In the capital, under the sun's benevolent gaze, which rises and falls athwart the tides of the shore, Clotho's eyes embraced the jeweled radiance of the sea; a pensive look possessed her face. Footsteps began to echo against the stone hallway behind her; however, they did not disturb the serenity the view imposed on her, for a vast fog hugged every crevice of her mind.

  "You know," the prince said, "I used to gaze at the sea with my mother. She encouraged me to imagine the world below the water and what it would be like if I lived there, but eventually, it became clear to me, and so I asked my mother a question. If I could be anything, do anything, have anything, then the hardest riddle to solve would be myself, wouldn't it?"

  The prince looked to the side, and Clotho smiled. "Thank you, Julius, for your kind words," she said. "It's a new life, or rather, my first, where I get to choose what I eat, where I go, who I serve. The burden of bearing freedom is a heavy one to one who is not accustomed to it. In all honesty, I'm scared, scared I'll make the wrong choice, but even more scared of the consequences." Clotho turned around to face Julius as the wind bellowed against the cliffside.

  "It's the consequences that define us, Clotho," Julius said.

  "Come now," Clotho said, "there is much I need to be educated on regarding the kingdom's current state."

  "Very well then," Julius said.

  Julius' calm acceptance was interrupted by the sound of Clotho throwing up pink and blue ooze along with chunks of her intestines.

  A look of horror flashed across Julius's face. He regained his composure and called for a servant as he helped Clotho up as she squinted and squirmed from the pain. The area where Clotho had thrown up had warped into flowers, trees, and a half-grown skinless creature.

  A servant walked into the room with haste. "Yes, Prince Julius?" They glanced at Clotho, meeting her agonized gaze, and they responded not with horror but with awe. They quickly snapped back to their senses, only to be met with the prince's stern tone.

  "The King will never know of this incident, understood? Request the carpenters to replace the tile floor in this room, and Silvia, thank you. And one more thing, get some bathwater ready and clean her up. Thank you."

  While getting changed after the bath, Clotho was met with her own eyes, yet they were alien to her. "Monster," she uttered. As she averted her gaze from herself, she thought, "No... I chose this. If I'm supposed to be the most powerful seer, I should get to reading."

  Clotho got dressed in her evening attire and made her way to the library. When she entered the library, a labyrinth of shelves nestled deep within the heart of the empire, its soul permeating every thought, every word, every value of the population, she was met by Julius reading a young girl a book. The prince looked up at the sound of Clotho's hooves. Her long, jet-black hair shined in the candlelight, contrasting her pale skin, which refracted the light into an array of subtle colors. Julius greeted Clotho with a smile.

  The girl was startled at the sight of Clotho and clung to Julius. "Brother," she whispered.

  Clotho pursed her lips into a soft smile and began glancing around the room, avoiding eye contact with the girl. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you," Clotho said.

  The prince let out a hearty, warm laugh. He told his sister, "There is nothing to worry about. This is a new friend of mine and an old friend of the family." The girl's eyes lit up. "Old? How old?"

  "I've been involved," Clotho said, "with your family for eighty-five years, Clementine, since I was born."

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  "So you knew Grandfather?" asked Clementine. Clotho's mind wandered when thinking about their grandfather.

  A look of appreciation, melancholy, then hatred was sewn sequentially on her face, then a look of self-pity. "Oh, I'm sorry, I probably... shouldn't have asked."

  The girl hugged Clotho. "When I'm sad," she said, "I have my brother Julius read me a story. Maybe he can cheer you up?"

  Clotho took a moment to process this invitation before she sat on the sofa with Clementine.

  Julius resumed the folktale he was reading. "And so Merigath the Earth and her dual, Promoglith the Sun, the mother and the father, through the union of their inherent properties, gave birth to humanity. The mother bestowed upon us our bodies, and the father bestowed upon us our souls, fated to be forever in an eternal dance. One realizes itself through the other..."

  By the time Julius had finished the story, Clotho and Clementine were sound asleep, Clementine leaning on Clotho, and Clotho resting herself on Julius's shoulder. Julius didn't know how to react to this. Whatever warmth Clotho shared, or everyone seemed to share, he had become estranged from long ago.

  And so the prince nestled with his sister, his joy, and Clotho, his hope.

  Clotho woke up in her bed to the smell of seasoned chicken and fruits. "Lady Clotho, the king demands your audience."

  "Robes will do," Clotho said.

  Clotho was dressed in robes.

  She had a conversation with the maid when she shied away from her reflection in the mirror about Clotho having the potential to create life from nothing and heal wounds.

  "That is the power of the sages from legend, such as Averda." Clotho sat in silence as the maid finished combing her hair.

  "Former Arch Sentinel Clotho Quacilian, it pleases me to welcome you back into our family as a confidant."

  Clotho bowed. "I apologize for my father's treatment of you," the king said. "It pains me so. However, with my grip on the nobility and the clergy weakening, I could not openly release you until now. I am nearing my last days, Clotho. I wish for my kingdom to live long and well, yet my sons, aside from the bastard, are lacking in courage and heart. My son does not know the horrors of war or the deceit within the court. If the legend, Clotho, and the prince who holds the heart of the people conjoin, then perhaps there is hope for us. You understand the implications?"

  "I do, my king," Clotho said. Julius took a moment to process everything.

  The painted windows refracted the light into a myriad of colors that reflected his countenance. This woman whose skin warped light into an ethereal rainbow mist that danced under her almost translucent gray skin. This woman who was robbed of her life by the family she gave everything to, and now... she was supposed to lay with one of them. He thought this, unaware of Clotho's disposition towards him, unaware of the fondness and familiarity between them. But Julius could not betray the will of his father, and so he stood there in silence. He was broken from his deep contemplation by his father dismissing the audience.

  The church was cold, only warmed by the words of the folk scurrying about, all their redeeming qualities falling short before their deficits, which were illuminated by the Word. The vine stretched across the exterior. Julius wondered if this was a metaphor for life containing the soul, which was everywhere all at once. As he entered the church, he was greeted by Father Victor.

  "Father Victor, Prince Julius..." Julius paused for a second. "Do you have a moment? There is something that weighs on my mind heavily," Julius said. "If you would be so kind as to appraise my troubles."

  "Ah," Victor said, "I know that look anywhere, Prince. Who's the lady?" Victor asked warmly.

  "Call me Julius," he said. "Her name is Clotho. My father arranged our marriage unbeknownst to me. However... my family committed a great treachery against her in the past... I don't know if my conscience can bear this."

  Father Victor nodded. "I understand, son, but have you asked the missus how she feels and what she thinks? I'm sure this makes her heart weary as well."

  Victor said.

  "Yet it troubles me," repeated Julius. Julius abruptly stood up and nodded at Victor. "Thank you," he said before exiting the church, his footsteps echoing against the stone walls as his warmth emanated from his cadence.

  Clotho went to the library to find Julius and his sister. Once again, Clementine seemed to be crying, and Julius was comforting her. Her pet mouse was crushed to death by the third prince's dog. She was cradling it there. Clotho walked over to Clementine and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Clementine's crying turned into hallowed screams as the mouse began to squirm and jump to life and scurry about. Julius looked at the situation.

  "This shouldn't be possible," he said. The mouse ran to Julius, and Julius petted it. "Hey, buddy." After Clementine realized what happened and that her pet mouse was alive, her screaming morphed into joy. Clotho looked at her hands, perplexed.