Thorns of an Iris : Chapter V - The end and a new beginning

The carriage was going up the mountain slowly. Before the departure Claire was taken in a huge bath and cleaned by two servant girls, then dressed up in a beautiful violet dress decorated with amethysts and iris models. Claire wasn’t despairing anymore. She knew that Conrad would rescue her. Nothing could ever happen to her as long as she was with Conrad. Their love would defeat anything against it!

            When they reached the temple she realized that there were many people, but Conrad wasn’t there. She started to panic as she understood that Conrad was the only one who could help her and if he wasn’t there she wouldn’t be to escape. What if she would never see Conrad again? She shivered with fear when she thought about it. “I’ll believe in him!” she decided.

“Now, girl, go towards that column on the other side of the yard and wait there for the goddess.”

“Yes” she said and went where she was told to go. As she was going towards the column, the people surrounding her made her a way to pass trough, placing themselves on her right and left. As she was going through the path created by citizens, they were bowing in front of her.

She reached the column and waited. Suddenly, a young woman with violet eyes came closer to her from the temple and said.

“I am Ophelia, the goddess of Saint Land. You are?”

“I am Julia Claire von Wyncote.”

“So you are my new body?” asked the goddess with apparent lust.

“No she isn’t” said a voice above them.

“What is happening?” asked the emperor getting irritated.

            Twelve white dragons were flying above them.

“White dragons? But weren’t they the Wyncote’s family’s? I thought they were all killed.

“No they weren’t, said the voice again. But now, we’ve come for revenge, William Günter von Wolfram. You shall repent for killing the true emperor of Saint Land, taking his throne!”

            The white dragons landed in front of Claire and their riders came down. They looked at Claire and said:

“The princess of Wyncote, now we will rescue you!”

            As soon as thy said it, the Emperor and his guards rushed towards them unsheathing their swords. The fierce battle picture was painted in blood and tears. Suddenly a scream was heard and the last of the Wyncote army fell at the emperor’s feet.

“Now, I shall kill you so that the goddess can take of your body” said the cruel man and pushed his sword towards Claire’s chest. The girl screamed powerfully thinking that this was the last sound she would ever say. But when she opened her eyes, she saw Conrad in front of her, with the emperor’s sword implanted in his chest. Claire screamed again and took him in her arms:

“Conrad! Conrad! Don’t die on me, please, don’t die! Don’t let me alone! Don’t forget your promise!”

“Claire…said the prince with an almost soundless last try to say something. Claire, I love you!”

“Conrad!” cried Claire, but with no use. Conrad’s life was slowly ending. Claire suddenly pulled out the sword from his chest and stabbed herself with it.

“With this, we die together. We’ll  be together for ever, right Conrad?” asked she with her last breath.

“Yeah” said Conrad, with a kind, loving voice “we’ll be together, forever!” said Conrad and died holding Claire’s hand. Everyone was silent. No one would say a word. The emperor was looking at his dead son and screamed powerfully.

“How pathetic!” silenced him the goddess. “To kill yourself for the one you love. This is something I never understood. However, you entertained me quite well, so I will reward you.” said she with a cold, insensitive voice and approached them. she pulled the sword out of the girl’s body ad cut herself on the tip of her finger, letting two drops of blood to fall on the two lovers. Suddenly, the two of them started breathing again.

            “Now you will truly live together forever” said the goddess and smiled at the two youngsters staying side by side, like trying to protect each other…

The end

Thorns of an Iris: Chapter 4 - Despair and encouragement; Love

“What happened here…” wondered Conrad. “What in the holy name of the goddess happened here?” As soon as he got home from the Amethyst temple on the top of the mountain, where he stayed for about 1 year, something he couldn’t understand happened. “Who was that girl?” “Why was she taken to prison?” “Why did his father got so angry?” Why, why, why? Countless questions were taking form in his head. “Guess I won’t be able to understand this if I don’t ask somebody… My father? No, he seems tense… Lady Augusta? Definitely not! Then the only one I can ask is the girl. I think she should be in the dungeon under the castle. I’ll go there then” thought the prince hoping for an answer.

Conrad went down the stairs and got out of the castle. The night breeze was so nice that he stopped a little to look at the moon. It was so beautiful that it almost entranced him. “Such a beautiful sight, he thought. It really is a beautiful night tonight. Beautiful? Now that I think about it, the girl was pretty too. Such a wonderful face, white skin, her kind eyes contrasted with her black hair caught in ponytail like breads that made her look like a fight. Indeed she was beautiful…” he thought and he skipped a heartbeat. “What was that? he asked himself. My chest kind of hurts now that I remembered her…I wonder how she’s doing… I’d better go to her quickly before father finds out I left the castle.” he said in his mind and rushed towards the entrance of the dungeon. As soon as he reached it he broke in, because the door was locked, and ran down the stairs.

