As a small boy, Lynx layed down on his bed with his mother sitting by his side. She held a book she made herself. Lynx loved the stories his mother wrote for him. She would read him a story every night before bed. As she held her book up, Lynx gave her a frowny face, "What's wrong? You don't like this one?" she asked him while smiling, he shook his head. "I'll read you your favorite," she said Lynx's face lit up and smiled happily, "yes," he said, "Mother, I was wondering if I can play with Wendy tomorrow" "As long as you finish your studies when you're supposed to," she said poking the tip of his nose playfully", "I will, and when is father coming back?" he asked. "I don't know dear, what I do know is that as long as we have him in our hearts, he's with us." "ok," he said. She kissed his cheek, "Storytime" she said opening the book. The story is named Star Empire. "Once, there lived a colony of fairies. These fairies have magnificent powers. They heal, make wishes come true, and they're the only ones to have powerful magic that protects them from dark and evil forces. One day there was a fairy named Lucient, he had a best friend named Edward, and he was an angel" His mother read him the story, and he was always excited about it every time she read it for him. The story was about Lucient going on a quest to save his best friend Edward from an evil king. He defeats him using his powerful magic; retrieving his friend. Lynx fell asleep, his mother leaned down and kissed his forehead. She left the room and wondered when her husband was coming back from his journey. As she passed by the castle, she saw light outside from the window beside her. It was torchlight carried by the soldiers her husband had taken with him; among the soldiers, she saw her husband. He's back home. They were heading to the dungeon, she thought he'd taken in a prisoner. She headed to the dungeon and couldn't believe what she saw. He was putting his own father in a prison cell. "How can you be so cruel, they weren't going to turn against you. How could you let your paranoia get the best of you, you will pay!" her father in law looked furious. "You know they will when they discover the great power they have to destroy our kind and that includes you father. They will kill you too if you get in their way and you will" "Get me out of this cell this instant" said his father. "Understand that I have you in here to protect you" "Or to prevent me from exposing you because I will and I'll have you banished for what you did. They never meant us harm, and even if they knew of the power they possess to destroy us, they wouldn't do such thing because they trusted us" "They trust you father, but you know what, better that I killed their kind before they come here and destroy us!" "Who did you kill Anders? Why do you have Winters in a cell?" she emerged and confronted him. They both turned to look at her. "Guards, take the queen to her chambers and make sure she doesn't step out" "Answer me, Anders," she said as two guards held her back. "I'm sorry you had to know this way, dear" "Let me go!" she screamed at the guards as they took her away. "Are you going to kill her?" asked Winters. Anders looked straight at his eyes, "Don't point me out to be the killer here because I would've killed you along with them, but I chose not to" With that, he walked away. Back at the castle, he sat on his throne thinking of what to do about his father, Winters, and his wife, Allura. Vincent entered the throne room greeting him, "Anders, you're back" he approached him, "was the search for your father a success?" "Vincent, my father he..i" he paused for a moment. "I couldn't find him" Vincent looked down and back at Anders. "Listen, we will find him, He wouldn't know how to deal far beyond this land with nothing and on his own. I don't think it makes sense he just left unexpectedly." "I don't think it makes sense either, he's sick and I need to save him from what's out there" "I will have a word with the sorcerers, the locating spell must've not been strong enough," said Vincent. "The sorcerers," said Anders. He thought of a way to deal with Winters and Allura, "They're professional right? they can't have their spells done wrong" he said standing from his throne. "I know what I got to do, I appreciate it, Vincent, I'll handle it myself, I have a plan" He walked out of the room with Vincent calling out to him. He'd forgotten about the sorcerers. They have many spells and potions. He planned to compel his wife and father to forget. He entered the sorcerers' working chamber and looked around. The room was quiet with shelves on the walls filled with glasses of potions and books of spells. It would take a while for him to find what he was looking for. "Your highness". Anders turned and saw one of the sorcerers stand up from a chair and bowed down. His name is Elias and he's the sorcerer's keep. He has the records of spells and potions used and why, he makes sure nobody steals anything from this room, and most importantly, he's very loyal to the king. Anders trusts him." Allura sat in her bed, sinking in what she learned about her husband. "Who did he kill?" she muttered under her breath. She looked up at the guard standing by her window to make sure she doesn't fly away. She recognized him as one of the soldiers that had left with Anders. "You!" she said standing in front of him, "What happened in the king's journey?" "That's confidential information, your highness" "I order you to speak or I will have you go to the dungeons" "I'm sorry, my king ordered not to speak of that event, your highness" "Well, I demand you-" "You're dismissed" her sentence was cut off by Anders. The guard left closed the door. "Tell me what's going on," she said demandingly, "Allura, like my father, you wouldn't understand that what I did was the good for our kingdom, our people, and most importantly, our son" "Who had to die for that?" she asked. Anders thought about giving her a chance. If she was against him after she learns the truth, he'd have to compel her. He explained himself and she learned the truth. He waited for her to scold him and scream at him for what he's done. She got stood up from her bed, "I understand why you did what you did" Anders was surprised. She knows what is the wrong and right thing to do in different circumstances. It confused him in a way. "He approached her and held her hands, "It means so much for you to understand, Lynx will be protected from them forever". She nodded and looked down. "I feel dizzy," she said. He turned around, walking towards a table that had cups and a jug of water. He poured her a glass and a strong wind entered the room. He turned around and dropped the glass causing it to shatter on the ground. Allura had opened the window of their balcony. She was escaping. After dropping the glass, he ran to her and caught her before she could fly away. She struggled to free herself from his arms, and she felt something poke her neck. It was a needle, he was injecting her with a clear liquid. She grew weak and he turned her around to face him. He held her and looked deep into her eyes, he saw a small white circle in the middle of her pupil. She was under the spell, " You don't remember me coming back from the journey and my father was never here, you will forget that I spoke to you, I compel you to" after those words the white circle disappeared and she looked around. She looked at him again and hugged him tightly. Dear, you're back from your journey" she stepped back and looked at him up and down. "You look fine, and Winters? Did you find him?" "Yes I found him", "I'm going to go see him". she walked towards the door. "Right now he's resting dear, the journey was long, he needs his rest". She turned around, "You're right, well, that means you need your rest as well. "I'm fine, but it is late, you should sleep" he hid is hand with the syringe behind him. She walked to him and hugged him," I'm glad you're home safe, Lynx, Vincent, and I missed you" "I'll go say goodnight him" he said," Goodnight" she kissed him, "Goodnight" she went to bed he walked out to go see Lynx. He didn't think he'd ever do something like that to Allura and her father, but he knew it was for the best because all he wants is to protect his family and his kingdom from any danger lurking about even if it means to go to great lengths to make that happen. That's something he could live with for the rest of his life.
