Prologue

“Shh, hush now Severna, we’re going to be fine.”

Light golden-hazel eyes brimmed with tears as the slight frame of a twelve-year-old child shook in the arms of her mother. It was dark in the cottage, the sounds of panic and fighting traveling across the wind outside and rattling the closed shudders, calling to anyone in agony, begging for help.

“Where’s daddy?” the girl whispered with a trembling lip, and she bit it, wishing it to stop. She really had tried not to cry, but gave up as soon as her mother had pulled her into the farthest corner and held her tight, fear in those otherwise fearless eyes.

“He’ll be here soon, sweetheart,” she mumbled worriedly, stroking her daughters shoulder. The woman looked around for anything to protect them with, but her husband had taken their only sword to the fight just moments before. The sound of wailing reached her ears, coming from the cottage next to them.

“Severna,” the woman said, startled, “we have to leave now.”

The little girls eyes widened. “But what about daddy?” she asked, confused.

The woman stood up quickly, her milky brown hair falling over her eyes as she bent to help her daughter to stand.

“Daddy will find us later, love,” she said reassuringly, “but we have to-“

Something slammed into the front door, causing them both to jump.

“Open up in the name of the King!” came a cry from outside. The door buckled in as something hit it hard from outside, almost causing it to crash down completely.

“Get under the table,” the woman commanded to her daughter urgently, expression almost frantic.

“But Mo-”

“Now!”

There was no arguing with that tone of voice so Severna quickly obeyed, scrambling under the sturdy wood just as the door gave way. Wide eyes saw six foreign soldiers with black armor swarm inside, blades drawn.

“What do you want?” Severna heard her mother say, voice strong and stance protective.

Without replying, one of the soldiers who looked to be the leader grabbed her hair, bringing her face to his. She sucked in her breath as he tightened his grip.

“Let go of me you pig!” she spat.

The man laughed, his mirth tainted with malice.

“Well aren’t you a bold one?” he jeered, looking her up and down with disdainful eyes. “We can’t have that in the new kingdom, now can we? Might start a rebellion, you see.”

The other men sneered out their laughs, one of them tipping over a jar from the table. It crashed on the floor, sending shards of pottery in Severna’s direction.

The leader looked into the woman’s eyes for a moment, then, disgusted, threw her to the ground, kicking her hard in her side with the point of his black metal boot. She crumpled into a ball, hands clutching her stomach.

“Vermin, that’s what you are,” the man said hotly. He kicked her again, making her whimper.

Severna’s eyes blazed fury, all fear gone. Without thinking, she scrambled back out from under the table, hands scratching from the broken jar’s fragments on the ground. She stood to her full height, clenching her fists.

“Leave my mother alone,” she said quietly, anger making her throat burn.

All eyes turned to her, including her mothers. Those soft brown pleaded with her not to do what she knew Severna was going to do, begged her to run away. Save yourself, they seemed to say, but Severna ignored them.

“And who do we have here?” came one of the soldiers slimy voices. “A bit scrawny, wouldn’t you say? But I’m sure she’d do fine in the slave markets...” He made his way over to her, metal armor clanking, but Severna didn’t notice him. She had her hazel eyes, now golden with ferocity, turned on the man closest to her mother. The leader. He had his sword positioned just above her mothers neck, ready to slit it, but his beady black eyes were now turned on her, calculating.

“I said,” she repeated, “leave my mother alone.” She took a step forward, brushing off the hand of the soldier that had been fingering her black hair. She was all calm anger and pure clarity now, and everything in the room seemed to be ten times sharper. She could see the way the harsh triangular emblem on the leaders black armor glowed slightly silver, the way he tightened the grip of his blade at her boldness, and she could sense the high anticipation from the men around her – the thought of her speaking in such a way to their leader excited them for the anger it was sure to spark. Every detail was so clear to her, she even saw the twitching of his right eye as he moved his blade. She saw everything so clearly, but yet, she was too slow to react. The moment she saw him move his wrist, she knew what was going to happen, knew, without a doubt, she had just made a terrible mistake.

Her eyes caught her mothers just before they went dull. What she saw before those soft brown were extinguished tilted her senses for just a moment.

Pure love was hidden there, the part of her mother that was reserved just for Severna. It was as if a box had been opened, golden light pouring out from the inside to show it’s glorious brightness and give it’s marvelous warmth to only one person. To her. Then, just as quick as the lid had been opened, the box was shattered, leaving in its wake a dull emptiness that could haunt the lifeless.

Her mother was dead.

Severna stared at her for a moment and watched the blood spill from her neck, blinking and unbelieving. Everything seemed to stopped. Only when she was roughly pulled by the hair of her head did she notice anything around her again.

The leader was staring at her now, a wild intensity coursing through his black gaze. He was smiling and his rancid breath stifled her.

“No one will bother your mother now, you little wench,” he snickered. “And if you talk anymore than you already have, you’ll be one to join her.”

Everything was hazy. Even the pain coming from her scalp didn’t seem real.

“General Kosovo?”

Those piercing black eyes released her from their grasp, and so did the hand on her head.

“Slave market for this one, but do whatever you want with her before then.” Giving her one last glare, the man stomped out of the cottage, leaving Severna alone with five other soldiers.

“Hello pretty,” came an oily voice, then a slap on the face and a chorus of laughter.

Severna’s eyes stung with tears, and she closed them. What have I done? It’s all my fault… I could have saved her. If only I was quicker. It’s all my fault… all my fault. All my fault..

A push opened her eyes with a start as she was sent careening to the floor with a jolt.

“Alright, who wants her first?”

“I deserve her first before any of you gobs. I haven’t had any pleasure for months since me wife left and you all know it.”

Rage filled her heart. They had just killed her mother and now they were planning on doing whatever they pleased with her?

Pushing herself off the ground, Severna rose to her feet again. Someone grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms behind her back.

“Alright Shanks, you can have her, but make it quick!”

“No!” she screamed. She let all the rage she was holding inside out and channeled it to her fingers, feeling the heat coursing through her veins. The soldier jumped back, startled.

“What did you do you little devil?!” he cried, clutching his white hot hands with agony. “Little demon is cursed!”

Her sharp senses were back again. She felt the surprise of the other soldiers rise and watched as they backed away, ready to make a dash for it. Too late. She channeled all of her hatred and anger through her body, the rush of heat comforting her and, at the same time, burning her from the flames. But she knew she wouldn’t get hurt. They were the ones that were going to suffer.

Suddenly, the floor around Severna’s feet started on fire, a bluish orange flame licking her toes with familiarity. From her fingertips sprang the flames as well and she raised them, outstretching them to point at the nearest man.

“Back you little devil!” he cried, raising his sword with trembling hands. Fire engulfed him before he could run away, and it sent him rolling to the floor. But fire was there too. Everywhere Severna’s golden eyes looked, there was blue and orange. Flame was licking at the walls, covering the bodies on the floor, dancing before her eyes in giddy leaps. But yet, none harmed her. It was as if she were encased in a soft chrysalis of fresh air, everything around her burning. Then she spoke to the flames, drew them back into to her and harnessed them into her soul until nothing but black remained.

Exhausted, she crumpled to the ground, that black swallowing her.

Authors Note: Thanks for reading this far! The next chapter somewhat depends on reviews.. though I might go on with it either way.

Also, I'll be answering any questions you have in reviews at the end of each chapter, so feel free to ask anything whenever you feel like it.

Questions for You

Did this move to quickly for you? Was the pace believable?