Fortunately, the girl was locked in the first cell. He stopped as soon as he saw her. Still dressed with the golden dress, but with her hair totally messed, she was sitting on the wet ground, with her head leaned against the wall. While she was staring into space the fire of the torch illuminated one side of her and was creating playful shadows. The whole image was so beautiful, but almost wild and it seemed like it wasn’t human, more of a godlike, mystic and mythic image. Conrad’s heart skipped another beat as he saw her like that.

She suddenly turned and saw him. It took her a while till she was able to distinguish his face in the darkness, but when she saw who it was she gave him a sad smile, like she had made her resolution.

“Have you finally come after me? Is it already morning?” said she with a cold, raucous voice.

Conrad’s chest started hurting again when he heard her voice.

“Don’t worry; I haven’t come here to do anything to you. I just want to know what exactly happened this evening, because I couldn’t understand anything.”

“And do you think I understood anything that happened there? Wyncote? I don’t even know who that is!” she said and started to cry. “Why me? Why do I have to endure this cruelness? Why is my life so sad? What have I done wrong?” she sobbed. Conrad’s heart was almost torn apart when he saw her crying like this. He opened the door to the cell and rushed to her and embraced her tightly, letting her cry on his shoulder trying hard not to start crying himself.

“Don’t worry, he suddenly said. I won’t let them do anything to you. I will protect you!”

When she heard this, Claire’s heart started beating faster and faster. “My heart will tear apart if it keeps beating so fast.” she thought. Claire released herself from the powerful embrace of the prince and looked at him with teary eyes. He was also looking kindly at her with compassion.

“Why are you giving me hope too? You’re the second person to do it for me. Sadly, the first person, Lady Augusta was just a fake trying to fool me, betraying my trust. You will also do it, right? After all I’m the unluckiest person on the Saint Land.”

“What makes you say this?” asked Conrad.

“You know, my father actually found me in the forest 14 years ago. Because of that, I’m always mocked by neighbors. The only one who ever cared about me was my old man. But I was separated from him and brought here. Before Lady Augusta took me in I was purely desperate. But she gave me hope. Then, this evening I was thrown into this cell and told that the goddess will take my body. What do you think? Am I not the unluckiest person alive?” she asked with a sour face.

Conrad looked at her and then told her with a serious voice:

“You don’t worry anymore; I swear that I will protect you with my own life and never let you go through any hardship.”

“Why would you do it?” asked Claire with doubt.

“Julia Claire von Wyncote, I herby declare my everlasting love for you. Will you accept being the one I would share my life with?”

Claire was astonished by the sudden confession, but she realized how much she wanted to accept.

“Yes, I do.” said she looking at the prince with love, having a feeling of pure happiness, something she never felt before.

“You do me a great pleasure by accepting it” said Conrad and kissed her passionately. Claire was in bliss, the time seemed to stop as she was giving her first kiss to the one she loved.

“Let’s elope, let’s go somewhere far away where we could live only the two of us. Let’s go and find our happiness!” said Conrad with confidence. “We can do it!”

“No you can’t” said a thunderous voice from the front of the cell. “Conrad, get out of this cell. Go back and prepare yourself. We’ll leave in one hour to the temple.”

“I won’t let you kill the one I love father!” said Conrad placing himself in front of Claire.

“Do you want to die also?” said the emperor coming closer.

“No!” yelled Claire. “Please go, Conrad. I don’t want you to die! Please go Conrad!” said Claire and started to cry again. Conrad hugged her again and whispered near her ear:

“Don’t worry, I will definitely save you, my love!” and left the room quickly.

The night was slowly ending as a new dawn was making its entrance. The silence before the storm…

“The new era will start in a few hours. Will I be enjoyed by these two?” murmured the young woman on the top of the mountain opening her violet eyes. 

Thorns of an Iris: Chapter 3 - Fateful encounter

It was already two days since Claire became Lady Augusta’s attendant. She soon understood what she had to do: to stay by the lady’s side.

“Is that all?” she asked. “It’s almost as if I was your…”

“Daughter? Indeed, that’s why I took you. I don’t have any children, only one boy, but he is the fruit of my husband love with his previous wife. And he is also a boy.”

“Do you hate him?”

“No, of course I don’t. But he is not treating me like his mother. He is polite but doesn’t call me ‘mother’. Quite cold, isn’t he? But it wasn’t always like this. He found out I wasn’t his birth mother when he was nine. Before that he would tell me everything and we had a good mother-child relationship.”

“So that’s why you took me - to be your daughter?”

“Would you please accept this?” asked the lady looking hopefully at Claire. The girl thought for a bit then said:

“I accept. It would be my pleasure to be your daughter”

“Then, please call me mother, would you?”

