Different Paths (Paths #1)[ON HOLD]

CHAPTER 3

Ariala

Flora stands on the dias,she bows to the emperor then to the five kings in turn from Genys to Ranou to Falcon then Andresi and Carmm before facing the people.

"People of Amerhyia, I greet you. I have called this assembly so as to let you know what the gods want to say." She looks up to the sky and begins chanting,"Erod,god of nature show your presence. Serra,queen goddess of the sun,moon and stars,Mother answer your daughter. Aon,god of life,of health and of wealth,the time has come. Speak to your people."

Suddenly there is a light quaking and the sky darkens and blots out the sun. Flora turns like a puppet on strings,her eyes roll into her sockets and only the whites show. Then she speaks in a thunderous voice,

"Amerhyia, heed these words;
There is no victory in bloodshed
With wits you will spread your roots
In chains your sons will cross the waters
In triumph they will come riding back

Amerhyia will beget a son
A child whose father will rule hearts of men
With strength and valour he conquers
He seeks, he sets out
A son Amerhyia will beget
Whose mother the stars will bow to
For she is highly favored of Serra
Erod calls her daughter
With a thousand voices she will speak
Her left hand brings new dawn
Her right hand drives away the darkness
And yet,the paths are to be carved
Indeed the future lies not in stone"

She takes a breath before she continues,
"Genys!! The first fruit of his father's loins
Be wary of the viper who lies in wait
Be wary of honey tipped lips"

In the breath she added,
"Ranou!! Strong like the ox
Stubborn as the bull
With his sword he will slay his enemies"

Flora came out of the trace and crumpled down. Immediately her attendants rushed to her side. The sun peeks out from behind a cloud.
Murmurs broke out from the crowd. That at least was expected.
Emperor Aeron stood from his throne,"People of Amerhyia! Our gods have spoken. All hail the gods!!"

With one voice everyone falls face down and yell,"Hail the gods."

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

When the assembly breaks up I head towards Flora's tent. Ranou grips my arm,"Where are you going to?"
"I need to go see Flora."

He gives me a single nod and releases me,"I will keep the guards with you. Once you are assured she is in good health I want you back home." I nod and watch him disappear into the fray.

Entering the room I see the girls in various states of distress,"How is she?"
"The physician said she's running a little fever-
"He also said she will live. I don't see why the whole lot of us have to be herded in here just because the Ishka fainted." That was Yves whining as usual.
"She is our friend,Yves." Starla admonished.

Let me give you a little bit of our history; in Amerhyia there's this little brood of women called Breeders. They are women specially picked out by the gods to bear the heirs of the kingdom.
They don't have any special powers but they are great physicians because the gods do not allow them or anyone in their immediate vicinity fall ill.

My mother says that before our generation there were two or three breeders for every generation and the crown heir will choose one for his wife.
But in our generation,things changed not only are there five breeders but the gods haven't chosen the crown heir. Meaning that any one of the five kings can be chosen as emperor and as such five of them married five of us.

My friends had different reactions when it was announced that we would be marrying the kings. Starla, Falcon's wife,a dark haired beauty took it as her lot in life and truth be told she's a better wife than I will ever be.
Geni and Jasmine, Andresi's and Carmm's wives, the blondes who look so alike they could be mistaken for twins were over the moon. To them it was a fantasy come true.
And Yves....well,she was the only one courted among us and it made her arrogant that marrying the firstborn meant she would be the empress. She forgot that our generation was so different that the elders watch the unfolding events in trepidation.

Twirling her blond hair around her fingers, Jaz asks,"See you see what happened in the square?"
All at once the girls put in their various thoughts on the incident from fear they had at the thunderous voice and the quaking to elation that the gods actually spoke to mere mortals such as us.

"Yves,what do you think about the warning about honey tipped lips?",Starla asks.

Yves gives a mirthful laugh,"I was thinking 'poor Genys',he loves honey so much".
We all laugh at that. She looks at me coyly and says,"I'm sure your favorite part was when they said Ranou would slay his enemies with his sword."

I smile,she doesn't know how wrong she is. My favorite part was when it was said that there were no paths carved.

Ever since my marriage I have had this fear that I will never be free anymore but now the gods themselves have said there is no fixed destiny for anyone. Nobody could possibly predict how relieved I am right now.

I could be free,I just had to play the right cards.

Indeed the future lies not in stone. There have never been more important words spoken.