Crimson Kingdom

Chapter Two

"Knight Ryla!" yells Aegis

She spins around to face him "Yes?"

"Tell me where you came from please?"

" I am from Cetrica left bloodied in the enchanted forest outside of Trica"

" How do you have the ability to carry yourself as you do a maiden built for madness"

"Tell me Aegis what happens when you break? What are the consequences of no longer being able to continue?"

" I don't know I've never been close to that kind of end"

"It's the end, breaking is the true end, and sometimes you don't survive and sometimes you take one step at a time, other times you break so badly you will never feel again, pain is the motivator of the fates, the evil wretched fates, they seek a selfish end and the consequences change you, a heart of gold will melt, a diamond soul will destroy itself, only a being of impenetrable iron will be able to survive that kind of end"

"What have you experienced?" his voice comes out in a hushed whisper

The smile she gave in return shook him to his very core, fear and humiliation flooded through him, for him to compare himself to this monster of a warrior, to think his few battles could compare to the scars this girl possesses is laughable. He's older, yes a warrior honed by training but the suffering that shines through her eyes is breathtaking, enchanting in the way that pain can be. Aegis meets her eyes, and she nods at him and swiftly the wind briefly pulls her hair away from her neck, an elven tattoo and scar riddled skin is revealed.

He turns around and slowly makes his way into the palace his thoughts destroying his focus, a strong woman, one he was determined to make his wife

"Aegis I need to talk to you" King Edward approaches

"Yes, Edward?" they sit in his office the king of Odessa wears a grim face upon his aged features

"Ryla, something happened when she bowed for Terra, a force rumbled from within her, her power forced Terra to her knees a storm shook the land and thunder erupted. I haven't seen this kind of thing since Amaris, and then it was just a violent tremble of her limbs"

"She has to be the heir to some kind of throne, blood magic works in a powerful way, for this kind of reaction to happen just from her bowing, in years past to dethroned kings forced to bow before enemies I have only seen the twisted discomfort in the face of the victim. Whatever throne she is the heir to it is a powerful blood bond that we have no chance against, I would advise you to pray to the gods she isn't out for your blood and never let her bow again, her blood can only take so much before it will rip apart what is laid before it " the word was on the tip of his tongue an ancient word he had not spoken in all his years of living. Thalassa.

"She is more powerful than Amaris and she is untrained, she doesn't know about her power should we hide it for the safety of this kingdom?"

"I can not tell you king it could be very dangerous if fate dictated she was to master her power it will happen she could master it even if you don't affect it in any way but if you were to deliberately hide her magic she could come back for revenge or she could never find out about her magic and she would become the most powerful general this world has ever seen, it is your choice"Aegis takes a look at Edward and dismisses himself, while Edward thinks about his possible decisions. Aegis was a strong believer in fate, what is to come might shake the very foundation of his beliefs. Once again they miss it, Aegis saw something, something that could have changed everything and once again the fates have stolen the choice of these people, demonstrating even the royals can not stop them.

Ryla makes it back to the barracks just as the sun goes down and the men are just finishing training
"Ara I need to speak with you" Ara walks out his steps staggering as he is weary
"Yes Astra"
"The king has asked me to guard his son for an unknown amount of time and I have agreed I have been asked to choose a suitable replacement" he gazes wide eyed at her, suddenly he is alert.
"Don't you dare we have been together since you won your challenge four years ago"
"Ara you will always be my right hand man you may contact me at any time sleep tonight I will announce who will take my place tomorrow until I return remember as far as I know this is only temporary" he nods understanding he is dismissed
The next morning as the sun breaks to dawn, She stands on a platform before all the men she has trained since taking her position, unknowingly this will be the last time she will stand before them to issue orders for a very long time.
"I come before you today because I have been asked to guard the Prince by the King himself so I will naming a temporary replacement I find worthy and if I hear word of any disrespect the Prince will see first hand my wrath as it will be demonstrated with you as my test subjects" the men shudder eyes wide as they look at their leader
"I name Ara my replacement" she roars and cheers sound about her as she touches cheeks with Ara
"A lions roar is loudest when it's leader is gone" she whispers
"And mine will be the loudest" he whispers, Their eyes meet and then she walks off the stage and is gone.
Ryla treks back to her barrack, the one she has only been staying in for the past two years, it was the only home she had ever known, but a request from the king was not something that she could deny. The barracks appear before her and she reaches for the knob, something cracks within her chest. Her heart cries out, for this home of hers, and it would be a very long time before she would be able to understand this, when she reached for that knob for the very last time as a simple knight who led the holy knights of Odessa, no more battles would she command, accepting a King's request changes everything, no Leader has ever returned from a king's request, she believed she wouldn't be any different a little part of her shattered. Shoving that door open took more out of her then any battle she had come close to death in, her mask seemed to be breaking little by little. This little bit of emotion shocked her she had not truly felt in a number of years not since that day...

"Commander, my name is Terian I have come to request to speak my mind for the remaining moments of your time as Commander, by kings orders you relinquish your role at midnight of this night"

"Speak what you will" she lets out a deep hushed breath, whatever hateful words this knight wishes for her to respond to, this would not be a pleasant encounter.

"I swear all loyalty to Ryla, Demon of the Holy Ground from this day and forever, Ara I swear as second, my commander will forever be you, naturally all loyalties will fall to Ara in case of your fall," he drops to his knees tears welling in his eyes" my blood is yours forever and always I make this blood promise to you, you are the lioness and whether it be treason or not you lioness of Cetrica are my Crownless Queen" tears line Ryla's eyes, something so foreign, something fate had ordained she would never encounter again lines her face. A smile so profound, something so full of joy, sends a crack through her fate entrapped heart tearing through the iron encasing on the right side taking its place right next to the crack in the very center.

Somewhere in a far away place hooded figures chant a strangled gasp floods through the collected people

Serico Cerica Ryla's Delarosa

"She broke it, our word is law brothers and sisters we have to do something" and they chant and they chant some more. They scream in frustration, the repairs are set into place but one crack remains.

Terian rises from where he is on the floor tears leaking down his face and he nods rising to leave his Commander awe warps his face as her eyes a beautiful golden shine with joy and a smile crosses her face the only emotion he has ever seen from her, sobs wrack his chest as he rushes out. How does someone with no emotions gather such loyalty from those around her? Ara and Terian, a small court for a Crownless Queen.

What use does a Crownless Queen have for a court?

Ryla's face tightens back to that emotionless mask as a single tear runs down her cheek. She finishes packing her things and makes her way to the Palace.