The Commander of The Founders: Book One

Chapter One: Foheda

The sun was barely reaching over the horizon. The sky was a vibrant purple and orange. Hidden inside a cave was a colony of small huts. The cave opened up into the coast line. The waves rolled off the sun soaked sand. Little children ran barefoot throughout the village. Smoke rolled off of fire pits as adults cooked meat. Older children sat on blankets making fishing nets. Men waxed surf boards as they sat in the sun. Ruins of a building stood tall and refurbished; it contained several bedrooms and a throne room.

An older teenager slept in one of the bedrooms. The furs of deer covered her bare back. Her back had a tattoo along her spine. A Jera rune was placed in the middle of her neck. An elongated Eihwaz rune ran down her spine and was broken, to allow a Sowilo rune, at the end. Eleven circles started beside the Eihwaz rune and curved around a wavey line. The teenager had straight warm red hair and pale skin.

Another girl with brown hair and freckled skin rolled over in the bed and kissed her neck. She had a light smile across her lips.

"Time to get up, Foheda," the girl whispered.

"Lorelei," she groaned.

She rolled over to look at Lorelei. Her cheeks pink and hair messy from sleep. Her face had a distinct scar that ran from inches above her eyebrow to the bottom of her cheek bone.

"Things to do," Lorelei said, slipping out of bed.

"There's nothing to do," the girl said, "It's always the same routine. Nothing changes."

Lorelei tipped her head back and groaned. "Didrika!" She complained.

Didrika laughed and pulled the furs off of her. She slipped on a tank top and slipped her legs to the floor. She had on dark gray skin tight pants. She put her feet into her white black splotched combat boots. Didrika tied her hair into a bun with a blue strip of cloth. She stood up and looked over at Lorelei. Lorelei had on a purple black leather jacket with silver shoulder plates, black fingerless gloves, sword sheath slung across her shoulder, black skin tight pants, and brown combat boots with laces. Lorelei turned to her.

"I'm going for a swim," Didrika said.

Lorelei nodded.

Didrika went to leave and Lorelei caught her wrist. Didrika kissed her and then ran out of the room. Her boots clicked against the stone building floor. Her eyes glanced against the name plates on the doors - First Founding Family, Twelfth Founding Family, Royal Court. She slowed to a stroll as she entered the village. She walked passed the people with her head down. She reached the ocean and smirked. Didrika looked both directions to check if people were watching her and then she took her shoes off. She dived into the water.

The water felt light and cold on her skin. Didrika opened her eyes and saw the intense blue of the water, the blurred colors of the sea creatures, and the greens of the plants. She swam herself back to the surface and swam toward the shore. She slipped on her shoes and ran her morning laps. She reached her room around the time the sun finished rising. She changed out of her wet clothes and into her armor. She put on a green long sleeve shirt and slipped a chain mail shirt over it. She clipped on leather forearm guards and a leather chest plate with shoulder covers. She pulled on dark blue skin tight pants and put leather thigh guards on. Didrika clipped a one shoulder strap sheath that is connected by a waist strap. She sheathed a knife in it. She zipped a blue tinted jacket with gold shoulder plates on over the armor. She slung her dual broadswords sheath over her shoulders. A thigh sheath that connects to her pant's belt loops holds another knife. The bangs of her hair are pulled back and skillfully french fishtail braided with threads of hair stitched into it.

A commotion sounded from the village. Didrika ran out of the building.

"What is it?" Didrika called out.