Silver-tongued Sivi, Queen of Cheolyra, awoke minutes before the morning rays grazed her windowsill. She didn’t want to get out of bed. Her bed once adorned with gold and jewels, now stripped bare of its former glory, now reduced to a simple metal frame with beauty and elegance unfitting for even the most deplorable of degenerates. Cheolyra was once full of wealth, it was the peak of civilization, peasants and nobles once vied to enter Cheolyra’s illustrious walls. But if she were to walk the streets now, all she would see is poverty and famine. Where did she go wrong? She reinforced her emotions and brushing her sleeve over her blurry eyes. She kicked her legs from under the covers, gasping when the freezing air licked her bare legs.

“It’s that day again isn’t it,” Sivi whispered to nobody in particular, “right Kirie?” She turned her attention to putting on her worn-out slippers, ignoring the dam that was close to bursting, the volcano a few tremors from eruption.

“It is my Queen.” Kirie was always there. She was always listening. She was always strong. She needed to be strong, to be strong enough for both of them. Because the gods above, the ash-made gods that didn't give a rats ass about her, even they knew that Sivi wasn’t strong enough. Sivi felt Kirie approach, she lingered at the edges of her vision.

“Death take me.” She swore lightly.

“Rise, my Queen,” Kirie pulled Sivi to her feet, “or do you want to rest?”

A challenge. A provocation. A ritual. Sivi answered.

“I’ll rest when I’m dead.” Sivi held her chin high, assuming a facade of regality. She’s been doing this for years. What was one more day?

Sivi tried to ignore her en-suite. It was in that room that Sivi used to beautify herself. Hours upon hours, spent in the morning, at a time when Cheolyra was peaceful and prosperous. When the responsibilities of being a queen had yet to be laid upon her shoulders. When she was brimming with youthful life. It wasn’t that long ago. But the few years have seemingly dragged on forever. Still, she caught her reflection through the dusty, unkempt mirror in the corner of her eye. The sight sent shivers to her bone, an easy feat considering the fact that the bones were all she had left.

A sack of bones in the Queen's clothes, that was all she was. Her once silken, jet-black hair was covered with grime and soot; it trailed along the once lustrous quartz floor. Surprisingly, despite the squalor and inane desire to defenestrate herself, her bright, red eyes still shown, full of vigour and unwavering confidence, qualities that she couldn’t feel. The girl who owned those eyes was long gone. But those eyes still lingered, left in a husk of who she once was.

If it weren’t for her plethora of plain jewelry, she’d probably blow away with the wind

“We’ll have to cut your hair one day,” Kirie suggested from behind. She trailed a respectable ways away. Not to close for proprietaries sake, but close enough to be there immediately if anything were to happen. Kirie was perfect. Sivi didn’t deserve her.

“If we find the time,” Sivi replied curtly. Kirie sighed. They both knew that free time would only come after death.

The two neared a large circular window by an imposing, stone stairwell just as the sun peeked over the Dagrun Bluffs to the east of Cheolyra. The splendid white light spectacularly shone over the shining Azure Lakes that rested just before the base of the mountain range.

Dazzling blue met with blinding white to create an onslaught of beauty that could only be seen once a day and only from a certain height. Sivi lingered by the windowsill, drinking in the sight. For an instant, all her troubles faded away. But only for an instant.

“Onwards Kirie,” Sivi said, prying her eyes from the lake.

“You can stay a little longer.” Kirie lamented quietly. The lake-light reflected off of Kirie’s deep, green eyes, making it appear that Kirie was crying. Though Kirie would never cry, at least not before her Queen.

“We’ll see it again tomorrow,” Sivi spoke in a soft drawl. It was a burden to get out of bed. Every morning she had to fight herself in order to wake up. And this breathtaking view, a view only she and Kirie could see, could be the difference between waking up or sleeping forever.

“Tomorrow,” Kirie echoed, leading the way down the stairs.

