The House of Vos

“Lady Sakari,

I watched as a dagger was driven through the heart of my brother for his 15th birthday. Sickness is not tolerated in the House of Vos, something you know all too well. I cannot thank you enough for keeping my secret all these years. Regretfully...it has become all too evident that the sickness runs in my veins. By the time you’ve read this letter, I will have already joined my brother in death. As my sole Lady-in-waiting, and closest confidant, you will be sentenced to death as well…”

Sakari sank to her knees. The Vos family held a deadly curse, one that very few escaped. Under punishment of death, all servants were to report if their masters ever fell ill. And yet, Sakari could never bring herself to tell the King of Princess Naima’s symptoms. Instead, she’d become Naima’s friend, and together they’d been searching for a cure.

Her eyes filled with tears as she continued reading the letter.

“You do not deserve the punishment of death for keeping my illness a secret from my Father, therefore you must leave the palace at once. I’ve already arranged an escort for you at our meeting place beneath the stars. Go now. There are far darker secrets that rest in the House of Vos.

It’s up to you, Sakari, my friend. While I will not ask you to risk your life to unveil these black truths, I will provide you with the means to expose these evils to light. That being said, I want you to know you are under no obligation to me.

This is not an order.

This is not a final request.

The pouch I’ve sent with this letter contains $20,000 in platinum coins. Should you choose to change your namesake and live peacefully instead, it will be enough for you to escape and start over. I have never thought ill of you in life, and I never will in death either.

Choose freely.

All my thoughts and prayers are with you,

Naima.”

Sakari knew from experience that the King’s temper caused him to be impatient and impulsive. He’d killed his first son nearly 7 years ago during breakfast. His second he’d executed a year later at midnight. His first daughter had been put to death at a gathering not more than 3 months ago. Wherever the King learned of the cursed illness being present within his family was cause for an immediate consequence, and their servants had not been spared his wrath.

I have to get out of here. Now.

Sakari attached the coin purse to her belt before donning her cloak and slipping quietly out of her chambers. The hour was late, the halls clear and dark. The letter from Naima had been specific enough that she knew where she had to go.

For years, she and the Princess had explored the palace for any means of sanctuary -- an unwatched place to research cures that would undo the family curse. They’d discovered a network of tunnels that crisscrossed beneath the city, all connected by a single water system that emptied outside of the palace. Unfortunately, the nearest opening was the bath waste tunnel.

She grimaced as she stepped into the bathhouse. Of all the ways she and Naima had found out of the palace, this was both the most convenient, and disgusting.

Her movements were instinctual as she traversed the network, never second-guessing where the tunnels split or turned. It was with great relief that she clambered out of the shaft, coughing up dirty water. The bath tunnel emptied outside the palace walls into a muddy river near her destination.

“I had a feeling that I would find you here.”

The familiar voice brought a shiver down her spine. She climbed out of the river quickly as a man stepped forward into the moonlight.

“Sir Ajani,” she greeted nervously.

Ajani stood tall and broad, a sinister smile on his face. “Hello, Lady Sakari. Do you care to explain why you are leaving the palace through a waste tunnel?”

“How did you know I would be here?” Under his knowing gaze, she felt as small as the water droplets that fell from her sodden dress.

“If you truly think a Princess and her maid could leave the palace without notice, you are sadly mistaken.”

Her blood went cold. “What do you want, Ajani?”

“It’s not a matter of what I want,” he said with malice, “by order of the King, you are to be executed for treason.”

“Helping Princess Naima find a cure for her illness should not be considered treasonous,” she shot back.

“Endangering the future of our Kingdom is your crime, Lady Sakari. By not telling His Majesty of the Princess’s condition, you merely prolonged her inevitable death.” He offered a cruel smile. “Merely moments ago did she succumb to her wounds. She died slowly because of you.”

A wave of nausea swept her body.

“You will come with me and plead before the King, or I can kill you where you stand.”

Sakari took a steadying breath as she met his cold eyes. “One day, people like you and that spiteful King will be repaid justly for their actions.”

“So you choose death?”

Without thinking, she rushed forward and shoved him as hard as she could. His eyes widened in surprise as he fell backward into the water, giving Sakari the chance to flee towards the hill.

“There’s no use in running!” he roared from behind her. “we know every place you and the Princess ever went! There is nowhere you can go that I will not find you -- you will perish by my hand!”

She ran on. Her chest heaved as she swallowed her tears and ascended the hill faster than ever before. Someone waited at the top, true to the words in the letter.

“Lady Sakari,” he greeted, “I am Enoch. Naima sent me.”

“I’m being followed,” she said quickly, “so tell me, did she send you to help me run away? To hide?”

