Kaltain Kingdom
Leiya I rubbed my eyes and opened them slowly. I noticed a candle lit chandelier, directly above me. My brain felt a little fuzzy and I couldn't remember anything. I slowly sat up and my eyes widened when I noticed the things around me. It was a bedroom. A big beautiful one. I started to rub my temple with my thumb, hoping that my memory would come back. It didn't take long before it did. The memory of kissing Nayla on her forehead, promising her that I would be back soon, flashed through my eyes. The events that followed started to come back in bits and in no time, I remembered I was brought here against my will. I jumped off the bed like I had seen a creature on it, and headed for the door. After a few futile attempts to let myself out, it took me a moment to realise I was trapped. I had only one option. Scream. I started to bang my fists on the door, and scream really loudly. “Let me out.” I yelled the words louder each time. “Are you trying to bring my castle down, Leiya?” I was startled by a voice behind me. I turned around immediately to meet a man standing beside the bed. He looked familiar, and I stared at him intensely for a second. You.” I yelled when I realised where I had seen him. I charged at him, but halted when he suddenly disappeared. “Yes, me.” I turned around immediately to find him standing behind me. “How did you…? Did you just…?” “Disappear? Yes” He said before I could even finish. I stared at him in horror. I had always heard legends about people disappearing, but I had never seen it happen. “Who are you?” Whoever this man was, he was obviously powerful. If I needed to get out of this room, my only option was dialogue. “Helion.” He said simply. Once again, my eyes lit up in horror. This was Helion. I was standing in the presence of the most powerful King to ever live, at least that was what I was told. I had heard so many stories about him and his abilities. He was so powerful, he was referred to as the Prince of Hell. “You're…” I couldn't bring myself to say the words. “The Prince of Hell, correct again Leiya.” He flashed me a sinister grin and his pupils glistened in bright red. The hairs on the back of my neck stood erect. If all the stories I read about him were true, he could snap my neck and not even have to move. “Don't worry Leiya, I won't snap your neck.” He said as he walked to a chair beside the bed. “How did you know that's what I was thinking?” It only made me fear him even more. “I didn't, that's just my favourite way to kill.” He flashed me another intimidating grin when he sat down. I didn't know if I could believe him or not, but I wasn't going to risk thinking around him. “I need to go back to Degar.” I never thought I would ever hear myself say I want to go back to him, but I had to. “It didn't seem to me like you two are good friends.” He looked at me in amusement. “We are not.” I almost gagged at the thought of being friends with that man. I would put a dagger through his heart at the slightest chance I got. “I need to go back for my little sister.”, I added. He didn't look fazed or moved. “Are you waiting for my response Leiya?” He asked mockingly. “I just said I need to go back there for my sister.” I said in an almost yell. He may be powerful but he was getting on my nerves. “That has nothing to do with me.” He said dismissively. I looked at him in awe. “I need to go back to Nayla. You cannot keep me here against my will.” I growled, but he continued to stare at me in amusement. “As a matter of fact I can Leiya, and I will.” He shrugged his shoulders and got up. I was so angry, I didn't know what to do. I was overtaken with so much rage, I charged at him again. This time he waved his hand and I was thrown across the room. I hit the wall violently. My body shuddered in pain when I fell to the ground. I opened my eyes slowly to notice he was standing before me. I forced myself to look up. He bent a little and looked me squarely in the eyes. “I don't care that you have your baby sister somewhere else. Degar gave you to me and you are mine.” He whispered, word for word, flashing his red fiery eyes at me. A second later, I was left alone. I curled up in pain and let the tears flow. Helion I walked through the halls in amusement after the short episode with Leiya. She knew who I was, but she continued trying to attack me. She had guts, and I liked that. “Calin.” I called as I headed out of the castle. “Yes, your Majesty?” He swiftly came up beside me. “Take some new clothes to our guest. Get her something to eat, and something to ease her pain.” She was a fiesty one, but she needed to know when to keep her head low and not attack. “Going somewhere Sir?” I heard Calin ask. “I'm going for a hunt.” The sweet smell of fear was in the air. It called out to me, and I was going to find it. I took off my cloak and handed it to Calin. I closed my eyes, sniffing the air to articulate where the scent was coming from. There it was. My eyes flung open and I ran with the wind. Hepthan Kingdom Nayla I closed my eyes as the tears rolled down my cheek. Taera told me how Leiya was given to a demon man. They called him the Prince of Hell. She told me of the terrible things he did to people in the past and that she didn't think I would ever see Leiya again. I couldn't help but wonder where she was. Was she even still alive or had he killed her? Father told us not to lose sight of each other before he died. I'm sorry father, I mumbled under my breath, as more tears rolled down my face.Kaltain Kingdom Helion “I feel like a bad guy, keeping you in here for days.” I stood in the middle of Leiyas's room. She didn't flinch when she heard my voice. I suppose she had gotten used to me appearing at random times of the day. “What do you want?” She grumbled, facing the right side of the bed, with her back to me. How rude. She didn't even acknowledge my presence. “I came to see how my guest is doing? I'm not all bad Leiya, I can be good you know.” I heard her scoff as I walked closer to her. I was feared far and wide, but this girl scoffed at me. “If you're good, you would let me go.” She mumbled, with a touch of sarcasm in her voice. I chuckled softly at how smart she thought she was. “I'm not that good Leiya.” I let my myself laugh out loud this time, and I noticed she rolled her eyes. I plunged casually into the chair metres away from her bed. I was now able to see her face properly. Her eyes were puffy, which only meant one thing. “Have you been crying?” Th
