Chapter 65 - The Little Girl

  "???????????????? ????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???? ???????"

  "???????? ???? ?????????????? ??????????." "????? ???????? ?????????????? ?????????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???? ?????????" "???????????? ???????? ???? ??????????????????? ???????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???? ???????" "???????? ???? ?????????????? ??????????." "?????????? ?????? ????????. ???????? ???????? ???? ???????? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????????" "???????? ?????????????? ????????????????." "????????????, ???????? ???????? ?????? ???? ?????????????" "???????? ?????????????? ????????????????." "???????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????????? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????????" "???????? ?? ???????????????? ????????????." "???????? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ?????????" "???????? ?? ???????????????? ????????????." "???????? ???????? ???????????????" "???? ?????? ??????????."-Helia Pace; King's Study- King Hades paced the length of his study, his mind reeling from the devastating news. The loss of Lady Vespera and the disappearance of Prince Rowan weighed heavily on his shoulders. He paused before the portrait of his wife and son, his firag the frame as if trying to reach through the vas to touch them. A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Enter," he anded, his voice hoarse with emotion. Kyle Brunte, his trusted advisor, stepped into the room. "Your Majesty, I've heard the news. My deepest dolences." Hades nodded grimly. "Thank you, Kyle. What news do y?" "The search parties have been dispatched, Sire. We've also sent word to neighb kingdoms to be o for any sign of Prince Rowan." The King's eyes fshed with determination. "Good. We must leave no stourned. Have you any theories on the boy's disappearance?" Kyle hesitated before speaking. "Your Majesty, given the circumstances, we must sider the possibility that this was no mere act. The timing, with the Huntiival approag and the ret... tensions within the royal family, it's possible that-" "Speak pinly, Kyle," Hades interrupted, his patience wearing thin. "Sire, we must sider the possibility of foul py. Perhaps even... an inside job." The King's face darke the implication. "You suggest treachery within our own ranks?" "I merely present all possibilities, Your Majesty. We must be prepared for auality." Hades turo gaze out the window, his mind rag with the implications of Kyle's words. "Very well. Double the guards on the royal family. I want every member ated for and protected. And Kyle?" "Yes, Sire?" "Iigate discreetly. If there is a traitor in our midst, I want them found and brought to justio matter their rank or station." King Hades turned back from the window, his face a mask of grief aermination. He cleared his throat, his voice rough with emotion as he addressed Kyle once more. "One more thing, Kyle," he said, his eyes fixed on the portrait of Lady Vespera. "Yes, Your Majesty?" Kyle replied, pausing at the door. "Begin preparations for Lady Vespera's funeral," the King anded, his voice barely above a whisper. "It should be... befitting of her station and the love she brought to this family. But keep it discreet for now. We don't want to arm the public ive our enemies any advantage." Kyle bowed deeply. "Of course, Sire. I'll see to it personally. Shall I sult with the royal uaker for the arras?" Hades nodded slowly. "Yes, but ensure absolute discretion. And Kyle... let's wait on announg Prince Rowan's disappearance. For now, let the kingdom believe both perished in the act. It may buy us time to find him without interference." "A wise precaution, Your Majesty," Kyle agreed. "I'll ensure only our most trusted staff are involved in the preparations." As Kyle left to carry out his orders, King Hades sank bato his chair, the weight of his decisions pressing heavily upon him. He stared at the portrait of his wife and son, silently vowing to find Prince Rowan and bring justice to those responsible for this tragedy, no matter the cost.-Vinar Pace; Arabel's Room- In a dimly lit room within the pace, Princess Arabel, Lord Heron, and Leena huddled together, speaking in hushed tones. "Hic, the disappearance of young Prince Rowan," Princess Arabel said, her voice dripping with false . "Such a tender age, o years old. It's truly heartbreaking." Lord Heron nodded solemnly. "Indeed, Yhness. The kingdom mourns for Lady Vespera and fears for the prince's safety." Leena gnervously at the door before whispering, "Are we certain no one suspects our involvement?" "Calm yourself, Leena," Arabel hissed. "Everythi acc to pn. Lady Vespera's unfortunate 'act' was fwlessly executed, and the boy is securely hidden away." "But for how long?" Leena pressed. "Surely the King will leave no stourned in his search." Lord Heron's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "Let him search. By the time as close to the truth, it will be too te. Our position in court will be unassaible." "And what of the child?" Arabel asked, a cruel smile pying on her lips. "How long before he outlives his usefulness?" "Patience, Yhness," Lord Heron cautioned. "Prince Rowan is our insurance. As long as he lives, we hold all the cards." The trio exged knowing gheir feigned sorrow for the missing prince repced by cold calcution. As they tio discuss their moves, Lord Heron's gaze turo Princess Arabel. He reached out, his fingers gently grasping her hand. With a galnt smile, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. "My dear Arabel," he whispered, his voice filled with affe. "Soon, we shall be married, and our union will secure our positions within the royal court." Princess Arabel's eyes sparkled with intrigue, her smile hinting at the power and influeheir e would bring. "Indeed, my lord," she replied softly. "Together, we shall navigate the plexities of court politics with ease." Leena watched the exge, her expression a mix of curiosity and caution. She khat their as were fraught with danger, but she also uood the potential rewards of their allianbsp;As Lord Heron straightened, his eyes locked with Arabel's, the room seemed to fade away, leaving only the promise of their future together. In the shadows of the pace, their spiracy deepened, while outside, the kingdom mourned unaware of the treachery in its midst.