Onyx (OA 1)

Hushed whispers is heard in the prison’s meeting room, guards stationed outside of the doors and windows, making sure no one can get near them to listen in on what might the conversation even be.

War?

The cost of living?

No, those are too easy. It has to be something that has plagued this kingdom, this island long enough that the stress got the better of the of Lhanbrydge royal family. An issue that clearly bad enough for the entire conversation to be on a hush-hush notice. One that the public is very much aware about. Of course, words, and names are just heard loud enough, angry tones in their voices, concern in others.

What could be so important?

Unless…

The prisoners.

No one even thinks about those locked in the castle dungeons, no one. The prisoners don’t even get visitors; the families gave up on them the day of their arrest. If lucky, their story would be heard, however most of the time they are silenced, often given an unfair trial. Many being sentenced to a public execution, some dying in the cell never out living their sentence.

All but one.

The very ones that escaped their fate, they themselves don’t know how. The dungeons are always dark, wet and quiet, most of the times someone is crying or shouting from a prisoner or guard, which often echoes down the halls to other cells and maybe even the guards break room. But among all those prisoners, most of whom are falsely there, lies one who is covered head to toe in ragged, torn and dirty fabric, the one prison whom—from what the guards know of—hasn’t ushered a single word in decades—even though it was a little unsettling—the guards enjoyed the quietness from this prisoner.

The guards even gifted the person small gardening boxes with some seeds and a watering can they refill twice a day, they even put in a window for the plants to grow. They thought for years, because of those minor acts of kindness the prison gained a liking too gardening and maybe even alchemy—The cooks in the castle kitchen even started to trade with them to make their dishes more rich in flavour—But despite that, the royal families through time were never grateful and kept the person locked away.

But they did grow many things, often rookie guards would sneak in different types of seeds from time to time, some even stealing from the evidence room when someone in town was caught stealing—with bribing the castle wizard with enough gems to cover their tracks they knew they were fine—After all, it’s just seeds, something the royal family will never miss.

It was like that year after year, rookie guards sneaking in seeds, other gifting them, most turning a blind eye, and when questioned they just shrugged and said they didn’t see anything and hear anyone doing such a thing. The few times they feared they would be caught was because of the wizard playing some mind games, some of them him demanding payment for answers, which thankfully the royal family told him no and to get back to work before they lock him in one cell and strip him of all of his titles he had gathered through out the years.

Cranky old wizard, only happy when it benefits him and him only, he knows no one likes him and is fine with it, yet simultaneously he has a wife and child? How she puts up with him no one knows really, but they do know he doesn’t like the prisoner that everyone else likes. Of course, guilt is a strong feeling within the castle staff, most of them don’t even know the prisoner’s name, of course, that’s only because the only time they need something from them they just say: ‘hey buddy, can we do a trade?’ and then leave once they got what they desired.

Buddy is all they call them.

Buddy.

It’s not a terrible nickname, but none of them know their name. But it’s just a nick name, Buddy. They know deep down they would hate it if everyone just used their nickname, and one they highly didn’t choose. After all—The prisoner can’t speak—not once during the years of confinement has the prisoner spoken. Often they had to guess when something was wrong, flu? Sneezing, some high pitched sound that lasted barely a second, fever was easy, they would sweat through the rags, the chills would be the same. They remember the nights someone would sit outside of the cell making sure they were okay.

They know if the royal family caught them they would be joining buddy in the cell but by that point none of the staff cared; they had built a relationship with them strong enough that even if the family did try something, they would just revolt—and that’s the last thing the family wants—to show how in shambles behind the castle walls are.

After all, it would destabilise the kingdom, putting it at risk of being attacked by enemy ones. Something the family does not want at all.

It later lead onto some of the senior guards first pushing for answers as to why Buddy is still locked in the cells almost 75 years later, magical creatures that live a long time isn’t new to them but why was buddy still there? So many started to question what the charge was and if there was even a trail. They don’t know the crime they did.

As sad as it was, back then and years to go they had more questions than answers. As the years went on, more and more staff members demanded answers, the newer staff demanding the release of Buddy, who only last week everyone found out their true name; Onyx.

No one questioned the name, and by this point everyone stopped trying to question what onyx looked like, a 100 years later, onyx is their senior, the last they can do is give them the respect they deserve after everything, after years of their life just wasting award in some castle dungeon and possibly for something they didn’t even do. But the day of the investigations came, everyone held their breaths—after years and years of demanding and even protesting—The day is here.

That has to be the cause the hushed voices in tonight’s meeting, right

What else could it possibly be?

