Olive

Chapter 7

 "Well, well, well. Look you've finally decided to grace us with her attention."

A large, echoing voice stirred Olive out of her revery. She wearily cracked her eyes open to take in the horrid scene before her. Standing in front of Olive was a man nearly seven feet tall. His height casted a huge shadow over her, half concealing his face from her, but not enough that she did not see the long ugly scar running the length of his face. Or the dark, ominous eyes that gazed down at her as if she was no more than a pesky fly on his boot. He was covered with weapons, some on his back and belt which was ornate with the fancy gems placed at regular interval to show off his wealth. And his Marks. Thick, black swirling lines encircled his entire face, making his features all the more terrifying. They then wrapped around his neck to his arms which were bare for the sole purpose of showing them off. They made designs that told stories of his conquest until it ended on his back where they formed into the face of a bear. The Gnome King.

"So this is the woman who would dare overthrow me." He smiled down at her making the sight of him even more intimidating.

"What?" Olive wished her voice didn't crack. No need to make myself look like a fool.

"You!" His booming voice echoing in the great hall. "There is a rumor going around my kingdom of a woman who calls herself a warrior and even wears the Marks of one wants my throne."

"What?" Olive repeated. Who other than her small village knew about her?

The king threw his hands up in frustration. "Is she always this useless?" He had turned to look over his shoulder at someone Olive couldn't see.

"Actually sir, she seemed a bit more confused than when we first met." Olive's ears perked up. She knew that voice.

"Really? Honestly Alaric, what kind of legendary warrior doesn't know she's talked about throughout the entire kingdom?" He looked back to her. "Some disappointment you turned out to be."

Olive looked from the king to Alaric in confusion. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I...I don't want your throne." She struggled into better sitting position.

"Of course you do!" He smiled that wide obnoxious smile that was really starting to get on Olive's nerves. "Why else would you come to my castle?"

"Because you took my mother!" She yelled incredulously.

"Oh yes, I suppose that does make sense..." He gazed thoughtfully around the room. "I don't know though. Why would you have the Marks in the first place if you didn't want to start some kind of revolt? Although, personally I think I would have gone with someone else." The king smirked.

"Listen, I don't have a clue what you're talking about. I don't want to overthrow you. I don't want to start some kind of revolution or stage a coup. I just want my mom to come home with me. That is all. I don't understand why you would even think I wanted your throne. I don't even live in Ellahnisia! I-"

"It was the ancestors."

"What?" It was Alaric that had interrupted her.

The Gnome King spoke up. "Oh you know, how sometimes they converse with you?" Olive shook her head, but he continued. "Well, apparently- but I don't really believe it, they can be so fickle at times- they gave the Great Prophets of Ellahnisia a prophecy of a "Great Woman Warrior" who would defeat a tyrant who tortured the land and would bring the world into great prosperity and change. At first, it sounded kind of far-fetched to me. A 'woman warrior'? What are the odds? But then, we heard rumors of a girl living in Malaysia that had been given the Marks when she was not yet seven years old. I knew it had to be true. Although, when you think about it, we can't really be sure it is about this day and age. I mean, me? A tyrant? Please, what have I ever done that really didn't help my people out?" Olive could see Alaric tighten his fists at the talk of the king not believing himself to be a tyrant. Obviously, someone did.