~blood.queens~

༯𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖔༯

The leather straps are tight now. The metal clinks with every step, getting the attention of Adira who just polishes Polytus's shield. She gives me a wink, half smiling and nods a little. The nodding...I don't know. It shows respect in our cadea. It feels more like approval. And to approve of someone soon to murder is...well... weird.

I step past Adiras tent crossing the white brown sand street to the head house. "Hasiera de Cadea". Its mint green fabric flutters in the wind, letting the old wood stumps that are holding the hole construct ache and squeak, letting me to hope that no windstorm will come in a few days. I squirt against the sun, finding all the men armoured and ready for fight. They are leaning against the table, its massive wood standing strong in the middle, regardless of the weight of about 20 men leaning on them. They look as though they couldn't stand. Hilarious.

The first time I went like this through the old wooden doors was the beginning of my life. Not the child to adult life. But mine. The reason I'm here. The reason I was born. The reason why my father has not yet told my mother to go away. My father wanted a warrior. Male. My mother wanted a mother. A wife. A housewife more exactly. A little girl with pink dresses and braided hair with ribbons. A girl that liked to dance and sew. Later on young women who got in love with a strong man. A further later on women who married this man and had six children. I became none. And not a mixture of both, like many said. No, I became a woman. Not a mixture. Just a woman like it should be. Strong, independent and a fighter. And not just on the battlefield but also in life. And i didn't become a warrior because my father wanted to. No, I became one because I was born to. I was born to show. To show that i'm not a female with male features but a woman like nature wanted her to be.

It's the same when I was there, proclaiming my future. The future that was inevitable. Already set. Just waiting for someone to see it. Unfortunately I was the only one who saw it. The first to see what I could behold.

I was sure so i went through these doors and said i would fight. it wasn't a question. but they saw it like one. and i couldn't remember to have asked something when i answered with no so i turned by my heels heading through the doors and proclaiming that if they wouldn't let me they would have the worst enemy of their useless, stupid lifes. and i could. because they understood that i didn't joke. and they knew that i would never let the things i said turn to a joke.

My first first fight was the awakening of my soul. The first draw of my sword. Making the balance work, letting it perfectly lie in my palm. The moment where I saw the first enemy. There was not the hate i expected to feel but a thirst. A thirst to slit his throat open, to see his blood flow on the sandy floor. It was my first kill. I remember it like nothing else. The sudden flesh coming in my sword's way, the thump of the head bumping on the ground and the fear and horror expression that marked his face in death.

And now they look at me. Respect in my eyes for killing. I stride through the path, stopping at the opposite side of the table, reserved for me, waiting for my arrival and looking my father in the eyes. I neither have my fathers nor my mothers eyes. His eyes were the blue-green of the mountain lakes, hues that could tell tales of sky and evergreen giants all the same. My mothers was a red-brown, almost fire-like , that shone like burnt sienna and copper amour. Mine were green. A rich green. Poisonous. I know from whom I got them. I keep it to myself. Because it's a tale. Something impossible to have happened. The secret is kept between me and auranofin. She understands.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

"Captain!" 93% of carbon dioxide is locked up in the ocean. Surely this leaving the oceans to thrive is key to our survival. But does it matter? That we survive. That we live. Does someone or something besides mankind care? I'll tell you. No. You know why?

Mankind is the whole of the human race, including both men and women. And mankind has always been obsessed with power. strength. Mightiness. Money. Control. Mankind is an interesting bunch, so much self deception at all levels, from the individual mind right up through their societal structures. If we could only learn cooperation, become fraternal, we'd have a real chance to be a trusted species.

Trust.
You can't trust us. You can't trust humans. They trick you into whatever they feel is appropriate and you get out without gaining a single bit of anything. It's so easy. And changing? Changing mankind? Make a wish.

"Captain?"
Amaya.
"Nevra!"
"I'm not a captain."
-"Not yet."
I say with a smirk getting a chuckle from her.
"It will work. Trust me".

Waves of blue light slither over the ocean to the Sunset with its blossoms upon the cloud as sweet wild clover blooms. Today it's a furling flame, the red edge with blossom tones of amber, leading to a rich gold, reflecting the light as a golden cup. It blazes as bold as the hue blue ships flag, flattering in the air, soft waves of linen seeming to dance on the three black stripes of the Troyj. I've never been there, but now standing on one of their transport ships.

It's said to be a magical land. With nature as full as the rainbows, plants that seem from another world. Spices that make you dream and fruits that make you love. The land of the Troyja. The land of the people of the rainbow. The most colourful culture, their dances and rituals being the most exotic in the world.

"NEVRA!"
"What?"
"Were here."

Oh thats news. We arrived. The third city. The last stop.

Etruscan.