Young Writers Society

This is a rough draft, there are many edits to be made but feel free to review.

Chapter Three

The Towers of Koren

*********

Echoes in the dark eluded Sapphire as she walked amongst the shadows of the statues around her as she climbed a staircase onto the uppermost floor of the palace. She looked quickly behind her as she thought she could hear something stirring in the dark, but nothing appeared.

There was whispering in the shadows and it echoed through the hallway, startling Sapphire who hid in an indent in the wall for a moment to listen. She could not make out much, but held her breath when the group of knights walked on passed her. They were not supposed to be off guard, something was up. She began to creep behind them, sticking to the walls of the stairs which she continued to climb.

At the top of the stairs there was a landing where a doorway was situated. The guards opened the large golden doors and entered a lobby where four more guards stood guard over another door. Sapphire watched as they too slipped inside and closed them behind.

She placed her hands upon the door of her parents’ quarters once more, taking a long breath before pushing them open.

With a struggle she emerged into an empty round room, golden pillars around the space, ornate antique furniture of dark wood, shelves of books and candles lighting up everything the light was permitted to touch, even the most neglected corners of the room.

The door on the other side of the room slammed shut almost as soon as Sapphire had entered. It seemed they had abducted her parents and for a moment she knew not what to do. Fehrnire was right; the guards had been scheming behind the backs of their masters all along!

Sapphire saw a glimmering in the corner of her eye, sitting upon a golden stand made of sculptures of flames sat her father’s ceremonial sword, and in its hilt dwelled a spiralling gem, purple in colour and adorned with an ancient language. She walked over and picked it up with a click as it unlatched from the stand. Maybe now the sword would see use as a means of war once again, to be bathed in blood, blood of those who threatened the peace of the land it was forged in.

The sound of whosever swords slowly unsheathing echoed about the chamber behind her after the doors creaked shut and a sly voice uttered,

“Come with us or I’ll cut your throat!”

“And what use would the sun child then be dead to you? I may be the one standing in your way of taking this palace, but you know you shalln’t kill me or else you would’ve already done so, so go on, tell me what is it you want of me!” She quarrelled.

They backed down, realising she wouldn’t fall for the bluff, but their swords were not placed back into the scabbards, they still remained slightly looser in the wielders’ hand.

“We want you to come with us, Our High-Lord hath bid us to give unto him the royal heads of Nyshuhria, his reasoning is unknown. We regret to do this to your family Princess, but we must do our duties as you must do yours” one guard explained with a hint of sorrow in his breath.

“And my duty is to protect Nyshuhria” She responded, quickly she leant forwards and raised herself to her feet with her forward force before turning about with the sword in hand to counter the threat present. In a desperate defensive the guards stumbled back, but before long Sapphire’s skill with the blade was too great and they succumb to the golden edge which was now covered in blood. And it was the same blood which the guards fell into, lifeless and gravely wounded.

It took a moment to sink in for Sapphire to realise that she had just killed not one, but four people, yet as it was for the defence of her country she deemed it a necessary action to take.

Suddenly she leapt to her feet, grabbing a scabbard that hung on the wall and placed the sword within it and the scabbard over her shoulder before heading quickly towards the opposite door.

There was another room as grand as the other and to its side was a round chamber where a great staircase descended into the lower levels of the palace. Sapphire followed it down, passing a few of doorways on landings which lay shut. Upon reaching the fourth she exited into a long hallway where candles lit it either side. Sapphire looked both ways, wondering where the guards may have taken her parents.

“Sapphire, help us!” shrieked her mother’s voice. Sapphire then looked to the distant view of an enormous atrium lit by hundreds of candles.

Coming out into the Atrium which was capped with a dome that held the royal chambers above Sapphire ran to the edge of an ornate part of balustrade between two grand pillars. Over the edge she could see floor after floor of rings of pillars identical to the one she now stood on and at the bottom was a statue amongst plants.

She saw her parents, bound and dragged along by a number of red knights.

And so the chase was on for Sapphire, back into the stairwell to emerge on another floor, but they were not there, and so she went down another and still nothing, tired of running she rest upon a section of balustrade that overlooked the lower floors o the atrium.

She closed her eyes to think to herself for a moment, contemplate what to do for what ever she did the city was to fall, but she could help those inside it.

A muffled stampeding noise sounded behind her and she felt the weight of the sword upon her side where it lay in the scabbard. The sound of swords slowly being drawn was matched by her hand reaching for the red hilt.

“Don’t even try it Princess, you’re outnumbered!” shouted a guard’s voice.

