1. THE NIGTH OF THE CHOSEN

The sky was cloudy, small drops were falling, conveying a strange sensation that seemed to reflect my state of mind. Something like this had already happened in Lysandria, and I remembered perfectly the day I lost my mother. It was a day like this, cloudy and rainy.

I close my eyes, and images of the most desperate moment of my life reappear. I am kneeling, holding my mother's hand. She was in labor, but since we are from a simple town, we couldn't afford to go to a hospital, so a midwife was there to help. The sound of the rain outside seemed to echo my anguish as if the sky cried with me. My mother, with her labored breathing, looked at me with tired eyes and smiled, trying to find the strength to comfort her daughter. It was a weak smile, but full of love.

"Your sister is coming, Nyra," she whispered with tremendous effort. "You will be a wonderful sister, I know that."

Tears filled my eyes at that moment. My mother meant everything to me, my confidant, my protector, my best friend. And now, I was about to take on a new responsibility, taking care of my little sister.

The midwife continued to work diligently, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. My mother was in a lot of pain, more than I had ever seen her endure. She squeezed my hand tightly, her eyes closed in agony.

And then, during the storm outside, I heard a weak cry, the cry of a newborn baby. My heart filled with relief and hope, but that feeling was quickly replaced by the hushed sighs from the midwife – something was wrong, very wrong.

When the midwife finally stepped away, the room fell silent, except for the sound of the rain outside. She looked at me with sad eyes and shook her head. I knew what that meant even before I heard her words.

"I'm so sorry, Nyra," she said softly. "Your mother made an incredible sacrifice to bring your sister into the world, but... she didn't survive the childbirth."

My world crumbled at that moment. My mother, my anchor, my everything, was gone. I looked at the little being crying in her arms, my baby sister, my only family now. A mixture of love and pain flooded me as I held her for the first time. I knew I had to be strong for her.

The rain outside continued as if the sky wept with me. I had lost my mother that day, and the memory of that sad event would stay with me forever. It was a pain I carried deep in my heart, a wound that would never truly heal.

Days like this were painful for me as if they were a sign that something bad was about to happen; the anguish was inevitable. I took a deep breath, trying to control the anxiety these memories caused me when I realized it. I pricked my finger with the needle, and blood began to well up from the tiny point. I passed it over my dress, trying to contain it, being careful not to stain the clothes I was sewing.

To support myself and my sister, I had become a seamstress in the town, a young woman who sewed, laundered, and pressed clothes. I knew this town like the back of my hand, which, despite my youth, was already full of calluses and burns. I wouldn't be able to stay calm, not with this weather outside.

Our village was known for its tranquility, but on that day, chaos made its presence felt. My younger sister played near the window, unaware of the approaching turmoil. Sitting at the table, my fingers nervously tapped while I watched the rain, sensing that something was about to happen.

Then, the thundering of hooves shattered the air, echoing through the silent streets. Unfamiliar men in black cloaks emerged through the curtain of rain, their soaked capes billowing like dark wings, sending a shiver down my spine as I watched them approach. My heart pounded painfully in my chest.

My sister ran to me, her curious and innocent eyes seeking explanations for what was happening. I hugged her tightly, an automatic gesture of protection, even though I didn't know what we were protecting ourselves from. The leader of the knights advanced, with his imposing posture and icy gaze penetrating mine.

"We've come to take her," he said, looking directly at my sister.

"What do you mean? Who are you? What do you want with my sister?" Confusion mingled with fear inside me.

"Lord Blackwood demands her presence," he declared, his words laden with a meaning I didn't even understand. Who was Lord Blackwood, and what did he want with my sweet sister?

She clung even tighter to my waist, her eyes filled with tears as she searched for answers. I knew as little as she did, but determination grew inside me.

"She's not going anywhere with you. Who is this gentleman?"The answer came as an empty echo, making me even more nervous.

"Lord Blackwood is our master and he demands that we take her to the sacrifice."

My eyes widened at his words, a shiver of horror running down my spine. Sacrifice? The words felt like a punch to my chest, a horrifying revelation that made me question everything. My sister, so young and innocent, couldn't be taken from us to be offered as some kind of prize. I couldn't allow it. No one was going to take my sister.

In an instinctive gesture of protection, I placed her behind me, her fingers clutching the sides of my dress, as I stared closely at the leader of the knights, drawing from within a determination I didn't even know I had. My voice trembled, but I spoke with a conviction I hadn't known was in me.

