Heart of Flame

Prologue

In the Castle of Blayz, children were not allowed to see death. No child under the age of seventeen was allowed to know what the word "death" meant, or even hear it. Death was a forbidden term for a child. However, at the mere age of six, I had seen, learned, a heard, all about the horrible death that awaited us all. But I wasn't terrified as other would be. I was excited, and that made me dangerous. I was thrilled by death in a way a child shouldn't be, that's why it was forbidden.
I didn't just find out on mistake. Well, maybe I did. It was freezing outside and the window was jammed, so all the wind blew into the room. We may live in the Flame Territories but we still have winter storms. I went to light a candle for my mother who was sitting on the edge of the bed with a blanket on her lap. Sparks flew from her hands and fizzled out before they touched the ground. I used to be mesmerized by the sight of her forming the little lights that would burst from her palms like mini displays of fireworks, but now I was used to it. I picked up the plain white candle and stared at its wick, black and burnt like coal after a hot fire. I wanted to be like my mother and light the candle with the tip of my finger, but I wouldn't be able to. I was to young she had told me she knew that was not the case.
I picked up a match from the match box that sat in the corner of the room, dusty and old since we have barley any use for them. I flicked it across the ground and it blew out almost immediately. I remember being angry that my parents were masters at forming and controlling the flames at will and I had to use matches. I grabbed another, this time determined, and flicked it across the ground once more. This time I was able to light the candle, a smile climbing it's way over my face.
"Taliya-"my mothers words cut short, a new idea forming in her head,"come here."
I did as told, holding the candle in my hands like a trophy. I was so very proud.
"Taliya, I'm going to take the candle and hold it." She said and she grabbed the candle from my hands. Her hands were bigger than mine and she could hold the candle with just one hand.
"Why?" I had asked, but I wasn't to concerned anymore, I was freezing. I hoped mother would share her blanket.
"I want you to touch the flame, just with a finger." She explained, smiling with a kind smile that fit her face perfectly. She had an angels face, long brown hair that looked amazing when braided and beautiful, but haunting gold eyes. Not like solid gold eyes, but a mix of colors that could only be described as gold.
I stuck out my tiny index finger. I had seen my mother and my father touch flame, even make it, but I had never done it. I was, in a way, nervous.
My finger touched the top of the flame and I screamed. Already a blister was forming on my small finger and my mother had snatched me up and held me, under the blankets until I stopped crying and my finger was big, red, and blistered. I had burned.
"Taliya, you can't tell anyone about this, not even your father. He works for the guard, he would be obligated to tell. Taliya, swear to me you will not speak of what happened here." Her voice was fast but steady like a stream hidden in the back of the forest.
"Mother, why did you make me do that? And why can't I touch it?" I wiped away my tears, my voice shaky.
"Your a special kind of girl, but being special is not welcome in the Flame Territories. You would be killed. You would have to escape. Do you understand." I didn't understand one bit of my mothers words. I was very confused and very frightened.
"Before your seventeenth birthday, you must escape the Castle and leave the Flame Territories. I'll help you. No, I'll go with you, we can escape together." Her words made no sense to me but it seemed more like she was talking to herself. I was still in her arms, under the blanket. A very warm, comfy spot to be in. I was drifting into sleep. My mothers voice was just a low mumble, my eyes were closed and my mind was off and I was dreaming.

I woke up in the middle of the night. My mother must have carried me to my bed across the room. There were noises from outside, men's boots clicking on the stone. Father must be home, it's always amazing to see father, because I never do see him anymore. But the man who opened the door was not my father.
The man had a thick brown beard that covered half his face. He had a guard uniform on, but he wasn't any guard I'd ever seen. He walked to my mothers bed, she was sleeping still, hidden under the sheets.
What was I supposed to do?
The man pulled something out of his pocket, something shiny. I heard my mother scream and I jumped away. Even her screams were like music, notes in a song played by every musician. I couldn't see mother, the man was blocking her, I wondered why she was screaming.
But she wasn't screaming anymore. Those had died down. There was red stuff everywhere, red liquid stuff. What was it called?
Blood.
"Mother?"
The man turned to me, he had a silver dagger in his hand, covered in blood, my mothers blood. I peered around him at my mother but she was still under the blankets, unmoving.
What did that mean?
The man paid no attention to me, and left immediately, like he had finished what he came for. I ran straight for my mom, trying to get her to wake up. How was she still sleeping? The blood was covering her neck and her face, a huge gash along her throat. For some reason, my head started spinning, the lights were fading, I saw the ground get closer, I closed my eyes.
I remember the words of an old Flame song going through my head,
And in the hallows we shall find,
The one with a heart of fire,
The one who can't resist the flame yet,
Turns to ice for power,
The one who burns when touched,
The one who freezes at sight,
The one we cannot kill,
The one with all the might,
This Flame will not go out,
This ice will not melt,
This girl will be known for her,
Burning heart of fire