Xia gazed out at her kingdom from the tree in which she had perched herself in just minutes before. To her left she could see the farmers working in their fields and tending to their livestock. To her right was the small town that was already busy with the early morning chores of getting the stores and market place ready. Children ran about getting scolded by their mothers to stay out of the way as they worked. In front of her, was the castle. It was small compared to the others in the land of Draniues but it was still counted. She knew that her father would be sitting upon his throne listening to the complaints of his people and telling them about how he can do nothing until the gain more revenue; and her mother would be off busying herself for the celebration.
Her nose wrinkled at the thought of the celebration that he mother had been preparing for, for days now. She did not understand why turning eighteen was such a big deal any more for all it was to her was a death sentence. Both her parents had told that she would be over looked because they came from poor land but she knew in her heart that they were coming for her. No one had ever escaped them and those who tried were killed instantly, never getting the fighting chance that the others get.
Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and let herself fall from the high up branch. She counted the seconds slowly as she fell and curled her body in the air for when she got to the ground she rolled instead of just landing and hurting herself. A laugh of enjoyment bubbled inside her chest as she rolled into a brush and sent baby squirrels scurrying away in fear. Their mother chattered angrily at her from afar, not wanting to get any closer than necessary.
“Oh hush Mama; I did nothing to your little ones. It was purely an accident and won’t happen again.” She spoke to the chattering squirrel as she picked herself up and pulled small twigs and leafs from her snow white hair. The squirrel stopped it’s chattering and with a flick of its tail went off to corral its young ones.
Brushing her pants off and fixing her top so it fit right she slowly made her way down from the hill that over looked the land. It had always been her favorite place to go and get away from everyone. She knew the forest and its creatures better than anyone else in the land did and prided herself on it. Over the years she had started to teach her best friend Nialla how to maneuver the trees and calm the beasts, which had proved to be difficult task for the baker’s daughter who had never before left the tiny town.
A light smile played on her lips as she quickened her paces through the golden field full of grass and wild flowers, the smell of the flowers wrapping around her as she walked. Soon she was passing by the farmers who called out greetings to her and received waves and smiles in return. It filled her heart with joy to be able to talk to the people and to help them out instead of just sitting around doing nothing like her father did. Many times he had told her that it was not ‘princess like’ to go out and mingle with the peasants, even though she considered herself to be one of them instead of being a royal.
The smell of fresh goods, flowers, hay, and many other things hit her all at once as she came to the town. It was not big and was too small to be medium sized, but the people seemed to be pleased with the size that it was. In the center of the town was the church with a small fountain that had a statue of a dragon in front of it. The houses and stores were built in circle around the church and fountain, stretching out until they got to the fields. The market place was always set up in the area around the circle; so that the people could find what they need much faster than if they were to go looking through the stores.
Xia did not de-rail from her path as she walked the same course that she always did upon entering the town. She knew where she was going and knew that if any of the people got her stop to talk to them that she would be stuck with them until night fall. Since it was early and not everyone was out and about she only had to stop once and that was for a troupe of children at play that were paying no attention what so ever as to where they were going.
Within a matter of minutes she was walking up the bakery and pushing the door open. The mouthwatering smell of fresh bed and pastries wrapped around her mind like a delicious fog. Nialla’s mother Serena was behind the counter setting everything up to be sold and glanced up at Xia, a smile instantly coming to her face.
“Nialla is next door helping her Father out with the smithing, if you go in there be careful, don’t need the queen coming here in a tizzy because her daughter got burned.” She stood up straight and wiped her hands on her apron.
Xia couldn’t help but laugh at the comment, “She would come here in tizzy for any reason, and you know how she likes to complain about every little thing. She even complains about having nothing to complain about.”
Serna laughed and shook her head as Xia went through the door on the right that led to the black smith. Nialla’s mother was the baker and her father the black smith. It was one of the reasons Xia loved to visit so much. She enjoyed watching Nolan make swords and other various things; it was like an old form of forgotten magic to her.
Heat from the burning coals pressed hard against her skin as soon as she entered. The faint clang of Nola at work resonated through the small space full of metal and various objects that could be used to cause serious damage and pain. For a moment all she could do was stay standing where she was and let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting. As soon as she was able to see clearly she found Nolan and Nialla off to the far corner.
Nialla was at her father’s side with leather bound goggles covering her cerulean eyes. The long raven black hair that she always had loose and wild was braided neatly down her back with a flower tied at the end. It wasn’t hard to figure out that her mother had forced her to actually tame it for the day. Nolan was hunched over a little and was hitting a hot sword to get it straight and sharp.
“Been in here all day?” Xia asked as she stepped up next Nialla knowing if she had stepped up to Nolan it would have startled him and gotten someone hurt.
Nialla nodded and looked over at her friend, “Mhm, Papa is teaching me to do swords.”
“Ah, the little baker wants to be a sword maker eh?” A grin split across her face.
“Yes actually, I like it better then baking… I have always been good with weapons, remember?” Her plump pink lips became a smirk at the remembrance of all the times she had sparred with Xia and had won, “And I’m also doing so I can make you something for your birthday today.”
Xia rolled her eyes and took a small step back as sparks flew from the sword as Nolan hit again, “Please don’t mention that word… Everyone says that today is a great day to celebrate, but I just know something is going to go wrong, something always does.”
“Oh hush.” Nialla planted her hands on her hips and looked at her, “Go home, get cleaned up and I’ll be there in a minute with your gift.”
Not wanting to argue, she huffed at Nialla then hurried back into the bakery and outside. Just as she stepped out a child not looking where he was going ran into her and fell on his bum. Tears welled up in his eyes as if he would start crying at any moment. Quickly she squatted in front of him and pulled him to her body for a tight hug. The boy giggled and was going to say something but got no chance as the sound of trumpets sound and drew their attention to the oncoming parade of horses.
All the horses’ coats and manes were as black as the darkest abyss in hell and their eyes seeming to grow crimson like the flames in Lucifer’s eyes. The men sitting upon the horses looked just as menacing in black chain mail and helmets that hid their faces. The one with trumpet lowered and shouted at the people in the streets.
“Get out of the way! High King Thedron is coming through this path and needn’t both himself with waiting for you to get your worthless asses out of his way!” He barked. Xia frowned at the tone of his voice, wanting to yell at him to not talk to his people that way.
But again, she got no chance. For her gaze fell upon the High King who came up next upon his own horse that was covered in dark and sharp armor. As if feeling her gaze he turned to look upon her with pure black eyes and a malicious look upon his face making her completely freeze and for the first time in her life feel real fear.
