Kingdom of Arzialla by Marilyn Arias (story reading txt) 📕

The beautiful stained glass doors were completely shattered and we exited before almost running into Orde.
“Come on! What were you doing?”
“I made friends,” I said as I ran past him.
We quickly rushed down the stairs and passed dead royal guards before going through the front gates. We ran through roads, noticing how there were strayed horses hiding behind houses. Orde placed Mila down and managed to convince one of them to act nice and help us.
“Zelimir, he doesn’t seem to be that much in bad shape,” he said, referring to the boy’s father. “But Mila is seriously injured. Take the horse and take her to a doctor. I’ll see if I can get another horse to take him to one.”
“But I don’t know any,” I told him.
He sighed, thinking. “The only one I know is at the other side of the city. Head South and you should find a post that says ‘Dr. Xavier’.”
I nodded, hopped onto the horse with Mila and dashed throughout the city. I was lost and didn’t know where to go anymore. I paused to check on Mila and found her limp. I placed my fingers onto her neck in hopes that there’s a sign that she’s still alive. Nope. No pulse…
“No,” I whispered. “Mila, wake up. You’ll be okay.”
The more I denied the fact that she’s gone, the more I was unable to speak.
“Mila. Come on. It’s only broken bones. You can’t leave,” I said as I shook her. “Mila…”
I looked at her face and found her ghostly white with blood staining her skin.
“Oh God… What am I going to do now?” I asked her through sobs, hoping for her to reply. Nothing…
Tears ran down my face and I didn’t see any point in going to any doctor’s office anymore. I wanted to get out of here. I needed to leave Arzialla. At least for now. But first, I needed to finish something that I promised to do for her if anything like this happened. I rushed to her house and tide the horse on a post. I ran inside carrying Mila’s body and entered her room before laying her down on her bed. I went into my room and gathered the little wardrobe that Mila was able to afford for me and threw them in a bag. I remembered that I left my knife at the palace but I decided to just not care. I grabbed a second bag and searched for Cally, finding her in her usual sleeping spot under my bed. I snatched her and dropped her into the bag as she meowed and hissed from surprise.
“Shhh, it’s only me,” I tried to comfort her. I cradled her in my arms while she was still in the bag until she calmed down. I grabbed food for her and dropped it in the bag with her, making her completely silent. I made sure that the bag was securely closed before leaving Cally outside and going back inside. I took some of her special occasional wine and other alcoholic beverages and poured them all throughout the house, including Mila’s room and her furniture. Just when I came up to the door, I decided to open it since this’d be my last time looking through it. I turned the knob and opened it to find it to be the same old thing every time I open it. I continued on pouring the alcohol all over the floors and came a bit short on it. Oh well, that’s good enough. I took the candle that sat on the dining table and lit it before dropping it on Mila’s sofa that was soaked with alcohol. The sofa bursts into flames within no time letting everything else catch on fire. I leave the house in flames and ride away on the horse with Cally and my belongings.

I knew Orde has a shed behind his shop so I dropped off Cally and my stuff in there, shutting it closed before heading aimlessly until I came up to the great walls that were supposed to keep the city from danger. I went out through the closest gates that I could find and stopped at the first tree that I saw. I wanted to be alone. I didn’t want to see anybody. I laid against the tree, weeping myself to sleep.
In the middle of the night, I felt a warm hand pass onto my cheek. A lullaby was playing and a soft voice said, “She’s happy with her husband and me.”

