The Sun Children V - The Princess' Crown - Chapter Four

There is still a lot to edit, but feel free to comment or review.

Chapter Four

The Plan Conceived

*********

The air was foul and reeked with the smell of fear and blood for the red armoured soldiers now swept through the floors of the palace as if the great falls either side of the complex were being poured through the outer rings and into the atrium. It then seemed as if time was reversed, no sooner than when the King and Queen of Nyshuhr were killed had the betraying forces pulled out of the building and into lashed into the city. the night was evil and above the skies were clouded yet the moon still seemed to be able to break through the thick mist and bring light which mixed with the glow of the lamp fires upon the lily topped lake.

Still Sapphire watched as the shadows around her began to contort, those which held her binded noticed not what she was about to do for they knew not that she had indeed knowledge of the abilities which were inside her, and for years she had been practising them in secret.

In a sudden flash the candles on the wall broke into light in an eruption much like that of a volcano, blaring out a large flame from each which forced over the soldiers who held their conjurer. They began to circle heavily in many floating trails around her in many directions, rings of scorching flames hollow and roaring.

Those who held her broke away in fear but then tried to take hold of her again. She held her hand out to those who tried to fight back and by doing so the fire wrapped around her arm and ran along her fingertips and intoxicated the red knights in a grip of flames. Her eyes were a fiery orange, burning fiercely around her smaller shrunken black pupils.

The single man who had spoken so treacherously to Sapphire patted himself down of any clinging fire after running a fair distance from the scene in fear. He then watched as the others who he had been walking with crumbled to the floor, each in a cloud of smoke and embers.

Using her abilities so much in that moment had caused Sapphire mind to crack slightly, momentarily weakening her. Years of practice had led to her overcoming such weakness and she looked to the floor and then at a charred body next to her. Lying glimmeringly in its scabbard was her father’s gold and silver sword. She then took it by the sling and flung it over her shoulder before drawing the blade out infront of her.

The last man standing slowly paced towards Sapphire, his sword slowly drawn to level with hers that came closer and closer.

There was a moment of stillness as both came to a stop and then suddenly each of their swords flew at each other, clashing in the air and grinding into sparks. Sapphire got a closer look at the man and noticed that he was a red General. His sword was stronger than the ones Sapphire had fought earlier for it came down heavier upon her own blade harder than she could have anticipated. The sound of the fight echoed through the atrium and clashed with the noise that came from many other battles between soldiers of both levels on different floors of the atrium.

It soon became evident to her she had been distracted from helping her people in such a time that would need a leader to arise. She continued on blocking her opponents sword as she began to move again, backwards and through a narrow hall which at the end could be seen the night sky. The General saw the Princess retreating and smiled viscously as he thought he had the upper hand.

“You can kill the weak ones, but so can I!” he shouted as he hammered down his hardest blade-fall yet which almost made Sapphire crumble to the floor, but she was strong and held her ground as she strategically led her tainted opponent out into the moonlight and onto a high stone veranda that stretched all the way around the floor of the palace as it did on ever floor on the bottom two tiers. The floor was of olive tiles and high pillars held up the veranda above and between each pillar was a section of ancient balustrade.

Around the curvature of the floor they fought, each step brought into view a new part of the city as soldiers ran its streets, battling with silver knights amidst the chaos.

            “You really know not what you’re dealing with. Whilst I know I am powerful, my wrath is not controlled. Once you provoke my pain already caused by my parent’s death you unhinge my mind to its possibilities and it will be your downfall!” the princess quivered.

“You’re going to die princess, one way or another. I may die as one of those who tried to seal your fate but I will die knowing I lived my duty to Argar!”

“Then Argar shall lose one more this night!”  .

Sapphire ran forwards, dodged a swing of the General’s sword and kicked him to the ground when she saw the chance, jabbing her foot into his stomach and he fell back against the balustrade. The weak stone broke and the General lay half over the edge, his helmet falling into the far down floor of the city.

“General Worihk!? I thought you were one of the ones I could trust!” Sapphire gasped as she saw who the man was.

“You will tell me why my parents were killed and what your Lord wants with me! With or without your co-operation I will end you for your contribution in all of this. Whilst someone of the royal state is alive in Nyshuhr its laws shall be carried out and justice shall be served…now tell me!” Sapphire demanded.

