Tomorrow May or May not Come

1136CE

There weren't always dragons in the Valley...that is, until she left her mark. Athena Rosenwald, the woman who broke me.

When my journey started, I was but a fledgling, born like any other person of my race. I had a purpose, like the rest of my clan. A reason for being, and for the most part, I believed it to be true.

Yet here I stand, having failed said purpose, but still alive.

Why? If my reason for being is no more, why am I alive? Why am I unable to die alongside her?

Holding her in my arms, pulling her dead weight onto my lap, seeing her unseeing eyes, I can feel my belief fading away.

This was never about purpose, or even being for that matter. I had failed the one person I was meant to protect. The one person that, had she lived as prophesized, would have been humanity’s savior as well as doom.

This was about my failure, and it would haunt me until the end of time.

I shut her eyes close and gently pushed her off my lap, setting her on the ground and kissing her one last time before I stood up. Taking a few steps back, I waved my hand and saw my masterpiece take root as flowers engulfed the 1 acer land she lay on.

“…I love you Athena. Always and forever.”

5 Years Ago

Village of the Protectors

I was running through the greenery of my village, my excitement knowing no bounds. I ran through crowds of my people, pushing them out of the way, not stopping regardless of how many fell victim to my unnatural running. An occasional sorry was the only remorse they would get from me as I stamped on crops, toppling baskets of mushrooms and other fresh produce. They called after me in annoyance and surprise, perhaps wondering why a rule-abiding, quiet and good girl like I was acting this way.

Finally out of the market district, I passed the expanse of small, yet well constructed wooden houses until I reached my family’s house at the very end.

“Mother! Mother!! Come see!! You have to see this!!”

My mother slid the drapes that were the entrance to our house to one side, stepping out and eying me hesitantly. “Why the commotion Sierra? A lady is to be proper at all times, you know this.”

“I am sorry mother. However, I believe my improperness can be excused this once!” I pulled the sleeve of my dress slightly up my arm to reveal my wrist. There stood in stark contrast to my skin a black infinity mark, a new addition to my body.

Mothers’ eyes widened in surprise as she pulled me forward by my extended wrist, examining the mark. Tears brimmed her eyes, threatening to fall out as she pulled me further into a hug. “My beautiful, beautiful girl. I am so proud! I always knew you would accomplish great things.”

I smiled into her shoulder. “Thank you, mother, but this is only the mark. I do not even know who my charge is yet, or what they look like.”

She broke the hug, taking my hand in hers. “The mark means you are chosen, that is all that we work towards. The rest is decided by fate and destiny. It is your destiny to meet your charge, and meet you shall. It might be just days from now, or months. May even be a good few years, but never doubt that it shall happen.”

“Yes mother.”

“In the meantime, you shall train harder than ever! Remember, you must never fail your charge! It is a shame upon the clan if your charge dies of anything but natural causes!”

“Yes mother!”

Mother wiped her tears, beckoning me into our home. “We shall celebrate today as is tradition. It is your job to send invitations to the rest of the clan while I prepare the feast. We have a lot to do.”

-----

The Kingdom of Rosenwald

A small boy, nine years of age, ran towards the stables. Using his small stature to his advantage, he ducked under the rotting wooden gate and covered himself in muck as a poor attempt at camouflage. In the distance he heard his friend finish counting to 10 as he attempted to stop giggling.

“You can run, but you can’t hide!!” His friend called out.

“By Zeus!! The point of this game is to hide and not run!!” The boy shouted back in reply, covering his mouth with his hands in surprise as he realized what he had done.

His friend, the apparent seeker, ran towards his voice, spotting his muck-covered self in no time. His other friends filed out of their respective hiding spots, laughing at him.

“I told you I would find him first. I didn’t even have to try.”

The boy ducked under the gate again, exiting the stable as he patted himself to clear out the muck, only making himself dirtier. “Not fair, you knew I would not be able to stop myself from shutting up!”

His friend hit his back playfully, “If you know your shortcomings, work on bettering yourself my friend. It’s almost too easy to get to you.”

“Your chance to seek now.”

“Alright, let’s—” The boy stopped mid-sentence as he saw a familiar face pop out from around the corner. He looked to his friends, feeling apologetic. “Um, I am sorry. Looks like I have to go, next time we shall start with me being the seeker.”

He ran away from his friends as they called him names for abandoning them mid-game yet again.