Syveria…
When I woke up the next morning, I found myself lying in a king sized bed in a luxurious bedroom. Marble floors. Maroon wallpaper with golden flowers. Chandeliers. Red cotton bed set. I even wore black silk pajamas. Am I in the kingdom?
“Hello?” I said before remembering the tragedy from the night before and Mila and the burning of Mila’s home. I felt a lump form in my throat when a royal guard entered. “What’s going on?”
“Don’t worry. You’re alright,” he tried to assure me.
I looked around before asking why I’m here.
“Despite the fact that you invaded his son’s headquarters, King Zysman noticed how amazingly you fought and was impressed with you so he wanted to get to know you and have breakfast with you.”
I was so lost but I didn’t question him. Afterall, he’s only a guard. It’s something that I should ask the king himself.
“He’s waiting in the dining room if you’d like to see him now,” he added.
I’d prefer not to but I can’t say no to the king. I hopped out of the bed and found the floors to be ice cold.
“We left you slippers for you to use,” he informed me. I look around on the floor and found red fluffy slippers. I sipped them on before I followed the guard. While we went through corridors, I noticed how the walls seemed fine and everything was as if nothing happened. Like we never had a Gavril attack. Strange…
We went through a couple closed doors before entering a room with a very high ceiling that had a chandelier hanging from it, just like how every other room did. There were two other doors in the room and they were guarded by royal soldiers. There was a single long, black table, draped with a red table cloth made out of silk. I looked down the table and found a variety of dishes arranged around a plate at the end of the table, where the king was reading silently. He seemed to be extremely sucked into the book since he didn’t give any sign that he’s acknowledged me. The book was completely black with ruby and golden vines wrapped around it.
I saw the soldiers close the doors silently behind them, leaving me and the king alone.
I straightened my back and felt my heart thump faster and harder as it seemed to crawl its way up my throat. I tried to swallow it back down, not entirely feeling any less nervous.
The king wore reading glasses and held a book mark in between two fingers as he continued to read.
I waited for a response from him but the more I wait, the more awkward the silence became.
I watched him turn a page and take his book mark and slowly place it in the book. Just when he was about to shut the book, I blurted out, “I’m sorry.”
He seemed surprised for some reason, probably not expecting an apology so early. He slammed his book shut and gently placed it on the table.
“Take a seat. You look so tense,” he said, referring to a seat next to him.
I hesitated, not feeling like it’s my place to sit since I’m the one that has invaded his property. I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do what I did.”
“Zelimir,” he said. “Please, take a seat.”
“How did you know my name?” I said with shock.
He decided to ignore my question. “Please, sit down.”
“No, thank you,” I said.
“Please. I know you must feel guilty but lots has happened. You fought remarkably,” the king told me.
I didn’t know how to respond.
The king gestured a hand toward a chair next to him, asking me to sit once more. I hesitated before taking my seat.
“Eat, you look pale,” he said. That’s when I looked at the dishes and found a wide range of expensive breakfast dishes. He took a water pitcher and glanced at me. “Thirsty?”
That’s when I noticed how my throat was drier than ever. I nodded.
“So…You’re the one who’s burned down the house across the village,” he said as he poured water into my cup.
That wasn’t a question.
“How did you…”
“There’s just some things that are left unsaid,” he smiled. “Besides, I’m the king. I’m supposed to know everything.”
“Then what about the small attack of Gavrils?” I asked grimly as I took my first sip, remembering Mila.
He sighed and gave a look as though he was looking for an excuse. “Let’s just say I’ve been too busy to pay attention to the kingdom.”
That didn’t answer my question but he quickly added, “I’m sorry about Mila.”
“You knew her?”
“No.”
I gave a confused look and he said, “I have my ways in knowing.”
“What else do you know?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Anything and almost everything. What I can’t figure out was what you meant when you asked about a young child with red hair.”
“Oh, uh…” I said, remembering the little boy. “Never mind. I was--”
“I believe you’ve come face to face with Syveria as a child,” he interrupted me.
“But…” I said, too confused to speak.
“I’m guessing you did,” he said.
“I mean, yes I saw her but the child is not her. I mean, it was a boy.”
“She was always a little tomboy before blooming as a young princess just before she was going to be the next reign of the kingdom,” he said. “Besides, she was the last child in this world to ever live with such locks.”
I was silent, not sure what to say. All I could think of was the memory of me trying to find the hospital and expecting to meet up with Orde there after having Mila treated. Wait. Orde.
“Is Orde okay?” I asked before remembering the man and his little boy that I helped escape the tragedy. “And the soldier and his son?”
“Sergeant Major Orde? The one who taught you to sword fight?” the king questioned. My heart