The Divine Warrior

Introduction

Before Hell Took Over

"Divinia?" A voice called out among the night.

Tiny twinkling stars gleamed above the green field, and the wind blew the trees and rustled the leaves.

Divinia Salvatore shivered but kept herself hidden behind the large trunk of her favorite weeping willow. Giggles almost freed themselves from her mouth, but she quickly covered it with her small hands.

"Oh my sweet little Divinia, please come out from hiding. You know that I am far too old for this." Her father said as he leaned on the other side of the tree.

He was close. Too close.

At the comment, Divinia lost herself and couldn't hold in her laughter any longer.

"Got you now!" He shouted as he raced around the tree and picked the giggling girl up into his arms.

"Daddy, you found me!" She said, continuing her giggle fit.

Her father chuckled along with her, and cradled her in his arms, as if she was still a baby, "My little princess. What am I going to do with you?"

Her laughter quieted down, as she reached her tiny hand up and placed it on her father's stubble coated cheek, looking at him in wonder; like she was noticing something for the first time.

"What is it, little one?" He asked gently, as he began walking slowly through the grass and back to the castle.

She just continued to examine him; taking in all of his features as if she hadn't done it enough before, before saying, "Are you sad, daddy?"

Her voice was so quiet and blew away with the wind so quickly that he'd almost missed the question she'd asked.

Her lips began to tremble, "You look sad... Why?"

Divinia always had a talent for reading people, and she knew that something was going on with her father. But he refused to admit anything to her.

"I am not sad, my beautiful angel. Don't you worry about me." He said smoothly, kissing her forehead as the castle doors opened, "Now we best get inside. 'Tis dark out, and your mother is probably going ballistic, wondering why we have been out for so long. Do you have her present?"

The child was still very skeptical of her father, but nodded slowly as she reached into the pocket of her small satchel and pulled out the tiny locket that her father had gotten for her mother; fairly similar to the ones they wore around their necks.

"Ah, good girl." He smiled and gently set her down onto her feet.

She swayed for a moment or two but managed to still herself. Her father took her outstretched hand into his large one and gave it a gentle squeeze as she looked up to see her mother rushing toward them.

Queen Cecily Salvatore, in her casually beautiful gown, held a look of pure angst on her face. She gripped the skirts of her dress in her hands and walked swiftly on barefeet over to her husband and young daughter.

"Oh thank the Heavens! I was about to send out a search party. Adrian Emilio Salvatore, you insufferable man! You told me that you were going out to the markets. I did not expect you to get back so late! You missed dinner!" She shook her finger at him, and then turned to face Divinia, examining her and her outfit, "Young lady, why is your gown so dirty?"

Divinia chewed on her bottom lip, and swayed from side to side as her mother put two and two together, "Were... were the two of you out playing in that field... again?"

Adrian scratched at his head as Divinia scowled down at her dressing, noticing that it was covered in mud and grass stains.

"Mummy... we just wanted to have some fun while we were out." She said softly as she picked specks of dirt from her outer skirt.

"That might be the case, but you know how dangerous it can be out there for a princess and king unguarded. I do not understand why you choose to go out there, when you have all of this space to roam about and play." She bent down to her daughter's height and looked closer at her dress, "A lady should never be covered in so much dirt."

Divinia huffed and stamped her foot down, having enough of her mother's scrutiny, "I am only seven years old, mummy. That is hardly the age of a lady! We cannot have any fun in the castle, because it is so stuffy. We need fresh air and the balconies do not offer enough of that. I like feeling the wet grass between my toes and the sun on my skin. I like laying down in the field, looking up at the night sky, and playing hide and go seek with daddy. I do not like to be cooped up like a bird with no freedom. I just want to be free, if it is only for a few hours each day."

Cecily sighed and shook her head, obviously disappointed by her daughter's response, but said nothing as she stood up and looked to her husband.

"We got you a gift." He said, trying to ease the tension that hung in the air.

She raised her eyebrows and put out her hand, "Oh, really? Well hand it over then."

Adrian smirked and Divinia giggled quietly despite her anger, "Well, that is not how you are supposed to ask, my queen."

"She rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the smile off of her face, "May I pretty please have my gift?"

Adrian looked to his daughter and she took a second to think about it, but nodded slowly, "Hm... well fine. I guess you can."

Divinia stood on her tiptoes and dropped the golden locket into her outstretched hand, watching her face carefully.

Her eyes lit up as she turned it over, all disappointment from moments before dissipated. She glanced up at her husband and then down at her little girl, "For me? Oh thank you, my darlings!"

She hugged them both and turned around so that Adrian could latch it around her neck.

"Now we all have one." Divinia grinned, officially forgetting about the previous tension between her and her mother as she hugged her tightly.

Adrian pulled the two of them into his arms, "My two favorite women. Now, no matter what happens between now and the future, we will always be together. Forever."

All was good in the kingdom that night.

Little did they know about the turmoil that was to come.