Chapter Five

As we went through the door, I was expecting to see a hallway but what greeted me was the bright light coming from the sun and the green grasses with some beautiful flowers dancing as the wind blew across them.

We were outside. So the throne room was separated from the building of the main castle?

Looking ahead, I could see a big iron gate. Once we got there, I could see the throne room through the gate and unlike the main castle, it wasn't made of glass but of ancient grey stone. It looked like the building was took out from a medieval world and they mixed it with a slight touch of modern design.

There were some vines climbing the wall of the throne midway and it seemed like it was designed to cut intentionally.

I heard a loud sound of metal as the maid opened the gate. Birds flew around as we entered the place.

We stopped once we were infront the large door to the throne room and the maid knocked twice before opening it.

"We have arrived, our King. I brought the summoned Major Key with me, we will enter now."

I gasped at the sight around me as I took in my surroundings. The throne room was big. The floor was glinting gold and there were red curtains hanging on the white walls.

As my eyes traced the red carpet from our feet to the stair, I slowly raised my head and gaped at the man sitting elegantly on a beautifully carved chair.

The king was wearing a fancy suit covered with gold, his face resting on his fist as he looked at us. He looked like he was in his mid 30 with his long brown hair tied back in a ponytail.



As the maid bowed down, I did the same right away. I was mesmerized by the King's appearance that I forgot to show my respect. How silly of me.

"Rise up." The King ordered and we straightened up.

The king rose from his seat and as he ascended the stair, I noticed that there was a white cat curled up against the feet of the king's chair.

I smiled softly at the sight I discovered.

"So you are Medley Donahue?" The king asked, his deep voice resounding on the room.

"Yes, that's me, my King." I answered, my small voice was slightly shaking.

The king smiled before glancing at the maid.

"You're now dismissed."

The maid bowed down once again before exiting the room, leaving me helpless in front of a king. I gave the king an awkward smile as he stood there, staring at me.

"Now, shall we start?"

"Yes, my king." I answered and the king motioned me to get closer and I did.

The king returned to his seat and I noticed the cat shifted position. I quickly returned my eyes to the king.

"As you've been told, you are summoned by me as the Major Key, the first Princess of the Sky Castle. You might be wondering why it's so sudden, but we can't wait any more longer with things happening in my country, right? The two Keys disappeared, they are important leaders. Without them, the Songs who give this country a protection will become out of tune."

So that's why the protection had weakened, the Songs were out of tune. So the keys were the ones who fix them up?

"The Keys are the ones who are able to help the Songs find their melodies, to tune them. The Major Key is the only one who possesses that power, the power of tuner. To enlighten you, Melodies are the power that Songs acquired. To cast a protection for a whole country, the 11 Songs must be present and a Key should be there to conduct them."

So becoming a Key, I would possess the power of Tuner to be able to tame the 11 Songs. So that's why incidents started happening in Cradle ever since the two Keys disappeared, leaving the songs out of tune.

I also learned from the king that the main purpose of the protection of the Melodies from Songs was to keep the people from dark thoughts and temptation. To protect them from the dark spirits.

The Songs needed the Keys, and the Cradle needed the Songs. If one was missing, everything would become useless. This structure was rather complicated one. The Keys were at the top of this pyramid.

The King also explained to me about the Formal Ceremony that would happen for the next three months. It's where I must choose one Song to be the centre of the Songs. Our harmony would be the one leading the rest of the Songs. The Major Key and the Chosen Song were called the Maestro. So before the Formal Ceremony comes, I should find a Song I best collide with. A Song I would find special.

Who would that be? Could I really find someone special to me among the 11 Songs? I guess I would have to find that out as my life as a Major Key starts.

I was lying on my bed, thinking about everything that happened today. After my meeting with the king, it's quite late so he asked the two of his disciples, the cloaked men to bring me home.

The king also told me that we would have a meeting again tomorrow and that meeting included the Songs. I still had a lot of unanswered questions in my head so I hope tomorrow's meeting should satisfy them.

It's saturday tomorrow so the meeting was set early around 10 am so I wouldn't be getting home late. I supposed to have work tomorrow but it seemed like I would have to call again. Thinking about it, would I be forced to quit my job? I would have to find out tomorrow.

My eyes felt heavy and as much as I wanted to watch something, I couldn't take this tiredness anymore. I shut my eyes and I let myself fall into another dream of my brother.

I was 7 and Max was 10.

I was reaching a book in a shelf but it's too high for me to reach so I tried to move the book with my little finger. My face lit up once I was finally able to take the book out, but it slipped from my hands and fell. It hit the vase on the table and the loud sound of glass crashing resounded on the house. Sounds of hurried footsteps followed and I looked up to see father, his face flushing in anger.