None of the royal kids are dating anyone, so that couldn’t be the case, and if it is, they normally aren’t so closed off about it. After all the controversies keeping onyx locked away has caused. If it was another kingdom, the staff can only think they would act fast and get rid of them and label them as a ‘pest’.

“there is no arrest order, let alone a detainment order”

The staff closer to the meeting room hears, they know that’s the confirmation they needed, but if they move from their post, they risk punishment and risk a worse punishment if they spread the word early. After all, without the full investigation being completed, they could spread misinformation that can be taken out of context, which would cause more issues.

So they wait.

Hours onto hours onto more hours of the family being locked away in that meeting room, the words ‘arrest’, ‘detainment’, ‘life long’, ‘gems’, and even ‘chest, bottles, seeds, herbs, and plants’. All words that are heard. One guard even thought they heard the words ‘sorry’, and ‘compensation’—both words that are never said in this castle or to the public—Words that will send the entire nation into shock if spoken.

They even think they heard the word ‘House’, with ‘clothing’, be ushered. The guards can only assume by those words alone where the conversation could remotely be going, and they hope it’s only going good. But by the next morning, the large wooden doors are pulled open, coming to a stop once there is room for the whole family to leave all at once. The king and queen walking in the front and centre of them all, their clothing the most expensive of them all. The king dressed in different shades of purple and made from silk, his robe looking thick and fluffy for the cold winters and its harsher nights. His shoes not kind against the stone floor that holds a thin carpet just lied across it, he is clearly upset possibly over not getting his own way.

His wife, the queen, her dress lush and lavish, also holding all different shades of purple, her heels heard click clacking against the stone floor. Her hair sagging between the robe and her clothes. The two oldest sons, twins, the next kings, of course one has to marry to another kingdom to become a king. Both of them around the same height, but one having their mother’s green eyes, while the other has their father’s green eyes. Both of them looking more like their father than their mother, but they both did get her red hair. A third son, the youngest child, walking behind his big brothers, him as well looking like his father but with his father’s hair and eyes, as many in town have said, he is a ‘spitting image of the king’.

And the last to leave the room, the middle child, Batie-Anna, the only daughter, the one that the guards have been assuming have been pushing for weeks to get Onyx free and getting justice for all the time onyx has lost. It won’t be easy, 100 years wasted is impossible to replace, but she got out everything that needed to be said in that room. She only hopes her parents agree—They would be stupid to not accept—But now is the wait.

Long and agonising wait, some guards gave Onyx more seeds to grow, they wish they could tell them what has been going on but they don’t want them to get their hopes up just in case the royals say no—it would break their hearts if they told onyx and the king and queen just said no—But they wait. The family sleeps on time and eats, some even doing their royal duties. But out of them all, Batie-Anna, keeps up her royal duties plus finding time to help the staff and for once, walking to the guards at the dungeon doors—in her hands a bottle of seeds of some type—she holds it up to the guards and they move aside, letting her in as the doors swing open, dragging against the stone floor.

The stairs down are teed, made so if a prisoner does elude they won’t have the energy to walk up them all—to either give up or be caught—The walk is long but soon the floor is flat, indicating she has reached the dungeon. Her heels click against the stone floor, keeping her own robe around her as the cold bouncing off the stone walls and hitting her skin, every breath visible.

Other prisoners watch as the princess walks past their cell, many amazed she even bothered to come down here, after all no royal would do such a thing, let alone a princess, one of the few who is to keep blood lines going. A few of them try to get her attention, some by calling her name, one or two whistling but are smacked that echo’s down the halls, they all know the guards where the one that went through with the slap—and rightfully so—as no one shall disrespect anyone in that way.

But once she is in front of the cell of Onyx, she just stands there, waiting, she sees’s their bodies lying down on the ground of where the bedding was once placed, clinging the thin blanket around there clothes. Their small pot plants and garden beds just right of the cell, the produce still in the early stages, as some are only now breaking from the ground. But Batie-Anne waits; she doesn’t hit the cell bars; she doesn’t clear her throat or coughs, she just waits. This confuses the other prisoners, sure, but she doesn’t care as she isn’t here for them she is here for Onyx and Onyx only. After a while, the other prisoners lose interest in Batie-Anna after she doesn’t react to anything they tell her. As she stands there, she just thinks of what is written in the history books. How the book’s magic changed the room she was in to the day the empire at the time, rounded up innocent people and arrested them—most if not all over small things—The room was much more darker, only a few candles lighting up the place.

Whilst the same meeting room is of her family shown in the magic the windows much smaller than they are now, only being arrow slit windows, purple fabric draped over them from the inside blocking out any light and any pepping toms. The same cement circle table in the centre of the room, this time a light purple coverings over it with a massive re-creation of the castle on its hill and the village below it within the castle walls. Other homes still a part of the kingdom but spread out across the map on the outers of the walls.

