Northern Conflicts

The Nãlan Siblings

Shantoya lurked in the shadows, humbly waiting for Amethyst to walk towards her newly built home and when she saw her approaching, she jumped out and started talking "General! Where are the heads of thine enemies?" The youngest child of the king could not wait to hear about her siblings fight. "All my men died without lifting their blades for more than three minutes and she refused to fight me for she needed a messenger." Shantoya knew that Amethyst hated to lose, and it had been a while since she even came close to it, so she knew that her favourite sibling was pissed.

"Surely you are exaggerating it." There was a little bit of hope in Shantoya's eyes and it bothered Amethyst. "Fights should never be exaggerated or downscaled, someone wins and the other loses; to think otherwise is to be naive for the possible outcomes of every fight are the same." Shantoya never understood how Amethyst could just darken her aura when she spoke, it always scared her, but she was also intrigued. That's when she started shadowing her sister, she figured that since she already had a good relationship with her mother and her brother had no issues with her the only thing, she needed was the favour of her father. Sadly, her father only favoured one child, even though she was his first-born daughter she would always his second daughter.

Shantoya could not help but be jealous of her sister. It was evident that she tried not to be, but growing up with the ideals she has, growing up with the people in Micralanza makes it hard for a person to turn away from being malicious. "A knife for your thoughts." Needless to say, Amethyst was curious usually she could never get Shantoya to shut up but apparently whatever she is thinking about has taken root on her shoulders. "How do you do it, what is your secret why does father prefer you?"

Amethyst looked over at her sister "I don't know what I do, but what I do know is that father does not prefer me; I have earned his respect. I should be asking why does your mother prefer you."

Amethyst knew the obvious answer Trantress kept saying it to her all through her upbringing and she never failed to make sure her children never forget it.

"That's simple she is my blood relative and she believes you to be a bastard child of father."

Shantoya did not know that what she said was a partial answer to the questions she asked before. There was a time when Amethyst wanted nothing more than for that statement to be false. There were moments when those words hurt more than the training but one day it just went all away, whether they accepted it or not she was Amethyst Nãlan, first daughter of the house and those who said otherwise would feel her wrath tenfold. At least that is what everybody else thought, see Amethyst figured out that people's weakness were their minds, so she would let them think.

If Shantoya knew that her role model, the girl she would not have a problem killing to be like, was just projecting the image people think she would produce.

"Maybe that's why Father respects me."

As Shantoya was about to respond Jeriah approached "That comment is how I know you prefer Shantoya more than you do me. The first time I told you that you broke my arm in two different places."

Amethyst smiled at this because it was one her first memories of happiness

"Truthfully speaking that was not my intention. If I do remember I was just practicing my 'how to break an arm' lessons."

"That was not a part of the syllabus, admit that you cheated. We weren't supposed to learn those things until another year; your success is based off of your lack of regard for rules. In everyone's opinion Jeriah was a sore loser so even if that was true no one would believe it coming from his mouth. Shantoya didn't believe him "Father says she was just a brilliant mind who needed a challenge and the curriculum she was served was an insult."

"Shantoya you know more than anyone that father only used that excuse because it is her."

"Now dearest brother and lovely sister fighting over the achievements of little old me will neither benefit nor hurt me." With that said she went into her home and locked the door.

Amethyst headed straight for her bed but when she got to her room the jewel that had disappeared was laying on her bed. It shone a brighter blue than before and strangely it brought warmth to the room. Amethyst believed the jewel could only hold and deliver messages but that was mediocre compared to what the jewel could do. The jewel was able to converse with her at an intellectual level. Though the conversation started out as a you're the idiot insults going from one end to another, but they worked it out when she.... yes, the jewel has a gender and that is how she prefers to be referred to rather than being called it.

Back to what I was saying. They worked things out when she started explaining herself.

She gave Amethyst the answer to a question she had been asking her entire life "Daughter of Thritia, It is time to go home your parents Quad Nores and Abrose have longed to see you."

In one sentence she knew more about her roots than ever before but she wanted to know more so she asked "Not even the goddess of Knowledge, could tell me this so the gods of the Thritians must be powerful and if this is true, tell me if I will die?" The jewel replied with wisdom My child death is inevitable but if you stay in this land any longer you will experience it sooner." They soon devised a plan to flee from Micralanza.

When they were finalizing the plan Amethyst noticed a shadow move. "How dare you come into my home uninvited?" Amethyst moved towards the figure "Please I can explain why...." the intruder plead with terror drawn on her face. "You can explain why you broke into my home and listened in on my conversation?" Amethyst drew her sword and started advancing on the intruder. Amethyst please. We are family, come on I pose no threat to you and your plans. I would never endanger my family." She did not see family she saw prey, another obstacle. "Family you say, today I am your family but tomorrow will be as yesterday was, the alleged bastard child of the king. When I am that disgrace you will inform your family of my plans because you would never endanger your family."

The intruder was then taken care of like any pest in need of extermination but before the heir to the throne drew the last breath these words were spoken "You... remember the... the laws...sister please...be my guide"

There are many rules pertaining to death in a land that is plagued by it, and the two most important ones are never leave a believer without guidance through the light and the second is never take away your blessings by killing family. Then there's also the law about killing an heir to the throne in the land, it was fair enough to say Amethyst was fairly screwed, but she still became the guide as asked.

Praying over the dead was an old tribal custom passed down from generation to generation. It was considered a blessing to be able to pray over someone as they died, you would be guiding their soul to rest.

"Noches goddess of the dead and the night I ask that you bless the soul of your subject keep thy soul away from the wrath of the underworld and guide thy spirit with the only light we know

Fife Tribone. "