The Queen of Ash and Flame

Chapter One ✓

"Sir, do you have anything to spare?" I asked, my lips cracked and burning from dehydration.

The man passing by only gave me a pitiful look and shook his head, "No, sorry." And continued on.

I hated begging for food and money, hated looking weak but I'd do anything to support my sisters and I. As that thought crossed my mind, I glanced over to a dark alley. A couple doors down I saw a woman walking into the dark space. A tall man came out of the shadows and ran his hands down her body. Almost anything. I would not stoop that low.

I retreated to the forest, we lived just outside the village. In a small rundown shack covered in moss and dirt. It wasn't much but to us it was home.

The shack was just out of sight of the houses bordering the village, no one could see us from the streets of Morhella. I came up on the small clearing that housed the rundown building. If you could even call it that.

It was made of soft rain abused wood, spots of paint were the only remains of colour stained onto the wood. More wooden beams were stacked ontop to keep the rain out, but it didn't do much. A cracked dark spruce door hung on rusty hinges, the door looked like it could fall off at the smallest gust of wind.

It was surrounded by tall dark trees, the tops mostly blocking out the sunlight from above. I knocked on the door and swung it open, the wood groaning on the metal.

Two pale skeleton looking faces looked up at me, two pairs of greyish green eyes stared up at me.

"You got anything?" Madeline asked, she was younger than me but only about a year and a couple months.

My only response was a small shake of my head. I closed the door and plopped down on the mossy floor.

Thalia looked up at me, my youngest sister, she was only seven, still a child she should be living her best life not sitting in a shed in the woods starving. Hugging to life with a bony hand.

"Can we go play in the woods?" Thalia asked, looking up at me with her kind eyes.

I considered this, I needed to go check my snares that were in the forest, "sure." I said smiling.

She clapped her hands excitedly and jumped up. I have no idea how she had so much energy after the lack of food and water.

"Want to come along?" I asked, extending a hand to Madeline. She looked up from her hands and stared into my eyes. Hers like little seashells by an ocean, blue streaked with greens and greys. She glanced at my open hand and took it. Her skin was cold against my own.

I pulled her up and out of the shack, Thalia was running and laughing, jumping over logs and rocks. We walked deeper into the forest, I stopped every 20 feet or so to check my traps. Most were empty due to the wet spring. I had no luck until the fourth trap, this one held a small rabbit, a sharpened stick pierced through its neck.

I unhooked the animal and reset the snare, I got one more rabbit but that was it. Only two animals out of fifteen traps. Thalia was running ahead checking back every so often to not lose us in the damp foliage.

We finally got back to the house, the sky was striped with dark lines. The wind chilled but silent. Madeline played with Thalia so she didn't have to see me skin the small creatures. I split their skin with the only item I have left of our parents. A shining iron dagger with a polished stone handle. I would have sold it but it was too precious to lose after they left.

I sucked in a breath remembering the letter we got, the printed letter on thick yellowing paper. The envelope was wavy and damaged by water, the ink barely legible on the crackling parchment. Inside was the news of our fathers death in the war, and the capture of our mother by the faeries.

Humans have been at war with fae way before I was born, bloodbaths and merciless killings. The only way humans have not been beaten down is by our one weapon against them. Iron. It dulled their powers, making them weak and unable to heal with magic.

I remember receiving the letter on the beautiful sunny day. It was a cloudless sky, not even a whiff of rain in the air. I had been going to the post office every day since they left. Since they were forced to leave. Waiting for a letter of them coming home or something I hated to even think about.

Jack, the man that worked behind the counter. Gave me a sad look, he handed me the thick envelope. As soon as I got outside I tore open the paper, the butter coloured parchment fell into my hands, I opened it with trembling fingers and read the note.

We are sorry to inform you that Jerry Everett has died in battle. Marriana Everett has not been seen since a camp raid, we suspect she's been taken into a slave camp. Jerry Everett has left the recipient of this letter a final memoriam.

Our sincerest apologies,

General Lang.

The iron dagger had also been in the envelope, my most precious possession.

A harsh gust of wind brings me back to reality, chilling my tears on my cheeks. I quickly whipped them away and glanced around to see if anyone my sisters saw. I quickly got back to skinning the rabbits then stabbed a spit through them.

The orange and red flames licked up the exposed flesh of the rabbits. Roasting it and making it a rich brown. The smell wafted to my nose and around the clearing. I heard soft crunching footsteps behind me, Madeline and Thalia came and sat down on the logs surrounding the flames.

"Food should almost be done," I said looking up at the purple and pink streaked sky that could be seen through the treetops. I slipped the meat off the stake and sliced up the creatures. Putting a couple pieces on a large leaf, handing a leaf to Madeline then one to Thalia. They dove into their meal. I only gave myself two slices of meat, saving the rest for tomorrow.

Once we finished up we all headed to the shack and closed the door, sealing ourselves in for the night. Madeline curled up next to Thalia, wrapping her arms around her. Trapping warmth between them.

I rested my head on the north wall, the farthest away from the door. Thalia fell asleep in near minutes, nestled next to her sister. A small shiver ran through the seven year old, I got up and rearranged the thin rotting blanket on their shoulders.

I sat back down staring at the two of them, wishing that I could give them a better life. Not one in poverty, where they would have full stomachs, wear warm clothes, and go to bed clean. But we were not blessed with that. I got up and slung my black cloak over my shoulders. Clasping it around my neck. I had worked as a maid for this rich woman, she got me to clean her house and take after her pets. While working for her I stole many things, one of them being this cloak.

I tiptoed my way to the door and opened it with a creak, glancing back to see if I'd woken my sisters up. But their chest still fell in the same calm motion.

I stepped into the crisp night air, the breeze chilling my skin. Making the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. I walked deeper into the forest, wanting to escape from reality. Wanting to escape from the burdens of life.

As I continued on my breathing became slower, calmer. I was at peace with life, I found the huge boulder. It was smooth and flat, the treetops uncovering the starry sky. Letting in strips of moonlight. I climbed the tall rock and layed down on my back. My cloak wrapped around my body for warmth.

I got lost in the night sky, wanting to become one with the stars. To escape, to be free.

I don't know how much time passed but the moon was now right above me. Bathing me in its pearly white light.

When I got back to the cabin I nestled myself in my cloak, letting the chilly night soothe me into sleep. My dreams were filled with dancing stars and swirling skies.