-Yuria Pace; Daleyza's Room- Princess Lilith De Lyria Von Draken Mistglen De Zorathian and Lady Aeliana Emberheart sat in Queen Daleyza Limonizer De a Domino's opulent chambers, the air thick with tension. Daleyza paced the room, her earlier posure now pletely shattered. "Daleyza, why do you harbor such hatred for Luxana?" Princess Lilith asked, her voice ced with curiosity. Daleyza whirled to face them, her eyes bzing. "Because she's the daughter of that wretched Roxana Von Or Mera Eana Kior! I despise everything about her." Lady Aeliana leaned forward, intrigued. "But surely the child isn't to bme for her mother's as?" "You don't uand," Daleyza hissed. "I didn't just hate Roxana. I eliminated her. I used Luxana's own nanny to do it. And now, that brat dares to wield the power of the Dragon Fmes?" Princess Lilith's eyes widened in shock. "You orchestrated Roxana's death?" "Of course I did," Daleyza spat. "And it should have been my Isabel who ied the Dragon Fmes. She's the rightful heir, not that half-breed wench!" Lady Aeliana exged a worried gh Princess Lilith. "Daleyza, these are dangerous words. If the Kio hear-" "The King?" Daleyza ughed bitterly. "Hades is too blinded by his precious Luxana to see the truth. But I'll make him see." Princess Lilith leaned forward, her brow furrowed in . "Daleyza, we've heard rumors that you've removed Luxana from the Family Registry. Is this true?" Queen Daleyza's eyes fshed with defiance. "Of course it's true. That girl has no p our family." Lady Aeliana gasped. "But how? Surely the King must have approved such a drastic measure?" Daleyza's lips curled into a smirk. "The King knows nothing of it. I have my ways of... managing such matters discreetly." "But the entire kingdom seems to be aware," Princess Lilith pressed. "How is it possible that His Majesty remains in the dark?" "The King is often... preoccupied," Daleyza replied dismissively. "And I've ehat those who matter are aware of Luxana's atus. The rest is mere gossip." Lady Aeliana and Princess Lilith exged worried gnces, realizing the extent of Daleyza's maations and the potential sequences of her as.-Circus on the east of Es, Capital of Elmir- The Circus Joker's voied across the fairgrounds, a twisted fanfare announg his prize. Beside him, perched precariously on a rickety crate, sat a little girl who seemed plucked from a mencholic fairytale. Her plexion or, almost translut, and framed by a cloud of short, dark curly hair. Her eyes, a haunting shade of blue, were wide and unblinking, giving the impression she saw far more – and far less – than those around her. She wore a light, viyle dress with puffed sleeves and a rge, slightly askew bow at the colr. Beh the dress, a darker long-sleeved shirt peeked out. Her legs were crossed delicately, her feet adorned with dark, strapped shoes that seemed too heavy for her small frame. H above and around her, as if aension of her very being, were the phases of the moon, each a ghostly, luminous disc. Delicate blue flowers, ected by equally fragile stems, formed a whimsical arch around her, a stark trast to the menag shadows of the circus tents. "Ladies alemen!" the Joker roared, his painted grin a terrifying parody of joy. "Tonight, behold the Daughter of the Whisperer! She cries jewels, ands nightmares, and carries the legacy of a broken realm!" The croed and murmured, their eyes fixed on the small figure beside the Joker. The little girl's haunting blue eyes swept across the sea of faces before her, unblinking and eerily calm. A brave soul in the audience called out, "What she do?" The Joker's ughter echoed through the night air. "Oh, my curious friend, she do so much more than you imagihis child holds the power to haunt souls, t your deepest fears to life!" He turo the girl, his voice dropping to a stage whisper. "Show them, my dear. Show them what you do." The little girl's eyes flickered, a spark of something a and terrible igniting within them. She raised her small hands, and suddenly, the air around them began to shimmer and distort. But the little girl remaiill, an uling calm radiating from her. When she finally spoke, her voice was a fragile whisper that somehow carried to the farthest ers of the circus grounds. "Once upon a time," she said, her eyes fixed on some unseen point in the distahere was a man who loved a broken soul. He thought his love could fix her, make her whole again. He was wrong. Broken things only know how to break." As she spoke, the crowd began to shift uneasily. Some clutched their heads, whimpering as if in pain. Others stared bnkly ahead, tears streaming down their faces. The phases of the moon above her head seemed to pulse with an otherworldly light, casting strange shadows across the fairgrounds. As her words sank into the crowd, a wave of unease spread through them. The carefully structed illusion of the circus began to crack, repced by the creeping dread of something far more real, far more terrifying. The Joker watched, his smile faltering just for a moment as he sehe power emanating from the small figure beside him—a power he could ruly trol. The Joker cackled with delight. "You see? She brings yhtmares to life! The perfect addition to our little family of freaks and wonders!" But even as he reveled in the chaos, a flicker of uainty crossed his painted features. For in the girl's eyes, he saw something that made even his twisted heart skip a beat—a darkhat threateo e everything, including him. The legacy of the Whisperer and the broken realm of Omeen seemed to pulse within her small frame, a power far beyond the Joker's trol or prehension. The Circus Joker's ughter died in his throat as he watched the se unfold before him. The little girl, her haunting blue eyes now gleaming with an otherworldly light, stood at the ter of the chaos she had unleashed.

