Kon, 1,000 years ago...
Kitaya stood still as calm water as Ade fastened the ties on her armour. Today was the day. Kon's day. A day that would be written in the annals of Konian history for eras to come. Today she would fight to preserve the integrity of her Nation. And as such, she needed to be dressed for the occasion.
While her dusty surroundings were less than ideal and more than suffocating, she'd bear it for the sake of convenience. They'd commandeered the back room of Rehema's shop to get ready for the protest. The piles of storage crates and empty barrels that doubled as tables for their stuff, faded into the background as she thought of the day ahead. Their scouts had spotted procession of Ravinians at the eastern border earlier that morning, and Eriani was already in place at the south gates to meet them.
The protest would launch at the provincial gardens, just outside the farms, and stretch all the way to the castle. Thousands would gather – unless she'd been lied to. In which case, she'd make an embarrassment of herself. Again.
"Is it too tight?" Ade asked, stepping back to appraise his work. Only he and Rehema occupied the room with her, with the latter standing near the shop's back door.
Kitaya exhaled and lowered her arms, a pang of pain shooting through her shoulder. The armour sat comfortably on her body, and she guessed the perfect fit was thanks to Ade's meticulous fitting schedules. She'd had three in total. "No, it's fine."
She turned towards the mirror, and her breath caught in her throat. Reflected in the glass was not her, but the Warrior Queen, the Bearer of the Behemoth, the third ruler. Zalika. The only thing missing was the Lion's Crown, but Eriani wasn't going to let her borrow the symbol of the sovereign's power.
Rehema nodded, appraising the ensemble. "That'squite uncanny, my lady. You look just like our beloved third ruler."
She couldn't disagree. Ade had replicated Zalika's battle armour perfectly. From the stylized lion's head carved into the arm guards to the metal skirt that dragged behind her. But dear gods how did she fight in this? Kitaya felt as though she was wearing another person.
She turned in the mirror and adjusted her braids.They were done up in the style that Zalika preferred with all the jewels, clips, baubles and beads. She had to be mindful not turn her head to quickly, lest she give herself a concussion.
"How did you get it done so quickly?" Rehema asked Ade.
"I had some help from the other smiths at the academy. The rookies were excited to have a hand for it. Nothing garners more respect than smithing for the royal family." He leaned against the wall, tucking his hands behind his head. "And Kitaya, I put an orb with a teleportation spell in your breastplate. Break it, and you'll be outside the gardens as quick as that." He snapped his fingers.
"Understood" Kitaya took her gauntlet from atop a box and slid it on. "Krudi." The Behemoth came to her hand with a metallic clang. "We should get going." She led the way out the back door of the shop and into the rear alleys of the marketplace. All was quiet, more so than usual.
By this time, vendors would be openingup their shops, prettying up their displays and sweeping their doorsteps, but there was little activity when Kitaya peeped through the side allies. Footfalls in her wake were the only indication that Rehema and Ade followed behind her.
Her eyes were ahead, on her destination, her strides long and oozing with purpose. She held the Behemoth slanted behind her back – the way Zalika did when she walked the streets of Kon. In short order, the Provincial Gardens came into view.
The miles wide space was home to Kon's nature enthusiasts – who kept its diverse flora and fauna thriving. Kitaya saw them flitting through the trees in their bright yellow robes, stings of flowers adorning their heads.
As she walked her armour clinked and her hair clicked, sounds that would irritate her if she wasn't so focused. They walked the wide path the center of the gardens, marked by a colossal veranda and a magic-made lake. The cloud-dotted sky mirrored in its still surface, and creatures laid near the large rocks on the western side.
Like the marketplace, the gardens were quieter than usual. On a normal day people would be sitting under or on top of the veranda, enjoying the ambience or playing with their young ones. But besides the garden workers, they were the only ones there.
"We'll be outside the north entrance," Ade said. "Good luck." With that, he and Rehema rounded the gazebo to the north path.
Kitaya watched them disappear down the road before climbing the veranda's steps to the roof. From there, she saw the procession, mere ants against the horizon. It would be another half an hour at least before they got to the gardens. Which gave her plenty of time to think.
The cool air blowing off the lake played with her braids, making the many adornments knock together. She kept her eyes on the ever approaching procession, while rehearsing everything she wanted to say to Eriani.
There was a good chance the queen would ignore her even though Kitaya had many tricks up her sleeve. When the carriage came closer, she made out the black and gold banners of Kon flanking one side and what she assumed to be the banners of Ravinia. They were blue and white, adorned with scaly fish.
The Shujaa marched on one side, their faces painted with black slashes through their eyes and mean-looking spears. Alongside them were magicians and capes regaled in blue with curved swords at their hips.
As the carriage approached, Kitaya stood and the Shujaa guards went slack-jawed at the sight of her. She poised her spear for athrow, and slammed it into the ground in front of the procession sending a spider's web of cracks radiating outwards. The Lyberra drawing the carriage stopped but didn't startle.
