The Kingdom : A Land for the Exiled and the Rebels

THE EXILED

Prologue

Qenan (12 years old)

The sound of gurgling screams reverberated off the dilapidated walls of the ruins, accompanied by thunder lighting the creepy dark woods. Yet somehow, the screams drowned the sound of the storm, echoing through the island. Qenan tightened his grip on the small trembling hand of Tulay as they huddled on the wet forest floor, hiding behind the ginormous tree. Their bodies shivering both from the cold and from the knowledge of the brutality happening back at the place they have been calling home for the last few years.

He glanced at Tulay, whose lips have been in motion ever since the commotion started. She has been continuously praying, even though she knew there was no hope anymore, nothing could stop the end of their world now. Her soft dark hairs were wet and sticking to her face, where silent tears mingled with the rain water. She looked younger than her nine years, nothing like the girl who followed him into the woods alone at midnight. They were the eldest of the kids at the island and she much preferred to spend her time with him than the others, ever since she came to live with them in the State Palace with her mother, who was Qenan's uncle's wife. He hated her for it, but today he was more than grateful that she followed him.

The only thing to do now was wait for their turn which was going to be sooner than he expected, as all the noise stopped abruptly. Anxious of the sudden quiet in the atmosphere, he started to move only to be pulled back by a tug on his shirt. Looking at Tulay he silently pleaded to let go, staying here was impossible knowing that the worst they could think has already happened.

I need to go check on them. He signed.

Your Ma said to hide if the Executioners come. We are not supposed to go out until someone is here to get us. Tulay signed back with tearful eyes.

There is no one left to... He went quiet hearing movement around them, the sleepy woods were awakened by loud steps running towards them. Whoever it was knew where to find them. Qenan stiffened and then immediately prepared himself for the fight. He did not have any weapons but he was not going to go down without a fight. An apparition cloaked in white suddenly emerged staggering out of the darkness.

"Tulay..." Svajone moaned, her legs giving up right in front of them. The two-year-old boy held securely in her arms whimpered.

They leapt towards her, Qenan took his little brother from her hands while Tulay pulled Svajone behind the tree. She was bleeding heavily through the wound on her stomach and arms.

"Tulay, my child. Are you okay?" She heaved.

Yes Ma. I am. But you are hurt. Tulay signed back, looking at her mother's frighteningly pale face.

"Where is my mother?" Qenan asked impatiently. "And my sister? Where are they? Are they alright?"

Svajone looked at him, there was pity in her eyes, confirming what he already knew.

"DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT. TELL ME!!" He clutched his youngest brother even closer to him, knowing that the vulnerable baby might be his only family left.

"They killed Raya and others right in front of me." Pausing for a breath full of effort, she said. "I don't know what happened to any of the kids."

He clenched his teeth, killing the rising scream in his mouth, as helpless tears gathered in his eyes.

"I need to go find Aniya." He was ready to bolt, find his sister and bring her to safety. She was his responsibility now that his mother was dead.

"No... stop... Qenan. The Executioners are everywhere, there is no way ..."

She paused, Qenan understood what her silence meant. There is no way a seven-year-old could survive the Executioners. But he could not abandon her like that. If there is a chance that she is alive then he had to find her and... he wanted to see his mother one last time.

Tulay yanked his hand pulling him back. Don't go. She pleaded.

"I will be back. Take care of him for me." He put Merikh in her arms.

"If I don't come back take them away." Turning to Svajone, he told her knowing the only place of refuge they now had was with her people.

*****

The walk to the ruins was difficult, his vision was blurring because of the tears that kept gathering in his eyes. Things have been going down drastically over the last few years, he knew this day was coming, yet he was not prepared for it. More so, it was difficult knowing that he was among the people who survived, when everyone he held dear was dead. If the Executioners were able to reach here, on this small island south of their State which was the hiding place of the women and children of their castle it meant his father and his brother were dead too. And someone sold out their location.

The ruins were in a clearing at the very center of the woods and all too soon he reached there. Hiding behind a bush from where the entire expanse of the land was visible, he surveyed his surroundings. The ruins stood majestic and foreboding in the center, the entire area alight with torches and lanterns, he could see the Executioners spread outside, they were probably waiting for the storm to subside before starting their journey back.

Looking off to the right of the ruins, he saw a movement in the darkness, and his breath stalled. "No," he whispered to himself, his heartbeat roaring in his ears. The small silhouette sneaking through the night towards the woods could be no one but his seven-year-old sister, Aniya, two Executioners patrolling merely a few feet in front of her. "No, Aniya. Don't." Thunder and raging storm drowned his voice. He was on his feet and moving forward even before it registered. But the land was too slippery and the rain too heavy, his foot slipped and when he looked up again Aniya had vanished and the Executioners too. There was no sign of her, almost like he had only imagined everything that happened a few moments ago. He crept towards the collapsed walls to the right of the ruins where he saw her, staying in the shadow of the walls and blending his movements with the sound of the forest and rain, the way Azriel, his eldest brother taught him when he was here last year. Thinking of Azriel made him want to curl up and cry, he was the best older brother, and his best friend even though they did not get to spend much time together anymore, since Azriel had to join the rank of the soldiers back home with his father as soon as he turned eighteen. And now he will never see him again. Leaning against the crumbling wall, all of a sudden everything that has happened since the sun set this evening came rushing to him, his father, mother, brother and now probably even his sister were dead. All the pain bubbled up into and unstoppable cry. AAAAAARRGGHHHHHHH!!!! He broke down uncaring of whether anyone heard him or not.

Within moments he heard steps rushing towards him but he did not stop. He wanted to be weak once, only once and then he will rise up and fight.