Catina never had a reason to hate her strange appearance. Her golden hair and deep brown eyes- eyes that could be mistaken for red- had never caused her any misfortune. Until one night, the great conqueror arrived- a man who wanted the world for him...
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I can sense the change.
Originally, I had forgotten the purpose of our travels. For me, the endless trekking upon unmarked roads meant nothing but a day of wandering. I had let it slip from my mind that the wandering would eventually amount to something.
Maybe it had been the chaos of my own thoughts that made me unaware of the shift in the atmosphere.
Now I can sense it.
The warriors were distant.
The females were harder. Rougher.
Soleia did not speak to me.
She stayed by Tuva's side, never leaving him. Forcing me to tread alone among the watching eyes.
I could sense it.
What was coming.
What I had forgotten and never should have erased.
War.
The purpose for why I was here.
Battle.
Even the great leader did not seem as aware of me as he used to be.
Since that day in the hot springs, I had tried to avoid him. I did not know what to do with his gift, but I kept it close to me. It was a reminder. Out of all the things that I would never forget, he made sure, with that gift alone, that that would not be one of them.
Khalid though did not leave my side.
Nor did the guard that had pledged themselves to me.
In a way, Khalid had become one of them, taking on the role of approaching me as their middleman. He was the only one who seemed capable of being near me without shrinking away from fear.
"When will we arrive?"
Khalid thought for a moment, "A day."
I tried to gain my bearings. A day.
A day and then we would be in the midst of battle.
What would be my role?
I wanted to ask Khalid, but even he would not know.
As if it was instinct, I knew already that only the great leader would know the role I would be playing.
Khalid could read my thoughts though. I could feel his unease growing as day became dusk and the moon settled in.
"The night is usually not spent resting..."
I look up from the saddle to stare at him. His eyes are looking ahead, scanning out to some distant place I am unaware of.
"He will want you."
He will want you.
Khalid looks down then. Is that pity in his eyes? Is it sorrow? What emotion did he contain?
