If I had known any better, I wouldn't have made a fuss about changing my robes and slipping in my sandals to go outside.

I wouldn't have whined and showed laziness to feel the sun's light on my skin.

I wouldn't have rolled her eyes.

Nor groaned as I spotted a black haired boy sitting at the top of a hill.

If I had known any better, I wouldn't have pretended like life wasn't enclosed in a time capsule. I would have treated like every grain of sand mattered.

"Big brother Ashera,"

I stopped to be behind the only willow tree that rested on the top of said hill. Soft wind blew through my hair and the fabric on my robes matched its pace. I stared down at the houses below us.

From up here, I felt like I could see everything.

"Hey brother, our mother calls for us."

I sighed and chuckled a little. I had received no response so it was an immediate prop np for me to come closer. Still, I bugged the boy with the same question.

"Where are you looking at, brother?"

It was only then did I hear a dry: "The sun."

No interest at my appearance, no time to even acknowledge I was here in person. Just focused eyes—as if lured in, staring at that glistening sphere.

I frowned, moving my head up to face the direction he was looking at. Immediately did I raise a hand up as a reflex to shield my eyes from the sudden flash coming forth. I protected myself from the sun.

"The sun?" I whispered, showing little to no interest. My little comment afterwards hinted at that. "Boy, is it bright.."

I never understood why you came outside every so often, Ashera.

Was it to look at the sun?

Ashera didn't move a muscle, but he did turn around and gave me a questionable glare. It wasn't a deadly one, I'd say. This boy was far too kind for those. But, I did see a little bit of offense rising.

Noticing said tension, I lowered myself to the grass and took a seat, after making sure my robes wouldn't be stained in dirt. "Mother said it's bad to stare at the sun for too long, you could go blind." I reminded him.

Ashera shakes his head, "But I like looking at the sun." I managed to actually sigh once again, this time in disappointed, at his response. Couldn't he have thought about anything better?

Geez, Ashera, you're the older brother.

"Why do you like the sun so much?" I asked. I prepared myself to not expect a rational response.

Ashera pondered for a minute, I allowed him time to think.

The drains of sand in the capsule dawned on us all.

"It's warm." He says quietly. "I don't know why but the heat it gives off whenever your eyes stare directly at it. You'll never be cold ever again." He outdones himself with such an excuse.

I laugh slightly, placing my elbow on my mouth to muffle my giggles.

"You're weird." I couldn't help but say.

There was a bit of silence between us siblings.

I didn't mind.

I liked looking up ahead, looking at the trees and the cliffs, enjoying our surroundings.

"Anyways, what did our mother say?" He wondered. Ah, now he wants to know.

I sit still, lifting my head to meet his gaze. Now he was looking at me, not like before. He had shown interest over the sun instead of me.

Did he prioritize a bright star over me?

"She says it's time for lunch, let's return back home, okay?" I began to sit up.

Ashera falters, he shakes his head.

I cross my arms, knowing what he was about to say. He was always like this.

Whenever he'd say he'd be out for the day, only do I find him playing in the gardens or searching for rocks under the village's fountain.

Why must I take on the role of the responsible one?

"I'm not hungry." Ashera replied.

I take a deep breath.

"Well, I am." I counter.

His eyes show of concern, I saw how his ocean eyes twinkled for a second there. As if I was injured or something was wrong with me—that I needed help.

I didn't buy it. Every sibling, or friend even, would react the same way.

"Then, you go ahead and eat if you are." He urges me, his precious little sister, off back to the dinner table back at home.

I stood my ground, not leaving without accomplishing mother's task.

"But I'd like us to eat together!" I even manage to voice out my true wants in this moment of time. Was it selfish on my part?

I'd think not.

Is it really too much for a sister like me who'd want her family all together for lunch?

It's already bad enough father left.

I can see the most subtle hint of hesitance in his eyes, as if he were annoyed with my complaint. Would he rather remain alone out here?

"Besides, we're nobles and we must value food. So when it's time to eat, you gotta come home, Ashera. Otherwise, we won't be getting anymore food if you keep washing it."

