A Girl Named Raven

A Tale of a Kingdom Divided

"In the land of Maliridia there once was peace and harmony."

"Ooh ohh that's where we live mommy." Raven smiled up at her mom with big happy purple eyes her troublesome blonde locks cascading down her face.

"Yes honey now pay attention. Under the rule of King Flourin Maliridia was a place of harmony and peace, but saddly as it is with all life his had to come to an end. One night of his sons William and Bradley's eighteenth birthday The king passed away before naming an heir.

Where as William was kind and weak, his brother was stronger and power hungry. Knowing that he would most likley not be chosen Prince Bradley led an uprising attempting to end his brother's life. After failing he was banished to the far dark side of Maliridia, along with those gaurds who assisted him in his failed attack. But the kingdom lost more than a unruly brother and some guards. All the villagers who believed Bradley should of ruled left with him.
He left with the promise that the land of Maliridia would face a torturous exsistance. With that the kingdoms of Tenebris the kingdom of darkness, and Luxian the kingdom of light were made. And  Price Bradley has made good on his promise for our kingdoms have been at war ever since."  Fate Raven's mother than turned to her husband who had arrived home during the story.

Strength looked at his daughter and chuckled. "Don't worry Little Bird they have both had sons and with new rulers there is a chance that peace will come over the land again." He moved the hair out of Raven's eyes.

He was strong much like his name would suggest. With kind eyes and a laughter that could fill the room.

At that Fate flashed a worried expression. "Yes but hatered, has a tendency to breed more hatered."

Strength kisses her forehead "You worry to much Fate."

After that he took Raven outside claiming to have a suprise for her. They went out behind the barn where there were horses waiting.

They rode through the fields surrounding their house untill they came to the edge of the woods, the trees shielded the ground below from the sun making it a dark mysterious place. As the horses grew uneasy they dismounted and tied them up to a lone tree by a creek running through the field.

Raven had always viewed the darkness and shadow as the enemy from a young age, a fear that on this trip she was going to be forced to face.

Walking between her parents holding both of their hands she faced the shadow with them, as a united front. As inside she slowly grew more and more comfortable with the darkness of the forest. They walked for quite a while, even at that young of an age Raven was amazed and impressed by the beauty that dwelled in the darkness, just out of reach of the light. Before she knew it she was running leaps and bounds ahead of her parents, who walked a little ways behind lazily. Something was still bothering Fate though, it felt like something was always bothering Raven's mother. Yet then again I guess it was her job to be constantly bothered by something.

In the middle of the forest of shadows she saw light and it confused her, in the middle of the shadow somehow light had fought it's way through.

She aproached the spot finding that is shared the darkness's bueaty.  There was a big  breathtaking weeping willow covered in small white flowers. It's big strong branches reaching in every direction, some even low enough to the ground that one could easily climb up to the top. All of this was surrounded by a cool stream filled with sweet water that was up to little Raven's waist. Following the stream you would find that it ran over some rocks and then into a pond that was full of fish, and flower petals that had been blown off by the wind.

"This is your suprise, here is where you will learn about who you are, many lessons can be learned in a place like this. Where the light loses controll over you. " Strength said taking Raven out of the water.

"Raven your domain is neither the darkness nor the light, your domain is your own and neither Tenebris or Luxian may lay claim to you. In the darkness you will find light, and in light you'll find shadow where the darkest secrets dwell." Fate always had things like this to tell Raven, preparing her for a life she could never dream of, yet Fate knew would come to be.

With the help of Strength Raven gained courage and skill with building and defending herself.  By the age of six Raven was spending the majority of her time in those woods. She longed to go to the darkness of the woods to, linger in the mystery, she was discovering and learning things everyday.

Her domain was her own, the one place she belonged was nowhere, nowhere she knew of at least. Yet here she didn't play the part of the outsider. But at such a young age she had no idea what the true meaning of the word outsider was.

♡♡♡

That day will forever be etched into young Raven's memory. It was an honor no doubt yet Fate still wept. And if Raven was older she would have understood why. A single armoured  knight rode into their yard and approached the door. Never seeing a real knight before Raven ran out to greet him, when Strength and Fate came out he stood up beside  Raven the smile leaving his face only to be replaced by a   expression of sorrow, he carried with him a letter from the king of Luxian, he wanted Strength to come and help defend Luxian from another attack from Tenebris.

It was a tradition on the day of King Flourin's  death that an attack was raged on the kingdom. The only attack that was always anticipated before hand, yet somehow Luxian never successfully warded off the attack.

Raven was extatic about her father becoming a knight, giving her a chance at being excepted in her village, no matter  what her name was.

With tears welling up in the bottom of his eyes Strength grabbed Raven and threw her up in the air, his little bird loved to fly. "No matter what happens, I will always be with you, okay little bird. Never forget that you can fly, I will never truly leave you, I'll be your wings."

Then he hugged her mother and left. Raven couldn't wait for him to return all she wanted to do was fly again.

A few weeks after that dreadful day some castle gaurds came to their cottage leading a unmounted horse in full military garb. Of course Fate knew this would come, like she always does. That was probably why Raven wasn't allowed to go to the woods that day.

Back then Raven could barely carry what would come to be her most prized possessions. The only things she had of her father.

It was customary in Luxian for the gaurds to get customary wepons, and shields. Engraved with something special to them, worth fight for.

The shield was almost as big as she was and the sword was taller than her. Both were beautifuly crafted.

The sword had a leather grip on the handle and a purple gem below it. It had a gold color on both the metal handle and the hand gaurd. And the guard also had 2 purple gem stones on it the the gem stones were the same shade of purple as her eyes. The blade itself was silver with wings and  the words "Never forget that you can fly" put in it with gold writing along  with some intricate designs carved into it, and a matching sheath.

The shield had leather straps that wrapped around your arm, and it folded down so that it looked like a leather braclet weaving around your arm with a large gold piece in the middle that had the same kind of purple gem inside. When pressure is applied to the metal part the shield opens up to its full size protecting its wearer. Its design was amazing. The shield itself was also silver other than the center piece, and the same phrase and wing design in gold. The same pattern was also engraved into the shield.

Along with those she was also given her fathers horse. It was tall and strong. Just like her it stood out and didn't fit in. It was a black and white paint, its name was Fearless, a name that was not given it was earned. A name the horse carried with pride. And the way he carried himself demanded respect. His eyes were cold and hard, it made you wonder what he had been through and seen.

In the weeks following the town grieved we wern't the only family who lost, yet Raven was going to lose a lot more.  After losing her father Raven spent even more time in those woods and it probably wasn't heathy for a girl that young, sometimes she wouldn't even come home.

Her mother didn't have the time to teach Raven anymore now that she had to go to work everyday. Strength's little bird had had her wings clipped. Little did she know she was going to be forced to fly soon.