𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄
It's Fate
(1670)

"WELCOME, TRAVELLER."

Eden greets the man who was standing at her front wooden door the man holding a nervous expression, trying to control his shaking hands. The man clears out his throat in an attempt to hide his trembling voice.

"You've made quite-an impression with your readings. I-I would like you to read mine." The man said, as he tried to sound confident but failed to do so when Eden gave him her piercing gaze. With a nod, she guided him to enter her hut with her hand as the man beckoned.

"What reading would you prefer me to do?" Eden says as she sits down with a candle and a bowl of water at hand, placing it in the middle of the wooden table. The man ponders as he stutters. "I-I'm not sure."

"Well, let's see-palm," Eden says as she offers her hand and the man places his hand on hers. Eden then traces the lines of his palm.

"See, this is called the line of life." As she traces the curve line below the thumb, Eden tells the man, "It tells me that you'll live a long life." The man sighs in relief and nods, "It's quite a relief."

Eden nods, as she traces the line at the edge of his palm. "Line of love. Something tells me that you have no luck when it comes to finding love." the man frowns "-but in time, dear traveler, it will test your patience and strength, but you will succeed when the time comes."

Eden stops tracing his palm as the man looks at her confusedly, "The line of fate."

"What? What is it?" The man presses, growing anxious.

She stares at the man in front of her and says, "You've done something, traveler, something dark, or you will do something."

The man gulps, as Eden removes her hold from the man's palm, taking hold of the wooden bowl filled with water. As she pours the melted candle wax into the water, the man watches her anxiously until the candle wax forms a symbol.

A grim ripper.

And it just confirmed her suspicions further. She saw flashes of the man's fate as she traced his palms.

At first, it was darkness, there was blood dripping from his clothing, then there was a blazing fire as he ran away from the site.

"Get out!" Eden screams as she blows out the candle and takes the man's arm, pushing him out of her hut. The man looks at her, bewildered by her sudden change of attitude.

"What did you see?" The man asks as he takes a hold of the wooden frame of her doorway. "What did you see?" he asks again.

Eden stops as she looks him straight in the eyes. "You're a murderer, and you need to get away from this town before your fate is set."

"A murderer?" The man chuckles and looks at Eden as if she was mad. "Look, witch. Whatever you accuse me of, it's not true."

"Get. Out." Eden orders, "Murderer. Or I will tell the townspeople that you're the reason for the children's disappearances."

"Don't provoke me, witch."

"And don't provoke, as you called me, a witch," Eden says this with gritted teeth.

The man gives her a sinister smile. "You set your fate." and the man walks away. Eden runs back inside of her hut, locking her door. As she packs her belongings, that man will come back for her.

A knock caught her attention, and she cursed and yelled, "There will be no readings for this afternoon!"

Then another knock, followed by another. Eden then grabbed a sharpened object, hiding it behind her back as she opened the door, but it was not the person she expected.

No. She'd never seen this man before, and if she had, Eden would have remembered him. After all, she never forgets a face.

With his black cloak that covered his body, his face of pale ivory skin, and eyes bloodier than the color red, his neck was in possession of a silver 'V' necklace studded with ruby gems.

"How may I help you?" Eden politely asks as the man smiles at her, answering, "I would like you to read my fate."

From this man's approach, Eden knows that he doesn't want any of her normal fate readings.

"Fate readings have a price."

"A price such as this?" The man takes his hand out of his black cloak, revealing a velvet poach. He shakes it lightly as the gold coins make a sound.

And Eden needed the gold coins. Eden then ushered the man inside. As she uncovers her crystal ball and places it on the table, Eden then looks at the strange man. He was observing her home.

"You may sit, please," Eden tells him, and the man gives her a smile, striding towards the table and taking a seat.

"May I know your name?"

"Aro, dear child."

Eden purses her lips as she closes her eyes, her hands on either side of the crystal ball not completely touching the crystal.

Then her hands released a vapor of purple smoke, with the smoke surrounding the crystal ball. Images started to appear in the crystal ball.

Aro makes a sound of delight. One of the scenes that played before them, was a large dark red room, with beautifully carved marble walls, patterned quartz flooring, and three large golden thrones.

Aro wanted to know the what to become of his empire.

"Your empire, I assume?" Eden asks, looking around the room before her with an unreadable expression.

"Yes."

"Your empire went through a difficult time when it was attacked by another. But you managed to rise again, and seek revenge on those who belittled your ruling." Eden tells him. Aro is impressed by her.

"Of course, a hint of doubt in my power will suffer the consequences," Aro tells her with a tilt of his head as he looks at her.

"Your power, which you hold in high regard, will enable you to attain more."

"More power, you say?" Aro leans forward, and it piques his curiosity.

"Yes. Someone will join you; that person will become a powerful ally, a right hand to the three kings." Eden answers, as her eyebrows crease.

"Who?"

"I cannot tell, it's quite vague," Eden answered Aro, with him giving her a nod as the purple vapors went back to her palm. Aro stands up from his seat, with a pleased expression and says, "As agreed upon." Aro takes the velvet pouch and walks towards the door, looking behind him.

"I'll see you again, Eden, sooner than expected."