“Foolish girl! You expect me to give up our plans because you threaten me with death? We Argarians are taught to serve until death…and so I shall do as I have been taught!”

“Then you shall rise and kneel before me, you will die honourably as one who once served me!” Sapphire suggested as a last act of loyalty.

Worhik said nothing; he cringed, grabbed his sword and flew to his feet to lunge at the princess. It was however a move she anticipated and her eyes went orange again as a deployed a great round of fire into the General. His body fell backwards in flames and he fell from the second tier of the palace, coming crashing to the floor with the crack of bones breaking and sizzling.

The evil had gone after an exhausting fight. Sapphire held herself against the wall in pain as her mind eased out of its fiery realm and she stepped out onto the balcony to witness he civilization fleeing below, torches of fire being taken with them through the neatly built streets.

Lower city guards could be seen fighting off the royal sort in almost every view. Citizens were being escorted away from the Argarians but the treacherous red knights saw no remorse in chasing after and slaying the innocent people. They threw torches upon the roofs and floors of buildings and houses and they became great beacons of light, sending smoke into the air and blotting out most of the light which the moon managed to shine upon the falling city.

The air was thorough around her as it blew her hair to a side but through her withering fringe she could see the city’s wall growing in shape above the fires which became greater with every blink. The entire outer defences of the city had been overrun by the Argarians and because of it that they had arisen a weapon which was never intended to be used in the way which they were designed.

Out of the many towers which surrounded the circular walls of the city arose great metal catapults. They had great winches beneath them, moving with the very chains which brought them up on their platforms through the towers. They were built so that they could all face a certain degree across the plains and forests beyond the city in the case of an attack, but the Capitalians had other ideas, ripping up the bolts which held the movement guards in place and so in great numbers they turned them about and eventually they faced the opposite direction to before.

Sapphire watched in horror and a great cold and ill feeling hit her veins. The catapults now faced the palace and from their quantity they could hit at any angle. It wasn’t long before the city’s walls flared into fire at each watchtower and hence great boulders of rope netting were lit and lowered onto the mechanisms.

“No…what’s happening!?” she said to herself and almost immediately the first catapult fired, flinging high into the orange polluted and moon drowned sky and over the partially burning and running city. Heavily and thunderously it came crashing into the veranda a way around from where Sapphire was stood, but she saw the stone fall from three different floors.

Then the next one was flung in sequence and a closer section of the palace was reduced to rubble. Then another, and another until eventually the floor before Sapphire began to crack and twist, the balustrades began to fall apart and the ceiling lowered as the damage became too great from the boulder which had just hit.

The next one was flung and this time Sapphire saw it coming straight at her and she stood still as a statue for a moment before realising that if she did not move she was as good as dead. Quickly she began to sprint as the lighting of the boulder became quicker. The next one hit and she felt the floor shake and dust fell from the ancient stone ceiling above her head. Then the next one came, sending small rocks passed her feet. Another came and larger rocks flew around her until another hit and the floor beneath her feet began to crumble. No hallways were in sight which led into the palace, the ones from before were now entrances to the sky for floor had fallen.

One final boulder pummelled the palace’s ancient walls and this one hit the floor right above the Princess. The ceiling above began to crumble as the projectile rock came crashing through and with it it brought a multitude of stone bricks and once elegant carvings. As the destruction fell it disintegrated and pulled the floor lower, taking Sapphire with it, but she clung on to broken ledges as large chunks of her home fell around her.

The royal sword hung over her dress which flowed about in the open air as her grip reduced and she was forced to drop down, landing upon rubble as it slid further down and down, taking more and more with it each time until a form of landslide of palace pieces slowly rolled away and the Princess atop them, minding her footing as gaps appeared which could have easily have tripped her up. She came to a stop and fell into the sooty pile as dust flew about the air and ran past her face.

She looked back to see the grey cloud disappear and there stood her home with half of the verandas and main walls destroyed, arches were stood half-column and ledges of a once expansive floor hung nowhere along inaccessible places. There was a crackling as above the three tiered pointed dome which capped the palace began to shudder and a great section caved in, taking a substantial part of the higher tier with it where Sapphire’s and her brother’s and parent’s chambers were built.

