We walked in the gardens behind the palace. The flowers were of many kinds, lilies, tulips, acacia, roses, and more, all surrounded by the sorrowless trees. The fragrances they exuded could be carried to as far as the palace gates. Perhaps even farther.

In this most gladden of spaces, there was silence between us. The anxiety I felt was nerve-wracking. I, who was once a demon in my past life, now felt so low before this prince. A prince whose contemptible gaze had yet to cease.

I had to break the silence in some way. I couldn’t stand the situation much longer. I felt my impulses would get the better of me. That I would feel the weight of the world forcing me to dominate this wretch, who would so dare to continue his look of sheer disgust, into utter and complete submission.

I calmed myself and said, “So what’s your name? You already know mine, but I know nothing of yours. Would you mind telling me?”

“Haven’t you already been told?” he said with a scoff. “You ask for a name in such a meek manner. Don’t behave like a woman, prince of the Immortal King! Why anyone would take advantage of your position given the chance?”

My fist tightened at those words. Under my closed lips, I gnashed my teeth. My aura of aggression was felt by the shy princess, and she seemed to cower.

I was sorry for her. Sorry that I couldn’t control myself, and sorry that she and her brother must have their fair share of enemies.

I once more calmed myself and asked, “But would you?”

“Who knows,” he said, laughing. His entire aura gave an air of menace that mirrored mine. It repulsed me.

“I’m sorry for forgetting, but you still haven’t said whether you’d give me your name.”

His face became sour. But he sighed and said, “My name is Varey. For I am One who is like a Boar!”

I suddenly burst into laughter on hearing it. I fell to the ground, rolling and cackling in a rather repugnant manner.

The prince Varey’s expression became emotionless, and he tightened his fists. His sister held to his arms tight.

Thinking on it, I wonder why it was that I did as such? While his name was humorous, it wasn’t as if I couldn’t control such external actions. Indeed, I should’ve known better, but alas! my desire for retribution, no matter how petty, mirrored my equal’s cause to strife.

“Don’t do this, brother,” Varey’s sister said in a faint voice.

The prince’s mind was set.

He crashed into me and, with fists of fury, pummeled me back and forth. The light of my face was replaced by a dull shade as it became swollen from his beating. I sought to resist. But my mind was blank with thoughts of humility and disgrace.

Varey’s sister stood helpless, frozen, and afraid. I raised my hand and beckoned her to come.

Her trance broke. She ran to her brother and did all she could to pull him away. When Varey felt the tug of his sister, his motions halted. He looked to me with fury and sadness. His eyes welled with tears.

He didn’t know what to do. His actions had brought strife when all he sought was distance in his favor. He ran from the scene in shame. Deep in the forest, his footsteps echoed, until they became silent. His aura could no longer be felt.

I and the princess stayed as we were for some time, wondering what had just happened.

Then the princess, with tears flooding her eyes, said, “Please, please, forgive my brother! We must find him! I fear he may hurt himself in his rage. I beseech you, son of the Immortal King, find my brother!”

Before I could assent, an image flashed before my eyes, one alike to what I saw before. But this time I could read and comprehend the message. It seemed as a riddle disguised as a poem. It presented me with a choice of whether to follow the ‘soul’ or take the path of ‘light’.

Without hesitation, I chose to follow the soul, and the image vanished. I saw a light leading me to the forest. Beside the light were various figures, dressed in robes of gold and silver, wings appearing from their sides. They all chanted:

I looked to my side to see the princess awestruck by the scene before her. She immediately folded her hands and prostrated as low as she could. While I stood there dumbfounded by this spectacle.

But what concerned me more was that these beings resembled so much the figure I saw in my mother’s womb. They couldn’t match her splendor, but they were enough to mirror it. From behind, I felt a small nudge. I was pushed forward.

I turned to look behind. Feathers of silver fell and vanished, dissolving into the air. I turned to look front, and the view was normal. The path of light was gone, replaced by the trail of stone and dirt that led to the forest.

The princess was still in prostration, refusing to move. She seemed both in joy and fear. I grabbed her, and we ran into the forest.

This wasn’t what I expected to happen, but all the same I had to hurry to the prince before ill could befall him. The forest, while docile, held creatures of great stature. And it was said that a flying serpent that served our family rested in those woods. A dragon.