"This burden I have born these children into is not theirs to bear… All we can do is flee, that is the only way they will survive this curse." A dishevelled woman would wipe away her tears with a handkerchief, her piercing marine eyes unable to meet the preoccupied gaze of her servant. The woman would turn her solemn expression towards the window, admiring the views of rolling hills and the rising sun.
"Your Majesty… What are you implying?" The servant questioned apprehensively, choosing her words carefully to not disrespect her grieving master, who would finally turn around to face her inferior.
"Faithful Amelia, I will not be Your Majesty for much longer. You are the only one who understands, you are the only one I trust to relay my message: I am abandoning Royalty, my fortune, and my land because I refuse to allow my children to meet the same fate as their father." She would grab her servant's hands, her stare delirious and panicked as she would whisper frantically, "I have witnessed my husband's soul falling apart for the past thirteen years, and the same fate will not befall my children. They did not ask to be born in this world, they did not ask for a destiny like their fathers. Wake them and prepare them now, Amelia. I shall make other preparations. When we are gone, I am no longer your Majesty. I am only Victoria Bodt. Now, go!" She had been leading her bewildered servant towards the door as she spoke, opening it for her to race towards the quarters of the Prince and Princess. Amelia did so, yet hesitating slightly as she realized her master had just served her by opening a door. She would follow the final orders unquestioningly, always being the one to fulfil her orders no matter the cost. She would race past confused Butlers and Footmen, briskly opening the doors to the quarters as the guards were confused as to why the servant seemed so panicked. Amelia would jaunt the curtains open, then shaking awake the sleeping Prince and Princess in a frenzy.
"My Lady Anastasia, my Sir Julian, I'm sorry to wake you so early, but we have to move quickly." Amelia would look back at the two young children who would rub their eyes and awake confusedly, as she briskly walked towards their respective wardrobes, finding suitable clothing for what she assumed would be a long journey. The young Prince would be helping his sister out of her bed, turning to question the servant dishevelled:
"Amelia, what is happening? Is everything okay?" The young freckled Prince held an expression of worry as his sister would rub her eyes.
"The trunks at the end of your beds, open them, children! I know I am not one to give orders, but I beg you, this is a dire situation, we must move quickly." Her eyes were filled with meaning and desperation, causing the two obedient children to follow her orders, trusting in their faithful servant. The twins would open each trunk, their toys and books scattered at the bottom with room to spare for their clothes. Hastily shoving them in and closing the lid with a loud bang, she would then help the children get dressed. The two guards would burst in due to the commotion, only to be ordered by the usually meek servant to carry the trunks down to the foyer.
"Consider it direct orders from the Queen, please, I beg you." The maid would state desperately as she would tie the shoes of the young Prince whose mind would race in confusion and uncertainty, sending an unsure glance towards his panicked younger sister who would grab her doll from her bed.
"We do not take orders from a servant. What is going on? We will place you under arrest-"
"I order you both to take our luggage to the foyer!" Voiced Prince Julian assertively, his fists balled as he replicated the way his father would give orders, his expression and tone full of meaning. The two Military Police guards would hesitate, yet would follow the orders accordingly, rushing out of the room with Noble's luggage. The young prince would turn to his servant, "Amelia, what is happening?"
The servant would stay on her knees, looking up at the young Prince and Princess, her face full of anguish. "Your mother has decided to leave the Reiss family, to protect you both from a curse. I don't know where you're going to go or what your mother is going to do, all I know is that she is surrendering your Royal Titles. Now, we must be quick, your mother wishes to leave the estate as quickly as possible." Amelia would grab Anastasia and Julian's hands, leading them towards the door. Anastasia would protest with tears in her eyes, overwhelmed by what she was being told as she would hold back Amelia from leading them away from their room.
"But… This is our home! We can't leave, Mama doesn't want to leave either…" the waterworks of the young princess would begin, her eyes resembling her mothers overflowing with tears as she would lament her devoted servant, "What is going to happen to you? Where will you go, if you aren't following us?" Amelia would tear up too as she would gaze at the two tearful children, the tears in their eyes glistening as the golden rays of the sun would shine through the towering windows.
