Hunt for the Harbinger

Chapter 1- Anticipation

The Ceremony of the Ancients was in two days, and Kyra was ready. It had been decided beforehand that she would be bound to Zeyron Talonn, her best friend and youngest Prince of Peritia. They spent more time together than most married couples: stalking each other in the nearby woods, hunting rabbit and squirrel, training themselves in the Art of the Sword, and sharing the bores of politics all nobles learnt. Wherever one went, the other followed.

That morning Kyra had spent with Queen Eliza being lectured on how to treat Torien guests. It took all her effort not to fall asleep from the boring, monotonous voice and the dreary subject. When lunch finally came she couldn’t be more relieved. Afterwards, feeling adventurous, Kyra made her way to the courtyard to have a duel with her mother – the most exciting lesson of the day. The stone steps from the dining hall were ablaze with sunlight, and radiated enough heat to burn the flexible leather soles of her shoes! Skilfully she leapt two steps at a time.

Her mother was not there as she exited the stone arch door so she strolled casually towards the Training Corner, as she called it, where all the Guardians who trained here kept their swords and where they duelled when practising. She stopped short of it and sat down on the lush green grass. It was so well grown here it almost appeared unreal. The warm, alluring summer heat compelled her to lie down and close her eyes. She sighed happily as she felt the warm, fresh grass brush against her pale skin in the hot breeze, the rush of heated air over her face and arms, and the way the sun’s rays seemed to warm her inside.

“Wake up, sunshine! It’s sword practice!”

Kyra opened her eyes to find her mother’s shadow looming over her, sword in hand. Quickly, she scrambled to her feet, stumbled to the arena and grabbed her weapon. When the confusion cleared, both warriors stood and faced each other. Then, after a low bow, the day’s practice duel began.

Kyra Wolfe had been training with the sword since she was four, and her experience certainly showed when duelling her mother, Lady Seyrah Wolfe, Chief Guardian of the Order of the Ancients- rumoured to be the finest swordswoman in history. The two seemed equal though, swords clashing, each strike met with a block.

The names of sword stances- certain positions a swordsman adopts in battle- flashing through the emptiness in Kyra’s mind defined her moves and the anticipation of the opponent’s. Cat Pounce stance blocked Seyrah’s Mountain Swerve, but left her vulnerable to a counterattack Titan Clash. A Ready or Not position followed by Reed Dance movement shifted her centre of balance, taunting the opponent. Eventually Kyra’s Criss Cross opening caused a gap in her mother’s left side, and when her sudden Finishing Strike connected with the chainmail, Seyrah was left panting, half-collapsed on the warm, dusty ground. So much for the greatest female swordmaster alive, she thought with contempt.

“You just get better every day, you little minx!” Her mother laughed as she wearily pulled herself up, using the arena barriers for support.

A voice called out to her from across the courtyard before she could open her mouth to reply.

“Kyra! Wait for me!”

She grinned before she turned around, knowing exactly who the voice came from: Zeyron Talonn.

“Did I miss your practice?” He struggled to ask as the sprint across the grass had left him nearly breathless.

“No, it’s fine. We’ve finished one round and are just about to start the next. You can watch if you like!” Kyra winked before taking her place again in the arena.

Zeyron sat down on the patch of grass that would give him the best view of the duel, where he always sat. It was very warm today; sweat trickled down his back and his shirt was plastered to his skin even though he had been pretty much inactive until his run across the courtyard. He paid close attention to Kyra’s fighting style after making himself comfortable, for it would be vital knowledge to survive in battle alongside her.

As time went on, he found his concentration drifting to the way her long red-gold hair flicked as she turned with the grace of a swan, the way her striking violet eyes glowed with intense concentration, the way her body moved in time to the dance.

Zeyron caught himself and hastily pushed the thought out of his head. Don’t be silly, he thought, she’s nothing more than a normal girl, and my best friend! He had never thought of someone that way before. Abruptly he realised that combat had ended and Kyra was on the floor.

“Here, I’ll help you up” he offered a bit too shakily. She didn’t seem to notice his voice tone, but she certainly did notice her belly rumble. “And while we’re at it, let’s eat!”

Dinner passed without words, but not with silence. Kyra ate quickly and noisily, each chew echoing in the huge dining hall. Zeyron was ravenous, but he resisted the urge to wolf down his food and chewed slowly. He never failed to be amazed by the sheer size of the room. The walls were made of polished stone and the floor marble. The ceiling pointed upwards like a chapel, and above the doors at either end of the hall hung the Wolphrikk city banner, the Talonn House and Order of the Ancients’ Crests on each side. The long wooden table seated nineteen; among the nobles seated were King Zareus, his father; his mother- Queen Eliza; Seyrah; Jamali the Court Mage, of the Third Quarter; Gaebryn his older brother; Kyra and himself. There were many guest nobles from other kingdoms that were also seated.

One guest in particular stood out to him, a tall man with his long, black cloak covering his ears. His clothing seemed borrowed from different parts of the world and he had the overall look of a traveller. The strange man noticed Zeyron staring at him, and turned away from the King to acknowledge his presence. His crystal-blue eyes looked at him knowingly and he gave a warm smile.

Kyra was too busy eating to notice anything but her food. Training has exhausted her and it was her full intention to get her energy back. She finished eating first and asked a serving maid for more. The tired girl finally felt full after her second course, on par with everyone else’s first.

An exhausted Kyra trudged up to her bedroom and fell asleep the moment her sleepy head touched the pillow. She dreamed of the ceremony in two days and of wandering the world with Zeyron, seeing all the great cities and helping people in need, and winning every single duel with her Skysteel-forged sword.

 

Well, there was Chapter 1 guys :) Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please vote and comment for any improvements or just a general opinion on how it is so far :P

Lozzabearrrr x