“That is up to you.”

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“What do you want to do, Lady Sakari? Naima arranged a new identity for you. There’s more than enough coin for you to begin your life over.”

“What if I don’t want to run away.”

His face remained passive. He looked up at the stars for a moment before turning his gaze back on her, his brown eyes warm despite the chill in the air.

“What do you wish to do?” Enoch asked.

Sakari thought for a moment. While running away would not be simple, it would be easier than fighting for change. Yet something inside of her just couldn’t accept that. Princess Naima, her best friend, had been executed. She straightened to her full height.

“I need to overturn the evils of the House of Vos.” Her voice came out stronger than she’d thought possible. “I need to save our people. Whatever I must do, let it be.”

“There is a way, but it will be painful,” he admitted.

“Not nearly as painful as her wrongful death.”

The pause that hung in the air was interrupted by rustling from the forest below.

“We have to move quickly, then. You must walk through the Sea of Glass to retrieve a book that holds a record of the Vos family. It contains the curse they pass from generation to generation.”

“How will this book help avenge her death?”

“When put in the right hands, it holds both the truth and power to overturn their rule. We can rid ourselves of their evil, and replace it with good. But only by your hand can this happen.”

“Only me? Why...how?”

“Because your intentions are pure,” Enoch replied in haste, “you’ve been chosen. Now go! Retrieve the book from the Sea of Glass.”

“Here, take this with you.” Sakari removed the coin pouch and held it out to him.

“Are you sure about this, My Lady?”

“Yes, now take it and run. Use it to help establish a resistance. I’ll find you later.”

Enoch said a quick word of thanks before disappearing down the hill.

Like most, Sakari had visited the Sea of Glass to see its strange beauty for herself. Anyone could reach it, but no one dared to venture into its dangerous depths — not even ships. The anomaly had simply existed for centuries, cloaked in unexplained mystery.

Sakari raced through the trees, scrambling over roots in the dark. Her dress snagged on passing branches, but it did little to slow her down. She thought back to a time when it was her duty to be the voice of caution when traveling with Naima, but now she channeled her friend’s bravery as she pressed on.

Her heart threatened to burst with every movement, lungs burning as she finally came to a halt at the edge of the sea. She gasped for air as her eyes raked over the hundreds of thousands of jagged shards that stretched beyond sight.

She could hear Sir Ajani not far behind, tearing through the forest after her like a madman.

Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes fell on a single tree that had defied all odds. Its large trunk was rooted through the center of the glass sea. Two branches twisted together to form an intricate pedestal where a little black book rested. She was going to have to walk the glass to retrieve it.

Sakari took a step.

Agony shot through her bare feet. She bore the pain as she struggled across the Sea of Glass, praying for strength as cold, unforgiving shards slicing her feet to ribbons. A dark trail of blood glistened across the jagged edges in her wake. It was beyond torturous, but she couldn’t stop. She had to keep moving.

For the truth.

A particularly long shard pierced through her heel and shot through her calf. She gnashed her teeth, yanking it free of the spike before trudging forward.

For Naima.

“Is it worth it? Disparaging yourself in vain?” A voice heckled from behind her.

Sakari could barely stand, but an exhale of relief passed her lips. She had reached her destination. The glass bit deeper into her flesh as she extended her hands to remove the book. Then, with the last ounce of her strength, she twisted around to face Sir Ajani.

He held up a piece of torn fabric. “You were incredibly easy to follow.”

She fell to her knees, fragments of glass plunging into her flesh. Even so, Sakari held her head high. “This anguish is but a small price to pay to end this reign of trepidation.”

He stepped into the sea.

Despite the armored boots on his feet, his face contorted with pain. Sir Ajani spat in anger, taking another step.

“Accursed glass!” he bellowed.

No matter how many steps he took, he remained the same distance from her. He was farther from the shore, but not any closer to the tree.

Is it possible? Sakari wondered. That I alone could reach this book?

The shards began to quake. Sir Ajani’s lips curled into a snarl as he lost his footing. Whatever hateful thing he’d been about to spew was cut short as the glass swallowed his body, dragging him beneath their unforgiving edges. Then, like a wave, the fractals crashed back together silently.

Another wave rolled out from where the tree grew, the glass smoothing over to form a polished path back to shore. Sakari marveled at the sight through bleary eyes, the book safely wrapped in her arms. A sigh left her lips as a cooling sensation started in her body, healing the ripped and tattered flesh.

She stood, her strength and courage rekindled by the unexpected path.

Naima had hoped this would be the beginning of change for everyone under the dark reign of the House of Vos, and Sakari was going to do everything in her power to make that happen.