Crimson Kingdom

Chapter Ten

"Nala she has come home at last" an old woman with greying hair stands next to her apprentice a small girl with glowing green eyes

"It has been four years and I am still yet to become accustomed to your gift" the girl laughs a sound Rilan is not used to hearing, he lets out a groan his stomach sore

"Please tell me she didn't challenge him"

"Look at the other cott Rila, you should have known better then to ask such a stupid question" he lets out a sigh lying next to him is his Tribal leader with his daughter combing out his braid running her small hands through his midnight hair.

Rilan meets the sober eyes of his Tribal leader, stumbling from his cott, he kneels before him

"No matter if she won I will always be loyal it is my job..." he rambles as Zakiri raises his hand silencing him

"It is not your duty to follow me blindly, but if she were to take this tribe from me as is her right you will follow her without question but the Thalassa has shown me mercy and has decided that I am still worthy to lead this tribe whether I believe it or not" a strong resolve is one of the things the Unknown treasure most.

"Tell me Ikari, who was Ryla the last time she was here" Blade asks and sits quietly beside Zakiri's cott as Ikari stretches his shoulders a god hiding from the Queen who searches for him

"Who was she? She was a different woman than the one you see who you have met is, the soldier the captive the girl who had to break herself to survive. You want to know who she was and who she could be, well sit down it is a long story"

Asteria Eliza Odessa was tossed down to the world, her mother was cursed by the fates, Amaris, who gave birth to her alone as Edward who was a wretched man was nowhere to be seen, she was placed in the most prestigious orphanage in all of Odessa but even in her early years those eyes shone bright so she was adopted by a prestigious man one that only adopted her for fame. Soon he discarded her and at the age of five he abandoned her a small child with Golden eyes, dark hair and tan skin, if the wolves had not found her she would have died so that child so intouch with magic found her place among fae wolves stuck in their fur and soon they too abandoned her but not like the Adopted father, they left her somewhere and with someone they knew would care for her, so at the age of six Asteria Eliza was granted her second name Ryla of the Unknown. Nova found her, trained her and when she came to us she was Nova's heir in every meaning of the word the name Nova called her was Sola, her most dear and the only one Nova allowed her heart to love. She was strong but she loved freely, she was a force to be reckoned with, her eyes were blue whatever happened with Nova it granted her a second chance. Those eyes always seemed unnatural, but she was proud and her battle cry raged with fire, she fought for the weakest and trampled the strong if the unknown forces of this world had not called her away she would have turned twenty two, and on the dawn of that day her magic would have unraveled and the tribe would have bowed down accepting Rakiri as heir to the Tribes throne.You do not recognize the name of Rakiri, that was the name I gave her because in the tribes language of old, Rakiri meant fire because that's what she was, she was a living flame even though her magic we soon would realize was darkness, but her anger, her feelings all of it was fire a flame so fierce we were drawn in akin to moths drawn to a flame, we would never be worthy to serve next to her. Especially not with that sense of justice as pure as the morning dawn, but when fate stole what made my Rakiri whole she was a soldier and she was a Queen. All children of the age fourteen had to compete for the tribes throne and it came down to us two and she impaled herself she still has the scar across her abdomen

"The first time I met her, she was seven it was her first visit to the tribe while Nova was busy, I remember it like it was yesterday"

"Release me you blithering idiot"

"Women are weak even the Warriors of old think so, you'll never be more than a house wife obeying her husbands every command" a boy twice her size tugs her hair her eyes shine with anger, even he knew the tell tale signs of a woman on the verge of rage and swiftly those eyes change fast from blue to gold then back it was so fast Zakiri believed he had imagined it

"I thought it was just a trick of the eye but even I should have known better because shivers still run through my bones at what happened next"

Ryla tugged her head but found his grip too strong and that madness, glinted from her eyes as she freed her blade, she then cut her hair free from his hold spinning on her heels she gripped her strands and wrapped them around Sleizar's neck pulling him close, choking him. I had never seen anyone move so fast, a witch's speed is what they called it.

"My master would not tolerate such things being said, it's a waste of your miserable existence one I would gladly end"

"After that day anyone who rejected her claim to Nova's throne was quiet, after that show of strength and restraint and the speed of a witch there were no longer any complaints. That front would be the one you recognize, yes, she could be cold but there was kindness in her and she was golden everything about her was there was this one time"

Ryla stood in front of her master an eager look on her face

"So you are asking me to allow you to join the festival activities instead of training" Nova sighs, Ryla stares back unyielding

"Please" a small sound

"Fine" she squeals and jumps hugging Nova while a small smile breaks through the mask she shows anyone but her Sola

Ryla stands at the Unknown entrance, her tribal dress unusual to her the shades of brown and red make her light hair shine and soon the festivities begin and she is fire and wind her feet were fast faster then the wind itself and she would spin and we swore and even bet on it that her gift would be fire because we could almost see the sparks afire at her heels. Joy and laughter sprung from deep within her, this was Ryla, she was golden and she was warm the only time we saw anything else was when battle was upon us she often wore a mask the first year that she was with us. She never took a mate, I had even offered once upon a time before she had bargained with the fates on our behalf. She gave them something, and even she will not tell me what it is. That golden girl was gone but my Ryla still lived she gave something up to give this tribe happiness and yet they do not know who she is. She gave everything she had to this tribe and the fates stole everything that made her a Queen but even they with all the knowledge of a million moons did not know you can never take the royalty from her heart, because here she is,strong, unbending and sacrificing herself for the good of her kingdom whatever happened to her broke her but like a phoenix she has raised from the ashes that same will that made her challenge every man who came to claim the throne. Ryla was my Queen long before she saved our tribe, long before she forfeited our match and long before she danced fire sparking at her heels. I will follow her wherever she may go.

"Why" a broken voice asks

"She is a Queen one of a terrible childhood one I can only imagine and some are meant to lead others are meant to follow and only in a time of great tragedy will you recognize who is who"