When it all happened, I was too young to understand the extent of what it was. So many people had looked to my Father for guidance, and then it all changed, suddenly. What I do know, is that my Father was always there for me. Always.
He was soft, that is what I remember the most. When he spoke, his voice was soft, even if he was angry. When he brushed my hair he never pulled or yanked like Mother did. He even moved softly. When I tried to play hide and seek, I could never tell when he was coming until he was standing right in front of me. At night he tucked me in softly each night after carrying me to my room. He even held me gently. He smiled softly. My Father was soft. I cling to those memories tighter than any other.
Those memories pass with each passing day, overwhelmed by the impressionable memories of the weeks before the end. Everyone was on edge. My aunts and uncles, even my Father. That day though, I remember. He tried to hide it, mother too, the days leading up to it. He looked sick, eyes glazed over. Mother took more of a role and Father kept me close to his side, away from the windows and out of public eye. I was curled up with Father while mother was talking one night when one of the guards came in.
"The magicians are revolting" He had said. Mother ran to assist others, and Father held me close in an iron cage with his arms. Some time passed and I had helped him stand. His eyes were hard and clearer than ever. They held all the softness of one of the staves. Father was angry, scared, maybe, yet he was still soft. I was scared too.
My entire world had fallen apart. Everything was burning and dark. Ugo kept me hidden behind him, safe, protected. I could feel the change as soon as it happened I broke away from Ugo and rushed to Father. The darkness was gone, and Father was on his back. He looked at me, red running from his eyes, pain on his face. In that last moment he was soft, one last time. He caressed my cheek with one finger, leaving a red streak, and whispered that he loved me before it was over.
"Papa," I called to him. I had grabbed his hand and shook him. At the time the concept of death was new, and confusing. Death did not look like my Father, my loving soft father. I cried, shook, and clung to him. I think my uncle had tried to comfort me, but I resisted. I was convinced, my Father would wake up for me. He always would.
He didn't, not this time.
I must have fallen asleep on my Father, tears stained my face, because when I woke up I was somewhere else. Days passed and I stayed close to Ugo's side, not wandering far from his eyes. Something had changed at one point. He and I paraded to each of the cities, and each of the leaders doted on me.
Baal had pulled me to the side and explained what was happening and why. Father had died, and now the fate of our people was left in my hands as his heir.
Years had passed. My duties to my people expanded, but so did Ugo's. Ugo steadily got more stressed, and one night as I played with the ball that my baby brother way in stasis in he finally broke. He curled up and cried. I set my brother down and went to Ugo, holding his hand and rubbing his back until he finally looked at me, calmed once more.
"What's wrong?" I had asked.
"We're almost out of resources, the food is almost gone." He told me as he rubbed his forehead. I remember I had been confused. At the time. Perhaps because I was still so young.
"Then let's go somewhere else, a new world."
That's what we did. But Ugo, my brother and I lived in complete isolation. With my magoi I grew slowly, despite my accelerated birth. I spent much of my time reading, and telling stories to my baby brother. It wasn't until Ugo asked me what my brother's name was. I looked at him confused.
"His name is Aladdin, of course. Didn't mama tell you?" I went on playing in the necropolis alone. It eventually came time that Aladdin could come out of the stasis bubble.
Little brother was, slimy, and tired. He slept often. One night as I got him ready to go to bed one night I pulled him close to me.
"Little brother, your name is Aladdin. I am your elder sister; my name is Esther. We are the children of Solomon and Sheba, they were great parents, but they went away trying to protect us. Papa was very special, and Mama wanted you to have a very special name too. So, you know that even though our home is gone, we remain." I sighed and held him closely as he seemed interested in what I was saying. "Papa and Mama died, we only have each other. Which means that you need me, and I'll be there. If you need me to, I'll be papa and mama, as well as your elder sister. Papa gave you to me, and I promise to protect you, always.
Aladdin looked up at me, and our identical eyes locked. Yes, I'd do anything for him. I taught him all the things papa taught me, reading, writing. His curiosity was boundless. We went on many adventures through the Necropolis that left Ugo terrified. I tried to teach him the proper etiquette that was fit for a prince, which always seemed to go in one ear and out the other.
Ugo would teach me his magic theories during intense practices that would exhaust me. When I had time I search and try to see what was happening outside our isolation. When I did, all I saw was a rising darkness and a threat to my little brother.
That night, after little brother was asleep I confronted Ugo. He had agreed with me surprisingly. I needed to make the world safe, for little brother, and for my Father's memory.
"It was only a matter of time, my queen." He had said. Then he began a new sort of lessons. A way to protect myself, hide myself and identity. It was exhaustive and scary that I could hide from the rukh, my Father's rukh. With three wishes he was able to give me I only used two. The ability to leave, and that he would protect my brother when I couldn't. For the next months I prepared to leave. Through gazing I studied the cultures of places there, customs. Little brother had grown especially attached to me.
"Esther, your Father," He started the night before I left. I stopped packing scrolls to look up at him, waiting for his response.
"He would be very proud of you." Ugo finished. I smiled at him, as he sat on the floor, hair hanging in is face. I could see the small smile on his lips.
"Thank you, Uncle Ugo. It means a lot to hear that from you." I brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Papa loved you very much, too, you know. I think he'd be happy you took care of us, because you're already family. I think in many ways, you were Papa's brother, even if it wasn't by blood." I watched a tear fall from his eye as he smiled.
Little Brother begged me not to leave, saying goodbye to him was harder than I thought it'd be. He clung tightly to me, tears soaking my shoulder.
"This isn't forever, we'll see each other again." I told him as he tried to strangle me with his little boney arms. "In the meantime, stay true to yourself, stay honest, keep studying, and behave. Listen to Ugo, he's here to protect you.
"Promise we'll see each other again?" Of course he'd focused on that. I pulled him to me tightly.
"Of course, silly. Ugo is going to take you farther into the palace and there'll be a way out. Then we'll find each other." I said comfortingly.
Okay." He responded sadly.
I hugged him tightly and kissed the top of his head. "I love you little brother, never forget that." I stood, kissed his head once more, and looked towards Ugo.
"You know that path," he said. I did.