The few candles, she remembers only being able to have seen about five, all spread out on the table, each one in a holder of some type of a guard’s hand. The gates to the wall, pulled up, so one one can leave or enter the village, she remembers stones all around the mini wall all on the outside and some on the inside but closer to the gates. Other stones more into the city, some what she could only assume is shops and other’s as houses.

The king, an older man, white, blonde hair, and blue eyes, his crown sitting on top of his head and he seethes at where everything is placed.

“We need them to understand who is in control here!”

He slams his fist on the table, some slightly jumping, the miniuter buildings shaking slightly too. Anger seething from him and from what Batie-Anne was shown a dark aurora emanating around him—A mix or black light and smoke, something sinister—Something she would hope she doesn’t have the same one. She watched as he slammed the table again, this time some buildings crumbling, some, like towers, falling on their side, shouting at the guards to go show the public who has the power with the guards running out in two lines, their metal armour clanging as they jog out of the room and down the stone hallways.

She followed them down the hallways and out of the castle; the emperor striding through her ghost form and through the gates to the town, which guards had pulled people from their homes, others lighting shops on fire. A few more guards ran through her with touches engulfed with flames, those ones being thrown into the wooden homes causing families and pets to run out, only seconds later their homes catching alight.

Screaming is held all over the village and not the good kind, it’s fear, terror caused by the guards and the emperor. He is, no was drilled fear into them, showing them a crystal clear message of who he is and what he will do.

“Arrest everyone!”

His voice echo’s from the top of the stairs, the guards jump into motion, dragging mostly father’s from their homes, many of which look like farmers or shop owners, some wizards, witches, and other magic users too, some guards heard saying that they will come useful. Some tried to fight back, but that got them knocked out cold and grumbles from the guards. Some even saying they are being charged with, laying a hand on royal protection. During all this, the emperor had a creepy smile glued to his face, his eyes screaming something sinister in them.

Batie-Anna is brought from her thoughts with Onyx now standing in front of her, dressed in the dirty rags hanging for their body. The metal bars between them. They face covered with their fully white glowing eyes visible, staring into her soul.

“Nice to you see awake my fellow person, I hope you had a good sleep, whilst I can only imagine how hard the floor is and the blanket falling to bits … I wonder why it wasn’t replaced sooner. Doesn’t matter anyway, you survived after all,”

Onyx can’t help but feel unsure about that ending statement, doesn’t matter? They know it certainly does matter, or at least to them. The last years, they watched other prisoners around them perish to the cold, most of which was caused by the blankets falling apart. Of course, you can never judge one off the first couple minutes of meeting them, but that does not mean you have to agree with what they say—and Onyx did not agree with what she said—After all, they lost so much being in here, their home, their belongings … their freedom and it doesn’t matter that they survived the cold after an old blanket?

Batie-Anna turns around, feeling eyes staring at her, a look of confusion on her face, almost out of touch as to why she can, sense Onyx is mad. But she soon shrugs, blowing off Onyx’s anger as if their feelings don’t matter—Of course she is a royal what did they expect?—But she is already moving to the guards, giving them a set of instructions, Onyx did hear something like moving the small garden beds and pot plants to the upper floors for better sunlight and to make sure they get the right amount of water.

The audacity for her to assume she will be trusted with their plants, but Onyx knows deep down they do need more sunlight. After the time they barely sleep is because they stay up all night working to keep them alive. After all, they can’t keep moving them around all night and day for the smallest bit of light. Onyx can only imagine that amount of stress that is put on the plants. But onyx stops in their spot upon hearing the words ‘set up a room for onyx’, a room? They haven’t been in a room for years … Onyx wishes they had their house back, the likely hood of it still standing is low though. Maybe they could rebuild? Is … Is this a sign Onyx is getting let go?

No.

Onyx can’t get their hopes up.

They just can’t.

They cannot be hurt like that, getting their plants taken away is already hurting them now, mostly as they don’t know what will happen to them. Onyx can only hope where ever they are taken the plants will be loved and taken care of, after all some of them are yet to be ripe, others are still in the baby stages, only one starting to bloom.

Onyx flinches as the bar’s drag across the floor, opening.

Is this the end?

No, she wouldn’t say to the guards to set up a room, but she never stated what type of room, maybe it’s a trap to see how they will act?

So they stand there, frozen in fear, the last thing they want is to be tackled or even killed because they made one wrong move. Batie-Anna giggles though, calling them cute as she motions for them to follow her as she walks away from the cell. Onyx only follows her after some guards picked up the smaller plants first and walked out of the cell, the last thing they want to the plant damaged weather it be the stem, roots or even any petals, they care about all parts.