The Princess watched in horror and sadness and tears as her home was brought to its knee, but she had not the time to mourn the collapse of her kingdom, she had to help out and escape the city to muster more help. And so she ran from the smoke ridden courtyard and across small bridges which overlooked low lying rivers which separated the palace from the city. She came into a street where houses were alight and the occasional soldier walked about and then disappear. Bodies were all about the floor and a deathly silence rung in the girl’s ears as she walked into what was once the grand city of the great nation now destroyed and without its King or Queen, it was now up to Sapphire to escape the inferno.

*********

Another couple of days had passed and over the horizon broke the sun, raining its shine down upon the courtyard of the lesser hall of Koren in the western end of the complex. The single tower cast a shadow

Two friends stood in the courtyard, their friendship had grown since before and it wasn’t long before Sharla became respected by those others in the unit.

They both stood side by side in the range in the courtyard and fired their arrows at the straw filled dummies. Only Sharla’s arrows managed to hit them however and Theran looked miserable that he never seemed to be able to come close.

            “Tell me Shar, how do you get that good? I have been here two weeks longer than you and you’ve been teaching me how to do it, yet I struggle as you can see”

            “I told you when I first arrived, did I not? Besides, you’ll get the hang of it eventually, it just comes to you” Sharla asked, firing another arrow into the sack.

            “Yes, you did, you went to the legacy academy, and you must have been their star pupil if you got this good”

            “Well no, not really, quite the opposite in fact. I may have paid attention in class, but outside no one really interacted with me, at least not in a good way.”

            “What do you mean?” Theran asked in a rather curious manner.

            “I mean that if anyone came to me it was in bad taste and with pain in mind, but it was them who ended up walking away regretting their own actions. Well, listen to me, I sound like quite a tough person when I say it like that” said Sharla with a small grin.

            “Well you do come across that way here Shar, not that that is a bad thing here” Theran responded

“I guess I do take after my sister then”

“Oh, I’ve been meaning to talk to you on that subject, I’ve been thinking long and hard about this but I think it may be wise.” Theran responded. Sharla hence lowered her bow to listen.

“Go on?” she insisted unsurely.

“…I think you should tell Hanron”

She looked back at him worriedly and didn’t quite understand what he meant at first, but maybe he was right. Hanron was kind and he seemed like someone she could trust and if he was one of those who wished to see the sun child return like Theran then it was worth a shot.

            “Why not Larnkor? He is our Unit General, surely we should tell him?” she queried.

            “Hanron is at a higher rank of General, he is a Unitary Overseer General and the higher rank we can trust with this sort of news the better” Theran replied, sounding rather sure of his on words.

            Sharla thought about what to for a moment before slowly pushing the words out of her own mouth.

“Ok, I think you’re right” she finally agreed.

During the time the pair had in which time they should have been training they left Keloro’s Court and went across the bridge again towards Koren. Walking amidst the grounds other soldiers from a swordsman unit saw Sharla and began chatting amongst themselves. She turned and gave them a hard stare but was duly pulled along by her friend.

            “Ignore them, they’re not worth your eyesight, if you go around giving everyone like them a look then your eyes will be in pain in no time” Theran muttered as he led Sharla through a high doorway into the daunting Court below one of its high bell towers.

After a quiet walk of contemplating what to say Sharla arrived outside Hanron’s office with Theran stood loyally at her side, urging her to knock but. She just looked at him unsurely and then back at the door.

Theran sighed before extending his arm out in front of his friend and knocking for her to which she gave him a wide eyed stare.

Suddenly the door opened and she looked upon the tall, bearded and warm mannered General once again.

            “Ah, Miss Sharla…and Master Theran, please my young friends, do come in!” he insisted when he saw his other young recruit poke his head round the doorway. He then proceeded to ask them to sit down and they both took chairs from the candlelit desk and sat facing the General who pulled a stool out from near his bookcase. Sharla looked upon his desk and saw the same book from a couple of days before, she looked at the title relating to the sun child and made her mind up.

