Her Home

Kingdom of Veroncilia. A kingdom with lush green grasslands and regular rainfall. A kingdom with singing morning birds and various flowers blossoming across the land. A kingdom known for its beauty and peace.

Xilina, a girl of twenty lived in a small village in the southeastern part of the kingdom. She was a daughter of a school teacher and had two older brothers, Siwon and Rosch. 

Xilina was preparing for her big day. She would be the wife of a martial arts trainer in two weeks time. She was excited as well as nervous at the same time. The day of the wedding arrived and Xilina was married to Stellan.

Years passed, the couple had two boys. Mathias now aged six and Iver was two years younger.

The peaceful days of the kingdom were deranged when the powerful Huntik Empire attacked. It had been nearly three months since the bloodshed had commenced. Many soldiers were lost and many were injured. The farms and houses were destroyed. Families were separated. The lush green gardens were no more. The kingdom that once was known for it’s beauty, was now in ruins.

Stellan’s family was no exception. He had sleepless nights thinking about ways he could keep his family safe. 

“Let’s move out” Stellan says laying on the bed.

“Huh?! Why the sudden migration?” questions Xilina.

“It is my duty to protect my family. We do not know when the war will end. Our children deserve a peaceful life just like we did all these years. I will prepare some carriages to Alzetec Kingdom where my sister lives with her family. The carriages will be ready in two weeks. Inform all the women and children in the family to prepare themselves to move.”

“But-“

“Please! Xilina I have made my decision after careful thinking. This is the only

way.” 

“Okay. I will start preparing.” Xilina says in a low voice with a heavy heart. She was not able to sleep after the decision her husband had taken without consulting her. She did not want to leave the kingdom. It had all her memories, both happy and sad. The kingdom had always been her home. The people that belonged there were like her family. The thought of leaving those people behind and escaping on her own made her feel guilty. But she knew her husband would do what was best for their family. She trusted him and now would do as she was told. She would have to start a completely new life now. 

A week had passed since Xilina started preparing for their move. “Mommy why are you packing clothes?” Mathias questioned his mother. “Sweetie we are going to a new home your daddy had found us.” 

“Yay!” Mathias runs out of the room excited to inform his brother about their new home.

As promised, Stellan had nearly 17 carriages prepared to move to the Alzatec Kingdom. Xilina and the children climb onto the last carriage.

“Please take a good care of our children” Stellan says which confuses his wife. “What do you mean?”

“Just like I have the duty to protect my family, I have the duty to fight for my home too and I-“ 

No please tell me this is a joke. I’m not leaving this place without you. No!” Xilina says with desperation in her eyes. 

Stellan smiles sweetly at his wife and holds her hand “Don’t worry I will be back before you know it. Your brothers will be staying behind with me. I do not want to be guilty of not protecting my family and my kingdom. Let me do this.” 

“But let me stay with-“

“I promise you I will come back. Until then wait for me.” With his last words Stellan closes and locks the door ignoring the banging and desperate cries by Xilina. 

The carriage started moving and Xilina knew now she could only believe the words of her husband.

After days of traveling, the carriages reach their destination. Before meeting her sister-in-law, Xilina wanted to clear her mind. She walked to the small green patch of land with a lake near it. She threw pebbles in the lake to relieve her frustration of not being able to stay with her husband. 

Deep in thoughts, sitting by the lake, the last pebble to throw still in her hand, she stopped. ‘Where has life taken me?’, ‘Will I ever get to see my loved ones again?’ were the only thoughts resonating in her mind and her heart…