*Hi! This is my first book..... hee hee! This is a prolouge... don't worry if it's confusing, but it gets explained later....*
Love,
Atrix
Chapter 1- A Fated Begginging: Prolouge
This is Olympia. It's a big island in the middle of a sea, bordered by no land and no land was ever seen past the water. But some people in Olympia still believe that land beyond their small world does exist.... Just too far to reach at the moment.
Not that anyone ever says that out loud, of course. If you do: you are hanged. Simple as that.
Every single person has a power over one of the elements, in order from weakest to strongest: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and most rarely, Spirit. People have only one of these powers, and they retain them all of their life. Within a few hours of birth, it becomes obvious what power you have. Water parents, for example, can have an Earth baby and raise it, but the Earth baby, when it is full grown, will live in the Earth district and marry someone from Earth.
The kingdom is ruled by a Regina, a sort of Queen, and a Regento, a King. They are special, for they govern and have strong skills in all five elements, making them the most powerful. They are also said to have a connection with Zoyaa, goddess of the Elements. But a Regentus is not born every year. No, the Regenti rule for their life span, which is longer than average, but not extraordinary... and then an appointed Spirit Elemental rules, until the next Regenti are crowned.
Once every 500 years, the Regentis are born: one boy and one girl, distinguished by a golden hollow circle on their head, which vanishes within an hour of their birth. They are brought up with their parents in the palace. No one knows that they are Regneti until the day they turn eighteen and are crowned in front of the entire kingdom. They then proceed to rule as their forefathers did, with a just and wise hand. So on, and so forth, the cycle has repeated for the last 2,000 years. Now, we close in on two seperate scenes,18 years ago, which changed the fate of the world forevermore....
Amphrosine's POV:
"Push! Come on, push!" Oh my goddess, why won't he just shut up! I'm trying to have a baby here! The pain becomes unbearable, and I feel like cursing the moon away, but I hold my tounge, doing as the priest instructed.
"YOU'RE ALMOST THERE, COME ON!" I can see my husband, grimacing as he holds my hand. Flames go up and down his arm, ticking my hand. My own fire, a bright blue, mingles with his gold fire, entertwining our hands. I can read his thoughts, almost. We both hope our baby is a Fire elemental.... What I would give to live close to my mother, who is Earth!
A sudden cry fills the air, and the priest shouts, saying, "It's a girl!" My husband laughs, running a hand through his hair. I sigh in relief, silently thanking the goddess for a good birth. "What will you name her?" The priest says, handing the baby to the midwife. I look at my husband, "Cyrena. Si-ree-nah". He smiles in content. I crane my neck, trying to see my baby. Suddenly, the midwife gasps.
Cyrena is sitting in the midwife's arms, swaddled and clean. My eyes roam around her, looking for imperfections or signs of deformity.
Then, my eyes fly up to her forehead. A golden circle lies on her brow, shining in the candelight. No, oh no, godess, PLEASE NO! The last thing I remember is my husband's hand encircling mine, and my lips giving a strangled cry....."Hail...."
And my mind finishing the cry "... the Regina".
(on the other side of town, in the Wind sector)
Evanthe's POV:
"ARGHHHHH!" Someone stop the pain... Please. "Please goddess, please, please deal fairly with me please..."
Someone presses a cool cloth to my forehead. I look up and see my husband... He kisses my forehead, blowing cool air gently onto my face, which I know does not look flattering. He leans in and whispers, " I know it hurts, baby, but please try not to blow everyone out of the room". He chuckles a low, melodious laugh. I feel my cheeks get hotter than before, and I look aroung myself. The midwife looks disgruntled, and the priest's cap has flown off somewhere. I sigh- OUCH! HOLY MOTHER OF A COW!!!!!!!!! ARGHHHHH!
"Almost there! Just a bit more!" the priest encourages me.
The seconds turn into mintues.... and it's barely 30 mintues before a loud cry rents the air. Finally... I feel exhausted. "It's a girl!" the midwife chirps. She sounds really happy, and I narrow my eyes, trying to gauge whether she is happy for me, or if she is just happy she can get out of here. She washes my baby in the corner of the room as I am propped up and settled in. It's dark in the room, so my maid opens the windows as the baby is put in my arms. She is perfect.... just beautiful. I look at my husband, who tears off his "childless" pin and throws it out the window, kissing me harder than he ever has... Well, that was suprising. I look down at her, and my husband says, "Her name will be Ximene." I agree... Her name is Ximene .
The sunlight hits Ximene's delicate forhead, and I can feel my cheeks pushing up in a smile.
She's perfect, absolutley-
Her forehead shines... too bright for a human, even one with a fever...
Why me.... Why my child... Why us.... Why,..... Goddess?
Suddenly, I don't feel so well.... "Somebody light the lamps, it's dark.... oh so dark...." I say faintly... I feel wet around my legs..... Why? I look down... but all I see is red, a dark, pulsating red... Ximene is snatched out of my arms.... Shouting.... Why? Beautiful.... so..... tired..... must sleep... I look at Ximene, in Horatio's arms..... She's gorgeous.... I see the gold circle and smile..... She will be a great Regina.... and a beautiful little girl....."Horatio.." my voice is hoarse. " Horatio.... I love you. I love both of you. I will love you beyond time......" Tears run down his face, and he kisses me on the lips, just once.... so tired.... happy... sunshine.....
"Ximene....." Black..... black......
And then..... Nothing.