“My parents are gone and you expect me to succumb to pressure? No. it is you who shall succumb to my wrath for what your people have conceived this very night. You’re outmatched!” Sapphire screamed as she turned around and ducked as a sword swung at her, upon her rise she crossed the blade into one the men’s knees and crippled him. But the blade followed up and tore open the armour of the man next to him, piercing the flesh behind it. The rest backed away but her anger did not stop her bringing those who grovelled into pools of their own blood.

This new lust for vengeance took her to the lower levels of the palace, running faster than before, two floors down and she came to a sight across the atrium which filled her with both worry and hope.

“Quick, don’t let them escape! Give your lives for the Nyshuhrian state!” bellowed a panicking soldier who was followed by many others across the atrium. There came a flood of silver knights adorned with red swirls and they with those who held the royals from their freedom.

Sapphire stood and watched as they were mercilessly taken down by the red knights who were far more powerful. She then felt it her duty to help and she began to run, re-drawing her sword with dried blood still on its razor edge.

Other red knights saw her coming and ran at her, swords raised over their shoulders to fall upon her yet she dodged each blow, turning and hamming into them with the King’s sword until the light in their eyes faded upon the cold floor. Constant clashing of metal and screams of dying men haunted the place. A trail of smoke then began to arise from below as the garden in the centre was set alight and its embers flew into the ascending atrium above.

The smoke then began to drift across Sapphire’s path when she ran further towards her parents to see them being dragged away from the small battle nearer the walls where only a few lower-city guards remained.

“Sapphire, please, leave us and go!” Queen Fehr hissed. Sapphire silently stabbed aside another knight, retracting the blade from its exit wound in his back and seeing her mother calling for her. All thoughts of war stopped and a longing to free those she loved became paramount in her mind. Safron then turned and saw his daughter before shouting,

“Loni! Nyshuhr ovorv ivilonas verav ava irah-aravaras osili!”

Sapphire was stunned by the words spoken by her father. He had told her that Nyshuhr was to rise with her fire and that she, the princess, was to redeem the country from its futile state. What was spoken was Arinalgarin, a language that came from the east that only the royals in Nyshuhria could understand. It was now clear that Safron had faith in his powerful daughter, more-so than her brother even, but her moment of relief was cut off as were her parent’s throats. Their bodies fell to the ground and their murderers looked at Sapphire with an evil smirk. She had taken the bait, she was who they wanted, not her parents!

“No!” Sapphire screamed in a fiery rage. As she now ran at those who murdered her parents the candles on the wall went out, the atrium slowly turning darker as she passed by, but the fire now gathered around her and it engulfed any man who now ran at her.

Her allied silver knights saw their princess approaching and suddenly felt a rush of loyalty and passion for serving the fallen royals and they pushed back harder. The time then came when both fell, the red knights were still far too powerful for the lower-city sort and Sapphire collapsed upon the cold floor in sadness and exhaustion and pain. Her eyes went dark as she gazed upon the bodies of her parents and their blood flowed in the grooves between the floor tiles towards her.

A short time passed when Sapphire opened her eyes to brighter lights. She was amongst a great crowd of red knights who were covered in blood and had gone down a floor since she last saw light. Her boots had scuff marks where she had been dragged and her sword now hung from the side of one of the soldiers infront of her.

The lead man of the group walked besides her and turned with an evil smile to look down upon her.

“Look at you. You’re the sun child, I heard rumours of your kind, how they could desecrate and army with a blink of the eye and thunder a nation into glory with their own might…what do I see? I see a pathetic little girl who fears who she is, you are a disgrace to your bloodline, not that it’ll matters to us, you’re only making our bidding easier in your reluctance.

“We got what we came for, what now?” asked a soldier from behind.

“We take her to Argar, our Lord is in the midst of bringing Nyshuhr to its knees” another said.

The princess glanced upwards upon passing into a long hall somewhere within the palace. There was no one inside apart from those making their way to the palace doors which would take them to the city. Windows only brought in darkness through closed red and gold curtains and a dim shine reflected her image on a black marble floor.

Sapphire felt a new energy inside her, but it came with a pain in the mind. Her fingers clenched up and her teeth began to grind.

The candles that dimly lit the room in the cold air began to flicker faster than before, in synchronization with the princess’ heartbeat.

Sapphire then lifted her darkened orange eyes unto the sight of those holding her from protecting her people. The sun child was about to carry out her revenge.

*********

The passing of the sixth morning came when eyes awoke to a still lonely room. Ember gave up wondering why she dreamt what she had. The crown had been tainting her mind now for over a week and yet what disturbed her most was that the dreams she had sequentially followed each other.

