Beatrix Daranhuez remained standing at the west entrance of the estate, next to the fence that surrounded the country mansion and its gardens. She was a petite and vivacious lady, whose facial features had always been admired wherever she was. At forty-five years of age, after raising three sons who were now adults, anyone would expect her to be used to dealing with temperamental young ones. However, Beatrix's youngest kid had always managed to get her off guard better than anyone else in the entire empire.
Lana had disappeared very early in the morning. The commotion this had caused at breakfast, Beatrix would never forget. She knew how little her daughter liked the formalities. Lana was unconventional, she had always been like that.
Thinking that way, Beatrix took a breath and tried to calm down. She was waiting for her daughter right where she knew the young lady would appear. The mother was sure the young lady had gone to meet her neighbors: the Marquis' children.
Just as her mother had assumed, Lana was gathering with the Marquis' two sons.
"Have you ever thought about the possibility of being chosen by The Amethyst?" Cala asked suddenly.
Lana's eyes widened and she blinked at the question. She was lying on the grass of a meadow located right on the edge of her family's land.
The Daranhuez estate was adjacent to another large estate that had belonged to a famous noble family of the Antares empire for years. This family was nothing more and nothing less than the Marquisate of Baltazar. The second daughter of the marquises, who was a close friend of Lana, was now sitting next to her. Young Cala was entertained by removing petals from a daisy.
Next to the two young ladies was a young man with broad shoulders and average height. He was lounging just like Lana on the meadow's green grass.
"Calla, sister, recognize that you are obsessed. That way, The Purple Death will end up choosing you."
"Shut your mouth, you ill-omen bird!"
"Ha ha ha!" Lana laughed as she watched Cala kick her older brother. However, she felt guilty on the spot at the warning look that Cala gave her. In any case, Lana couldn't care less about the infamous sword myth, so she ended up twisting her eyes at Cala with some impatience.
"What?" She protested Cala with a pout. "It is the nightmare of whoever is about to come of age."
"Oh, Cala!" Lana began before standing up and sitting on the meadow. She closed her eyes as a cool breeze caressed her skin, making her shaggy hair float. Very close to the trio of friends, Chaos pawed the ground from time to time, looking uneasy. "I'm totally calm and you should too. If Amethyst didn't choose the best warrior in the empire when he came of age, can you believe it would choose any of us? What's more, I doubt that the myth of the damn sword is true at this point."
"Lana!"
"I apologize for cursing, it's not ladylike!"
"Pfft..." The Baltazar heir laughed. "I bet my dear sister was more impressed by your lack of respect for The Amethyst."
"It's part of the history of our empire. Lana, how can you doubt something like that?"
"I, on the other hand, wanted to be the chosen one." Darius pointed out as he put his hands behind his head.
"Darius!" Cala turned pale towards her brother.
"Pfft" This time it was Lana who laughed.
"Lana!" Cala's scolding came unceremoniously. Then, turning to her brother, the young woman added: "Darius, don't you remember how her last swordsman finished? Personally, I hope she stays asleep for all eternity" With this the young woman stood up and proceeded to smooth down her pretty summer dress. The light yellow tone of its fabric resembled that of her blonde locks, cropped at the height of her chin. It was a haircut that was very fashionable in the capital.
"Nothing specific, according to our history class. Some manuscripts say that the fencer went mad…"
"Or that he died consumed by its power…" This time, Lana's voice sounded somewhat grim.
"May God save us." Saying this, Cala extended his hands and turned his palms upward in her prayer.
"Anyway, the danger has passed for me. No sword came to claim me this morning." Lana continued trying to ignore the suspicious look of her friend: "And I'm sure you will have the same luck, dear Cala."
"She will find you. She will take you and it may be the end…" Darius began in a solemn voice as he brought his lips to her sister's ear.
"Enough, Darius!"
"Pffft… Sister, you are so entertaining sometimes… How come the prophecy continues?"
"I think you forgot the part about: It will devour your being…" Lana began, trying to sound mysterious with an inflection in her voice.
"You guys, stop it!"
In any case, Darius kept making jokes until Cala pointed out:
"Shouldn't you be getting ready at this hour, Lana?"
"Ah, that..." Lana responded boringly. "I may have sneaked out of the house early in the morning…"
"Lana!" Cala was horrified, bringing both hands to her mouth. "Madame Beatrix is going to be furious…"
For his part, looking serious for the first time, Darius sat down on the grass and looked toward Lana, who was already standing: "You shouldn't press much more, Lana. Your family made a big concession when they agreed to hold the celebration here, in Caleeta, and not in the capital…"
"I know… I just wanted to spend some quiet time on this anniversary and be alone with my friends for just a little while." Darius looked at her knowingly for a second, until he lifted the corner of his mouth. He knew that Lana loved the rural environment of Caleeta, on the other hand, she did not much like Vrienna, the famous capital of the empire. Darius and Cala knew why.
"Aw, that's so nice of you…" Cala began. "I should have brought my gift here instead of saving it for later…"
"Thank you, Lana. I think we had a fun time." Darius interrupted his sister. "How about you go home now and start preparing? "The event starts at three."
In response, Lana pouted slightly but immediately nodded her head. She shook some grass off her and stood in a tomboyish pose according to imperial etiquette, with her feet spread wide and both hands placed on her waist: "Thank you, guys! I guess I'll see you this afternoon. I will be the one at the center of all the attention. I can't tell you how excited I am!"
"Ha ha ha!" Cala's laughter echoed that of his brother.
"This day will be over before you know it. And there will be more fun birthdays to come, you'll see" Darius added as he stood up. "See you in a bit." He added affectionately.
"Goodbye, Lana. "I can't wait to see you all dolled up!" Cala went into euphoric mode as she grabbed her friend's hand. "And Lana, could you stop growing already?" She suddenly complained, looking at her closely. "You grow taller with each passing day, and I feel like I am falling too far behind…"
"Ah! I think I got it from my father."
"Indeed, you and your brothers and your father…"
"Enough of this matters, Cala. It's time to go."
"Bad brother."
"Lana, ride carefully back home." Darius ignored his sister. He had suddenly taken on the older brother tone of his. After all, he was already twenty-one years old. Since he was little he had been trained in all fields to take over from his father.
"Okay, I will see you in a while. Please, remember your mission today, my knights without armor"
The Baltazars' mission was to keep her away from the other guests for as long as possible. Saying goodbye with a smile, Lana went to Chaos and untied him.
Then, as she galloped as fast as the wind on her way back to the mansion, she started thinking about the legend of The Amethyst.
"Amethyst, that which concentrates the power to destroy universes. Once she wakes up, The Terrible will always find the one she is looking for. She will devour your being to fuse her soul and her strength. And she will claim you, she will take you. It awakening could mean the end."
By the heavens! Couldn't it be a little more auspicious? Lana thought and she wished that Cala's birthday had just passed too. Yes, the sword and the myth could be the nightmare of every young girl in Antares.