She leapt from the veranda, allowing gravity to pull her and landed on one foot on the blunt end of her spear. It had taken hours upon hours of practice to master that maneuver. Countless time's fallen on her face, exacerbated her injuries. Had she stayed in bed up until this time, her shoulder would be fully healed.
But alas, Kitaya was never one to stay idle for so long. And mastering the maneuver was imperative as it was Zalika's favourite way ofmaking an entrance.
A few of the magicians in blue stepped forward, drawing their curved blades.
"No!" a Shujaa guard snapped. "She is a member of the royal household."
"I demand an audience with the Queen." Kitaya said, keeping her expression nonplussed. If they wanted to attack her, she hoped they were ready for a bloodbath.
A Shujaa guard standing close to the carriage relayed her message, nodding her head at whatever Eriani was saying. When she turned back to Kitaya, her face remained impassive. "I'm afraid her Highness has denied your request, my lady. And she has... advised that you step out of the road and allow the procession to continue. You may arrange an audience with her at the castle to air your grievances should you so desire."
Kitaya plastered a sugary smile on her face and raised her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "I would like you to remind her Highness that as a member of the royal household, I am entitled to an impromptu audience once per annum – a privilege I haven't used in over a decade."
The Shujaa passive expression morphed into one of uncertainty and hesitance. Before she could relay the message, the carriage door opened, and the Queen stepped out, regaled in a red and gold dress that shimmered in the morning sun.
She closed the distance that separated her from her charge, poised and graceful as a Queen should be. If she were angry in any way, it didn't show on her face or register in her voice. "You will not stand above me and speak."
Kitaya snorted. "I'm a half head taller, I'm always standing above you, your majesty."
"Your Majesty."
Kitaya cut her gaze to the carriage, where a man had stepped out. He was skinny, dressed in blue robes that would soon cook him in the savanna heat. He eased the carriage door shut and adjusted his round glasses.
"If it would not offend, I would like to address your charge," he said.
Eriani shrugged a shoulder. "If you have the patience to. Try not to take anything she says to heart. My charge here talks big but is ultimately harmless."
As he stepped forward, a blue-clad guard moved into his path, speaking rapidly in a foreign tongue whilst glancing back and forth between him and Kitaya.
"It's fine, truly. And do not speak our native tongue in the presence of our hosts. 'Tis rude." The man stepped in front of Kitaya, looking up at her with fondness of a long-lost friend. "Good morning. You must be Kitaya. I've heard much about you from your altori. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jalyle King of Ravinia."
Kitaya almost laughed. This scrawny islander was the new king of Ravinia? She could break him in half with one hand.
"I've been told you're not... thrilled about my visit, to put it mildly. But I'm sure if we could sit down and have a conversation, I'm sure—"
"No." Kitaya peered down at him, ignoring the burning in her ankle from standing on one foot for so long. "How naïve of you to assume I care about what you have to say. Feed your pretty lies and fake diplomacy to the fools who'll swallow it. Your words do nothing but bitter my blood. I don't care what they call you, King, saviour, or what have you. OnKonian soil, you are an enemy, and you'd do well not to forget that."
She gave Jalyle a practiced sneer before turning her attention to the Queen. "Eriani, second born of Kon's ninth royal house, you've brought shame upon your nation by allowing this filth into our borders. The people of Kon will never forgive you for sullying our reputation."
"Are you done?" Eriani asked. "I have better things to do with my time than validate your inflated ego." She gave a wave of dismissal and turned towards the carriage. "Do what you will, Kitaya, but do it out of my way."
Kitaya's sneer intensified. "You are utterly unfit to rule this nation."
To her surprise, the Queen laughed. "If you believe you can do a better job, then you're free to challenge me for the throne."
She knew better than to take that bait. "I don't need your dusty, old chair. I have the people on my side." She leapt back onto the veranda. "Krudi." As the Behemoth flew to her grasp, she took one last look at the procession. "This isn't over."
Kitaya took the orb from her armour and crushed it in her fist. White light and rushing wind engulfed her as the ground was ripped away. She free-fell through nothingness before solid stone met the soles of her boots again.
"Kitaya." Ade's voice reached her before she fully came to awareness. "How did it go?"
She took a moment to regain her equilibrium, swaying on her feet and using the Behemoth as a crutch to keep her upright. Outside the garden's northern gate, a crowd was gathered, not the thousands she expected, maybe two hundred at most.
"I believe the Queen has underestimated me again, but this time it's for the better." Kitaya frown, her stomach fluttering from both worry and the residual effects of the spell. "Where is everyone?"
"Not to worry, my Lady," Rehema said with a reassuring smile. "I have everything under control. Come, I've secured an advantageous spot for us." She led them to a building next the gardens. Steps on its east wall led up to the roof and afforded a view of the garden, and the procession as it neared the north gate.
The demonstrators flanking it yelled and chanted as soon as the carriage came through. Then the floodgates opened. People poured in from the alleyway and onto the rooftops with deafening cries and chants that shook the ground.
Kitaya's chest swelled with a mixture of pride and exhilaration. For once she was a part of something bigger than herself bigger than the royal family. So when the chants reached their crescendo, she held the Behemoth high and joined in.