She sat up in bed with her eyes still sore and her hair a slight mess from her days of sadness, she had barely spoken to her mother since her sister was taken away and now she felt more alone than ever.

Thoughts of hope had too become dreams as she tried to remain optimistic about how long Sharla would be gone, it was clear that she would not return any time soon, yet Ember still sat at her window often, hoping to see her returning home.

***

The early morning had come under lighter blue and purple skies.

Sharla felt tired from walking. She had been taken through the city streets that night as there were reports of an old cult moving within the city and soldiers needed to be on alert. She was forced to sit about places whilst her holders kept watch of the streets as night gripped the darkest corners of the city.

Upon the next dawn she was taken across Ringwater Island in the shadows of the Lords Castle and across another bridge that went between grey stone buildings and beyond timber and plaster structures.

She reluctantly held herself back from walking into a slight smog that clung to the air that dirt covered workers and soldiers walked freely within.

“Keep moving girl!” shouted one of the soldiers holding Sharla against her will.

A few soldiers also walked by over the wider road that came from the distance. The road was long through the western town and the shadows of the surroundings hid Sharla from the hazy air in the open, she was enclosed in a cool swarming side of the city. However the road ahead turned north but ahead there was an archway which stood at the end of the street between two buildings and below two towers. Two red flags flew upon the towers and they mingled with the light vapours of smoke from the factories that saw more dirt covered workers walking around the place.

“Permission to enter Koren, we have here a new recruit for the army” Sharla’s captive announced as they reached a high gate under the towers. At their command the large wooden doors were opened and there then stood a stone plaza before them.

The guards on the other side were puzzled by the presence of a young girl stood before them but moved aside to let her and her oppressors pass.

Grass grew between the stone slabs either side of the cobbled path and dead ahead was a bridge guarded by two more watchtowers. Across the bridge there was a tall grey building, almost as high as the towers that stood upon Ringwater Hill. It was a square structure with a great bell tower in each corner and it flew the flags of Arzuria and Kornia on top.

Sharla looked nervously up at the east facing wall on the end of the bridge and gazed upon three large Kornian statues in the wall, the middle standing above a large fear-striking doorway.

There were many soldiers who marched by in large units across the forecourt and around the large fortress’ base. They looked at Sharla in confusion for it was rare for a girl to be drafted into the army and this notion made some snigger. Their sniggering was brought to a stop when their commanding officers ordered them to focus and stop gawping.

Here they were at last, on the doorstep of Koren Court and looking up its grey walls seemed to touch the clouds.

The walls inside were grey and dark tapestries hung from them. the halls became smaller and smaller until there was a round lobby of offices. The guards stopped outside one and knocked and held Sharla still.

“General Hanron, we have collected a new brigand from the streets, the infamous market thief this time. Where would you like us to take her?” the soldiers asked, appearing respectable to the man of a higher rank.

Sharla looked up from a long red and black robe unto an elaborate chest plate that glimmered in the candle light and was hidden at the top by the General’s grey beard. His eyes were old and warm, but hair long and he had a look about him to suggest he had seen many weathers and many wars.

“Brigand and thief eh? This one will need to be put in line. Leave this one with me captain, I’ll find her a place to go, now return to your duties” he said.

He winked at Sharla and pulled her into his office when the others had turned away and pulled out an old wooden chair for her to sit on. His office was cosy, warm and lit with an orange glow where books and scrolls lay about tables and shelves.

“Ok, we’re rid of the stench of the Larinian’s common puppet, now we must talk” the old man began.

“So you are here because you acted out against the higher authorities?” he asked.

“Y…yes, I am” Sharla stuttered.

“I am General Hanron; I am in charge of all new recruits. Some one such as you may just call me Hanron. So, what is your name?”

“My name is Sharla, and what do you mean ‘someone such as me’ may I ask?” She spoke now a little more confidently since she saw the General had warmed to her.

“It is only so often that I gain new comers who are here because they had the bravery to stand up to this over clouding oppression that has grown over the last fifteen years”

“With all due respect Sir, you make it sound like I did well to attack a guard? I thought this was a punishment, not a reward?”

“I’ve given you the right impression then, what you may see in your eyes is the same old person that first joined this army forty one years ago…a long time ago. Over time my mind has changed and I no longer support this country’s barbaric rule or our high Lord Larinian’s methods of control. My eyes have opened to just how bad Arzuria has become and I now feel no resent when I hear someone has tried to make a stand against it”

Hanron paced over to the other side of his office and began to rummage through a draw, scratching his head as he searched through it. Then he found what he was looking for; a fairly new scroll where at the top was written ‘Consensus for the Seventeenth Year of the Fifth Age’. He unrolled it and it fell to his feet as he ran his finger down the list of residencies and names.

