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The darkest day of the year witnessed something extraordinary. Not that it was unexpected of the time, everyone knew it coming but what no one knew was how sudden it would be. The harsh coldness made even the bravest shiver, while cries of hunger and fatigue reined everywhere. Yet there was something no one could understand but all could sense, that this winter there was something different, something more ominous in the atmosphere.
Sera, the eldest of the Rivera clan, was busy contemplating the weather when the messenger came with the news. At first, she couldn’t care enough, the damp coldness in the air had put its claws even around her heart of steel and made her see nothing but depression, but soon she knew that this was no ordinary message. The death of her lover was something she could never get over. She squeezed her eyes shut as all those memories came back to her. This was no ordinary death, she knew as did she know that it was up to her to avenge him. The brave lord of Newcastle was not an easy person to kill yet he had died in the hands of those vulgar creatures. She knew in her human heart that she couldn’t call other fellow humans, be they from the inhuman clan of Cruez, ‘vulgar creatures’ but her blood boiled at the thought of her lover’s death and she, for the first time in years felt overwhelmed by emotions. The door opened again and entered the enchanting Lady Amora, her mother, with a sad look ready to sympathise with her for her loss. Sera turned- her blue grey eyes blank and emotionless. Lady Amora put her arms around her daughter in remorse but the harsh stance of Sera’s strong lean body astonished her.
“Everything is written by the three sisters of Fate, dear,” Amora whispered, “don’t fear, the future holds wondrous things for you after your grave loss. God is fair to all.” She insisted.
“They didn’t get the body, they only had a message written in blood,” shot back Sera. “There is no time, mother. Keep the service on hold till I return.”
Never before had her voice felt so steady. She slid out of her mother’s arms and headed for the armoury.
As she entered the large armoury of her castle, she realised she would never see her Cederic again, her love, the person with whom she had so many fond memories. She shook her head.
“They didn’t find the body,” she said aloud, this time to herself.
Yet somewhere she felt that it really was all over. As she picked up her long carved dagger with a diamond on the hilt, its cool touch brought back the memory of another cool breath from another time, another existence- the cruel war of Xaxtan where the 15 year old Sera had first seen the handsome man, where she first fell in love while accompanying her father to treat wounded soldiers. She clutched at the dagger as she remembered how she had first pulled it out from the man’s shoulder and had been awed when he didn’t even flinch even though she knew that the pain must be excruciating. That day, as she felt his strong gaze on her, she realised something moved within her, she had never felt that way and soon she realised that she was infatuated with those green eyes. Sera sighed. That was another existence.
Now, she was the Commander of the Rivera army and....her thoughts trailed around as she walked around the armoury getting all her gear. Even in the underground hall the uncanny dampness prevailed and her already random thoughts wandered back to why this winter felt so extraordinary. The war was coming, she knew it and this time she was all alone without her father and Cederic. But she had grown to be a woman of steel. Her heart didn’t flinch to saw off a man’s head, she could claw out eyes while laughing and her whole back was marked with terrible brands and she knew that she hadn’t even dropped her gaze when those were done. Sera was ready for the war.
She locked the armoury and walked out into the open air. She breathed in the chilly wind that blew back her long auburn hair and tried to shake her to her bones. She went to the stable and reached her loyal horse Jenna. She had to confront the devilishly charming Lord Cruez, the rival king, the one who was responsible for her doom. Thoughts of Cederic and Cruez came flying back to her as she galloped over the ruthless boulders that lay between Rivera and Cruez. She had first met Lord Cruez two years ago in a ball, the ball that changed her life, the dance that made her think him to be a good man. But she couldn’t be more wrong. She gripped her dagger closely as she remembered the night when she had almost been kidnapped. Her captors had bound her, blindfolded her and though she wasn’t tortured, neither was she told why she was there. It was by sheer luck that Cederic’s dagger had been with her. Her brow showed a bead of sweat as she remembered how she had got free...she never wanted to relive that torturous pressure, yet she knew that the time had come. Easton, the mighty lord of Cruez never let her know that he was behind this; he was charming when he came to her castle that fall to ensure her health.