But coming face to face with the stairs, Onyx can feel the dread sinking in, knowing that they have to climb them all, but Batie-Anna is next to him, interlocking her arms with onyx’s.

“One at a time, I won’t ever leave your side,”

She reassure them, with a warm smile. Onyx nods, reluctantly giving in, they know how many people during the years was stopped by these stairs while trying to escape, each time they gave up, tackled and chained up or just killed on the spot. They even see old blood stains that the guards never cleaned off the stone steps. One step in front of the other, all while they count, one, two, three, four, five. The first break happens at stone twenty-five, a result of Onyx slipping and hitting their hip on the step.

Onyx is just grateful Batie-Anna put in some effort to hold back her laughter at their misfortune.

Onyx doesn’t expect more from a human, a creature race that is known to be, or some of them or known to be insufferable, and disrespectful, and this one must be one of them. But like everyone else, Onyx will give her a chance. Once they walk, pushing to the top of the stairs, when they take another break, their joints aching from that work out alone.

But once Batie-Anna helps Onyx to a room and sat on a bed they relax a little, glad for the soft padding but nervous for what could be next. None of their plants are in the room, but the wall across the bed holds up windows from the floor to the roof, the blinds a lilac purple help to the side letting the sunrise shine through the window. The walls, the same stone as the rest of the castle. The bed they are on, queen sized, white sheets under different shades of purple blankets and pillow cases, the canopy above the bed a deep purple.

“rest up, the healers will be here soon with meals that will keep your stomach calm,”

Meals?

As in actual food and not stale bread and a single cup of water twice a day?

No.

Onyx cannot get their hopes up, not after the last hundred years. They can only assume it’s their final meal, that has to be it, right? They last meal before they are killed. But … shouldn’t they be in the dungeon for their final moments, wouldn’t it be a waste to be placed in a room this size for their final moments?

And Healers?

Wouldn’t it be a waste?

Unless … Onyx is free? That has to be the case, or they wouldn’t be told they are being seen by a healer with food that won’t upset their stomach, onyx is sure if it was their final moments the plants would have been taken to the kitchen and stripped for cooking or to some fire to be burned. Onyx also wouldn’t be placed in an actual bedroom, and one as big as the one they are in now. So onyx starts to lie down, Batie-Anna pulls the blankets up around them, and they feel the bed and blankets are as soft as clouds, the pillows filled with feathers.

Before they knew it, they were out like a light, by the time they came to the blinds were shut and there was hushed whispers in the room, Onyx could hear Batie-Anna, but another male voice followed by two females, of which they assume are the healers.

“Onyx is exhausted as expected and extremely malnourished, it will take time and with a strict diet they should be back to normal. Tell your parents prisoners need to be treated better regardless of their crimes, remind them that isn’t a suggestion, it’s a demand,”

“I’ll try but you know what they are like,”

Onyx thinks that was Batie-Anna who said it but they feel … safe? comfortable? For once in forever, so they fall back into a deep sleep, the room isn’t cold or hot either, just at the right temperature something of which they haven’t felt in years. By the time they awake again, Batie-Anna is asleep in the chair next to the bed, despite how she has acted they never expected her to stay possible the night with them and sleep in a chair of all things—mostly after how bratty she has been—Maybe she has a good or at least caring side that just needs to come to light.

But Onyx lets her sleep, grabbing one of the many blankets over them and lying is across Batie-Anna, hoping to keep her warm. They even grab one pillow, crawling out of bed and placing it between her head and the chair. The last thing they want is for her neck to ache. One Onyx is back in bed the giant wooden door is heard scrapping against the stone floor as it open’s. A male around Batie-Anna’s age walks in, light brown skin, pitch black hair that goes down to his shoulders, parts of his hair mostly the front and side braids, slender and tall, his eyes a hazel colour.

He is dressed in silk clothing like Batie-Anna, deep red pants that just show his ankles, a black short-sleeve shirt with a deep red under shirt that has longer sleeves. He is holding a tray with three bowls full of different types of soup and three cups of drink. He glances at Onyx before placing the tray down on a nearby table and returning to shut the door to the room. Once the doors are shut, he sets up the table, putting the rinks in their position first then the bowls, and he makes his way over, making sure he doesn’t awaken Batie-Anna. He sits on a seat just across from her and looks at Onyx.

“My name is Juan, it’s nice to meet you,”

Onyx nods, signalling a like wise as they both drift back into comfortable silence.

They are out of the cells.

They really are out.

And alive for that matter.

