The War (All Chapters + Synopsis)

Chapter 1.2 - Amalia

I skid around a corner and run down a main street, pushing people out of the way as I try to escape my captors. They follow after me, shouting out that I'm a thief or something to make the crowds step aside for them.

My feet pound the stones and I start to cry as I realize they are gaining on me step by step. I round another corner and run headfirst into a woman wearing a midnight cloak, hood up. She looks behind me, sees the two chasing me, and hoists me into the cart behind her.

"Don't move," she whispers to me quickly and covers me with a scratchy brown blanket that smells vaguely like wet sheep.

"Have you seen a kid that looks somewhat like this? Dirty-blonde hair, icy blue eyes? Yea high?" The male makraz asks my savior.

"Yeah, she ran right past me and back that way through the alley, I think she was trying to get out of the village," the woman says to them and I discover a small hole in the cart I've been hidden in.

"Hey, do I know you? You look familiar?" The female makraz says, looking at  my hooded savior.

"No, you'd better hurry, that kid was pretty fast," the woman says to the two makraz and they scurry off. "It's okay, you can come out now."

"Thank you, miss," I tell her, bowing my head in thanks.

"You look like you haven't eaten in weeks," the woman frowns at me before pulling a loaf of bread out of the cart. "Eat up, then tell me why those makraz are chasing an eight year old girl."

I nod and take the bread, we sit on a doorstep and I eat, greedily, gobbling up every crumb.

"Are you ready to talk?" The woman asks me, and I turn my head up to her.

"I don't know why they're chasing me," I admit, and she frowns a little.

"What's your name sweetheart?" She asks. "Mine is Celesta."

"Amalia Crestman," I respond and she nods her head as if something is clicking in her mind.

"Amalia, your parents... where are they?" Celesta inquires and I can feel the tears rolling down my eyes as everything finally comes crashing in.

"Gone," I say and Celesta closes her eyes for a second.

"Here, take my cloak, I'm going to take you to the city guard for protection, and so that they can take care of you, does that sound okay?" Celesta asks and I nod slowly.

She hands me her too-big black cloak and I disappear under the pooling shadows of the fabric. She smiles softly at the sight before leading me back onto one of the main streets.

People look at her as we pass, they glance cautiously at the sword hanging at her side, at the blue and silver uniform that encases her lithe and toned form. I take a good look at her as we walk through the streets, her violet eyes are veined with gold streaks and her pale ears are gently pointed at the top.

Some off-duty soldiers rise to attention and salute Celesta as we pass, and my grief addled brain starts to string a theory together, one that makes my heart beat faster out of exhilaration.

We reach the centermost point of the city, a large town-square with a fountain and a large ivory statue of Queen Raverna Opes of Nitens, the leader of the Holy Collective. Celesta glances at the statue as we pass, and I almost think I see a glimmer of hatred flicker through her eyes as she looks at the statue.

The Aura City Guard's headquarters is made out of grey stone and is fashioned to resemble a small fortress. Celesta holds the door open for me as we enter. A very bored looking receptionist springs to life as we enter the doors.

"Colonel Novilem, the Captain wasn't expecting you until tomorrow," the receptionist squeaks.

"Sorry for stopping by unannounced, but could I request an audience with the captain, I have an urgent matter to discuss with him and it cannot wait until morning," Celesta tells the receptionist.

"Yes, sir, I mean ma'am, I mean, of course," the receptionist flees and Celesta smirks.

"You're that Celesta Novilem? The Invincible Colonel?" I demand of my hero.

"I wouldn't say invincible, just undefeated for now," Celesta responds, smiling at me.

"Colonel, this better be urgent," a gruff man says with contempt in his voice.

"Captain, I'd like you to meet Amalia Crestman," Celesta responds, and I take the hood of the cloak off my head.

"Why don't we take this to my office," the Captain suggests, looking at us both with weary eyes.

We enter his office, all of us taking seats around a very neat desk.

"Captain, I think both Queen Raverna and General Sol will be very interested to hear how you let two civilians and two soldiers be murdered by makraz. I think the General will be especially interested in learning why you didn't think to go looking for an eight-year-old girl that nobody had seen or heard from in three weeks, especially when that girl was placed under your protection for a reason."

"I had my hands full with the Solstice preparations. Families go dark for weeks, this isn't Nitens where the entire country is within a small, closely grouped area, farm families go silent all the time," the Captain tries to argue.

"You didn't think two of your men going missing was suspicious enough to warrant a search party?" Celesta demands. "If this is you looking out for a royal advisor's daughter, I'd hate to see how poorly you handle looking after anyone else's well being."

"So this is Amalia Crestman, you sure look like your mother," the Captain says, trying to change the topic. "How old are you now, eight?"

"How do you know my age, and why was the Captain supposed to look out for me?" I ask.

"Your mother, General Lucerna Sol of the Holy Collective, asked the Captain here to look out for you. She wanted to keep you safe and away from the dangers of the Royal Court until you were old enough," Celesta explains to me.

"But my mommy was Carrie Crestman, she was a merchant's daughter, a human," I insist. General Lucerna Sol, I'd heard that name, she was an advisor to Queen Raverna, a member of the Royal Court, an ambro. "An ambro can't be my mommy, I'm human."

"You're a miri," the Captain explains. "Half human, half ambro, a powerful blend of magic and non-magic. Your father married Carrie to help keep you a secret, so the General's enemies couldn't use you against her."

"I don't have magic," I rebuttal.

"You haven't been taught how to use it, but you'll learn," Celesta whispers. "I'm so sor... no, I understand how you feel. Your whole world just got turned upside down, and your parents aren't here anymore to set it right, not the parents who raised you any way. But your mother is still alive and she'll help you make sense of it all. I would go with you, but I have other orders to follow."

"Your leaving this mess to me?" The Captain demands indignantly.

"You made it, you have to clean it up," Celesta responds. "I'll take the meeting we were supposed to have with your second in command, you have somewhere else to be."

"Yes, sir," the Captain says and salutes to Celesta who gives him a salute in return.

"I'll see you again, Amalia," Celesta assures me, taking the cloak back as she leaves. I'm still watching her when the world turns to ash and blood covers everything. Her body lays on the battlefield, broken, blood dribbling from her mouth as she stares vacantly into the sky.