            “So, Miss Sharla, Lokarn tells me you’ve quite some skill with a bow, if you ever get freed from here I fear what you will do to an inattentive market guard then” laughed Hanron, taking a sip of some beer from a wooden cup that stood upon a small table next to him.

            “Well it looks as if the day you fear may come sooner if you can help” said Sharla hopefully.

            “What do you mean young Miss? You know I cannot permit you to leave although it is to my greatest disappointment, but even if I could it would be a shame to see someone as skilled as you leave my beloved unit.” Hanron replied.

            “Well actually that’s what she came to see you about” Theran interrupted.

            “Eh? Oh, yes it is. Um…I” she began.

She looked at Theran not quite knowing what to say. Her friend nodded back at her in reassurance and she began to speak.

“General, I need to ask you something” she spoke.

“Anything child, anything at all.”

“Is it true you say you wish very much for the sun child to return? To liberate this corrupted land?”

“Well…yes, it is. That’s strictly between us of course; if word got out of such hopes to the Higher Court of Generals I would be executed. But I know I can trust you two and the others in your unit through your common hatred for he army” Hanron said, taking another sip of his drink.

“I ask because…because…I know where to find the sun child”

Hanron struggled to keep his drink in his mouth upon hearing his words when he sprayed it through his beard. He then looked over and saw the ring on her finger again and wondered if there really was a link.

            “Miss Sharla, I said I trust you, but don’t abuse that trust my saying such things and hoping it will get you out of here” he scowled curiously at her.

            “Theran didn’t believe me at first either, but I do not lie, I know where she is!” she argued.

            “Of course…Sharlon…” Hanron mumbled to himself.

            “Eh?”

            “You’re telling the truth aren’t you?” he asked, putting his cup down and came slowly over, pulling his stool with him.

            “Does everyone here really think I’m that shallow and selfless I’d make such lies for my own benefit?”

            Theran gave his friend a quick glace as to hint her to be quiet.

            “You have my trust Sharla; can you tell me where the sun child is?” The General asked, taking Sharla’s hands softly.

            “Well yes, I was living with her before I came here, does that answer your question?”

            “Sharlon had two daughters!? The sun child is Sharlon’s daughter!?” Hanron said with a raised voice and once again Theran was obliged to signal to the old man to keep his voice down.

            “I can not believe all these years the sun child has been living and breathing in this very city…Sharlon ran as a diversion!” he permitted to mumble.

            “Yes, she is my sister, and my best friend, we may almost be called twins had it not been for her hair”

            “It is a wonder she has not been caught yet, she is in danger Miss Sharla, and I now fear for her life” Hanron sighed.

“I know she’s in danger”

Theran then felt it necessary to cut straight to the point,

“…Which is why we’re asking for your help!”

“And in what way can a humble man such as myself help such an entity as the sun child?” Hanron asked, sitting back slightly.

“Because we are planning to escape from here, but to get my sister as far away from this city as possible!”  

“Well, young warriors, it is not ordinarily that someone tells a General of Koren Court straight off that they’re planning to escape, but seen as it is me you have told this to you know I can understand your angst”

“But will you help?!” Sharla begged.

“Larnkor and I have envisioned a day such as this for many years, the day we know of the sun child’s whereabouts. Freeing her into the world will cause a fear of loss of control; her appearance shall pull the army through its own streets in brute force, but if we manage to keep her unseen Larinian’s forces shall end up tearing their own city apart in panic. If freeing the sun child means this army is deprived of the power it thinks it possesses then I will help you Miss Sharla, but we may need more people than just ourselves if we are to get away safely” .

            “General Hanron, you have no idea how much your assistance means to me!” Sharla squealed.

            “You are most welcome, what do you two and the sun child plan on doing once you’re out of the city?”

            “Actually we were hoping you could advise us. If you knew my father from him being in the army, you must have been to Midarzu and Divania? You’ve seen what land lays out there, the many places of this country which are undoubtedly safer than this” Sharla asked as she stepped forwards slightly.

“Of course, you were at the red war of Danalavonia, weren’t you?!” Theran suddenly remembered.

