Blood of Water and Light

𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖: 𝕊𝕒𝕞

When we arrived at the edge of a town. I watched Cyra's red hair wave like a banner in the breeze. I felt totally awkward grabbing onto a big man so I did my best to just hold onto the back of the saddle. A few times I came close to crashing into the ground, but I stayed on. 

A ways through the town we reached a huge palace. It was grey stone with guards watching from all angles. Huge brown doors stood at the center as if daring anyone to come inside. I still debated if this was a prank or some form of dream, but all logic was pointing towards it couldn't be. Not that logic was in the cards anymore. 

I climbed off the horse nearly collapsing onto the ground from stiffness. Cyra was being assisted by creepy lion man. He seemed like a jerk and murderer. He had a creepy mustache that made him look older. Cyra snapped her hand back as soon as she could clearly as unsettled as me. 

The man who'd been with me on the way here grabbed my shoulder startling me. He walked me towards the doors. I kept my eyes glued on Cyra. Though she was a stubborn thing she was all I had here.

The halls were long the main hall was tall and large. Balconies ran along it from other floors and there was an occasional set of stairs. Other halls went off those more small and less lavish.  The men stopped at a set of deep red doors like the shade of freshly spilled blood.

The noble general guided Cyra through the doors and the man holding me shoved me inside letting me go. The doors shut with a loud sound that made Cyra jump.  It was only us three left standing away from a throne in the back of the room.

The room was lovely despite what I felt being in here. The lights that hung above were brighter then flames would've been. Instead it was like pure sunlight. The room was all whites and reds from there. A few guards stood at multiple sets of doors all the wood painted same deep red.

The man slumped on the giant chair looked already bored with us. I tried to peel my gaze from Cyra in case the man had found a reason to use us against each other. I would not show them she was a weakness for them use. 

"What have you found?" he drawled deep and booming.

"A girl and a boy from the other lands" the general stated.

"Ah and what do they call you both?" he asked.

"Cyra, my name is Cyra" she said standing confidently, but her voice wavered.

"Sam" I said simply.

"Cyra? he questioned for a moment.

I had to admit Cyra was odd even where we came from. Nobody had that name except maybe a book character. Only Cyra was well Cyra. Even the general seemed to be slightly shocked at the name. They almost seemed to recognize it in a way as though she was a long lost thing they found. 

He continued, "bring them out and give them jobs at once" he said not answering the questions brewing inside me.

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Cyra had been shoved off with a group of women while the general stuck with me.

"Where are they taking her?" I demanded.

"She will be far more safe then you my friend" was all he answered.

"What?" I asked debating on punching him.

"You are to be a guard and she a maid understand now boy?" he said.

I hated the way he called me boy. Though in some ways he was right I considered myself not a boy. I was sixteen after all that seemed a little different then a boy.

He walked me outside into a courtyard lined with wooden sticks and crap leather armor stands in the slight forms of people. There were at least a dozen men running around the place and even some women. I watched one man slam a sword into one of the stands. Another woman had no weapon and was raising her hands and in her palms was fire.  She burned a stand down in seconds. 

"Go on they will show you how to do anything you need and where to stay I have other business to attend to" He said and walked away.

I stepped forward wondering if I could've run off. I also debated why they let us stay here as sort of free people. On one hand we weren't locked up and on another we were forced jobs. They must've known we were not dangers to anyone. They knew that much of the modern world. 

Did it have to do with Cyra?

A girl turned towards me her hair a light brown shade. Her hair was half up in a number of braids. She seemed so innocent to be out here with the boys. Not much older or younger then I myself was. 

"Welcome new boy lets see what you got" she said.

Somebody threw me a stick and helmet. I had never fought anybody before. I placed the helmet on my head. She started to circle me like a vulture waiting for its next meal.

Her blue eyes lit up as she made the first move. I blocked it out of more instinct then skill. Then she hit me in the gut and I doubled over. She got me few times before swinging her stick under my feet. I collapsed losing my breath for a moment. I groaned lightly from where she'd hit me before.

"I am Abigail" she said lending out a hand.

I grabbed her hand and she pulled me up. This close I realized how much I towered over her. She was small the same height as Cyra maybe even shorter. 

"Now come along you have much to learn" she said.

Without question I followed her into the training session. What had Cyra and I gotten into.