War of Miracles

The Truth

Chapter 1 The Truth

At three years old Mira was already beautiful. Her hair was dark as a ravens wing and her skin was paler than the moon. Her eyes were a lovely golden-green, the color of the sunrise over the green fields her brothers and father worked in every day. She was sweet and kind, and could get anything out of anyone if she tried hard enough.

Her brothers were now eight, and they were all very different despite being triplets.

Aki, the eldest, was a serious young man with sandy blond hair and gray-blue eyes, like spring rain. He took his work seriously, whether it was working in the fields, shucking the corn, milking the animals, or looking after his wayward sister who couldn't seem to help getting in trouble.

Nagi, the middle boy, was a quiet, thoughtful child. He daydreamed more than worked, and could never focus on one thing for more than a few minutes at a time. He wore his brown hair long, simply because he couldn't sit still long enough to get his hair cut. His dark brown eyes always seemed to be looking somewhere far away. His chores were done bits and pieces at a time for the most part, except when he was with Mira. She effortlessly held his attention by simply being around him.

Tomo, the youngest of the three, was a trouble maker. He had bright red hair, and a temper to match. He was hasty, impatient, and vengeful. Nobody crossed him, because anybody who did was likely to end up with a house full of stink weed, or worse. If you made him wait he exploded his emerald eyes flaming. However when the time came to care for Mira, there were no jokes, no tantrums, and no explosions. It was almost as if he didn't want her involved in his own personal vendettas.

To the boys Mira was more important than anything. A fact she used to her advantage as she grew older.

At seven she used her charms to get everything, from food and candy, to her brothers doing her chores. By the time she was 10 and her brothers 15 Tomo was doing twice the work in the fields, Nagi could cook and clean better than most women, and Aki could mend clothes with easy efficiency.

Their parents put up with it for awhile, that was, until she managed to get rid of two weeks worth of chores in one fell swoop.

It happened when she was about ten. She and her brothers were playing together in the yard after a hard day of chores. A boy from the village approached slowly, looking nervous. As he neared the group it was obvious that he was holding something behind his back. Mira noticed him and the game stopped.

He walked over and held out a flower to Mira. The flower was quite beautiful and, from the look on the boy's face, he had found it and decided to do this on the spur of the moment. Aki, Nagi, and Tomo turned to look at the boy. They glared at him and he faltered. He looked ready to bolt, but Mira pushed past her brothers and took the flower. She lifted it to her nose and breathed deeply.

"Why thank you," she said with a dazzling smile,"It's lovely."

The boy turned bright red, and with a mumbled "your welcome" he turned and fled down the path.

Mira half turned to glare at her brothers. She then very purposely turned her back on them and began to walk away.

Immediately the boys begged her forgiveness. They offered sweets, ribbons, rings and such, but she wouldn't even look at them.

Finally Nagi blurted out,"We'll do your chores for two weeks!"

"Well," she said,"I guess I can forgive you."

Her father, Clessen, put a stop to things after that incident.

The years passed without incident and it seemed as though her life would remain simple, but her destiny said otherwise.

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"Waitress!" said a young woman sitting at a nearby table,"We're ready to order!"

"Coming!" said Mira

As she took orders and ran them out to customers, 15 year-old Mira was glad it was almost closing time. The restaurant had been busier than usual, and with Coco out sick with fever, Mira was the only waitress. When Mrs. Lara called closing Mira gratefully took off her hot apron and said good-bye. Tomorrow was her day off and she and her brothers were going on a picnic.

Since the death of their mother, Liana, Nagi had been doing all the cooking, and they rarely got time to themselves anymore. So they had decided that as soon as Mira got a day off they would spend some time together. When she arrived home the smell of dinner filled her nose. It smelled absolutely delicious! She walked to the kitchen and saw the table covered with food.

"HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY MIRA!" her brothers and father shouted as she walked in.

She was shocked. Such a feast for her birthday! She smiled her biggest, happiest smile and threw herself at her brothers.

"Thanks guys,"she said,"you're the best!"

"We live to serve,"said Tomo jokingly.

She sat down at the table as Aki pulled out a chair for her. Nagi and her father brought out her cake and just as she was about to make a wish, the horns sounded.

As she and her family raced outside they saw armed men riding into the village. A man walked into the square and cleared his throat.

"By order of the Queen of the Elves, her Royal Majesty, Sia, all half-elves of sixteen are to report to the castle at once," he said in a voice of authority,"They are to be accompanied by the royal army for an audience with Her Majesty, the Queen."

Her father stiffened by her side and pulled her back inside the house. He shut all the windows and locked all the doors, and threw them each a sack.

"Pack your things, all of you," he said,"your going on a trip. Aki, pack your sister's things as well."

With puzzled looks on their faces they hurried to obey their father's wishes.

"Mira, sit down," he said,"We need to talk."

"About what Father?" she asked.

"When you were just a baby, I found you in a basket floating down the river," he said quietly," You were only hours old and wrapped in a royal mantel, bearing the Queen's mark."

"What!" Mira exclaimed, shocked.

"There was a note in the basket with you," he continued, as though she hadn't spoken,"It read 'This is the child of the Elven Queen and the Human King. Her mother has ordered her to be killed,but to avoid that I have done as you've witnessed. Please raise this child as if she were your own, and protect her, for she may be the only hope for the half-elves to have a peaceful life.' There was no signature. My wife had just given birth to a stillborn little girl, so to us you were like a gift from the gods."

"But if your mother has tried to kill you before, she will no doubt try to kill you again," he said,"So take this royal mantle and flee. Find a way to give the half-elves freedom. I know you can."

Her brothers came down the stairs and Clessen stood and handed Aki a small satchel.

"It isn't much but use it as needed," he said," your sister can fill you in on the details. Now go quickly before they find you here."

They went out the back and stole into the night. Mira looked back at the life she had had only once, and then ran forward to be swallowed by the uncertain shadows of the future.