Something of which they dreamt about for years, to be free. They are free; they have to be. They are brought back from their mind with Juan looking at them concerned and confused. Onyx loosens their shoulders, which were tense and almost up to their chin. Realising that maybe to Juan Onyx doesn’t look the happiest. As Juan goes to say something, Batie-Anna starts to awaken, stretching her legs and brings her arms up to stretch while rubbing the sleep away from her eyes. Juan wishes her a good morning, and she mumbles a thank you and how was sleep back. Juan had said good while Onyx nodded. Her eyes lit up upon seeing onyx awake and sitting up.

“Thank goodness you’re awake, I was getting worried the stress from the walk had done something to you. Juan, thank you for bringing breakfast, I’ll take it the kitchen staff made the soup requested for Onyx?”

Juan nods, explaining that the kitchen staff made up a chicken broth, one of the safest as none of them knew Onyx’s preferred diets, they made Batie-Anna a beef soup with eggs, noodles, and vegetables while Juan has a mushroom soup with pork, eggs, onion, and noodles. In Onyx’s broth there is some spinach leaves just floating on the top which Juan explained it’s helping to bring up low iron levels that they were deprived of.

The pair of them moved the table to the bed—Even though it’s breaking house rules for moving furniture—They know it’s best for Onyx right now. They just eat in silence, they remind Onyx to not eat too fast so they don’t throw up. They enjoy it normally Juan and Batie-Anna always have to say something to the family dinners but just sitting in silence is refreshing. As for Onyx, they are just glad to be around those who aren’t reminding them of being stuck in a prison cell.

Once they finish, they wait for Onyx to finish before cleaning up and moving the table back, some maids come in and open the blinds to let Onyx’s eyesight adjust to seeing the sun in forever. But once they have settled, they now see the beauty of the outside world. The castle high above the village that is surrounding the castle grounds. The green land that stretches far and wide outside of the village walls.

A land full of wonders

A land full of plants that need to be picked and harvested.

But the day was filled with the bed, soups, and rest for the whole first week, by the second onyx was placed in new clothing, that have a hood and goes down to the floor, dragging behind them as they learn how to walk again. Learning how to walk again was the hardest of it all, mostly with how lighted headed and dizzy they got. It got to the point that they were given an iron enhancement potion twice a day daily. But they were told every time they get to keep the bottle once it was cleaned out they could put whatever they want in it weather it be seeds or small plants as the bottle itself is enchanted.

But having to learn to move from the bed to a wheelchair made from polished stones as the leaves and held together by vines, branches, and leaves to learning how to move it with no need to be pushed everywhere. By the time they could control the chair on their own, they soon started to learn how to stand for a couple of seconds, which with time lead to minutes and soon hours and then walking.

By the time they could walk without assistance, they were told The King and Queen wish to meet with them. As in the current king and queen, and not the one that locked Onyx away all those years ago. It actually makes them nervous, yes they are the same people from years ago but back then Onyx was also called in to visit the king for a potential trade before they were tackled and taken away. It’s a memory burned into their brain, the same nightmare that haunts them every night.

The very day after the great burning of the village, many homes gone, shops looted and burnt to the ground, many missing, families in disarray, children crying for their parents, many running to family friends for comfort not knowing where their parents even are. Mother’s screams heard as they find their husbands have been killed or missing.

The village was in chaos, everyone had been up all night, those who were able to sleep through it and keep their homes and everything they own woke up confused, Onyx being one of them as their home was out of the village and deep into the nearby woods, one of which often kept them isolated from the village and the walls.

The village was in chaos, everyone had been up all night, those who were able to sleep through it and keep their homes and everything they own woke up confused, Onyx being one of them as their home was out of the village and deep into the nearby woods, one of which often kept them isolated from the village and the walls. That day they had left the comfort of their home after a letter had been delivered by pigeon, their excitement was high, the king, and queen had requested to see them over possible trade deals.

Their first ever trade deal.

They had dreamt of this day since they were five and found out about gardening and herbs. They had picked up some bottles of seeds, other bottles holding petals from rare flowers.

Their excitement was high.

But seeing how much ruin the village inside the walls were, they should’ve just turned around and gone home, their stomach was tell them that something was wrong—after all the evidence was all around—But they didn’t they pushed forward to the castle walls and into the grounds where they were greeted and allowed in to the giant throne room, where the king, dressed in what Onyx could only assume at the time was clothes from yesterday due what they thought was helping the people of his empire, and his wife who wouldn’t look at onyx, her eyes glued to the ground, her head lowered, but her round belly visible through her silk purple dress.

But before Onyx could even pull out the first bottle, they were tackled and arrested; the king saying something like everyone is to be arrested and no exceptions, not even those who live miles out. Onyx regrets leaving home that day, every day after that was undoubtedly hell. Years they honestly hope can forget and now leave them behind.