Sivi followed her, feeling her hair drag down the all-to-large staircase. They twisted along a complex path, meandering through rooms and hallways that Sivi had long forgotten the names of. But the images of what the rooms used to be and memories they contained, those stayed with her. She tried to stop the memories, but it was a force of nature; couldn’t be stopped.

Two children, wide-eyed, chasing each other between rows on rows off sacred artifacts. Careful not to break any priceless treasure lest they get grounded. The palace had seemed so small then, she had known every tucked-away nook and cranny. Yet now it seemed so large and ominous. Devoid of what it was. Lifeless.

An old, kind-hearted elf surfaced when they walked by the infested kitchen. A cranky blademaster with the most beautiful smile as they peered down onto training field that, despite years of unuse, still smelled of boys sweat. A stern, didactic butler appeared in her mind's eye when they passed a bump in the floor. She smiled. She had bled so much that day that mother had nearly fainted. They were all gone now, the three of them and many more. Off to what Sivi hoped to be a better place, greener pastures. Unwillingly, a sob escaped her parched throat.

Kirie was at her side in an instant. She gripped Sivi’s shoulders and held them tight, shaking her softly. “Be strong.” There was kindness in her green eyes.

She shook Kirie off, “I am.” That was the last time. Her last outbreak. For today at least.

Using both hands, she threw open two large silverwood doors. A cold morning breeze rushed in, blowing her hair backwards. She stepped onto the terrace and tiredly leaned onto the white fence, overlooking the central courtyard. She let her overgrown hair and thin garments billow this way and that, and shivered under the biting chill of the morning.

People were already up and busy. An elderly man looked up at her and waved.

Kirie made a coughing noise from behind. She hugged herself and receded cautiously into the warmth of the palace, “I’ll be over here.” Sivi said nothing. Kirie cocked her head and poked her cheeks up with her index fingers, “Smile Sivi, smile.”

Sivi did so. It was fake, but she did it. It hurt, but she did it.

“There you go.” Kirie showed her teeth and ruffled Sivi’s hair the way you’d do to a child. “Please hesitate to call me again.” She disappeared into the shadows of the palace.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to pester you,” Sivi replied, feigning nonchalance and swagger. The two of them knew it was fake, but if it was for her people, Sivi would do anything.

Still looking towards the once beautiful, monolithic palace, Sivi propped herself against the terrace fence. Absentmindedly, she began to run her fingers through her thick hair.

“Wuah! It’s the Queen!” A high-pitched voice sounded from the courtyard.

“She’s so pretty!” Another barely developed voice sounded.

Sivi lazily turned her head, resting it on her wrist which was propped up by her elbow.

It was a little boy and a littler girl, dressed in brown, leather rags and displaying disproportionally wide smiles as they played around with a dirty ball.

The boy smacked the girl. “Look! She’s looking at us.” The boys jaw fell open when Sivi grinned at the pair. “You should say hi, Sis.”

The girl stared at him, stupefied. Then, she stepped forward and swallowed, “Hi! I’m Eva. And that’s my brother Stupid.” Her brother smacked her lightly. “Hey!” Eva protested.

Sivi’s grin broke into a large smile and she naughtily waved her pinky at the two. They gasped and vigorously waved back. A woman, presumably the children’s mother, snatched the two off their feet and ushered them away from the courtyard, disappearing into one of the connecting streets. The women came back moments later and picked up the dirty ball, spiriting it away towards the direction of the kids.

The sun had completely crested the Bluffs by now and the courtyard and all surrounding facilities were empty. Sivi arched her head over the fence, as much as she dared to, sighing profusely at the endless, cloudless, blue sky. “Maybe she won’t come today.” Sivi examined her broken nails. “What do you think the chances are that she forgot?”

Kirie stepped out of the shadows, peering northwards. A roar sounded behind Sivi. “I don’t think she forgot,” Kirie asserted bluntly.

Wringing her hands, Sivi turned around to face the source of the noise. “I don’t see anyone. But just in case, sound the alarm.”

“As you wish.”

Sivi could barely hear the large doors shut, not when the water dragon Liadrin descended.