“Who does Lord Larinian think he is, he can’t keep this city under repression for much longer otherwise he’ll have an uprising on his hands, from me if anything?…he can think again if he thinks he is going to stop me.” Sharla asked.

“Sharla Galinorn, daughter of…” Hanron paused when he came to two names on the list that startled him.

“Emlyn and Sharlon…well, seen as your father used to be a soldier here I thought you might’ve known the story of Lord Larinian. Nonetheless if you’re to survive here I shall tell you;

Upon the dawn of the fifth age King Karanar looked to the red skies and knew that the sun child was now born. They had not been born in the Arzurian line since the birth of the twin sun children thousands of years ago and so he presumed that the child was of the Nyshuhrian line. However since the fourth age the Nyshuhrians had sailed across the great seas and settled in the lands of Calamhia to the south. Fearing a threat of invasion Karanar sent his armies into the same land where they were slaughtered. Twice this happened and upon returning from war many soldiers were furious with their leadership and so two cults formed, one who desired to track down the sun child and one who planned to overthrow the king. Only the latter succeeded, General Larinian killed Karanar and the Arzurian line was broken. Larinian then was made ruler and mended the bridges with the Kornians to the east and reignited the ancient alliance we once had. Now we all wait to see how our lives will play out with such authoritarian rulings.” The General explained.

Sharla looked slightly spaced out, gazing at the floor. She had only really heard Hanron’s first sentence and it kept repeating itself in her mind”

“You talk almost as if you’ve heard of my parents…and my father was in those battles you spoke of, but he…”

“…He was killed, yes I knew your father from Danalavonia fifteen years ago. Miss Sharla, I will ask for your discrepancy here and our conversations must be kept secret for in these walls a single crease in the fabric of conformity can be ironed out with a sword or axe. Now I do not speak as such to all who pass my office, but those who are willing to see this futile shadow break over our country shall have my support through all.” Hanron grabbed a sword from the desk and pulled the scabbard strap around his shoulder. It was upon looking at the desk that he was Sharla’s hand also placed upon it, and upon her finger was a gold ring with red gem. He stared for a moment in recognition, but then shrugged it off.

“Now what I must do is assign you to a unit here, one which I think you will immerse yourself in. I do not endorse that you fully commit to the army because I have seen far too many men brainwashed into a love of death and I will not see that happen to you, you of all people who lost their father to the war in a way we do not speak of. Now if you would follow me I will take you to where you need to go”

Hanron walked to the door and waited for Sharla. She walked nervously behind, but in her unsure mindset she was a little clumsy and didn’t see a book on the floor beneath her foot, about to be trodden into the stone tiles. She bent down and picked it up, the title read:

‘The Sun Child. A Legend of Glory and Infamy’

She looked at Hanron oddly as he gently took the book off her and placed it upon his cluttered desk. After they were both out in the hallway he closed the door and locked it so no one could enter and find things they might regret.

“So what happens now?” Sharla asked as she trailed behind through the cold hall.

“Well first we need to get you looking like one of us” Hanron answered.

***

Morning light broke through windows in the kitchen where Ember sat next to a wall which sided with an old stove. It gave her warmth but inside she still felt cold from having part of her ripped away and she sat shivering with Sharla’s necklace which she had been playing with a few days prior.

“Sharla…I need you sis…more than ever” she whispered to herself before sinking her head into her weak arms. Every inch of her body felt the same, devoid of motivation to move for the ache of loneliness was so great.

Emlyn stood in the doorway and watched her daughter slowly crumble. Ember’s fury at the army showed in her clenched fists and the noisy rattling of the stove when the fires inside it began to expand rapidly in the sun child’s presence. Small trails of fire made it out of the old metal door and began to circulate around Ember and she was too weak to notice it, let alone control it.

The same sadness bestowed upon her daughter soon hit Emlyn too when she turned back and leant against the wall in the dusty hallway. A couple of tears fell from her eyes and onto the floor, creating dark patches in the old wood.

***

A short while later Sharla and Hanron had walked west from the large Court which still shadowed over the grounds of the complex. Sharla was now dressed in light grey leather dress armour and other protective plating, the upper part was held together by three brass buckles held up by leather straps. She looked down at herself in disarray as she walked nervously next to the General.

To their side were stone levels which sloped down to a grassy river bank and on nearly every one was a different unit of soldiers following order. Ahead was a long causeway which spanned out over a large gorge and upon its opposite side was a smaller court similar to Koren, only it had one large bell tower near the centre.

In the distance over the walkway was another Court smaller than Koren which seemed rise higher than the city’s main wall far behind it.