“I was a Captain at both of the wars in fact, and the second was by far the worst conflict I have ever witnessed. The great fog and the long bridge under its tall tower in the rain-ridden clouds still haunt my mind to this day. I nearly lost my son there that day, and I wish I had now for his mind has become corrupted. Enough of my family’s disgraced past, I suggest you both return to where you’re supposed to be and I will start to think of a way in which I can help, but it may take time for Larinian’s men never sleep and every corner of the city is guarded. We will need to meet inconspicuously and think of a way in which we can get out” Hanron answered.

“We?” Theran queried.

“You don’t honestly expect me to let you two guide the sun child aimlessly through the world, I know where it is safe and I shall give my life to see your sister live Miss Sharla. Why else do you think my feelings towards this army are so adverse that I could be executed for them? I have longed to see the time arise when Larinian’s worst fear was realised, when the only person who could phase his mind would undermine his authority and bring his precious nation to its knees. Now you must go, I will summon you when the time is right”

Sharla then quickly led Theran out into the corridor and they began walking to the Luncheon Hall in haste for the bells of Koren were faint but still heard in the air.

“I can’t believe we’re actually going to get out of here! Where are we going to find others to help?” asked Theran

“I don’t really know, but it is comforting to know Hanron is coming with us, at least we won’t get lost. Oh, Hanron mentioned his son was at Danalavonia with him, who is he? He might have known my father”

“I do not know, he’s never spoken of him before” Theran replied.

“Everything I’ve heard of the second battle of Danalavonia is shrouded in mystery, I know my father died there, but there’s always something someone is afraid to talk about, like something happened that wasn’t supposed, something which made the army look bad”

Hanron closed his office door and locked it. The thought of the sun child’s existence still made him smile with anticipation. Here was no time to lose, the sooner he acted the sooner a new era would arise for the people of Arzutare. A thought then came to him and he contemplated it for a moment before deciding what to do. A thought then came to him and he contemplated it for a moment before deciding what to do. Across the room the consensus scroll was still then untidily over a pile of books. He went to pick it up ad then placed it upon his desk, brushing aside the book about the sun child as he did. His finger ran down the page of names.

Sharla was the daughter of Sharlon, and Hanron knew of whom he had married eighteen years ago through his son. He found he widow Emlyn’s name after searching and listed as a sub section under her as her child was Sharla’s name, but no sister?

There under the households name was the house address; it was time for Hanron to go for a walk.

The noise in the Luncheon Hall acted as a barrier under which Theran and Sharla could talk. They were sat along the same table once again in the shadow of the balcony above where guards stood watch. 

 “You really think Hanron will be able to figure out a way to get us out of here and help my sister?” asked Sharla

“Yes, I believe he can, he is both wise and trustworthy”

 “I hope you’re right” mumbled Sharla before she took a sip of funny tasting water.

A few moments passed when the two friends sat in silence and then the sound of dragging footsteps came from floor behind them

“Oh I don’t believe this!” sniggered a voice from where the footsteps had occurred.

            “Sharla Galinorn…I never expected to see you here!”

            “Oh please, not here!” Sharla whispered to herself.

            “What is it Shar?” Theran asked.

            “Its Margarn, he used to go to the Academy too. You remember how I mentioned people always tried to pick a fight with me and lost, he was one of them, and he just kept coming back and back every time only to walk away in pain. “

Sharla turned to see her old foe. He was stocky and light haired and cam with his friends behind him, giving him support.

“Well well, Sharla, after all the times you said you’d never embrace the army, here you are, I guess it was too strong for your fragile, weak mind to resist. How’s your father? Still about?” he said.

She felt her rage built up inside her, her teeth were grinded. The large man besides watched as she slowly stood up and faced the over confident soldier.

“Really Margarn? You really want to go through this again?”

Sharla then launched her fist into his face and he stumbled backwards into his friends who moved asides and he fell through onto men on another table. They threw him off before wiping spilled food from their under armour clothing and looked at him with anger.

She sat back down and smiled to herself in triumph, shakily taking another sip of water.

“Where did that come from? I now know for sure that you have no problem fitting in at Koren with an attitude like that” laughed Theran.

“Oh don’t sound too surprised, you even said I’m probably stronger than I look, well there’s your point made”

Sharla sat smiling to herself as her old enemy got to his feet again. Theran turned and saw him coming over to her with blood upon his face and his fist was clenched.