  The crowd's cheers had turo screams of terror. People clutched their heads, tears streaming down their faces as they battled unseen horrors. The phases of the moon above the girl's head pulsed with an eerie, pulsating glow, casting twisted shadows across the fairgrounds.

  "Oh, but don't be fooled by this small frame, my dear spectators!" the Joker called out, his voice wavering slightly. "For this ohis one—she is special. And I io break her until she knows it."

  He threw her to the ground, the impact sending a dull shock through her frail body. But she made no sound. No cries. ahis wasn't new. Pain was an old friend, one she had known since she was small enough to still believe in kindness.

  Memories surged through her mind. Her mother—once beautiful, now a broken soul, twisted and hollowed. The endless lessons, the releorture. The s, the darkness, the words that cut deeper than knives.

  "You will be nothing," her mother's voice echoed in her mind, soft and sing-song, full of venom.

  "You are nothing."

  The Joker circled her, his painted grin now a mask of uainty. "Ahhh, how dull," he mused. "No fun at all when they don't break properly. But that's alright." He squatted down, gripping her in his fingers. "I know just how to fix that."

  With a snap of his fingers, performers surged forward, ropes in their hands. They bound her wrists, dragged her toward the ter of the tent. The crowd roared as the circus took its cues from the Joker, performers spinning around her like a storm.

  The first sh struck her back, fire streaking across her skin. By the third, she was floating, detached, watg it all happen to someone else.

  And then—something cracked inside her.

  The lights dimmed, flickering as if caught in the grip of an unseen force. A hush fell over the circus, broken only by the sound of a single woman's scream. Others followed, hands grasping at empty air, eyes wide in horror as unseen figures loomed in their vision.

  The ghosts had e. Their mothers.

  To be tinued...