A crack on his face. His eyes widened.

He understood me.

He slowly nods to the skies and gestures me to stand. He stretches his arm out and I see his fingertips call for mine.

"I guess that'll be a problem then." He says, pushing away any bits of awkwardness between us.

I nod, getting up.

"In that case, shall we eat?"

I lock my hand in his, clenching it as support so I don't fall back down.

"Yes!"

I sensed something bad in the distance, danger. It was danger, I didn't like it.

It attacked our sense of smell, it clouded our systems with an unbearable waste. I felt myself getting more and more confused as just a second ago; I was so incredibly sure we'd be hearing back to mother.

But now, flames were on my mind. My tongue tasted of smoke, my eyes combusted with passion.

"What's that noise?" My brother was astray as well. He was clueless in that moment.

Likewise.

Screaming, so much screaming coming from behind the big willow tree.

My ears rang with chaos.

"The village's on fire!! How did that happen?!"

I was paralyzed with shock, numb with fear.

But I had to push myself to return, even if I knew it wasn't the safest option.

We had to check,

We really had to.

We had to know if she was alright.

"We must hurry immediately!" Ashera tells me.

I agree and we both rush down the hill and sprint back to our burning village.

The journey there was short as a sapling. But for me and my aching legs—and my trembling heart, I dreaded our arrival. I didn't want to witness things for myself.

Please spare me. It didn't listen that day. So would you?

We ran through the gates, our heads up and strong, we saw how the glass windows melted in agony as they danced with the colourful flames.

I felt my stomach tighten.

Bad people, very bad people everywhere.

With their armoured bodies and their harmful weapons, they didn't help these poor people out.

Running in fear and for their lives, we were pushed around by a crowd with people of all ages. It hurt to see tearful children get separated from their mothers.

I saw plenty cry that day.

I refrained from showing weakness, I had to push through the village fire like nothing had happened.

However, my eyes soon began to fill with trauma, my childhood dripped in the black paint bucket ever minute I stood here, taking everything in.

A mortified scream caught our attentions, snapping us out of our helpless state.

"ASHERA!"

My brother flinched, stopping in his tracks.

"KRUL!"

I narrowed my eyes, but still recognized that voice.

A pink haired woman adorned in white cloth. She screamed for her life, I saw how she ran to us children with fright.

Raising a hand out,

"Why did you come back?! Hurry, you must—"

The sound of dripping blood flowed through my system.

No. No, this wasn't happening.

The woman, whom I saw standing just fine earlier, was now tossed to the ground and impaled with a sharp spear.

I twitched.

"MOTHER!"

Too late, I saw the lifeless look on her face as she collapsed on the stone hard ground.

Dead, she looked dead.

I kept in my sobs. Ashera stared at the corpse with genuine fear. The first outburst of emotion he's shown all day.

Why, why must this happen?

"Children of the nobles, kill them!" The murderer of our dear mother, addressed us. He took out the spear from the wound, it was now covered in my mother's blood. It disgusted me.

I wasn't going anywhere near that thing, I wouldn't let that man kill me.

And it seemed like my brother had the same idea. "We must flee, Krul!" He takes my hand in his.

We begin to run for the gates.

Footsteps were after us. Three of them.

I get pulled aside. Me and Ashera's contact breaks. I whimper.

"I caught you!" A man grinned, pulling me close to him. His grip was stronger than my own on Ashera's hand. He was improper, rude, he looked like a beast.

But his clothes said otherwise, he was no noble, he was a fool, a foolish carpenter.
Now, he held a spear above my throat.

Launching me to the skies with a single hand, I had no access to the ground. But I had the capability to my lungs, I let out a yell.

A cry, anything. Brother, please save me.

I saw Ashera panic, he was left on the verge of watching his sister die like his mother had a few minutes ago. A young boy like him couldn't go through the same pain again.

No, he didn't wanna be alone. He didn't want to be left behind by his mother and sister on the very same day.

"STOP!!!!"

A cry reached the heavens.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prologue: The day we lost the sun