            “You will not touch her before I fail to protect her!” Theran declared, levelling his eyesight with Margarn.

Sharla turned and saw her friend stick up for her and she tried to pull him away but he refused to back down.

            “Oh so Sharla has got herself a lover at Koren?”

            “If she has or not is not your business, leave her alone!”

            “About what you said before, about failing to protect her, well when that happens I’ll be able to give her the pain she’s given me over the years!”

            “Well, first you get taken down by a girl, more than once and now you want to beat her up? What a gentleman!” Theran sniggered. His smile was soon replaced with grinding teeth as he fell to the floor. The pain of Margarn’s fist in his stomach was too great for him to stand and he crumbled to the floor.

            “Sharla, why don’t you just make this easier for me and stay where you are?” Margarn insisted, exercising his knuckles. Sharla froze where she was and did not know what to do. She looked at Theran grovelling towards her in pain, desperately still trying to protect her.

Suddenly a hand flew from nowhere before Sharla, it caught Margarn’s fist and crushed it tightly before bending it back. A blood-curdling crunch came as his wrist snapped and Margarn cried in pain.

The guards up on the balcony did not bother the man who had saved Sharla from serious hurt. He was the large man who had sat next to Theran the day before and there was not a single man in the Hall who dared try and size up to him.

He turned and helped Theran up before Sharla flung her arms around him.

“Are you ok Theran?” she asked.

“I’m fine Shar, at least you’re alright” he whispered, looking up at her and holding his stomach.

“Thank you, I fear had it not been for your assistance we’d both be in pain.” Sharla said to the man

“Hey Karnon, why…what happened here!?” came a voice from behind the large man. He turned and saw his tanner friend standing in confusion, holding a bowl of slop what was thought to be food.”

“You are most welcome for your appreciation Sharla, I am Captain Karnon, this here is my friend Dialar.”

            “Oh…hi…this is my friend Theran…how do you know my name?”

            “Well when we’re sat across the table from you at luncheon we can’t help but hear your conversations.” Karnon began, he moved I closer and sat next to Sharla.

“You two are of Lornkar’s archer’s, aren’t you? Don’t worry it is no real secret that he objects to the Lord’s principles” 

Karnon saw that the other’s faces were still confused as did Dialar who decided to interrupt,

“Look, to cut a long story short, not that Karnon really tells any long stories, we overheard your anarchic scheming. Well, to tell you the truth we share the same radical opinions over Larinian’s rule.” 

“Then why are you not in Lornkar’s unit?” asked Theran.

“Because we are not criminals, we signed up to go into the army years ago before we knew how uncivilised it had become. It is a hard place here and I don’t want to see anyone who is prepared to stand up to the army get hurt, they are braver than any and I salute you both for what ever it is that you have done to get into here” answered Karnon who then turned to Dialar who was sat on the opposite side of the table to talk.

“Should we tell them about our plan?” Sharla asked Theran.

“Well, they seem trustable, they seem prepared to fight for our cause and if they saved us both from further pain then that’s got to count for something. Also remember Hanron said we may need others.”

“Alright, we’ll tell them, see if they want in” Sharla decided. She tapped Karnon on the shoulder and he and Dialar stopped to listen.

“I and Theran were wondering, well, have you often dreamt of breaking free of this place?”

Dialar looked at his friend and the back at Sharla.

“You mean…escape Koren? It has crossed our minds, but it will never happen” he asked.

“Escaping Koren is our plan, you can join us in our attempts or stay rotting away in here for the rest of your lives”

The two older friends looked at each other again with curious faces and slowly nodded to one another.

“Alright, we’ll help and escort you through to the outside world, but I have but one question, how do you intend on pulling this off?” Karnon agreed on his and Dialar’s behalf. Theran leant forwards to answer his question,

“General Theran is working on that as we speak”

***

The old house was silent in the downpour which now hammered down upon the capital. Evening clouded over, swallowing the sun and spitting out the yellow tinted moon. Ember sat in her room, a book in her hand which she had found on a shelf titled,

‘Delgarur the slayer of all evil’

It was a book her father had taken to the first war at Danalavonia and written through its pages was not what history had intended. What was suppose to be a story about how a long gone great king of Arzuria crushed a barbarian uprising in Ghalania but instead created the uprising of the Kornian Realm. However what Ember read was edits made to the pages by her father, words were crossed out and replaced with others which better reflected the evil which Arzuria had ensnared over its country.