“Very well, Lady… I mean…mother…”

“Thank you, you made me really happy, Claire.”

As they were talking happily a servant walked away quickly from the room’s door. “What should I do, what should do…” he asked himself repeatedly. “This is certainly not good news. I should report it immediately!”

The scarlet colored sun was setting surrounded by a brilliant combination of pink, yellow, orange and violet. The newly mother and daughter were watching the beautiful sunset wondering what will tomorrow bring.

“What do you say about a ball - to celebrate my new daughter? What do you say?”

“If it isn’t too much trouble, how about in five days? I will turn 16 that day.”

“Really? But we can’t. We are invited to the prince’s anniversary. It seems that the two of you were born on the same day…”

“Will he also turn 16?”

“Ah, no. I think that he will be 17. He is one year older. I’m sorry Claire, I would really like to celebrate you then, but it would be considered rude to be absent at the prince’s ball.”

“Ah, don’t worry, that day is not my real birthday. Since I was found in the forest, my father didn’t know when my birthday was, so he chose as my birthday the day in which he found me. He assumed I was one, so I’m not quite sure about my age also.”

“Oh! Then let’s keep it that way, let’s celebrate your birthday just the two of us, a day before the prince’s ball”

“It would be a great pleasure, mother.”

“Then it’s settled. Now, what do you say about choosing you a dress. Actually two dresses: one for your birthday and the second one for the prince’s ball. What do you say?”

“May I come with you at the prince’s ball?”

“Don’t you want to?”

“Of course, I’d love to, but I’m not invited.”

“Oh, but you are invited. I am in charge of inviting people.”

“But why?”

“The ball will take place here, at the Rose Palace.”

“But why will it take place here?”

“Because…,” tried Lady Augusta to say, but was interrupted by a servant who said:

“Lady Augusta, your son, the prince of Saint Land has returned. He is in the dining room, waiting for you so you can have dinner.”

“His Majesty has also come home?”

“No, he hasn’t. His majesty still has some work to do at the temple.”

“Thank you. Go and tell my son we will come to the dining room immediately.”

“We, your highness?”

“Yes, we. My daughter and I will come to eat as soon as we get changed. So prepare the table for three.”

“Understood, Milady.” said the servant and got out.

“Is it ok for me to dine with you?” asked Claire.

“Why not? After all you are my daughter, are you not?” said Lady Augusta.

“May I ask another question? What did you mean by << “His Majesty has also come home?”>>?”

“Well… let us go to the dining room and you will understand.”

“um, very well then…”

            The two went to Lady Augusta’s room and got dressed, Claire ending up being dressed by her new mother with a beautiful golden dress. Then they went down the stairs and entered the dining room. The dining room was actually the ballroom, hence, a huge, elegant and beautifully decorated hall. In the middle there was a round table with three sets of tableware and three beautiful chairs, made of wood and decorated with gold and silver models. A young man that was sitting on one of the chairs stood up and bowed in front of the two ladies.

“Good evening Lady Augusta. I’m back from the temple.” he said.

“Welcome back. How was your journey?” asked the woman.

“I cannot say it was pleasurable, but neither hateful. I see we have someone new around. I am Wolfgang Conrad von Wolfram. How do you do?”

            The manly voice of the young man resonated inside or Claire’s mind. He was handsome, fit, slim and had a beautiful white feature. His pitch-black long hair was braided and gave him a noble air. Also, his deep dark-brown eyes were so beautiful and kind, almost warm. Claire blushed and hid her face bowing her head so no one could see her flushed face. “I  should hurry and answer him, otherwise I will seem rude

“How do you do? My name is Claire…” said the girl but stopped as soon as she said her first name. “What should I do? My surname should be as Lady Augusta’s now but I’m not the one who should tell him he got himself a younger sister…” thought Claire.

“Claire…?” asked the boy expecting to hear her surname.

“Um….” Claire didn’t know what she should do. Suddenly, she heard a firm man-voice from behind her:

“Julia Claire von Wyncote. Right, Augusta?”

            Startled she turned back to see who it was.  Then she understood everything. The man in front of her was the emperor himself, so Lady Augusta was probably his wife…  And the young man was his son than? But how…?

“Excuse me, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. Can you explain more thoroughly?” said the girl with a shy tone.

“Hm, so you don’t remember” said the man with disgust. Then I will let Augusta tell you, it seems she already knew. Would you, please?”

“Well… I wasn’t sure, but it seems like it’s true. Julia Claire von Wyncote was also lost 14 years ago during the extermination of the Wyncote family. Also, you look a lot like your mother when she was 16.”

“But then why did you take me?” asked Claire panicking. “You told me I would be your daughter!”

“I’m sorry, girl, but it was an act just to catch you and exterminate you, just like we did with your whole family. Those ignorant people were always and always doing everything for the people of the Saint Land. That’s why I killed them. The royal family is supposed to exist only as a sacrifice for the goddess!” said the man with a cruel tone.