"What did you do?!" He shouted at me and I glanced at the book lying on the ground.

"I...I want to read." I said with my small voice.

"Is this what you call wanting to read?!" He kicked the shattered glass and I began screaming apologies to my father, afraid the sharp pieces of glass would hit me.

Father was always strict, but he had never been like this before. He became intimidating since last year and I didn't know why or what happened. The relationship between him and mother also went downhill. He started hurting us, especially my brother. Yet I couldn't remember any memory of when did he ever treated my brother kindly.

My father gripped my shoulders, shouting at me to clean the mess I made but my mom and brother appeared and took me away from father. Mother was crying as she hugged me, apologizing when she'd done nothing.

My brother Max was standing between us and father, his hand held out to protect us.

"Stay back! How could you lay your hands on Ley." Max shouted, his little voice sounded firm.

No brother, don't provoke father to hurt you. It's all my fault, don't let yourself be hurt also because of me. Please, brother.

I prayed inwardly as I watched brother, but my hope crushed right away when father grinned wickedly.

"Oh kid, you wanna get hurt instead? Wanna take the punishment for the mess she did?"

"Brother, please don't!" I cried out but my brother just stood still, his eyes unwavering as he looked at father.

My father swung his fist and hit my brother hard on his face. I started crying and screaming and the dream changed.

I was 11 and brother was 14.

My father was leaving the house, clutching his bag and my brother's wrist.

No, he's taking Max with him. It can't be. Brother should stay here.

I turned to mother who was holding me tightly, tears falling from my eyes.

"Mother, stop him. Don't let him take Max with him. Mother, please."

My mother whispered sorry and tears started to fall from her face but did nothing.

I watched as Max tried fighting back to escape but he only received father's fist on his face. His hold on brother's wrist tightened that the expression on brother's face told me that it hurt a lot.

My mother and father decided to live separately but taking my brother wasn't on their agreement. At first, mother tried to stop my father from taking Max but he just pushed her. After that, my mother stopped fighting and instead took a hold of me.

"Brother, please stay." I cried out, trying to escape from mother's hold.

My brother looked at me and his face was of both fear and sadness.

"Ley." he whispered.

I turned to father and began pleading him to let my brother go but he acted as if he didn't hear anything I said.

"Just follow me nicely, kid. You don't belong here. You don't wanna get hurt, right?"

"No, I want to stay here. I want to stay with Ley." My brother said, fighting back tears as he tried to remove father's hand on his wrist, but father was stronger.

Father suddenly pulled his wrist hardly that brother let out a sound of pain. He gave me one last look as father keep grabbing Max with him.

"I'm sorry, Ley."

I never stopped crying after that.

My eyes opened and I touched my face wet with tears. This happen every time I dreamt about brother. But today's dream was worse. Why would I see that one in my dream? I couldn't take that pain again.

I miss my brother so much. I wished he was here, I wished my father never took him. I wished my mother tried harder. It's been six years and I still think of my brother always. I hope he's still alive somewhere.

I stayed quiet for awhile, waiting for myself to calm down before reaching for my phone to check the time.

8:30am

I quickly rose from the bed and took a bath right away. As the cold water poured on my body, I let it wash away the painful memory of my brother taking away from me. I couldn't be emotional right now. I have a meeting with the King and the Songs later and I should get a grip.

I ate breakfast in a hurried way and my mother asked where was I headed to. I just simply lied to her about doing project at Diana's house. As I left the house, mother shouted at me not to get home very late before the door closed behind me.

I saw the familiar car parked in the corner of the street. One cloaked man was standing by the car so I hurried even more towards them.

As soon as the door of the Sky Castle opened, the smiling Fredrik greeted me and I returned the greetings before stepping inside.

"Oh, it's you again, young lady." greeted Brio, smiling widely.

Apollo was sitting beside him and there's another guy that I had never met before. He had dark blond hair and he looked the same age as the two. I'm 17 and I think our age wasn't that far from each other.

Apollo and the other guy looked at me as I approached them coyly.

"Hi." I said awkwardly.

The couch across them was empty this time, no sleeping Song so I took a seat on that couch instead.

"Hey," greeted Apollo and he turned to face the other guy beside him.

"She's the summoned major key, Medley."

I smiled shyly at the new guy and he beamed at me.

"So it's you. It's my pleasure to meet you, name's Reed. I'm the Fifth Song, the Grief Prince."



So he's the grief Prince? His personality was nothing like his title, he seemed friendly and cheerful. I suddenly remembered what Brio told to me about Banjo. Maybe their titles had nothing to do with their personalities.

I suddenly felt an excitement inside me, wanting to meet all the Songs. I was curious about knowing their titles. But at the same time I felt so nervous. I was about to meet all the dazzling Songs and I was sure I would end up getting mesmerized by them.

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