"Onyx?"

Juan asks, his hand slightly on the sleeve of Onyx’s new cloak that covers all of them, Juan looking a little worried, same with Batie-Anna.

“You haven’t moved in a while, are you okay? Do you need more rest?”

Onyx nods, more rest sounds perfect, they want to rest more before meeting the current king and queen after all, calm their nerves first before getting to riled up. The last thing anyone needs is for Onyx to panic and risk being thrown back in the dungeons for another hundred years. Onyx certainly doesn’t want that. No one does.

They both help Onyx back into the bed and pull the covers up around them, both rightfully concerned. After all, they don’t know what Onyx looks like under the cloak, all they may know is that Onyx is a human or maybe an elf. Onyx could be something else. But soon Onyx is sound asleep, their chest rising and falling with each breath. The blinds are closed, so they aren’t awoken by the sun, and a red strip of silk Is placed on the door handle to single to the staff to not come into the room.

By the time Onyx is awake, the feeling of doom is gone, they don’t know if it’s because they slept it away while being in a dark room or if they surrounded by two people that truly care about them. Probably both due to how relaxed all three of them are. But they must start the day, onyx must confront one of their fears, facing the current king and queen and hearing what they have to say.

They were just grateful Juan and Batie-Anna went with them. Sure, Batie-Anna is a princess of this family she should be on her own throne during this, but she is standing right beside Onyx.

The throne room isn’t as Onyx remembers; the blinds to the windows are open, letting sun shine through them lighting up the place, the windows themself open letting in fresh air, and the breeze from the wind heard from outside, the birds singing, workers actually happy the last they saw. The carpet from the door all the way to the thrones, no longer a deep purple but now a golden colour, yellow draping’s connected to the stone roof that hangs far above them. Colours that are much more welcoming and bright. The current king and queen dressed in their normal royal attire but toned down to be welcoming to strangers and members of the public.

The both of them stand as Batie-Anna and Juan bow, Onyx bows too but clearly showing how nervous and unsure they are of the royal pair.

“No need to bow, Onyx my dear, Arise,”

The queen, as soft spoken, tells the three of them. So they do, their backs straight, Juan, and Batie-Anna looking as if they are awaiting orders, Onyx more relaxed but their mind on guards, scanning the queen for any sudden movements while keeping an eye on the king. They watch as the queen goes and stands right beside her husband who is already grabbing some bags that Onyx can only be filled with food or something else.

But upon opening it Onyx soon finds a bunch of gold and silver thin circles, which feel cold to the touch, grabbing a small silver circle they give it a slight nibble finding that it doesn’t break under the pressure of their teeth.

It’s strange to onyx, something so weird to the touch and with some smell they can’t quite work out. Maybe they can be used in food or potions, maybe melted down for healing cream. Onyx will find a use for them, the bag after all could be enchanted into holding water.

“Consider that our first payment of our apologises. More will be coming soon. But for now tend to your plants how you please, rest and please keep up with your health,”

He turns around and walks back over to his wife who is holding more stuff, this time a cloak that is much darker, but that one has a simple cloud on top of the hood with a sun on one sleeve and a full moon on the other. Whilst Onyx is yet to understand or find some type of meaning they know it’s for them as the current one they have on is becoming too small as their gain their weight back.

Accepting it once it’s handed to them they bow to show the respect her, respect them and everything they have done so far. They straighten up, making a mental note to go back to their room to change into it later on, of course they will keep the current one they are wearing as it is valuable to them.

“Go rest, tend to your plants and report back to the gardeners on what they have done wrong then change into your new cloak, once we prove to you that we can be trusted you can request to go home and we will send a team with you”

Onyx watches as Batie-Anna and Juan relax, the both of them nodding before walking in different directions to do their own things. Onyx goes back to the bedroom and shut the door so no one can see their body. Once changed into the dark blue cloak, the cloud on the hood glows with the sun and moon, covering the whole cloak in some type of enchantment—only their white glowing eyes visible from the darkness of the hood, like the old cloak drags along the floor and the sleeves hanging way past their hands, hiding every inch of their body—How onyx like’s it—Once they are comfort they leave their room and decide that maybe they should go outside for once, the door’s next to their room is open with a wooden sign above it with the letters shaved into it; ‘GARDEN’.

Walking in the place is stunning, all different type’s of plants blooming from all angles of the area, Bushes a lining the pathway leading to a pond in the middle of the area where small bugs and insects are gathered on some lily-pads and water lilies, bee’s pollinating the flowers and going back to their hives in some trees. Many of flowers looking freshly pollination, some giving pollen in return to the bees as a thank you.

