietta, were very close, despite pursuing different interests. While Thomas went for the arcane knowledge, Miriam went for the arts and culture, while Henrietta went for the swords. Henrietta’s pursuit was far from being princess-ly, but no one in the family objected.
This difference in their everyday life did not escape their wonder. Thomas could remember Henrietta wondering about it and sharing what she felt to Thomas. While she was happy that Miriam would help their alliance, she was also suspicious of the advisors’ motives. She had a feeling that Miriam would not be the only one that would be betrothed.
“I’m not ignorant of our alliance with the other kingdoms,” said Henrietta. “The kingdom needs all the help it needs against Tarin.”
“Oh, come now, Henri,” Thomas said. “There’s still Joan.”
“Joan the mayor?” Henrietta scoffed. “I bet.”
Princess Joanna, or Joan among her family and friends, was also the mayor of Leweyn, the capital of Wyrith. She was a competent mayor and had been in office for at least 5 years. No one wanted her to leave her post just to marry a prince from a neighboring kingdom. Her tenacity and strong will was enough to convince any potential suitors that she would be too headstrong for their liking.
Thus, beside Miriam, Henrietta, the second youngest of the family, was a good candidate of political marriage. She was young and fair, with her long, flowing blonde hair being quite a sight for young suitors. That opinion, of course, would soon change once they realized what she was doing to fill her time. It was Henrietta’s own decision to learn how to be a warrior. It was partially a way to escape the inevitability of marriage, but also to make her believe that she could control her own destiny, at least from what she admitted to Thomas. Thomas was old enough to understand her decision, and to the world politics that many kingdoms, including the democratic nation of Clydeth, was part of.
Again, in the middle of it all, was Thomas, who did not have any concern in life. Being the youngest, his destiny was not set; he could be anyone he wanted to be. Thomas could choose to be a rebellious prince with too much free time for himself, but instead, he chose to be a mage, a testament to his kind soul and the proper upbringing from his family.
But kindness would not help him on that fateful night.
It started rather tense. It was supposed to be a dinner celebrating Miriam’s betrothal, with the princess in question enjoying the dinner conversing with Henrietta. Thomas was minding his own business at first but was soon drawn to the conversation that had caused the older adults in the room to be tense. Thomas remembered what they were discussing about. It wasn’t really a new topic.
“Tarin’s soldiers have been sighted attempting to cross the borders, sire,” said one of the advisors. “They claimed to be lost, but we all know better.”
“Hmmm.” The king was deep in thought. While the answer everyone wanted to hear would be to consider the transgression an act of war, considering similar incidents in the past, the soldiers did not attack, nor did they act violently. No reports of them being drunk to the point where they were incapable of rational thinking.
“Sire,” started his general. “I understand that you want to wait before you act, lest you become known as an infamous warmonger to your neighbors. Yet, this act of intimidation can and will turn into something worse if we pretend to ignore it. Perhaps a warning, preferably something with strong intentions?”
“Strong intentions like making an example of one of their soldiers?” One of the advisors scoffed. “Fear tactics will only make things worse. While I am aware of our kingdom’s strength, there are smaller kingdoms with greater strength. Tarin, as mysterious of a nation as it is, could be leading us into a trap.”
A tap in the general direction of the king turned their attention to him. He rested his chin on his fist, glaring at them. At that point, they all knew that their discussion was not held at the right time.
“Gentlemen, I believe we are at a dinner, not a strategy meeting,” said the king. “I invite you here not to talk of our problems, but to celebrate my daughter’s engagement. If these development troubles you, then I suggest you find a better place to talk instead of circling me like vultures.”
The advisors looked at each other. One of them bowed to the king and said, “We do not wish to offend you, sire.”
“Do this again, and I shall have to ask you to leave,” said the king, his expression softened. “Enjoy the food, gentlemen. Perhaps a full stomach will aid your discussion later.”
Thomas, seated the furthest from the king as per tradition, needed to focus on his father to notice this tense exchange. He had always been an observant person, especially since the advisors were clearly disturbing not only his father, but also his mother, the queen, who was also asked by some of the advisors for her opinion, only to be similarly turned away by her. That show of forwardness did not escape everyone’s attention, including both Thomas and Henrietta.
“They are relentless, aren’t they?” commented Henrietta. “Can’t they see how this is a special occasion?”
“The situation with Tarin must have been tense enough for them to break protocols,” said Thomas. “But regardless of that, it’s still unbelievable.”
That, however, was a precursor to something worse. That moment was the moment when Thomas’s life changed forever.
The advisors did not leave the king immediately. They stood near him, staring at him creepily. They were like vultures, waiting for the moment to feast when their prey succumbed to death. Yet, instead of being passive observers, they were aggressive. One of them even drew the ire of the king when he insisted that, after the discussion among them, it was a matter that could not be disregarded. The king, now angered by them, snapped his head at the advisor and said, “I have warned you, and you answered with impudence. Guards! Escort the ministers out! I will have a word—”
He did not manage to finish what he was saying. The king stopped talking, his eyes wide with surprise, followed by blood flowing out of his throat, let out by a slit caused by a dagger the advisor in front of him was carrying. The suddenness of the attack did not register with everyone else until the king stood up, hand trying to cover his injury in vain, choking in the blood that started pooling in his agape throat.
It did not stop there. The queen was stunned but did not have the time to scream. The advisor that was standing beside her pulled out a stiletto and proceeded to stab her heart multiple times. The first indication that something horrible had happened was the loud clanging sound from a tray falling to the floor. Thomas remembered that it was the moment he realized something went wrong. He turned towards his father and mother.
He shouldn't have done that.
He couldn't scream in terror, only stunned and in disbelief of what he saw. He saw their lifeless bodies caked in their own blood, with a gaping wound on where their assailants attacked them. Robert, who was nearby, immediately pulled out a sword and swung it at the advisor’s neck without a shred of hesitation. But the blade never reached the advisor, who was faster. He grabbed Robert’s face and slammed it on the table. His hand turned into talons, and he proceeded to use the talons to rip Robert's throat out.
Then, like a nightmare, the advisor ripped his skin off. His flat, human face was replaced by a lizard's maws. His body gained mass, ripping the skin of the human he once was. From the base of his spine, a thick, reptilian tail burst out, further ripping apart his skin.
He was never a human. He was a lizard man. Thomas couldn't comprehend what just happened. He couldn't even scream as chaos began. He did not remember what happened back then, only the fact that his family was slaughtered, and chaos erupted in the room.
Then one of the lizard men appeared in his vision, snapping him out of his inability to comprehend. The lizard men, still with the remains of the advisor's skin, hissed at him threateningly, while raising his sharp talons for the kill.
Thomas screamed, and everything went black.
