The Golden Crow

Part 1

"You're making a very stupid decision little crow." Nero sneered at his twin.

His angelic face twisting into something ugly and distasteful. A look Layna swore he reserved just for her.

"Layn, think. This could be beneficial for us both. A great King deserves a great Queen. You are the most promising female warrior since those who were accepted into the Twelve, and union with me can only help in dispelling the rumors." Leo pleaded.

"There hardly rumors Leo." Nero scoffed.

Layna ignored her brothers latest attempt at cruelty, she had one goal in mind and she would not let herself get distracted. Layna looked from her brother's emerald eyes into Leo's clear blue eyes. It wasn't that Leo was unappealing or cruel. In fact, Leo was quite attractive. He was fairly muscular, and stood at about 5'10, which Layna appreciated since she was only 5'1. Layna couldn't stand guys much taller than 5'10, it made her neck hurt to keep eye contact. Leo had short white blond hair which, somehow, made his ice blue eyes seem crystal clear. His jaw was strong, cheekbones sharp, his nose was slightly crooked from being broken multiple times in training many years ago. Two of those times being by Layna herself. That nose was by far his worst quality. Leo's best quality however, was his smile. Leo had the type of smile that could put anyone at ease, the type of smile that demanded trust. Leo looked like a King, but Leo was no king in Layna 's eyes. Leo was a puppet, weak willed and eager to please his father and the council that set him upon the throne.

"Be my Queen." Leo said as he gently cradled her face.

Seeing the desperation in his eyes almost made Layna feel something for him. Almost. His Queen. The words echoed around the near empty throne room. Queen, she thought. A novel idea, a dream for most young women. A handsome young King begging for her hand in marriage. Begging her to become a part of nobility, the very nobility that sneers down at her every chance they get. Becoming Queen could change her life for the better, yes, but would it be worth it? Would she be happy knowing that she was Queen to a false King, bound to a man who was not her match, her equal, her Mate?

"No. Leo, if I married you I would not be Queen; for you are no King." She stepped out of Leo's grasp and looked to her brother.

"There is but one. True. King. The last of the Lions, and the rightful heir." she voiced calmly.

"My dear stupid sister. You do know that if you refuse to marry you will be banished. Left to live a miserable life among the humans, never to set foot in your world again." Nero smiled at the thought.

"No dove, I understand that if I refuse I will be banished to the human realm, but not forever. See, if I challenge and defeat the Twelve I am forgiven of all misgivings and welcomed back to my rightful world. Full pardon." Layna smirked and tilted her head as if to dare him to say she is wrong.

"To challenge and defeat the Twelve is the only way one can reenter this world after being banished from it, yes." The young King replied.

"But you don't have a chance in hell of defeating them, little crow. You may as well let me slit your throat right now if that's your plan. It'll save much time and effort. It will also grant me much satisfaction." Nero said to his sister.

Nero was a foot taller than his twin, he enjoyed greatly to look down on her. And though Layna loved her brother she hated looking up at him. It hurt her neck, you see.

"I think I'll take my chances with the Twelve if it's all the same." Layna bowed at the feet of her brother the Khan and his King.

When she rose she embraced her brother. Standing on her toes and pulling his head closer to hers she whispered to him, "I have no desire to take the crown of Khan from you brother. It is your destiny, and your destiny alone, to be Khan. You are to bring upon the Golden age, but even you cannot do so without the True Golden King by your side." Layna leaned away from her brother so that she may look into his eyes, their mother's eyes, as they were told. She looked pleadingly into those emerald eyes, beseeching him to see the truth she held in hers.