It’s a beautiful sight.

Onyx soon find their plants at the far end of the area, the pots in a small pallet of water one of which is clearly feeding them water mixed with magic, which is making them look a bit more healthier.

Onyx is thankful someone stepped up to help the plants.

Something which they desperately needed.

It’s bringing joy to their soul finally seeing them happy, healthy and thriving.

Something that was only a dream.

They give them a small bit of water before leaving and heading down the hall to the throne room and took the door next to the one of the son’s thrones of the far left, another hallway that went up some stairs and is met with a door.

They knock and wait.

“Come in,”

The voice sounds older than Baite-Anna and Juan, but posh. Walking in the room is covers from head to toe in magical artifacts and objects. From the different type of wands aligned on the wall and the windows being stained glass, the roof is enchanted with magic to make it look like it’s snowing inside, between the windows is a giant cauldron that is bubbling slight as the fire below it is mostly out.

Turning around and finding a table just over flowing with things stands a man in black clothes, training clothes as he is wearing a leather vest over the clothes where his chest is, his hands covered in thick black leather gloves. His pants the same black with brown leather knee pads. Leaning against the table in its own stand, a wooden staff that circles in on its self with a skull floating in the middle of it, Onyx is pretty sure the skull blinked.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, ignore him”

The guy says putting the skull end of the stick in the cauldron and Onyx can hear the skull speak and see the bubbles like the skull is talking, but clearly cannot be heard. Onyx is unsure on whether or not they should be concerned or worried or if something should be done, but looking at the guy, he doesn’t seem to be concerned or worried. So they just nod.

“His fine, his been dead for a while, it’s not like he will die again”

That’s … reassuring?

They think?

If Onyx dies will their skull be put into a pot and cooked?

“Silent type, I respect that, much better than my students. Of course most of them are kids and teenagers, so I cannot fault them for that, but I just wish the older ones would learn to grow up. Bricking baboon’s the lot of them,”

What a charming ray of sunshine.

His student’s clearly learn a lot from him, of course, that’s assuming he even shows up to teach, onyx can only assume he is busy being a wizard for this royal family. So Onyx just nods, unsure of what else to really do, what can you even say to that? Say to a teacher calling his own students baboon’s? After all, Onyx was raised with a positive learning time, along with any friends they had back then … but of course back then was a hundred years ago, times have since changed.

“I’m sure you have stuff to get to, stay safe”

He says, pulling the skull out of the pot who fakes a cough and gasps of air even though it’s a skull. Onyx is very unsure about that guy, and a talking skull? They didn’t know that was possible, unless magic has just evolved these past years?

A name wasn’t even given.

Strange man with a beautiful face, stunning brown skin kissed by the sun and white hair done up in a tight bun, they hope to meet him again though. After all, everyone is strange in their own way. But as Onyx makes their way out of the room, they make sure the door is shut behind them, and they are careful going down the steps as they really don’t want any step related injuries today.

Mostly when Batie-Anna will just laugh at them.

Once at the stairs and walking into the throne room, the king, and queen is tending to requests from some members of the village. Many people already being handed fruit, bread and even meat, Onyx is pretty sure they can even see torches being handed out too.

But they walk around them all, not wanting to be in anyone’s way. After all this, many people look overwhelmed, something which they want to get away from and not deal with it—Even though it isn’t their job to deal with—And they make their way down a hallway and out a door to their left, one of which led them to an area with balls of hay with a target tired around them, spares, swords, bows, and arrows, and even knives with other weapons on a rack, and training dummies made from hay and tied together with rope and magic.

The area open with no roof covering them and strangely enough no one around.

But it is stunning, sure the ground is light brown and feeling hard to their feet, but they know it’s need for balance and structure. Onyx knows there is very little plants that can grow on a ground like this, they can really think of one flower that would survive and thankfully they cannot see it anywhere in the yard—As they would save it from any damage and not cover the hole back in—and they know the castle staff wouldn’t appreciate it one bit.

Onyx stay quiet as one wall start to move and pull apart from each other, they move back into the hallway to find young Juan walk out from the wall, holding a bow and an arrow, a bit in front of him one of the one of the hay bails with the surrounding target.

So they just watch, waiting.

But they watch as Juan brings the arrow to the bow and pulls back on the string, aiming it up after a couple of minutes Juan lets go, the arrow flying through the air and hitting the centre of the target. But instead of onyx expecting him to be pleased, proud even, his face reads regret, sad, and anger? This confuses onyx, is there something they are mission? Is Juan off by the smallest amount? Was his posture wrong? It looked perfectly him to them. Onyx comes out from the hallway, watching as Juan flinches as the wall slams shut, Onyx only got a glimpse of the other side, something that wasn’t the castle a hallway, some dark room.

