Snippet #1873434

Anez watched blank faced as the king closed the doors behind her. She let a small sigh escape her, for now the business portion of the day was done. She crawled back on the bed which was more comfortable than she expected, and curled up in a small ball. Tears now freely flowing down her cheeks, she wasn't violently bawling, just silently holding herself in, letting her face become wet and her breath coming out in uneven sighs. She laid there for what seemed like an hour or two before becoming too tired and falling asleep.

It was a dead forest, a forest she remembered though was now brown and smoldering. This was the forest that she used explore all the time, not too long ago, and now it was gone. There was no one in this dead place, she was all alone; her family was gone, her love was gone, she was by herself in lonely dead world. She continued walking around frantically searching for some form of life, for someone to help share her pain. There was none. She looked at the ground hoping to find some plants that could help rebuild her world, help bring back the life filled place she knew. There wasn't any. No water, the clouds above held no rain, the soil was toxic killing an plant that even tried, and the air was poisonous as well. There was no life in place and no way to bring it all back.

Lightning pierced the sky as if ripping it apart like paper, setting a tree in front of Anez on fire. Other dead shells of trees caught on fire as well and soon she found herself in the middle of a fire that would destroy her world further until there was absolutely nothing left, not even the dead. Anez looked around frantically, not knowing what to do, and soon it was too late she was consumed with her world by the fire as well. Soon even she was left of her world.

Anez woke up in a sweat, her heart pounding more so than it ever had before. She looked around confused by her surrounding, expecting to still be in her room on the Citadel she lived on. Then slowly the memories came back, causing a new flood of tears to roll uncontrollably down her face. Even though she felt lost and still was upset about all the loss she had just had, Anez got up from the bed, her limbs shaking. She looked around the room, not sure what she was doing, and collected a small box, some candles, and tore one of the curtains off. She then put the box down, emptying its contents, and put her father's ring, her mother's necklace, and a small gem her love gave her into the box. These were the only items she was able to grab before the Orogs took her away from her home. She then put the curtain, a red shear, over the box; it wasn't black, but it would have to do. She put the candles around the box then, lighting with some matches she found. More tears fell from her face and her sobs getting stronger, though not completely out of control, as she looked at the small memorial she made for her father, mother, and love. She kneeled down, her head resting on the table that the memorial was on.

After a few more minutes for mourning, Anez stood up wiping the tears from her face. She took a deep breath regaining control. She had known since she was little that someday her parents would die and her mother had taught her that you can mourn, but not for long. That you must control yourself because being born into the family she was responsibility would come shortly after their deaths. It was now time for that responsibility, she could feel it. She placed a small bowl that she found next to the box, smashed a beautiful antique glass, and placed a shard in the bowl. This was her small offering or remembrance for those she lost since she didn't have any flowers. She quickly put the rest of the shards into a small pile before walking out of what she assumed would be her new room, though it would never be her home.

"I'll always remember you," Anez whispered to the box, "And I'll my best to protect my people just like you taught father, I'll lead us back into prosperity and happiness just like you wanted mother, and I'll have adventures always just like we were going to have Arawn. I'll do what's best for my people and bring this world to peace once and for all."