Kaltain Kingdom Leiya My eyes slowly opened and I was immediately attacked by the throbbing pain in my head. I tried to lift my arm to rub my temple but I realised soon enough that I was too weak to move. “You're stubborn Leiya." I heard beside me. I slowly turned my head to the left and noticed Helion sitting in the chair a few metres away from my bed. “An attribute that is mostly associated with being brave,” His lips formed into a smile and he chuckled slightly. “But also being stupid." I wanted to roll my eyes at his demeaning tone but I just wasn't strong enough. I didn't understand why my body was so weak. It was like I was struck down by a thousand horses, one after the other. “What happened?" I managed to whisper. I felt even weaker after the words left my mouth. He immediately cackled, making me regret using up my energy to ask. “You hit a wall. My wall." He said plainly, throwing me into a state of confusion. He noticed and laughed again. Deep down
Hepthan Kingdom Nayla I made my way down the aisle amongst the piercing eyes of every member of the Hepthan King's royal house. Before I was left to walk alone, Taera whispered to me that the King lied that I was one of his children so I could be married off. She told me that even though he acted like he was good friends with the other king, who I learnt was called King Raslin, he hated the man and wouldn't let any of his children be associated with him. Which is where I come in. I was the perfect scapegoat to serve as a fake link between both kingdoms while Degar kept his children under his watchful eyes. As I walked, I kept my head dead ahead. I fought within myself to suppress the urge to run away, but I knew it would be a useless and futile effort. I was a small, malnourished twelve year old. I wouldn't get far before I am caught, bound up in chains and thrown somewhere dark and smelly. As I got closer to the altar, my eyes caught sight of the husband I was getting marri
Kaltain Kingdom Leiya The past three days had been recovery days for me. It made me wonder what kind of dark magic was used to create a shield, because just one slam into it was taking me days to be able to stand up without needing assistance. If I needed to get out of this place alive, I needed to practice Helion’s type of magic. As I wondered how I was going to convince him into teaching me, his figure appeared. “How do you feel today?" He asked as he made his way to the chair a few metres away from my bed and beside the window. That was his spot. “Tired of doing nothing.” I mumbled with a sigh. I was getting bored out of my mind doing the same thing everyday. Sleep, eat, take medicine and repeat. “Well, I took you out but you tried to run away.” He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes, I didn't need to be reminded that I got myself in this situation. “Well you didn't let me go back for my sister.” I saw him sigh like he was frustrated. “When would you ge
Kaltain Kingdom Leiya My body was weaker than usual when my eyes opened. My throat was so dry, I could almost taste blood anytime I swallowed. My vision was blurry and I couldn't even dare to sit up. In simpler terms, I was starving. I knew it was on purpose. He was trying to punish me for what I did two days before. I would have cried out but my pride was not going to let me. I was in fact ready to die if it came to it. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. It wasn't long before I felt a presence in my room. Hesitantly I slowly opened my eyes. Helion stood at the foot of my bed with a tray of what smelt like food. My tongue began to water in my mouth and my stomach grumbled silently. He walked to my bed and placed the food beside me. I didn't know how he knew I wasn't able to sit up but he held both my shoulders and helped me up. He placed a pillow in between me and the wooden bed head, gently pushing my upper body backwards until I rested up against it. “Why are you
Valinor Nayla Xerian and I finally arrived at Valinor. The castle was almost as big as my father's back in our kingdom. The rooms were brighter and better decorated than at Hepthan. It gave a warm feeling of life and comfort and everyone was so welcoming of me. Almost as if they had been anxiously waiting for my arrival. I instantly knew I was going to enjoy my life at Valinor. Xerian and his mother showed me to my room. The queen was a sweet soul. She was also quite young, younger than my mother was when she died. It didn't take long to notice that Xerian was her first child. She had another child. A girl of about six who kept running around care free. She didn't have to worry about her father yelling at her for wasting precious time fooling around, or having to be incredibly quiet when she was not being spoken to. When I was ushered into my room, I fought with myself to keep my jaw from dropping in awe. It was big, tall and bright. I had a queen sized bed all to myself and a
Kaltain Kingdom Leiya I walked beside Helion as he led me through the streets of his kingdom. I learnt that it was called Kaltain. As we walked through the streets I noticed the neatness and organization his people showcased. Even the little children played in selected areas and avoided work areas. As we walked by, everyone would stop and bow to their king with wide smiles. It didn't seem like they didn't know him, in fact it seemed like they were used to seeing him in the streets often. I was impressed. He spoke a few words to the people, only when he had to, else he would just wave as he walked by. He showed me to the market. All the sellers had their produce organized properly on a straight line with equal spacing in between each person. That way, there were no clusters and everyone was seen. “Your majesty.” I heard someone call his name from behind and we both turned. A fair, pretty looking maiden walked up to him. She looked so excited to see him but I couldn't say t
Kaltain Kingdom Leiya After spending the whole day walking around almost half of Kaltain, Helion and I finally retired back to the castle. I had never seen the insides of the building before as I have been confined to my bed chambers for months. It wasn't particularly bright or cozy as my father's, it was however huge and properly organized. “Join me at the dinner table.” I heard him say. He walked ahead of me and didn't bother to look back. Saying no didn't feel like an option to me. Whatever I did, I wouldn't want to get on his bad side. I followed quietly behind him through the long, poorly lit halls. Most of everywhere was either almost dark or completely dark. Once we came before two giant brown doors, the guards standing on each side pushed them open, revealing a better lit room than the rest of the castle. I noticed foods of different kinds had already been placed on the table, which made me confused. He said he didn't eat human food but the table was enough to fe