Outside the rain washed away the streets in puddles between the cobbles. A lone figure walked about in wet candlelight in a long coat, the water dripping down their shoulders and down buckles down the front.

The cleaves of Arnur were sewn onto the cloth shoulder patches which were layered down the uppermost arm which rose to knock at the door.

Ember didn’t need to be told to stay in her room when the knocking echoed upstairs. She heard her mother walk to the doorway and slowly open it to the sound of pouring rain.

The figure took down their hood and smiled warmly at the woman.

“Hanron!? What are you doing here?” she gasped and she gave the old General a hug.

“I haven’t seen you since you informed me of Sharlon’s death…you didn’t tell your son where I live did you?” she then asked.

“I wouldn’t have dreamt of it, he does not have access to the consensus seen as he is of a lower rank. I haven’t spoken to him since that day when I watched your husband fall. My son is as dead to me as Sharlon or what he did.”

“Good, I thank you, Hanron. Why is it you’re here, may I ask?”

“I need to speak with your daughter”

“What? The army already took my daughter away from me, I’m sorry but it looks like you’ve been on a wasted journey”

“Sharla is fine; I am here to speak with your other daughter”

These words send a harrowing thought through Emlyn, suddenly she feared that Lord Larinian knew about Ember.

“What are you talking about?” she asked dismissively.

“You know of whom I speak, and I shall not say out here, it is ok, I am here to help her” he said kindly.

“Oh…ok. Come in…from the rain”

Hanron steadily passed by Emlyn and through into the house until he was stood upon the old wooden floorboards. Water dripped from his coat and left dark patches in the old wood. The smell of damp hit him and the candles lit the dark hallway leading into the kitchen.

“Ok, um, please take a seat in there, I’ll be with you in a moment” she insisted, guiding the General into the lounge to sit on the settee before the warm fire.

Worry filled Emlyn’s mind as she climbed the creaking stairway and before she knew it, the room which had concealed the sun child all these years was in front of her. She knocked quietly and began to enter and was immediately greeted by the sound of the rain hammering on the windows..

“Ember?”

“What is it mother? Are they gone?” her daughter asked.

“Well no, they’re still here…only they want to see you?”

“W…what?” Ember stuttered.

“It’s someone I knew a long time ago from the army, he says he knows Sharla…and wants to help you”

“He knows Sharla?!” an anxiously excited Ember said in a hurry, getting up from her bed.

“Yes, I think you…better come down and see him”

Ember then followed her mother down the stairs and looked at the candles bowing to her again.

Emlyn walked into the lounge and stood facing a patiently waiting Hanron.

“Well, here she is”

She moved aside to allow a very shy and unsure Ember to sand next to her.

Hanron stared long at the girl as she slowly walked forwards towards him and gradually sat on the opposite end of the settee.

            “It is true. I am humbled to be gaze upon the sun child. Forgive me my lady, I have dreamt of this day for far too many years. May I ask your name?” asked Hanron upon bowing to Ember.

 “Em…Ember is my name”

            “How fitting” smiled Hanron

“I presume your mother told you that I know your sister, Sharla. I don’t want you to worry about her, I have placed her in a unit with others who have done as she has and they are under the guidance of my close friend who will not let them become a common soldier, she is in safe hands”

 “She did, wait, did Sharla tell you I’m the sun child? No one’s beaten the truth out of her have they?!” Ember stood quickly and the fireplace roared and ruptured slightly as she did so, vibrating the floor beneath the settee and Hanron saw Ember’s ability with his own eyes.

“She is fine Miss Ember, I can assure you. She told me of your existence because she wants to help you”

“After I told her not to, why won’t she ever listen to me?!” Ember moaned.

            “How does she mean to help Em from within that forsaken place?” asked Emlyn stood against the doorframe.

            “Sharla came to me and told me she wanted to escape and get you away from here Miss Ember. I am to seek help from others for assistance because your sister and a couple of others will never make it out of Koren alive. What needs to be done is something which will ensure that the army is blinded by its own fear and in that moment, we leave”

“How do you expect to escape?” Ember then asked.

