Keep Your Enemies Closer

A Life of Pain and Misery

'Beauty is not in the face ; beauty is a light in the heart' - Khalil Gibran

Reyna Aldine had been travelling through Valbara for four days and five hours. Her parents hadn't noticed when she'd crept out in the middle of the night, armed only with a sack that contained a map, compass, food, water, and a bow and arrows she had purchased from the Markets earlier that day. The Vendor had given her a suspicious look, likely wondering why a sixteen year old girl needed a weapon at such a young age - before doing a double take and assessing Reyna's muddy clothes, wild and unruly hair and hollow eyes before giving in to her offer of thirty pieces. It wasn't anything special, just a normal ash bow, and some protection was better than none before venturing into Valbara. 

The food and water had almost run out and Reyna was parched, desperately licking her lips and praying for the rain or a nearby stream. Her once white blouse was torn, navy blue skirt ripped, her cloak falling to pieces as she pulled it tighter around her thin body, leather boots a size too small and peppered with holes. She shivered, the only sounds she could hear the sounds of the forest floor as Reyna made her way onwards to Bruha, where the Valbarian Witches were rumoured to be lurking currently. Rubbing her eyes once again, she glanced at the map before assessing her surroundings. A grey sky, an eerily quiet forest which was swept with fog from all sides, enclosing her in. No birds or wildlife, the occasional rabbit like she'd seen in her village, Deidre. Many times already Reyna had doubted herself, wondering if she should turn back. If she had made a mistake coming here in the first place. No, she had scolded herself. No, I have not come this far just to turn back home and for things to carry on as they always do. 

Reyna had always had it difficult since she was born. With five other mouths to feed, her parents had spared her little to no attention unless she had needed food or other requirements. She was the middle child of the Aldine household - an older brother, Drax and sister, Nova, the younger twins River and Kael. Drax worked as a Blacksmith's apprentice and was doing exceedingly and Nova had been married off the year before to a wealthier man from Muiri, while River and Kael were still in the bleak thing they called School. And Reyna? She had hoped to become a Philosopher's apprentice at an ancient Library up North but despite her enthusiasm, she had not been picked. There could have been many reasons for this. Her gender. Her experience. She knew the main reason though, was her appearance. 

Reyna was not beautiful. She wasn't even average looking. In fact, her parents hadn't even denied that she was quite simply : ugly. She had not been lucky like her sister Nova with her long luscious pale blonde hair and huge brown eyes despite the poor conditions they had grown up in, only washing with icy cold water once a week if they were lucky. Even River, her younger sister was better looking than her with waves of brown hair and crystalline blue eyes. Her brothers weren't too bad either. It was only Reyna with her tired dark curls, sallow pale skin, spotty face, small eyes, thin lips and bird like body who had gotten the unlucky genes. At first, she had believed it a curse as that was her only explanation when she was young. As she had gotten older, Reyna had realised she would have to make do as nothing was to be done. That was when Tegan had started.

Tegan, the most beautiful girl in town apart from Nova with jet black hair down to her waist, olive skin, shining dark eyes and a striking smile that made so many of the other girls flock to her. As soon as Tegan had laid eyes on Reyna it had been her life's goal to humiliate and embarrass her. Shoving her into the mud on her way home. Laughing behind her back. Tripping her up. Smaller things at first that got gradually worse over the past year. Mocking her. Teasing her. Daring her to say something back but Reyna never did. She kept her lips shut, refusing to give Tegan the satisfaction. Until last month, when Tegan had gotten her expelled from the local School. Showing the Lorthews a nasy slice on her cheek that she had no doubt done herself while sobbing. Of course, Reyna had been expelled. Tegan was beautiful. How could she be lying? 

Reyna had been low that day, lower than she had ever been. She had sobbed until she couldn't breathe, gasping as small mouthfuls of air filled her lungs as she was wracked with broken sounds. Why was she different? What had she done to deserve such a fate? Anger had turned to hate at herself and she'd looked into the cracked mirror lying beside her door and promptly smashed it with her Father's woodcutting axe. Once she had calmed down, Reyna had been filled with a cold determination. She would become beautiful. She would find a way. She'd wipe that smirk off Tegan's face at last. 

For days, Reyna had poured over books, walking the ten minute route from the outside of the town where the poorer people resided, to the inner square where the school she had attended was and the library. The Library was presided over by a withered old woman who vaguely reminded her of a walnut who had been happy enough to help Reyna find what she had been searching for. She'd found herbal recipes for skin and hair, ingredients she had no means of obtaining. Reyna had almost given up when the Librarian had placed a book on the Valbarian Witches on the table she had been working on. The topic had fascinated her instantly and after a hundred pages it had mentioned the Witches abilities - for a price. To grant wishes to those who were brave enough. Reyna had smiled, an answer at last. She had seized up the book and began immediately planning her journey to Bruha, Valbara. 

Here she was now, wandering through the forest, only hoping she was going the correct way. The trees offered not much direction, only swaying in the wind. Nature was drawn to magic, Reyna had learnt one afternoon in the Library. It didn't help that the trees were all swaying different directions, providing no insight. It was almost dusk, the sky gradually darkening into the pitch black Reyna had become accustomed to. It may be quiet but during the night it was when the horrors of Valbara came out to play. You never saw them, only heard them. Growls and snarls echoing into the night, the sound of claws against the forest floor. Reyna had never dared to sleep until early morning - staying still as she could throughout the night, afraid to breathe too loudly, her eyes wide open in fear. 

Valbara was the place where magic thrived, where creatures of myths dwelled, servants of the witches who harnessed all the power, preparing to fight Brunagh - the land where Reyna had lived, presided over by King Alaric. The Witches and the Mortals had always been at odds with one another. Never aggressive until the last few years just not...seeing eye to eye, their values not aligning. It had all began when a Hunting Party had ventured into Valbara and killed one of the nameless creatures that prowled at night - kindling the fury of the Witches who demanded the men be put to death. The Witches had seethed at the King's refusal and had told the King they would take revenge and have the King's dues paid. The Witches may not launch a full war but they were preparing something. No one knew when or where but it would occur. The beautiful immortal creatures would not forgive or forget anytime soon, that was certain.

Reyna stumbled through the woods, determined to make it further before the darkness fell - the darkness that like a blanket was enveloping the forest without mercy. Panic seized her insides at the sound of a howl, her heart hammering at the danger now exposed to her. Reyna ran on, knowing that if she didn't find water soon she would surely not be able to keep from coughing at the lack of it and the creatures would devour her with relish. She couldn't have packed anymore than she did because she didn't have the money and neither did her family members. Food was scarce, a luxury. All she had had were two scraps of dried beef and a flask of water and they had disappeared in three days. 

There!

Reyna heard the sound of rushing water and ran towards it with relief, finding a small Brook. She almost cried out with joy, stumbling down into the water, the icy coolness filling her mouth as she drunk greedily before fishing out her flask, hands wet and slippery as she unscrewed the top and dunked it into the refreshing water. She glanced around nervously, listening out for any sound or indication of the nameless creatures but heard nothing. The tightness left her chest although she was still cautious and on edge. In Valbara, you must constantly have your wits about you. Anxiously, hands twitching slightly she screwed the top back on and meant to put it back in her sack. It was almost in slow motion, how her wet and fidgety impatient hands lost grip on the metal flask etched with runes she couldn't understand, left the safety of her fingers. Crashed against one of the many rocks in the Brook, creating an awful clanging noise anyone could have heard miles away in the almost dead silence. Reyna wished she hadn't accepted the Librarian's kind gift of a flask as she heard the sounds of the forest stir to life.