“What do you mean?” asked Claire terrified.

“Did you know? The goddess takes a new body once in 20 years. And the body has to be of royal blood. Sadly though, it seems that it also only has to be a Wyncote. So it’s great, since in three days the goddess has to change bodies. And you appeared   on time for it! Hahahahaha!” laughed the cruel emperor. “Now, boys, take her to prison, tomorrow we leave for the temple.”

“Wait! Please Lady Augusta, tell me it’s not true!” cried aloud Claire watching hopefully towards the woman with her tearful eyes.

“I’m sorry, Claire.” murmured Lady Augusta and bowed looking down.

             Claire started crying and let herself fall on the dark floor. So she was right… she was the unluckiest girl alive. Two soldiers approached her, took her arms and lifted her.

            “Only a bit, I don’t have to wait much longer…”The young woman on the temple on the top of the mountain chuckled for the first time in 20 years. “My new body is on the way…” she said and closed her violet eyes.

Thorns of an Iris: Chapter 2 - New Life

“No, please, no! cried the old man. Don’t take my daughter away! Please, don’t take her!”

“Father, help me! I don’t want to go! Please, let go of me, my father is old and cannot take care of himself!”

“Shut up! the soldier said. You should rejoice, old man! Your daughter will live as a queen as a noble’s mistress.”

“No! My daughter is too young for this! Please let her go!” said the old man and tried forcing the soldiers let go of his daughter. But he was to slow and with a quick move the soldier pushed him back with a kick, hurting the old man.

“He tried to stop me, the one sent by the nobles! This is treason! Take him to prison, guys!” said the cruel soldier and laughed.

“Stop, please, don’t hurt him anymore! I’ll come with you so let him alone!” said the young girl and started crying.

“Okay, okay, so stop crying!”

“Hmmmmmmmm”

They tied the girl’s hands and pushed her inside a covered carriage. There she saw other girls of her age. All of them were looking down, sad and about to cry. “Maybe they had been taken from their families, as well…” she thought. “What are they going to do with us?” Then she remembered what the soldier said : <<“Shut up! the soldier said. You should rejoice, old man! Your daughter will live as a queen as a noble’s mistress.”>> . “I wonder what a mistress is… maybe a slave. I shouldn’t trouble myself about that, I’m good at housekeeping. But what will my father do? He will be alone and can’t do anything by himself.” Suddenly she felt a deep despair. What was going to happen to her? Why she? Why was it happening to her? Just as she was sinking deeper and deeper into her thoughts, she was waken to reality as the carriage stopped.

“Everyone step outside the carriage. We’ve reached our destination.”

“Where are we?” the girl asked.

“At the Rose Royal Palace. This is where you will be chosen by the nobles to be either mistresses or slaves. Don’t worry, all of you should live a tranquil life if you will obey your masters. Now, come after me and do not try to run away.”

All the girls did so and were taken to the palace. There, they were aligned in the castle’s yard in front of a crowd of men, women, boys and girls, all of them being nobles. Some of them would approach a girl ask her something and take her with them or go back in the crowd to look for another girl.

The old man’s daughter looked at the crowd. “What beautiful dresses the ladies have! she thought in awe. I have never worn something like this. I wish I could…” Suddenly, a beautiful lady came closer to her and asked her:

“Girl, what is your name?”

“Claire”

“Claire…”

“Just Claire, milady”

“Well then, Claire, why were you looking at us so attentively?”

“Oh, please forgive me if I was a nuisance, but I couldn’t help it but think that your dress is beautiful.”

“Oh, smiled the noblewoman, would you like to wear one?”

“Oh, as I was poor, I could never wear something like that, but I pray to the mighty goddess to be able to at least once.”

“I like how you speak. Are you, by any chance, from a wealthy family?”

“No, milady. We were poor. My father was never married and he said he found me in the forest when I was a baby. So I’ve only lived with him. He taught me to talk like this.” said the girl honestly. Moved by the girl’s life she asked her with a kind voice: “Would you like to be my attendant? If you do so, you would be able to wear clothes like mine and have a better life.”

“Oh, I will gladly accept your offer. But can I ask you for another favor?”

“Please do, my darling!”

“My father is old and cannot take care of himself. May I go and take care of him sometimes?”

“Why, of course you can.”

“Thank you, milady. The goddess shall bless you for your kindness.”

“Thank you my dear. Then, shall we go?”

“Yes, milady”

“Call me Lady Augusta, Claire”

“Very well then, Lady Augusta”

A new life… The girl, once a peasant, is now a noblewoman’s attendant. What did the goddess prepare for her?

Once again, the young woman on the top of the mountain opened her violet eyes and muttered: “So it started…”