Girl of Water and Fire

May The Choosing Begin

      I found peace on a balcony overlooking the ballroom. I watched the people milling about, some dancing, some gossiping, and some trading words sharpened to points back and forth to one another.

     Fascination overcame me as I just observed the nobles in the ballroom, reading their faces searching for emotion. Desire, irritation, frustration, sorrow, dejection. My training with Daniel also taught me how to read people. He would call it 'a skill as essential as the physical training.' We spent days sitting on rooftops studying passerbys as he taught me, and, on those days, the Verel mansion with my mother's aggressive ways and my father's blank stares and harsh words seemed preferable.

     My head lolled against the wall supporting the balcony, which hid me from view of those on the floor.

     My eyes started to droop, a sudden exhaustion overcoming me. I slid down the wall and figured a nap would quite possibly eliminate me from the Choosing.

---

     "Child," a melodic voice called, while my mind was suddenly revived.

     Invisible hands lifted me from under my arms, helping me stand and restoring life back into my limbs.

     "I let you sleep as long as I can, but it is time." My eyes focused onto the white cloaked figure in front of me.

     Something radiated off of... it.

     "My name is Saja, no need to call me 'it'" She said as she slid her hood back farther, showing a seemingly perfect face. Her dark skin was highlighted by blues around her dark brown eyes, and the same shades on her plump lips.

     "You-you read my mind." I stuttered.

     "Yes. I am a Chooser for tonight, you may also know me as a Hemla. Oh, my child, your hair! It's knotted from tossing against that wall, let us fix that."

     With a blink of her eyes, strands were curled and poured down my back, as magic wound the top half of my hair into gold strands and a single braid. A hairstyle that was beautiful, to say the least; the hair at my scalp wound into a loose, shimmering braid, and the rest cascading down my spine with gold and perfect curls.

     "This fits you more, dear, though I do love the gold you added."

      Hemlas were magical beings that show for vital events, all over the world supposedly. I assumed they were a myth, a motion of luck or a figment of imagination.

     "No, lovely, we are real. But no more questions, child, the Choosing is soon to begin."

      "I can't go," I say to Saja.

     "Ah yes, because of previous commitments, to a Daniel?" I gasped.

     "Do not worry, though we are few, all Hemla have discovered that the mortal world is best without much help, and without much interference. Your future is bright, Ares Aella, you may be the one."

     "The Chosen One?" Oh no.

     "No, darling, there's so much more. Now is the time though, grasp my hand and we'll go."

     "No." I stated, I can't go to the Choosing, I won't.

     "Child," she sung as invisible forces pulled my wrist toward her palm.

     She clasped my forearm and began to move her other wrist.

     "Saja," I tried one more time, "I can't be Chosen. Please."

     "Can't or won't, my dear? Besides this is a power even greater than mine, I can only channel it." My vision began to spin as we started to travel, while standing still.

     "And, dear Ares Aella, there are far greater things in your future, even if you are Chosen. Please dear, do not forget me, I have a feeling we will meet again later on."

     My vision went black, but lights punctured through the dark, like stars. Then shapes formed, and I realized we traveled down four floors, to the ballroom.

     I stood in the middle of the crowd, Saja nowhere to be seen. Gongs echoed through the ballroom as the King mounted the stage.

     "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we channel a power greater than ourselves, than any force on this planet. Tonight we gather to celebrate our next Queen, who will marry my son, Prince James. Long may they reign."

     Cheers rang through the hall, and every noble repeated the words back to him.

     Soon after, a silence fell over the crowd, waiting. Seven Hemlas, all dressed in white cloaks but with different colors coating the edges of their features. Human figures were hinted at beneath the cloaks, but the vibes that radiated off of them were anything but mortal.

     The Hemlas mounted the stage, the King long since vacated.

     "The Chosen One has been long been decided, and the overarching power has shown us that the Queen of this generation will show more strength and power than any in the past. We believe that this Queen will be more than consort of the King, she will be hope, power, will." The Hemlas said in harmony, the proclamation ringing through the room.

      A male figure with reds surrounding his gold eyes and slim mouth stepped forward. "May the Choosing begin, and bring forth a prosperous Queen and a long reign."

A/N- Hi! Thank you for reading! This chapter has my first magical scene in it, but The Choosing has a lot more, and updates will now come slower because, although I've written The Choosing, I haven't written anything past it, but I will soon! I also need to do the cast list for the series (and I'll make a new first page with it so go check that out soon!)

*Please give me feedback in the comments or vote if you like my story so far (there's more badass assassin coming up)*