War Of Men

Kaya

Without warning, she was pushed out of the shadow. She tumbled to the floor and was blinded by the startling sunlight. Before her were three people, a teenage girl with plain brown hair, a young man with freckles and light brown hair and a tall, dark skinned man in a purple uniform.

'What do you think, did we get our money's worth?' joked the man in uniform. Only, Kaya wasn't sure whether it genuinely was one.

The other man held out his hand. She hesitated to take it, but eventually did and was pulled onto her feet.

'How'd you get that?' His gloved thumb gently ran over a scar on her cheek.

She scrunched her eyes together. 'I don't know... I guess I just scratched myself?'

He frowned as he watched the moving shadow. 'I can't believe we're letting them go.'

'No need to worry about that. We've stationed people at the borders. They won't be getting back into Avi.'

'They will,' the girl chimed in.

'Excuse me?'

'That's why you should talk to the Voire first. We should have stationed people here,' hissed the freckled boy, then he grudgingly added, 'Your highness.'

'It wouldn't have changed anything. I considered suggesting it, but saw that she would have been severely injured in the process, so I thought it best to leave it up to the king to do as he wished.'

'Well, enough chatter, our little Eseterrian's probably dying to see her new home.' He flashed a smile at Kaya, then gave a small bow before heading towards a horse. His departure resulted in all attention returning to Kaya.

'Well,' said the boy, 'Welcome home.'

♤ ♤ ♤

They offered Kaya a seat in a carriage, but she was eager to get in motion. Accordingly, she mounted a black mare and rode in procession, flanked by guards. She still didn't quite know what was going on, but she was too tired to complain and a voice deep inside her told her to go along with it.

The snow crunched under the horses' hooves. The whole landscape was painted white. It was a wonder these people knew where they were going. She certainly couldn't recognise the path from her last journey to Cines.

Kaya was permanently being watched. She could feel the eyes on her. They were only short looks, but there was always someone. It didn't help that she had turned down a coat and was now riding through a winter paradise in a tank top. Not to mention she was earth or something. She still didn't quite understand what Eseterrians were.

When they passed a village, people would chant or bow down in religious devotion. That made Kaya extremely uncomfortable so she just tried to focus on the road ahead.

'Wave,' ordered the teenage girl, pulling up beside her.

'Why? I'm nothing worth worshiping. Or is it one of you?'

'True, you're not worth worshiping, but what you represent is. Therefore wave to make them happy.' She spoke in a matter-of-factly manner and ordered Kaya around with ease even though Kaya was at least three years older. This girl had probably been raised as aristocracy, whereas Kaya was clearly a commoner. Ordering people around was in the Voire's blood.

'Do you really believe in Eseterrians?'

The girl smiled to herself. 'Not quite. I know Eseterrians are, hence I need not believe in them. There's an element of blindness in belief.'

'That sounds like extreme belief to me,' countered Kaya.

'I'm the Voire. I've seen things that prove the existence of gods and goddesses,' she spoke.