“Where are we going?” Sharla asked, looking over the stone walls of the path and into the river.

“I am taking you to General Larnkor. He will speak to you about your place in his unit, but that is as far as I can go in terms of speaking openly about such matters” Hanron replied.

The door of the smaller Court took them to a narrow hall lined with statues of archers either side. Beyond was a large courtyard in the shadow of the single tower above. A soldier dressed much like Hanron stood watching over the yard from the floor above in the shadows and was approached by his fellow General.

“Larnkor, I have someone for you” he said.

He turned to gaze upon Sharla who stood slightly nervous behind Hanron and he beckoned her forth to speak,

“She has acted against the will of Larinian?” he asked.

“Yes that is correct, and more, Sharla here is Sharlon’s daughter” Hanron replied, placing his hands upon her shoulders.

“Sharlon’s daughter? If she has the same views on the army as her father I am convinced we can trust her”

“Oh she does, don’t you worry, I now leave her with you, I trust you’ll inform her of why she is at your service?” Hanron asked.

“Yes indeed, I bid you well General, do try not to have too much fun in that office of yours”

“Oh I’m sure I can scare a few more recruits before the fun starts to wear out” Hanron smirked and he walked away into the entry hall leaving Sharla with her new mentor. Larnkor then took Sharla and began to walk around the top balcony which overlooked the courtyard below where many men volleyed arrows into wall bound dummies from wooden bows. Sharla looked ahead to the narrow balcony where the sun broke in through the pillars and onto opposite walls where she was headed.

“So Sharla, I trust Hanron has not told you anything about your reasons for being placed under my supervision?”

“Well, no. He said he could not tell me anything, but you would explain all there is to know”

“Sounds like Hanron, being mysterious as always. You are here because you have committed an act of undesirable behaviour in the city and all those you see below in the yard have done likewise. I have known Hanron for many years and it has come to both our attentions that this army is slipping under the control of Larinian. Hear me now when I say that what is spoken now must not be repeated” Larnkor requested, looking Sharla straight in the eyes.

“I understand, now would you please tell me why everyone seems to be hiding something”

“Very well, you seem like the sort of person I can trust and I knew your father well so I know that if you’re like him then we’ll get along fine. Myself and Hanron have gone against the wishes of Larinian and the higher court of Generals and Lords. Hanron sends me new recruits who have the bravery to stand up to the army and I have not trained these men for war as I should have. Instead I have kept their minds open and free rather than to be sculpted into that of a blood thirsty savage. We here in ‘Keloro’s Lesser Court’ work secretly against the army and find sanctuary in our own numbers to remain strong in this repression”

“Then why don’t you just break out? Why can’t you just leave? There seems to be enough of you and enough passion for hatred”

“No no, it is not that simple Miss Sharla, the power of Larinian and his thugs is too great, if we were to escape we would need a large force in our favour, one which could overpower the army and permit our breakout to succeed, we are trapped here under our own will”

Sharla began to think, it wasn’t just her sister who was trapped from freedom by the army, it was also those within the army itself. Suddenly she realised that something big would have to be done, something bigger than what she had originally anticipated when she spoke her final words to her beloved sister who now felt alone in her cold room. She was prepared to take action again on behalf of Ember, but no one here even knew she had a sister, nor who she was.

Larnkor reached the bottom of a flight of stone stairs in the courtyard and helped Sharla at the bottom unto stone floors which were overgrown in grass but were filled with archers practicing drills.

“Despite our mutual hatred for the greater army, I do however expect you train as a soldier so that no one suspects anything and it is as I have told all others here”

Many archer saluted Larnkor as he walked his new recruit across the yard to a free straw dummy on the range. He handed her a bow and pointed out to her a bucked of arrows to her side.

“Ok, let’s see what you can do” he insisted, taking a step back to watch, as did a few others.

Sharla loaded an arrow into the bow and held it up at the target. She lined it up with her eyesight and pulled the string back as far as she could. Her hand flexed slightly before she let go and felt the wind soar past her from the feathered dart. It scythed right into the dummy’s head and everyone stood in amazement at her result.

“Very good, doesn’t look like there’s much you need to do to fit in. Master Theran, would you be so kind as to show Miss Sharla here to the luncheon hall when it is time?” Larnkor asked.

“Yes General!” answered a young man next to Sharla. His hair was light and his eyes brown and he did not look much older than Sharla. She waited as he put his bow away and walked over to her, bowing when he did. His eyes were wide as he gazed upon the new member of his unit for she was not like anyone he’d seen before.

“So you’re another one of us brigands are you?” he asked.

