The only piece of art to adorn the chambers of the Crown Prince was a prophetic scene hand-painted by the previous Queen — the Prince's late mother. It was confined to a silent corner of the room, away from the passing eyes of the maids and servants, forbidden to be in close proximity to it for any except the Prince himself.
Whispers of its existence are often heard in hushed rumors within the palace walls. Some say it was the dead queen's final prophecy, the very thing that unraveled her mind, pulled her into the endless depth of lunacy. Some say it depicted the tragic end of her beloved son, the strokes drawn by her own hand to kill the demon hiding within him, a haunting sacrifice to save the crown from its downfall. The old ones say her wailing cries were often heard by passing servants outside her chambers every single night, starting from the evening she had dreamt it to the night she had taken her last breath. Some say it took her life. Some say it will take his too.
