The Lost Artifact of Sira

Chapter 2 - Beginning of a Journey

       A week withering within the dungeon put a number on Lyra.

      She watches the guard hum a tune as he guards her room.

       Her eyes study their patterns, her death day coming up.

       "Is the fire settled?" She questions nonchalantly.

       "No speaking ." The guard responded.

      She brought herself upward and over to the cage door. Her eyes gleamed with deviance as she examined his neck and the width of the cage's bars.  A plan within her forming over the time she had spent within these walls.

     She grabbed his neck abruptly, making him shove the end of his spear at her. She dodged and gripped tighter.

    The guard fumbled to the ground and fell unconscious.

    Lyra reached her hand around his armor and found the key to her cage.

  She unlocked it. Her body frail with lack of nutrition.

Her skinny fingers gripping at the key and turning it with a simple unlock.

  "I - I'll prove them wrong." She leaned over the guard and undressed him to place the armor upon her.

She took her time placing him within the cage, her muscles nimble.

She could barley move as she took steps upward and into the throne room, no one there.

She breathed uneasy yet gratefully as clear air filled her lungs.

Her ears tune into the voices down the kingdoms hall. King Iverson's booming voice echoes.

"The artifact will grant wishes! Shouldn't we wish for the kingdoms safety?" A concerned voice questioned the king.

Lyra was now at the doors entrance, meeting eye to eye with the guards at the door.

"What are you doing away from your post?" The soldier spoke sternly, her ears tuning out the kings conversation.

She cleared her throat, preparing for a fake masculine voice.

"I was called by the king." She coughed afterward.

The guard raised his brow and commanded her to go back to her post.

Lyra didn't listen, only tuning her ears to the king once more.

"I demand gold! Riches is the power of this kingdom! Do you dare question me?!" The monarch slammed his fist upon the table, making those within the room gasp slightly.

The guards telling Lyra off became inpatient and shoved her away from them.

"We will send scouts to retrieve this artifact! I will strive with the riches this item will bring us. Any who protest against my wish shall be hanged. Do you understand?!" The monarch kept his voice in a yell and made those cower in fear.

"Families have been lost, sire. Those scouts are still within mourning." Another voice spoke, trembling with protest.

Lyra has moved down the hall and heard everything she could.

"The scout who finds this artifact and brings it to me first shall reign as a noble, bringing honor to my kingdom." Iverson sounded practically bored.