“What? Oh I suppose I am now, not that I had any choice” she answered with a weak smile.

“Well, I’m Theran…what did the General say your name was again?”

“Sharla…Sharla Galinorn”

“Well Sharla Galinorn, I must say I’m impressed with your skill with a bow. Have you done this before?” Theran asked.

“You don’t have many friends here do you? And yes, I have actually. I went to the Legacy Academy and I was taught there”

“How perceptive of you…You don’t know how hard it is to make friends in this place so I thought I’d make it easier for you. So you went to The Legacy Academy? You’re father is in the army?”

“He was, he was killed at Danalavonia”

“Oh…I’m sorry…I hope I didn’t offend you. Wasn’t that the war to hunt and kill the sun child?” Theran asked embarrassed.

“Yes, it was and yet it didn’t get anyone anywhere for they were looking in the wrong place”

“No one knows where the sun child is, and there are still many in this army who want her dead, but there are those, like us in this unit who would happily fight alongside them to see this country crumble under its own arrogance”

“And what do you want?”

“I am one of those who want to see them return, this age happened because of them and sooner or later they need to realise that they are needed, Arzuria casts a shadow over all the lands its armies can reach and they need to be brought down to their knees!” Theran stated.

This suddenly got Sharla thinking, maybe she was to try and do something.

“Would you mind showing me what you can do with a bow again?” Theran then asked, handing Sharla an arrow from the bucket next to her.

“Um…ok” She put another arrow into her bow and raised it again to the dummy and then fired again. This time the arrow went into the dummy’s neck and caused the rest of the head to fall off when the sack became too weak.

“Oops…” she muttered.

“I’m not sure how you can do that and make it look so easy…So what are you in here for?”

“Attacking two different guards, and also for thieving from the market for the past six months” Sharla answered with a gesture of pulling back her sleeve n her dress armour and revealing the gold ring on her finger as if she was not bothered by her actions. She then stood fiddling with her bow as Theran suddenly realised something.

“So you’re the one I’ve heard so much about, stripping the market of its valuables? I’ve always admired the one who managed to damage the city’s arrogant traders”

“Don’t be too impressed, I only did it so my family would have something to live on if the army cut my mother’s widow pension, they got what they deserved anyway for the way they’ve treated us”

“But I am impressed, and in awe, not only of your bravery but of your skill with a bow. I know my own bravery is not like that of yours, I don’t like to let things to chance” Theran answered, turning away slightly in embarrassment one again. A group of sniggering men stood a short distance away and saw the two younger warriors talking and so felt the need to get involved.

“Hey Theran, who’s the girl?!” they laughed, cheering on their proclaimed social leader who spoke so arrogantly.

“Back off of her Tarlin, not even you can shoot as straight and true as she does, and she’s only just arrived!” Theran mocked defensively.

“I doubt that, I mean look at her, she couldn’t hurt a fly!”

Sharla gave Theran a mischievous look before she ran her hand secretly down an arrow in the bucket next to her. Quickly she then began marching over to Tarlin and his group, arrow in bow and slowly moving upwards and the entire time she did not break eye contact. It was a look of fearlessness emanating from her green eyes.

“Steady on! You should not aim a bow so willingly at someone else in a place like this!” Tarlin shouted as he grovelled away.

Theran grabbed Sharla by the shoulders and pulled her back slightly and lowering her bow for her.

“You should not make war with someone before knowing their strength!” he argued in response.

The others walked away into the walls around the courtyard and so the two teens were left alone again.

“Thanks” Sharla whispered.

“For what?”

“You stood up for me; no one has actually ever done that for me! Why I ask?”

“Because me and you are similar, I think that in time we could become good friends” Theran answered.

“Well, why does time have to stop that? As far as I know you’re about the only one I can trust here so far” Sharla blushed.

The two of them went to leave the yard to the walls around it where they would find shelter with the rest of their unit.

“You could have crushed them with that stare alone” Theran smirked.

“I’ve had experience of having to act brave…I’ve had to appear strong for my sister but I can see that she is collapsing inside” Sharla sighed, putting down her bow.

“You have a sister?”

Suddenly a loud clashing came from above and rung out into the courtyard. Birds blew from Keloro’s bell tower and signalled midday.

“Larnkor mentioned that I was to take you to the luncheon hall, well that would be now!” Theran shouted above the ringing.

“What?!” Sharla shouted in response

“Be careful in there Miss, it’s a dungeon filled with slobs and thugs!” one soldier laughed.

