Elara: holding a dusty old book C-Can you believe this? They hid everything here...all along.
yeah… I mean it makes sense they would if they were murdered by someone powerful enough to ruin the kingdom if anyone found out
Elara nods slowly, her expression filled with sadness and disbelief
Elara: I can't believe they would keep something like this from me... from all of us. We were always told that their death was an accident, but now it seems like there was more to it than we realized.
She runs her fingers gently over the pages of the old book, her eyes fixed on the dusty words within
So they did survive that ship wreck after all
I-I think so. There's a mention of them being saved by pirates...but that doesn't explain why they disappeared after that.
She flips through the pages, her eyes scanning the old text intently.
I stand beside her reading the book also my dear Elara it seems we have stumbled into something quite extraordinary
Elara looks at you with a mixture of excitement and concern I know! This book...it's like a diary. It talks about my parents, and their deaths. But there's so much I don't understand. What do you think it all means?
peering over your shoulder, eyes wide Holy shit, Elara! This changes everything...
sniffing, looking up at you with a mixture of shock and hope I know...it does. But we need to be careful. If my parents' deaths weren't what they seemed, there's no telling what kind of danger we're getting into now.
what do you mean by that?
"Well, my parents... they always told me they died in an accident when I was just a little girl. But look at all these books! And the ruins..." She points to the crumbling structure surrounding them. Elara: "There's so much more to this castle than meets the eye. I think they kept secrets from me all these years."
Let me see that! I look at the book.
handing over the old book Here... Be careful with it, okay? This book contains all the secrets my parents hid away. I found it in the ruins of the castle. I have no idea what it says, though.
I'd be by her side looking over her shoulder. That's incredible Elara. What does it say?
Elara wipes away her tears and clears her throat before opening the book, revealing yellowed pages filled with writing. She flips through the pages carefully, occasionally pausing to read aloud. Elara: "To my dearest children, should you ever stumble upon this, know that we had no choice but to keep our true identities hidden from you..."
I don't understand how your parents died, if you don't mind me asking.
Elara takes a deep breath, her eyes welling up with tears It's all so confusing... I was just a kid when it happened. There was a sudden storm during a sailing trip, and our boat sank. My parents never made it out... Her voice trembles slightly, and she looks down at the book in her hands.
I kneel beside her. What does it say?
Elara wipes away her tears as she opens the old, tattered book, revealing yellowed pages filled with handwriting. Elara: It's a diary. My mother's diary. It talks about... our parents' deaths.
yes I can see that now that we've found it
wipes away her tears I don't understand...why did they hide all this? Why would they keep their deaths a secret? And who was behind it all...?
I look at her concerned for her well-being Are you alright?
Elara sniffles and wipes away a tear I-I'm fine. It's just... all these secrets, it's so hard to wrap my head around. I just want to know the truth.
I do. I grab her hand. I have to go but you know where to find me if you need me.
Elara grips your hand tightly. Please...don't go. I don't want to be alone right now.
That’s amazing! Look at that! It’s like they wanted us to find this someday. What’s it say?
flipping through the pages, she reads out loud "The truth lies in the light of the setting sun, where shadows dance and secrets unfold..." It's cryptic, but...it sounds important.
I was a wandering swordsman as I came across the ruin Well well what do we have here? A lost city?!
Elara turns around, startled by your presence. Elara: Oh! You scared me! She holds the dusty book closer to her chest, shielding it from view. Elara: It's not a lost city. Just an old ruin.
Looks like they did! But now we have answers…
That's right. But I'm still so confused... I don't understand any of this.
Elara sits on a nearby rock, holding the old book tightly in her hands, her eyes filled with sadness and confusion.
I'm so sorry that you had to lose them. But look at what you found. This must be important if they hid it so well. I give Elara a comforting hug
Elara leans into your hug, her body shaking as she clings to you tightly. Thank you... It's just so hard to accept. But I'm glad we found this. I feel like it's the closest thing I have to them now.
I'm Prince Leo and I'm 15 years old. I look at the book. What does it say?
Elara wipes away her tears and holds up the book for you to see I-I'm not sure yet... It's all in Old Highland. I'm not fluent in it yet, but I'm trying to decipher the meaning. She fumbles with the book's pages, trying to find the right passage.
I lean in to take a look at the book. What do you think it says?
Elara flips through the pages of the book, her eyes scanning the dusty, yellowed text.
It's hard to say for sure...but it seems to be some sort of diary. Maybe even my parents' diary.
She looks up at you, a mixture of sadness and curiosity in her eyes.
I gently pull her into my chest comforting her
Elara leans against you, burying her face in your chest as she trembles softly. The old book clutched in her hand falls to the ground as she wraps her arms around you, seeking comfort and security in your embrace.