Prologue

The sun's heat began to wane, but it did nothing to silence the deafening shrill of the cicadas hiding in the treetops surrounding the sloping fields. Not a single breeze blew across the mountain side, the sound of the bubbling brook and its cooling waters did nothing to cool a little boy who sat near its flowing waters. He hid under the shade with feet fully submerged in the shallow water, his wet shirt clung to him mingled with the smell of sweat and outdoor air. In the distance he could hear the tinkling of a bell as a cow turned to brush off the flies resting on its rear. His brown gaze lingered upon a young man untying a thin rope from the family bull's foot, his fingers gently twining the coarse cord around its horns.

The little boy admired the young man briefly, envisioning that one day he would look like him, strong yet stern with the hopes of what tomorrow might bring.

Watching a little longer to make sure that the man was properly involved with his task, the little boy turned back towards the brook, watching as patches of sunlight filtered through from the gaps in the branches and leaves. He enjoyed how the water seemed to shimmer in the afternoon sun. The way it would glitter as if the waters were like stars shining in the middle of the night. He had waited all day for a moment to himself as he slipped a moth eaten cloth from his pocket. The cloth was thick and yellow from old age and though he had never recalled seeing the small bundle before, he knew that something very special was hidden within. Checking over his shoulders once more to reaffirm that the young man was indeed not watching him, he looked back and began to peel the cloth like a flower blooming in spring. Each layer feeling cooler than the next as a vibration of anticipation began to pulsate through him. As he pulled the final layer back, he gasped with awe as his eyes took in the most breathtaking thing he had ever seen. In fact he had never seen something so beautiful or valuable in all his life. His family was poor and everyone within his village was no better yet he was amazed that he had stumbled upon such a valuable thing in a loose floorboard of his grandmother's bedroom.

The metal was a gleaming grey that seemed to shine as if someone had polished it earlier that day. It had a thin band in a shape of a semicircle that looked as if it was entwined with two pieces to reinforce its half moon structure. He did not know what the object was called, but he had seen a nuse once who wore something similar atop her head, he thought of her as being some type of princess with what someone had said was called a 'Konar.' The middle of the halfmoon was a large teardrop stone that dangled and was held up by a design that sprouted out from the band. The symmetrical sides resembled the wings of an eagle readying for flight and in that moment the boy instantly wished to never be parted from such a beautiful object again. He scooched closer to the brook where the sun's light was brighter and he held the object towards the light enjoying how the pale grey stone seemed to catch the light of the sun and began to glow softly. It was like a candle in darkness, he wondered if this was what electricity was. He had overheard that the port had on the other side of the mountain had just installed such a thing in the post office, he had no understanding of what a post office was or what this new thing called electricity was, but he had heard that it gave off such a beautiful light like the one within his hand. At their church, there was a loudspeaker that the priest used to sing and announce deaths and prayer time to those who lived upon the mountainside but there were no shining lights that was promised to the village ten years ago.

As the boy continued to muse over the beauty of the object staring in wonderment at his outstretched hand, he did not hear the slight rustle of the grass or the disturbance of the water in front of him.

Fear began to squeeze his insides when he looked up with wide eyes as a shadow spilled across him. He took in the rugged young man with a close shaven face and the excited gleam in the man's eyes.

The stranger's eyes sparkled in amazement and a cat like grin marred his face, the boy did not see the sliver of wood pointed at him nor did he hear the words that sang from his lips, but he saw the flash of red before darkness encompassed his vision completely.

The young man who was tending to the cattle had looked to the little boy when he thought he saw a red flash from the corner of his eye, but before he could comprehend the dark figure that stood nearby the bull gave chase towards the flash of red it had also witnessed. The dark figure seemed to vanish right before his eyes, but he gave no thought of it as he tried to outrun the bull and reach the little boy in time. After the struggle of trying to draw the beast away, the young man scooped up the boy who's chest gave no sign of the fall and rise of air being drawn into his little body. His body flailed with each running stride of the young man as his heart hammered with panic and fear. Down the slope he sprinted until he reached the house that sat at the bottom, he banged through the misshapen door, almost tearing it clean off its rusted hinges. He laid him upon the worn carpet as the other occupants within the house screamed and panicked trying to wake the little boy, but to no avail. An older woman gasped with realization and exited the room, rushing through the dirt roads towards the church a mile down the lane. A middle aged woman sat upon the floor holding the lifeless body as she rocked back and forth screaming and crying to all as an older version of the young man sat back on his hunches, the air seeming to be knocked out of his lungs.

Soon the room fell silent as they heard the priest sing death's song, His voice rang out across the mountainside and the nightmare became too real as the little boy's name was shouted for all to hear. Death had come to their door and it mattered not how the young man cried with despair or even as he tried to explain himself, it only fell upon deaf ears. Besa was Besa and within 24 hours it saw the young boy laying under a pile of rocks and dirt.

Two days later found the young man sitting in the same spot the little boy had sat moments before his death. This time tears did not fall from his eyes and he did not stay long for the pain seemed to want to choke the very life from him.

There would be no forgiveness of blood and he could not stay without the blood debt being repaid.

Grabbing the small rucksack next to him, he notice a metal object lying forgotten in the flowing stream. His hand dipped into the cool water, pulling the object out, he stared wordlessly at it and then shoved it within his rucksack as well. Surveying the land once more, he could hear a crack that sounded like a gunshot in the distance and he hurried from the field into the forest nearby. He hoped that the new life that awaited him on the other side of the forest would help him forget the life he once had.

The land was quiet as the dark figure appeared again. He searched frantically and tried to accio the object but after a while he could not find it. With a muttered oath he disappeared with panic and rage rising within his chest. He had lost his chance and he was running out of time. England Demanded his return home. His reign was beginning and he would have to put this part of the plan on hold.

Albania, summer of 1943

A/n: hello everyone,

Words to consider

Nuse is Albanian for Bride

Besa is albanian for honor and loyalty

Konar is Albanian for crown

Forgiveness of blood is actually a real thing that exists today that is someone murders someone, they are right to repaid the debt and kill the person or the person who is equivalent in status to kill them. For example if a neighbor kills your child your have the right to their child. People are given a window of time to Flee and never come back. This happens sometimes being granted a timeframe to flee.