THE REIGN OF WOMEN

S1 EP1: Sapphira

501 AD, Katalie, City of Light

In the far West of the Goldenlands, stood a Land known for its beauty within. A Land so prominent, that many nobles abandoned their homes to live in the City. It was well acknowledged that one day, perhaps a hundred years from now, the City of Light would always be remembered for such. Men would visit the Land and never want to leave. The Land wasn't the only motive for its recognition, it was the Women. It was said that the Women born in The City of Light were crafted by the Gods, making them one of the most beautiful women in the World.

Like most women in Katalie, Sapphira Bala, the daughter of a retired Katalian Man-at-arms and a Teacher of the sole School in the City, was promised to a man, to serve and bear heirs for the Estate. It wasn't out of the ordinary for a girl of four and ten to leave her family to marry. Alexandra, sister of Sapphira Bala, retired from her home at five and ten and married into the Marsh family. The Marsh family was quite affluent and well-respected in the City, and to the Balas, it was like an answered prayer from the Gods above. Sapphira too was promised to a Marsh son, before he unexpectedly died in 500 AD of an unknown cause. After her first failed engagement, Sapphira was promised to a Marsh cousin.

When Marcella Bala unexpectedly fell ill in 501 AD, four and ten year-old Sapphira and eight and twenty year-old Fabricio's engagement was deferred. Simon Bala being the only man in the house meant he had to keep their business afloat and Sapphira was tasked with caring for her ill mother and the household. Surely the illness itself was bad enough, but being bought by a Marsh was a death sentence. Despite what was said, the Marshʼs were cruel and manipulative. The trait ran in the family the same way blood ran through one's veins. Alexandra Bala was married to a Marsh and hadn't been seen by her family since.

Sapphira and Alexandra wrote each other letters on occasion, letters that had to be burned after being read to remain a shared secret between sisters. "For our protection" Alexandra would write. In the beginning, Sapphira did not comprehend what or who Alexandra was protecting herself and her youngest sister from, until she showed up at Marius and Sapphira's engagement feast, black and blue, and advised her sister to run and hide for the sake of her life.

No older than  ten and four, she feared what her life might come to if she were to truly wed a man of considerable power. She was not her mother. Even as the wife of a man of power, what and who would she be? She would always be known as the wife of Marius Marsh, not Sapphira or Lady Wife Sapphira. What kind of life would that be? Living in the shadow of your own husband.

Sapphira always knew she was born to become more, more than her parents, but how does one become more? How does a slave break the wheel of life designed by men? You design a new one.

It was relatively cold that day, so after her father had given her his old but precious military cloak to replace the old and holed cloak, Sapphira had been holding on to for many years, to protect her from catching a cold, she set off to fetch new medicine for her ill mother. On her way to the medical herb market, Sapphira was occasionally stopped on the street and greeted by family friends, and neighbors. Everyone liked the Balas, specifically Sapphira, She was a fine kid, but she sure was a handful.

A tongue so improper surely came with troubles. It hadn't been something she was taught by her parents or her elder sister, no, she had learned to bite back by herself, and anywhere Sapphira went, trouble followed. Even then, the majority of the inhabitants adored her, she fought for fairness in every golden corner, something not many would dare do. One may lose a head for it. She believed in justice, in a world of injustice. She was no princess nor queen, otherwise, it surely would have made things much easier for her but she intended on fighting the battle, with or without them.