Prologue-The Stone Flower

Annistyn believed she had a wonderful life, there was not a single thing wrong with it. She had a loving mother, a doting father and close knit siblings; all while being part of the imperial family. She didn’t even believe it was a horrible tragedy when her mother passed away, because the woman had prepared her for it, she had told her daughter she would someday leave her, but it was okay, because she would always be with Annistyn, such as her mother had been with her, and her mother before her.

They had a power, a gracious gift of the Goddess; the power to heal and to pass light onto those who needed it most. That was how her mother explained it, and Annistyn knew when her power fully matured was when her mother would pass, it was the only law of the power they couldn’t change, the previous holder would pass when the new matured.

On her death bed the queen pulled her oldest daughter into her arms and sang to her one last time, tears falling onto her chest, because though she had been taught to be ready, Annistyn wasn’t really ready.

“Hush my baby, you will bring so much light to the world, and I will be right will you, I feel it.” The Queen said, pushing back locks on white-blonde hair and smiling at her. “They are not ready for what you will do, and when you meet your destiny I will be there with you, to guide you along the path to exactly where you must go.”

“Mother... I...” Annistyn choked up at the soft look in her mother’s eyes and nodded. “Of course Mother, we’ll always be together, I love you so much.” She kissed the woman’s forehead and stood, smoothing her skirts and allowing her siblings into the room as well as her father. He pressed his forehead to hers before sitting at the Queen’s bedside, their children sitting around them and the family basking in each other’s presence while the Queen slipped peacefully into her death.

Once awakened Annistyn immediately set out to make herself a suitable destiny, the mourning period passed and though they had loved the Queen the nobles began pressuring the King to take another wife, someone who would care for his children and continue to secure the kingdom with more heirs. Though the Queen had bore him two sons and his daughter, plenty enough heirs the King did agree the children needed to be cared for, so he held a ball to find the new queen. It was there that Annistyn met her step-mother, the daughter of a high noble, she was a lovely woman who would dance with the King that night, and then bear him several more heirs after the wedding that would be held no more than 2 months later.

Annistyn would be there for all of the births, her siblings as precious to her as anything else in the world, regardless of who bore them. The new queen would be a good step mother, never favoring any child over the other, and giving Annistyn the means to begin finding her place in the world. She sponsored the young princess opening a clinic and her own children, once they were old enough would begin helping their older sister around her business.

When she turned 25 Annistyn’s older brother took the throne, their father stepping down gracefully to spend time with his wife in the countryside. Though she was past marriageable age at this point, a Viscount from the neighboring territory had his sights set on Imperial Princess Annistyn. She let the man court her and married him, a simple ceremony for their families, but then a festival for her brother’s kingdom. She laughed and danced with each sibling, and began preparing them all for when she would be leaving their lives after her child’s birth.

Ten years later found her in a similar state to her mother, giving her child the same words she had been given all those years ago.

“I will be with you, so don’t be worried my precious child.” She stroked the little girl’s hair from her face, wiping a tear, “You will need not miss me, for I will always be with you. Our power ensures we are never alone, myself, my mother, her mother, all the generations that were blessed by the goddess will be with you to ensure you never walk alone.” She pulled her in and kissed her cheek, smiling. “Call everyone now, I would pass surrounded by those I love.” Annistyn’s daughter stood from the bed and wiped her tears once more before running to the door and opening it for everyone to come in, her aunts and uncles, her father all came to sit at her mother’s bedside, waiting for her eyes to close for the final time.

Lisette closed the book on her lap and looked at the small table that would be set for breakfast in a couple hours. She had been trying for days to think of a way out of her situation once again, being reincarnated to just before you are poisoned by your older sister never gets better. The last time before she had died she had been told to seek someone who had freedom, someone to summon to take her place. The old witch had died before her, but the words had stuck, if there was any way out of the loop, it would be putting somebody else into it; and who’s life was better to steal than a princess.