“Dargor isn’t lying, come on I’ll show you the way!” Theran insisted, taking her hand and pulling her along. She dropped her bow and trailed closely behind her new friend. The rest of Larkor’s archers rushed passed through the shadowed entry hall and into the open. Across the complex many other units of soldiers could be seen leaving their grounds and heading for the larger walls of Koren Court. Their collective stampeding was of a volume so great that it almost shook the ground beneath them.

Theran slowed down upon reaching the long grey bridge over the overgrown gorge below and Sharla walked closely at his side. The noise had since died down slightly and now only consisted of the chatter of the other soldiers around. The new, more peaceful surroundings made the two friends able to speak normally.

“You may want to watch your self in here Sharla, it is not often that we get a young woman recruited into the army and so some of the longer serving soldiers can get a bit agitated”

She then responded by pulling up the grey hood from the back of her dress armour yet her dark ponytail still hung from one side.

“How’s that?” she asked.

“Good idea, just stay with me and you’ll be alright, though I sense you are stronger than you look” Theran stated. Sharla then thought about Ember’s words which were almost the same.

“So I have been told…” she whispered reminiscently.

“You know, you and I are not so different, I think as long we trust each other we can get through life here however long it takes to get away” he said quieter, looking at his new found friend with trustful eyes. She felt a warm feeling inside, much like how she felt when she was in the arms of her sister.

“And then what?” she asked, looking across at Theran.

“And then we’ll still be friends, I suppose, if you want that is” he replied.

“We seem to have gotten on well so far, I’m sure that can continue beyond these walls, though, I’m not too sure how…” she suddenly thought about Ember and what would happen if Theran and herself became as close as she and her sister, what would Ember think?

Theran saw her pause again; he knew there was something she wasn’t telling him.

“Come then Sharla, we are upon the high walls of Koren Court, stay close to me remember, this is an unforgiving place at the best of times”

***

Hanron meanwhile was sat in his office, scrolls of paper still laid about his desk and the book which Sharla had come across lay before him, coated in dust. He wiped it off before opening it and turning to a page he had obviously looked at before. It displayed three items across the spread and in the old language of Arinalgarin it stated:

‘It was rumoured that all sun children gain their power from items known as sun-vaults. They were made from the stone which fell from the sky at the light of the first age and were so called the ‘Nyshiniak Items’. There were five which were said to have been made, each with a different gem embedded in the gold; the whereabouts of two are unknown. This is because of the terms which were provided as they were forged in the depths of Rhushar upon Lake Ahrndorn that only an heir to the Nyshuhrian bloodline could possess or even look upon such objects.

So far, time has lifted from its depths;

The crown of Unarshniak

The amulet of Rimuhniak

The ring of Vahlyniak’

Hanron looked at once in particular, the smallest looking of the items, the ring. He looked away in shock; its familiarity was uncanny to that which sat on Sharla’s hand. How had a sixteen year old girl who had come from almost nothing managed to obtain a Nyshiniak, one of the most feared and desired objects every forged?

***

Back home Ember was sat in the kitchen still, not having moved for a couple of hours. The cup in her hands was now cold and she remained in a daze for a while. Her mother came and sat opposite her, placing her hands upon her daughter’s

“We’ll get through this Em, and Sharla will get through what she has to, we will all survive, we will all be together again soon” she said softly.

Ember said nothing in reply but instead looked at her mother and gave a soft smile.

“I’ve seen you staring at these very doors many a time as of late my darling, and I know you want to help your sister, but I meant what I said that is for the best for both of you if you let everything happen. In a city like this you can’t act out, as you’ve seen with your sister, and if you get caught Em, it won’t be Koren for you, the high Lord will personally see your demise…I’m not going to lose you too Em!”

Emlyn lay the back of her hand on her daughter’s cheek and then brushed her fringe aside, gazing upon her reddened eyes. Ember pulled away and stood up, walking back to the hallway door.

“I’m so proud of whom you are Ember, and I care not what the sun children before you have done, you are different, you follow your heart, not what power lays in your mind”

Ember then quickly went to her mother and gave her a hug, closing her eyes and imagining as if her sister were there too.

“I love you mother…but I don’t care that I am the sun child. if I had the choice I would be a normal person, I do not wish to have such abilities for they are breaking my mind, my heart aches not only for the loss of Sharla, but whenever I gaze upon a flame. I can’t control my thoughts and I fear it may become too much for me to handle.

“I know Ember, I know, but you are strong. What you have is a gift; you are the only one in the world who has what you have obtained, you should embrace it.”

