December 10, 1999 – Kingdom of Eva – úra – Eadres.

  Sunlight floods a vast hall rounded by windows that encircle the space. The place is filled with shelves as far as the eye can see, all of them packed with books of the most varied sizes and colors.

  In one corner of that hall, at a wide table covered with scattered and stacked books, sits Helena, a woman with slightly dark red hair, wearing an unbuttoned dark gray blazer. Beneath it, a white shirt and entirely dark gray jogger pants complete her appearance.

  Seated in a chair tilted backward, she is barefoot, her feet resting upon the old table. On her face, glasses aid her reading of a thick brown book held in her hands. Her greenish gaze moves from side to side along each line of every page.

  Suddenly, she feels the chair tip backward as if someone had yanked it, causing her to lose all the composure she had maintained.

  "Seriously, you completely zone out hehe..." Aruna, a young man with medium length loose hair, dressed in similar but slightly darker clothes, lets his brief laughter echo through the hall.

  He promptly jumps onto the table and sits cross legged while observing her. His red yet lighter strands stand out against the surroundings.

  "What do you want?" she says, regaining her posture and gently placing her legs back upon the table near him, returning her eyes to the book.

  "Oh come on... do I need a reason to want to see my dear sister?" A faint smile appears on his face as he tilts his head slightly to one side.

  "Have you heard the news?" He stretches his bare feet forward in a lazy motion.

  "Spit it out, Aruna."

  "Leila is dead."

  "..." Her pupils dilate, and her hands tremble so faintly that the book does not even shift.

  "I thought you should know, because of your admiration for her and all... not that I care about that deser..."

  Helena’s gaze fixes entirely upon Aruna’s face, making him stop mid sentence and swallow dryly.

  "Hey... no need to look at me like that. You know what she did and what she is."

  "If you are finished..." She releases harsh words in a calm, expressionless voice while returning her attention to the pages.

  "Whatever... see you."

  She bites down lightly, her jaw tightening beneath the skin.

  "One more thing, Mother is calling for you." His sharp voice fades as he leaves the hall.

  After a few seconds, once he has disappeared, Helena closes the book with one hand and throws it onto the table. Staring at one of the open windows high above, her arms hanging loosely at her sides, she exhales deeply. She rises and walks in the same direction Aruna had taken.

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  Several minutes later, on a large balcony of the castle.

  "Forgive the intrusion. You called for me?"

  "Sit down, my daughter." A woman with light red hair cut to shoulder length becomes noticeable. Wearing slightly loose formal white pants and a white shirt of the same style, also barefoot, she sits upon a comfortable red bench, sipping from a porcelain cup.

  Helena notices the brown book with golden details resting upon the table. A faint smile forms upon her lips, but quickly fades.

  "Aruna must have already told you about Leila." She turns her gaze toward Helena, who nods subtly while looking at the floor.

  "No matter what they say, she is an étrion, and my daughter..." For a few moments, the woman lowers her head, staring at the sand colored ground. "Do you still wish to follow her path?" She lifts her face toward Helena.

  "..." Helena hesitates briefly. "Yes... I will only be able to discover the true stories of this world if I am out there, not trapped inside a library."

  "Have you completed your training?"

  "Yes, but I do not wish to go on the excursion. I want to visit Leila’s tomb and follow my own path."

  "I imagined as much. You truly remind me of her."

  "..." Helena cannot find words to continue. As she briefly meets her mother’s eyes, she perceives something shining beneath them, quickly concealed by a subtle movement of hands.

  Helena clenches her teeth again.

  "Do not worry, I will be fine." The woman draws a measured breath and takes another sip. Her greenish gaze shines more than usual. "Be ready. When the next excursion departs, you will go with them to Paraíso. From there, you may continue your journey. That is the proper course of action."

  A strong smile appears on Helena’s face, then slowly fades.

  "I will be ready."

  "One more thing, Helena... I have learned that Leila has a daughter."

  Her mother’s words pierce Helena’s heart, freezing her as she stares once more at the floor.

  "I was surprised as well. Her condition did not allow for such a thing. In fact, that was the main reason she left. Daughter, I have one final request for you."

  "Do not worry, Mother. I will find whoever killed her and ensure that they never again breathe the same air my sister once breathed."

  A sincere smile forms upon the woman’s face.

  "Take this book with you, as a final gift from me."

  "Are you certain?"

  "The story described within it feels like more than fiction. Perhaps it will aid you on your path."

  "I will cherish this gift given by my sister with everything I have."

  Helena bows slightly before her mother after taking the book from the table. Slowly, she withdraws from the balcony.

  "One last piece of advice." The woman’s gaze drifts toward the wall. "Just as the nobles feel repulsion toward the commoners, they feel the same toward us. Be careful."

  Without replying, Helena departs completely.

  Only the gentle breeze remains, flowing through the balcony arches and touching the woman’s flushed face.

  Quietly, Aruna enters the balcony and sits beside his mother.

  "It is rude to eavesdrop on others’ conversations."

  "Sorry, Mother, I cannot help it." He lies down, resting his head upon her lap. "It is sad to lose someone with such potential."

  "Yes, but I sense her journey lies far from here. Sooner or later, she would have fled as well."

  "Great stories are written by those who venture beyond limits. Perhaps one day she will return with a book of her own. I can hardly wait to read it." Aruna smiles softly.

  "Lady Yvaine."

  "Yes, Simon."

  "I have delivered the message you requested."

  "That will be all for now. You may leave."

  "Yes, my lady." One of the servants, having just returned from a discreet task, reports the result.

  "Everything is arranged then, Mother?"

  "Yes. Now we must concern ourselves with our own matters and prepare for your brother’s farewell." She gently strokes his fine, shining hair. "Go ask him for one final training session before he departs."

  "Alright. See you later."

  He rushes away, conviction clear upon his face, soon disappearing from sight.