"Do not worry about me. Now, we must go and see your mother immediately." The children would now oblige with their servant, who would lead them through the maze of decorated halls by their little hands. Anastasia would cling to her doll, as her brother would cling to his will to hold back his tears and stay brave for the sake of his sister. They were confused, afraid, the words of Amelia making their blissful minds conflicted and insecure. They reached the foyer, the doors wide open to the courtyard, a horse-pulled carriage awaiting them with their mother already inside and their luggage in tow. Two butlers would help the children place on their coats, the children's eyes flitting around as they took in the last gander of their home since birth. Amelia would stare at her feet as she watched the children turn around, the two racing up to her, giving her a warm embrace around her waist.
"Julian… Anastasia…" Mumbled the meek servant helplessly, holding the two children close, "I wish I had time to explain, but for now, I can only say farewell… Julian, be noble, and Anastasia, be wise. Both of you, be kind. Just as you always have been… We will see each other again. Goodbye," Amelia would pull away, placing her hands on the twin's shoulders, the light leaving her eyes as the children would wipe their tears and wish her goodbye in return.
The Prince would take the Princess' hand, the two making their way through the large oak door, stepping cautiously down the marble stairs, their mother holding her head low. She was writing a letter, her handwriting almost illegible as she would scribble so many words with so little space. Her children would step into the carriage, turning around to lean out and wave to Amelia. At the last moment, the Queen would give a letter to a footman, instructing him to give it to her Brother-In-Law. Then, she would order for the carriage to travel to Wall Rose. As they set off, her children would stare through the window, wondering if they would ever see Amelia and their home ever again.
"Children…" Spoke their mother through gritted teeth. Julian and Anastasia would turn to look at her visibly helpless mother, who would eye them both sternly. "I need you both to listen to me and listen to me closely because your lives will never be the same again. I have just changed your destinies, you will no longer be subject to the same fate as your dear father…" She would gulp back her sorrow as her children stared at her, their eyes showing how they wished they had never heard their mother uttering those words. "Yesterday, when you said goodbye to Papa, was the last time you will ever see him."
"Papa is in heaven?" Uttered Anastasia with a blank stare, her lip trembling as her brother would stare at his mother, shaking his head as if his denial would bring back his father.
"Yes, my dear, he is... in heaven." The Queen would choke and sob, covering her mouth as she fought back her emotions, attempting to put on a brave face. Exhaling, she would try to instil hope in her visibly devastated children. "But now… There is nothing to fear. Neither of you will have to endure this curse, as long as we leave the Royal family. This is what your father wanted, he wants us to be happy. So now, we no longer bear the burden of the Reiss name… I am now Eliza Bodt."
"But, Mama, your name is-" Stammered Julian confusedly, only to be interrupted by his persistent mother.
"My name is Eliza Bodt. I am no Queen, I am now a commoner. You, young man, are no Prince, you are only Marco Bodt. Young lady, you are Adeline Bodt. Julian and Anastasia Reiss are dead, you were never of Royalty. You are only mortal." Eliza insisted ruthlessly, her tenacious glare searing into the vulnerable hearts and minds of her child, who could only oblige. "You will no longer have servants like Amelia, you will have to work. You will no longer have a large home to live in, or lavish clothes to wear, or as many toys as you wish at Christmas. I want you to be humble, I want you to be kind, and I want you to be glorious. That is the closest to salvation you can both reach. You will understand everything one day, I promise… All I ask is that you forget about your lives for now, and begin anew. Marco, do you understand?"
"I understand." The young boy would sniffle and hiccup as his pink cheeks were stained with tear tracks, the only warmth being that of his sister's hand in his.
"And Adeline, do you understand?"
"I understand, Mama…" Adeline would sob helplessly, grasping her brother's hand and her doll in the other. Her mother would ask them to come over to her, and her weeping children would melt into her warm embrace, not letting go until their long journey ended. In Eliza's eyes, her children's journey was only beginning. She knew that one day her children would have to reveal her identities, and dreading it wouldn't make its imminence disappear. It was only a matter of time, yet for now, she only wished to focus on raising them to become as remarkable as her husband Uri was. Uri Reiss was generous, selfless, wise, forgiving, and brave. His children inherited these traits, their characters and mannerisms reflecting those of their father despite having spent only seven years with him. The small family settled in the village of Jinae, living in a small home that used to belong to Eliza's great-grandfather. There, she ran a tailoring business, making enough money to send her two children to school once again. While her son excelled in uniting and leading his classmates, her daughter had a thirst for knowledge and an unmatched genius. The twins were evidently too special, too precious to be subject to the Curse of Ymir. Eliza had succeeded in finding a better future for her children. Or so she thought, until the year 845.