            “It depends on how much you are willing to see your sister, embarrass the army and escape from here”

            “In those circumstances I’ll do whatever you need me to”

            “Then this may just work. As you know Lord Larinian fears the sun child more than any other person in the world. If he learns of your existence inside his own city this will urge him to search for you. As long as you remain hidden he will end up tearing apart his own city in desperation to see you dead. But this will only work if you are willing to reveal your existence after all these years”

            “I’ll do it”

“Ember, you can’t go outside!” Emlyn cried.

“Mother, I need to free this country, you know I am the sun child, you know what i am supposed to do. I fear what fire burns inside me but if I need to endorse what I have in order to see this country fall and if it means getting Sharla back I need to do it!”

“So can you do it Ember?” Hanron asked.

“yes, I can”

“Hanron, I can’t let you ask her to do this, I’m not losing her too!” said Emlyn.

“Emlyn, you must understand, if Miss Ember does this it could mean the difference between likely getting both your daughters back or losing one to the army for a long time, because I can assure you, Larinian does not let rebels free lightly.”

“Seventeen years I have been stuck in here, seventeen! I know you’re trying to protect me mother and I am grateful for it, but how much longer do you expect me to endure here, I have never taken step into the world beyond our front door. This nation must be freed and I have a feeling it is up to me to pursue that common hope, dreamt of by everyone living under oppression here!”

Emlyn backed away slightly, very rarely did Ember raise her voice and she could now see how desperate her daughter was to make a difference.

“I will take my leave, I shall make preparations for the break out, tomorrow at nightfall this deed must be undertaken Ember, the whole fate of Arzuria is upon our shoulders, let us not falter now!”

Ember stood as the General got to the door and said his farewell to Emlyn.

“Wait, can you give Sharla something from me?”

“Of course Miss Ember”

Ember quickly turned about and looked at the set of old drawers in the room. She grabbed hold of them and began to pull them aside, along the scratch marks in the floor and revealed the loose floor board.

Emlyn stared on in wonder, what but then saw a golden glow burst out into Ember’s face as the stolen items under the floorboard reflected light from the nearby fire. It cast glimmers of light on the dipped ceiling above and upon the grey walls.

“Mother, I am about to show you where Sharla keeps everything she has taken from the market. She knows you never liked her doing it too much, so don’t tell her I told you where she keeps it all because I fear she will not forgive me”

“Oh I very much doubt that she’ll hold resentment against you, she’ll always follow you darling”

Ember found something which she recalled Sharla bringing home one day a few months ago, it was a hair ring, much like her own which held up her ponytail, but this was of golden colour and shone gloriously before the dazzling fire. She remembered when Sharla came home and tried it in her hair and how she mimicked her sister’s hairstyle, the laughter that came from that item had brought back happy memories and she hoped it would inflict such feelings on Sharla in her dark days at Koren.

“Ok, give my sister this!”

Ember carefully handed Hanron the golden object and took a step back with a smile on her face.

            “I will make sure Miss Sharla gets this when I see her tomorrow. The very day that we may hope to see this nation crumble after so many years of casting a shadow over everything it touches”

Emlyn got up to walk the General out of the lounge, but he spoke with his hand aloft,

“Please, I’ll show myself to the door, you’ve done enough in my aid tonight Emlyn, had it not been for you letting me speak with Miss Ember you may have been the reason so many would still live in fear in the days to come”

He then walked back into the downpour outside and began to make his way back down the street where he could see a fire lit Ringwater Island across the distant river.

“We’re really going to leave?! I can’t believe it, and we’re going to get Sharla back!” Ember said, turning to her mother who still sat staring at the flames.

“I guess we are, I never thought this day would come. This home has so many memories sunken into its old walls. What you are to do Ember, you must be careful! Please!”

“I will mother, I will do what I must and as long as the thought of seeing Sharla and finally breaking away from this corruption remain in my mind I doubt very much I shall fail in my attempts. I realise now that no other than the sun child can ignite the flame of anarchy within this country of barbarism”

“All we can do is wait until tomorrow, when the days light fades and the night grows like the darkness that is to descend on Larinians’s authority”