The boy turned around the corner, meeting with the woman. “He’s back already?! I thought he was going hunting!”

“It seems the Lord’s bow string snapped My Lady. It is an unexpected early return for the hunting party as well. We have to hurry and get you changed. I am too beautiful to get flogged for your actions.”

The boy, or rather Lady smiled in response. “it’s looking like I give you a lot of freedom, for you to be able to say something like that to me.”

The guards bowed down in respect to the little boy they knew to be the Lady as she and her maid entered the magnanimous brick castle. They hurried up the many stairs and through corridors, entering the lady’s room.

“The bath is prepared My Lady. Please do make it fast as the Lord will be here in no time.”

The Lady undressed, discarding her clothes in a corner of the room and untying her hair as she sat in the bath, splashing a little water on the floor.

“I shall wash the mud out of your hair.”

---

The feared Lord sat on his throne, waiting for a particular someone to brighten his dull day.

The throne room was naturally the grandest room in the castle. To common eyes it was a sight unimaginable with its heavy gold-plated brass door, shimmering marble tiles waxed so thoroughly that the door’s reflection shown on them as clear as if the tiles were water, and a long velvet red carpet that started at the door and went right up to the throne where the Lord in all his glory was seated.

A uniformed guard stepped in, announcing; “The Princess Athena wishes to have an audience with My Lord.”

“See her in.” The Lord’s voice, rough with age replied.

The Lady entered, her new emerald green attire suiting her complexion much more than her previous disguise. The dress flared around the lower half of her petite body, making her conscious of every step taken in the uncomfortable garment. With her hair bound tight in a braided bun, the little girl was the very picture of royalty.

Athena bowed by way of respect to her father before he stood from his throne. Making his way towards her, he kneeled down to her height and embraced his daughter, smiling at her.

Athena felt her body stiffen in response to the touch. Smiling in return, she looked up at the man who had now stood up to his full height.

“Accompany me for a walk in the garden? I had a disappointing hunt and would like for you to better my day by keeping me company.”

“It would be my utmost pleasure, My Lord.” Athena kept the smile steady as the Lord took her hand and ushered her out the room, followed by his two guards and Athena’s maid at a distance.

The garden was royal in its own right, looking like it had sprung to life from a folk tale. The path upon which the father daughter pair walked was lined with colorful flowers that in the distance made way for thorny red roses.

Despite the beauty among which she walked, the Lady could not help her restlessness as she glanced up at the ruler of the Kingdom of Rosenwald. Her father’s blonde platinum hair that mimicked her own was turning white with age. The wrinkles on his face, his gold crown, and his black coat adorned with gold lace borders all previously bought joy to her heart when she laid eyes on him. However, those feelings had changed in the span of a year.

As Athena grew older, she picked up more from common folk who had grievances with the way her father did things. They did not appreciate, or even like their King. While the Lady wanted nothing more than to side with her father, she could not help but think whether one man, or the majority was right.

According to the nobles, the commoners were not to be taken seriously due to their lack of education. Athena however, felt her friends and even their families educated enough; for if she did not, she would not go through the trouble of disguising herself to be able to play with them.

Now every time Athena looked at the Lord, instead of feeling the unquestioning affection she once had, she felt a slight distance.

As if reading her thoughts, the Lord said; “Shall you never call me father again Athena?”

“It would be improper of me to do so My Lord. You are the emperor of this Kingdom and to call you anything but would be a great audacity on my part. I need not be older than nine years to understand this much.”

The Lord contemplated this reasoning, pleased with the answer he was given. “I see. You truly are wise beyond your age. Although I miss being addressed as your father, I understand you are right.”

Relieved that she had managed to please him, Athena could feel her stiffness fade away until suddenly a searing pain on her wrist gripped her, felling her to the ground. “Agrhhh!!? Ahh!! Ahhhh!!”

The Lord lowered himself to match Athena’s height again, more confused than concerned as to his daughter’s sudden pain. The maid ran to Athena’s side, followed by the Lord’s two guards. “My Lady?! My Lady?? What ails you?!”

Athena borrowed her head in the ground only to suddenly looked up again. The Lord, maid, and guards watched in horror as her naturally blue eyes shimmered gold for a moment while a mark that was forming to be an infinity symbol seared itself onto her wrist rather painfully, earning more agonizing screams from her.