Worry.

Is the only thought Onyx has, worry, Juan must’ve seen the fear in their eyes—after all it’s hard to miss two glowing eyes with a face covered with the show of its hood—Juan puts the bow on the ground leaning against the stick in the ground holding up the wood beam.

“It’s just me, You just saw my bedroom that’s all. I keep a bow and some arrows in there to train,”

Train?

With a bow and arrow?

Shouldn’t a weapon like that be in the armoury?

Onyx looks at Juan, the bow, and the arrow in the target and then back at him, clearly wanting more answers. Instead, Juan just picks up the bow, climbing over the wooden fence and placing it in onyx’s hand, which is covered by the robe. The base of the bow is a smoothed down light wood, the string, white and shimmering if tilted the right angle, clearly having some enchantment on it. But holding the string, it feels sticky like spider webs twisted around each other. Onyx watches as it sticks to the robe but pulls away in one piece when Juan carefully pulled their hand away.

They really thought it would break with how weak it looked as the more they pulled away but the enchantment stayed strong. Juan hands Onyx the arrow after taking his bow back, the arrow a dark brown with a sharp metal end and white feathers on the far end.

“They are training arrows only,”

Juan explains.

Training Arrows, Onyx believes that, back in their day they were only an item being talked about something many of the people had been eager to make for kids as the normal arrows caused injuries when used as toys. Something they had wished to see the day of the first training arrow to be made, to be shown to the public. Something that would have been marked in history.

Looking at Juan, Onyx’s worry from earlier is dying down, showing they are more relaxed and trusting him now, trusting Juan that he is telling the truth.

“I wouldn’t lie to you,”

Onyx trust’s him, Onyx trusts that he is speaking the truth. They watch as Juan puts the arrow in a sleeve on his belt and hung the bow over his shoulder into a sleeve on his back. They walk back into the hallway to be greeted by Batie-Anna.

“There you both are! Father and mother have something to tell us, we mustn’t be late,”

They watch as she strides down the hallway, her own cape dragging behind her with every step. Juan and Onyx not that far behind her, none of them saying a word. Once they reach the throne room Onyx and Juan are next to Batie-Anna, her parents this time standing, their son’s not here.

“After much time of searching we have found papers about you, Young Onyx. You’re home is south from here? In the Narrow Grove Forest, correct?”

Onyx nods, that is their home, after all no one bothered to live there due to it being a flood risk during winter when the rain lasts for weeks. It’s quiet, a place that they call home not only because of the lack of people but the perfect grounds for some plants—They just need to get the time of year correct—And seeing the sun high in the sky with some clouds floating by the forest should be bone dry, safe enough for them to walk.

“As far as we know you don’t weld any major magic or used to weld any weapon, the same goes for our daughter. So we will be adding some who is more trained, someone who will be able to assist you all,”

They watch as the door to thrones on their left, the one Onyx knows that leads to that strange guys tower and walking out of it, is that guy from the tower, dressed in the same black leather armour and holding that staff that holds the skull in the centre at the top one of which Onyx is sure again blinked again. The name he gave.

Heahfre.

But none of them fight, none of them argue, Onyx knows they don’t have a say in the matter and deep down they know they do need someone skilled. They trust Juan, of course, but they haven’t seen him in a high-stress situation. Onyx knows they can fight, but it’s been years, they will be rusty, and Batie-Anna, she is coming out just everyday clothes, which only leaves Onyx to assume she will learn how to fight as the days pass. Heahfre is handed a bag of food, another bag of gems? Why would they need gems? And Onyx is handed a chest, one of which is coated in magic. Peaking inside, they see all of their herbs organised to how they like it.

They soon are walking out of the main castle gates and through the village, of course people stop and watch. Who wouldn’t, the princes with the royal wizard is out with some mystery person who is left up to the imagine on what they look like and a boy with a bow and some training arrows.

They soon are walking out of the main castle gates and through the village, of course people stop and watch. Who wouldn’t, the princes with the royal wizard is out with some mystery person who is left up to the imagine on what they look like and a boy with a bow and some training arrows. It isn’t long until they have made it out the village gates and walked maybe fifteen steps before Juan and Batie-Anna walk off to the left to look at something leaving Onyx to walk a head of the group, eager to finally go home.

“Gninthgil”

“Heahfre, No!”

Batie-Anna screams as the clouds in the sky come together and go dark, before anyone one could react a loud clap of thunder is head and a lightning bolt comes from the cloud’s and hits the ground where Onyx was standing.