“I will embrace what I have if time prolongs, I will not let Sharla waste away in Koren, that place shall sunder in a shroud of fire of my doing before they think they’re keeping her from us longer than they need to”

***

Sharla and Theran were now in the luncheon hall of grey stone and light passed through windows near the ceiling above balconies where officers stood watch over the hive of soldiers. There were old wooden tables laid about everywhere where people sat with bowls of a horrible substance infront of them. Conversation was dull and the thuggish common soldiers partook in mindless chatter creating an irritating volume which Sharla struggled to hear Theran under.

The wooden benches creaked as someone sat besides Theran. He was a larger than usual man, larger than the others around, and he had but no hair upon his head and he had a small beard on his chin. Something was different about him; he tended not to take a delight in causing an argument and shouting thoughtlessly at those around, but instead sat talking to another man next to him. He was only a little taller than Theran, but of a slightly tanned skin and darker hair and seemed a little more lively than his larger friend next to him. Theran’s attention was then diverted when his friend began to speak the other side of him.

“I thought my own home had become deteriorated, but his place is cold and far darker than any I have ever been in, I think I’d rather look at the faded wallpaper of my own house again, in fact I know I do.” Sharla muttered, twirling a wooden spoon around in the bowl of an unappetising gloop before her.

“You have the tendency to sound rather unimpressed by everything around you don’t you? But to be fair, I’ve had the same longing for freedom for the past two weeks, but the sad truth is, it is very unlikely we’ll be relieved of our duties any time soon, we’re stuck here” Theran replied in a hush tone.

“Its not myself that I want freedom for, I have left my sister by her self. Sure she has our mother but I can hardly imagine what she’s like without me by her side morning and night” Sharla quickly responded.

“Is your sister the reason you keep going quiet? Why won’t she survive? If she’s anything like you then she’ll be fine”

“Yes, Ember her name is, she’s the only real friend I’ve ever had until I met you, if I told you who she was, then you’d also understand why I am reluctant to talk about her, but the thing is I can’t even mention her for I fear for her own safety”

“Why though Sharla? Is she in danger?” Theran asked, moving in closer to hear his friend’s words as they became quieter.

“I can trust you, can’t I?” she asked, Theran wasted no time in nodding, prepared to listen carefully.

“Ok, if what Hanron and Lokarn say is true and that our unit needs an alibi in order to escape or bring this army down, my sister may be able to help, but I can’t tell you here, are we allowed to exit this hall?” she then followed on to ask.

“No, but we can sneak out” Theran answered.

“That is another thing I’ve got a lot of practice at. Ok, lets go!” she whispered.

Casually the two left the table and upon ducking down behind others they made haste across the hall, unnoticed by others endorsing their own conversations in huddled groups.

They reached a hallway outside the hall but stood a short way down it in an indented area as to not be seen fully in the open. Sharla made sure Theran was close enough to hear her begin to whisper what she wanted to say.

“What you said before, about there being those who still wanted to see the sun child dead but also there were those who wanted her to appear to the world”

“Yes, and I was one of the latter”

“Well, the thing is…My sister, she is the sun child”

Theran pulled away again with a deep look of uncertainty on his face.

“You aren’t saying that as a joke are you? It’s not funny if it is”

“Theran, we’ve not known each other long yet we trust each other, what would I have to lie about? What have I got to lose?” Sharla frowned slightly, feeling a little hurt by the lack of trust.

“So it is true? After all these years the sun child has been here?”

“Don’t think differently of me Theran” Sharla said anxiously, but her mood lightened as she saw her friend’s face slowly turn to a thoughtful smile, one of realisation that maybe all was not lost, that there was still a chance something could be done to lessen the army of its proclaimed strength.

“Why would I think differently of you? You’ve just told me that there is still hope. I see now that you mean to escape from here and help your trapped sister do the same? You will need to think about this Sharla, Larinian will kill her the first chance he gets”

“Larinian matters not to me, I just want to see Ember happy!”

“To see her happy would mean acting out against Larinian’s wishes again, so far he has only caused your family grief, do you really want to risk creating more?”

“That grief is what we’ll use to fuel our actions; we can’t let this continue any longer!” Sharla insisted, looking seriously into her friend beside her.

“What actions are they then Sharla? We’re quite powerless here; any form of resistance will end in pain”

“We’re going to break out!” Sharla whispered enthusiastically. Theran heard her words and immediately stumbled back. An armoured man was walking the same hall as the two scheming friends and he stopped upon their presence and stared at them both. However as he looked upon Sharla a look of recognition befell his dark eyes.

After he had walked away into the luncheon hall Sharla turned to Theran and whispered,

“Who was he?”

“That was General Hal, nasty piece of work…but anyway, are you seriously saying we should break out…of Koren Court?! Have you even begun to anticipate what that would entail?!” ”

Sharla nodded enthusiastically, she had meant every word she had said, the time for action had now come.