Vaughn woke up from his sleep, heaving and taking long breaths. His bed was wet again—angrily he called out “Keeper! Keeper! Get me a pair of new changes! and change these bloody sheets!”


    He was hysterical, never had he felt so helpless, like putty in this shell of a body. The bed sprang and creaked as he jumped out, pacing back and forth. A maid entered the quarters with a new pair of white sleeping robes and sheets. She bowed her head, changed the sheets and took the soiled clothes and left.


    Vaughn sighed with relief and walked over to his study table. An empty journal laid in the middle, a small lamp glowed on its side —casting light upon one half of the desk as the pens and ink laid casted in the dark. Vaughn sat on the cushioned chair and grabbed a pen from the set. Opening the Journal, he stopped — he tore a page and wrote a sentence and tucked the page inside his inner breast pocket.


    Today was the first day of the Grand Ritual. Everything was set up — Stulo made sure of that. The Sacrificial Lamb, The Gods and The Bloody perpetrator. He was pulled out of his thoughts as a group of young maidens made their way into his room, dressed in red and white silken gowns, their mouths covered with black veils and the palm of their hands stained with beet extract, indicated they were the virgins maidens of the Elmarian Halls. They served the Elmarian Gods, though today they were to tend to Vaughn. It was considered an honour afterall. One that will lead them to ascend heavens.


    One of the maidens stepped forward — her hallucinating black eyes drew Vaughn in.


    ”We are here to get you ready for today’s ceremony, my lord.” Her voice had a charm to itself. The confidence in it told Vaughn, she must be the head maiden, in charge today. Though there were no specific titles among the maidens, subconsciously the power systems were doomed to develop in human relations and right now this woman held the power.


    Everyone remained silent until the black eyed maid spoke again. “Bring it in”


    The Wooden Doors opened again, now revealing the palace maids, carrying various things on trays forged out of gold. Moving with rhythm and haste in their step, they placed the trays beside the maidens, bowed to Vaughn and closed the doors behind him.


    “We will get you dressed for the ritual now my prince.”


    She clapped her hands twice, the music of lute and pipa playing in perfect harmony flowed through the cracks of his room, the women reached forward, and undressed his white robes.Stopping when Vaughn raised his hand and took the note from his breast-pocket and called for a guard outside his room.


    “Take this to my Bellator.”


    The maiden eyed the note in confusion but brushed it off as Vaughn nodded for her to continue.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The other maiden joined, undressed him of all clothes, bathed him with a mix of turmeric and rose water. His hands were stained with beetroot extract matching the maidens. Every hair from his body was plucked, only the ones on his face and head remained. The lids of his eyes were decorated with ink extracted from gold and only a single petal of rose remained rested on his lips as they covered his face with a red mask, that imitated his face. Vaughn could smell that it was made from sandalwood. Why did they do all that work, if they were just going to cover it later? He thought.


    His washed body was dawned with gold warrior armour, he was finally ready as the maidens handed him the last piece of his costume. A Polished Silver Sword. Vaughn would have thought it to be ordinary until he took in the 3 large gemstones that decorated its grip. He had seen this sword before, it was often depicted in the paintings of the Prince that performed the ritual.


    The Maidens retreated as soon as they finished, bowing their heads deeply. The head maiden remained behind to guide him to the Grand Halls.


    Upon reaching, He was met with the most ridiculous sight of his Keeper and Bellator, both downed in silver armour, their cheeks stained red, and their eyelids patterned with flowery designs. He wanted to laugh at their sour faces but he knew he himself looked ridiculous.


    Soon, he stood between them, “My-My. Who might these beauties be?” Vaughn snickered, trying to lighten up the mood. He needed his two soldiers in sane mind if he needed to execute the plan.


    “Can I kill him Mio?”Annik looked over my shoulder asking Mio, with desperation dripping from his eyes.


    “No Need, We are dying in 2 days anyways.”, this time, Mio laughed with nervousness.


    “Did you get my letter Annik?”


    ”What letter?”


    “Good.”


    Vaughn had taken everything into perspective when he had made this plan and it seemed to be working in the right direction for them.


    ”Listen both of you, after today’s ritual is over. Find a way to sneak into my room.”


    “What more shit are you going to get us into now!?” , Annik asked annoyingly.


    “I got us into this, I will get us out as well.”, Vaughn looked straight ahead. He needed these two right now, if he wanted the plan to work.


    “Well, we are going to die anyways Annik, so might as well give it a try.”, Mio was the one to speak now. To Vaughn, she was an odd girl. Sometimes she was courageous, the others a coward. Sometimes she behaved like a clown, the others as the most serious master of the 12 realms.


    “Only because you are saying so.”


    Their conversation was cut short, when Stulo, now dressed in his finest attire, stood up. The senate followed, they all faced the 3 men and to their surprise bowed deeply as Stulo expressed his finest gratitude for the Trio.


    Vaughn ran his eyes through the crowd, Mul was not attending.


    “We bow to the Future God and his warriors and ask him to bring prosperity to Bastalia!”Stulo cried in a high pitched voice. It was all a sham, of course.


    The event continued, the finest foods from the kingdom were served, the most beautiful dancers swayed the entire day in the grand halls as the melodious music flowed through the air, tickling beautiful notes under everyone’s ears.


    A Portrait of the Trio was made and the scrolls containing the requests from the senators were presented to the future gods.


    The event finally ended when the moonlight seeped through the grand halls and the constellations painted the emerald sky.


    When everyone bowed to the Trio and took their leave, Vaughn turned to his soldiers and nodded, “When the Constellation of Kara meets the east tower.” And took his leave as his soldiers nodded their heads in sync