"You will not take my sister. If this Lord desires someone, then let him take me."

The knight seems to ponder my words for a moment, his cold eyes assessing me. I feel fear pulsing inside me, but also a determination, welling up inside me. He assesses me closely, his gaze roaming all over my body until it reaches my eyes again.

"All right, how old are you?" My mind boggles at his question, what does my age mean at this point?

"My sister is 11, she's just a child. Take me, I'm older than her, I'm 19." A wicked smile appeared on his lips, causing me to take a step backwards as he pushed my sister towards the stairs.

He slowly approached me, pinning me against the wall. His large hand touched my face with malice.

"Are you a virgin?"

What audacity this unscrupulous man has. He breaks into my house, and scares me and my sister, thinking he has the right to drag her out of the house to take her to an unknown man.

"What does it matter to you? Are you going to take me or not?" I stare into his eyes, irritated by his question.

His approach becomes very uncomfortable, his face is so close to mine that I feel nauseous. He slides his fingers down my cheek towards my chin, holding it tightly, making me stare at him.

"If you're not a virgin, then I'll take your sister. After all, we didn't know there were two of you."

I try to pull away from his touch, but his hand grips my arm tightly, leaving me motionless in place.

"Answer me!"

The words sound like an order, his voice implacable and cold. As much as I struggle to articulate a response, my vocal cords seem to be trapped by the fear that consumes me. My chest rises and falls in quick, shallow breaths, my heart beating so hard that it seems about to escape from my chest.

His gaze detaches itself from mine, turning to the side as if my inability to answer has disinterested him.

"Since you won't answer, I think your little sister would be perfect for the act."

"No! You're not taking her! You have no right!" My heart leaped with panic and finally, the paralysis that had gripped me seemed to dissipate.

He lets go of me abruptly, his hand releasing my arm as if I were something despicable. I see him turn towards the stairs, and my fear turns to determination. My legs tremble as I take a few steps towards him, fighting the terror that still surrounds me.

"Come back here!" My voice comes out shaky but charged with a mixture of anger and desperation. I can't let them take my sister, I can't allow her to be subjected to something terrible and unknown.

I stop in front of the stairs and attract his attention with the scream that comes from my lips. "I'm..." I swallow, my lips trembling in despair." I'm a virgin!"

He stops on the stairs, while his face turns to me, a mischievous smile appearing on his lips, as if my answer would be enough for his next move.

He takes off his hood, giving me a full view of his features, blond with eyes as blue as the sea.

"Then we can take you. But know that if you're lying, it'll be the end of you." His big hand wrapped tightly around my arm, leaving an indelible fingerprint on my skin.

"Let me go!" My voice burst out with a force that surprised me, an unknown strength welling up inside me. With a desperate impulse, I free my arms from his grip. My breathing is rapid, and my skin throbs where he has touched me.

"I'm going alone, I just need to say goodbye to my sister." I meet his gaze, my resolve now stronger than ever.

My eyes search for my sister, a mixture of pain and resolution filling my heart. I approach her, feeling the gravity of the impending farewell.

"Listen, my love," I say, my voice breaking. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect us. Go straight to Martina's and explain what happened."

She looks at me with tear-stained eyes, understanding passing between us without us having to say a word. I hug her tightly, a gesture that conveys more than any sentence could ever express. After a moment, I pull away, putting my hands on her shoulders and looking deep into her eyes.

"Remember, you're stronger than you think. And we'll get out of this together, I promise."

My sister nods shakily, a tear running down her cheek. Heartbroken, I turn away from her, turning my attention to the man still waiting.

"Come on, let's go!" His voice is a relentless order, and I feel his strong hand clutching my arm, dragging me out of the house. My sister's cry echoes through the room, piercing my heart with inexpressible anguish. Her pain, her confusion, all of it resonates within me as I am forced to turn away from her.

"Our master will be satisfied with our work. But don't say a word about her having a sister. He made it clear that there couldn't be another one, and it would have to be between 19 and 20 years old." He continues to speak, his words like additional daggers to my pain.

His revelation is shocking, a grim confirmation that all this has been orchestrated in a sinister way. My thoughts turn to the implications of this, but my vision begins to blur as I feel a damp cloth over my nose, with a strong smell that gives me a feeling of lightness, leaving my body relaxed.

"Good, that way we can keep her quiet. Until we get to Eldermere, there will be the sacrifice for Lord Blackwood. "