The Signet Ring

The Royal Castle

"What happened to you?"  Neji blatantly asks Ryse. They are sitting on that long vintage table lighted by candle chandeliers. The dinner served in the center isn't enticing to Ryse. A family dinner is scheduled for every end of the month where all of them should be present. But this kind of dinner no matter how extravagant the foods are, still are no appeal to Ryse.

 " You're acting like you are not a daughter of the first ringmaster",   Neji said while picking his food. Ryse just chews her food not even glancing at her uncle. 

 " Hey!  Neji shouted at Ryse. He's offended for being ignored. Ryse exhales and bangs on the plates. Raye looks at her twin sister in a comforting way as if assuring her that despite their quarrels, he is her only ally in the family.

 " I lost my appetite", Ryse said. And she rudely exits the dining. 

 " Ashane, I'm counting on you, beat that farmer girl",  Neji turns to his son smiling, his mood changes.        " Yes, dad", Ashane answers. Raye looks at his cousin. His upper lips pulled up. What else to expect? A saint in front of his dad. He thinks. Ashane the favored student in Netiara not because he is excellent. But because he is the son of the present ringmaster. Ryse or he could even beat him up, how could he have this confidence that he would win over Cassidy? What a joke. Raye thinks.

 " What?", Ashane notices Raye's disgusted face. 

 " Nothing, " Raye shrug his shoulders. 

 " I'll bet on Cassidy", he said and flushes an insulting smile at his cousin.

 " I never knew that even the most luscious food in the kingdom would taste bland when eaten with you guys,"  Raye said wiping his mouth with the table napkin. He rose from his seat. 

 "I'm done eating, "  he said and throw the napkin on the table and followed Ryse. Ashane and Neji were left in the dining. 

Ashane looks at his cousin walking away. They grow up together in this castle, but even for once, they had never get along. They hail me at the Academy for being Neji's son, yet the more he feels the pressure. He never felt the freedom even here in their own castle. Why do I need to live my life like I always need to prove my worth? I am not just my father's shadow. And the only way for these people to see that is the ring. The signet ring is the key to my freedom. I would have to beat up Cassidy. I should be the next ringmaster. Ashane thinks.

 Meanwhile 

 "I didn't raise you to become a brat!", Kapono scolds Ryse. 

 " You lose in the duel because you did not follow the rules. How could you blow a fatal attack to an apprentice?"   Kapono said.

 " She's not an apprentice!"  Ryse answered. 

 " How could an apprentice have such skills?"  she said smirking.

 "She's a fraud. She doesn't deserve to learn in Netiara. She doesn't deserve the ring!"  she replied angrily. 

 Kapono stares at Ryse. He's searching for questions what wrong has he done in raising the twins? If their mother is alive for sure Cassandra will not be happy with the twin's behavior. 

 " Ryse, dear I taught you to be competitive, not to be heartless. I taught you to fight, not to look down on your opponent"   Kapono said, this time he lowered his voice.

 " Being close to your mom, I have seen one obvious reason why she was chosen by the signet ring",  said Kapono 

 " What was it then? ", Raye asks curiously. 

 " It's the heart"    Kapono replied, smiling, his eyes like reminiscing about Cassandra. How can she forget those days of freedom in Velaris? It is only Cassandra who has seen that even commoners have a right, that slaves aren't anyone's properties, that farmers are the land's provider, that progress is achievable without compromises, that Tribe leaders are servants and that ringmaster is the people's protector. Kapono sighs as he looks back at the good days in Velaris. 

 " I just hope a ringmaster will rise if not greater than Cassandra at least equal,"  he said.

 " Why? What about uncle? Isn't he good?", Raye asks again.

 " He can't even summon the phoenix? When it is him who wears the ring! How come? he's good?"   Ryse interrupted 

 " It means the ring is holding back coz it senses something in him," she said in full disdain 

 " Enough Ryse", Kapono gently interrupted. He knows this girl. He knows where his anger is coming from. 

 " I don't care about the Royal rules"   Ryse replied. 

The Royal Tribe has this rule that they need not raise a voice against someone older than them in the clan. Ryse, actually is more than just a brat. She's also a rebel like her brother. The only difference is that Raye gives no damn care at everything that's happening in the castle and the family. He will do anything he likes with no care at all. 

   Wanted! Whoever can catch this girl will have a reward. 

The ringmaster wants her! Cassidy sees the post in every corner of the market town. The scroll paper attached to the post shows a sketch of a teenage girl in a scarlet cloak. While standing on the side of the busy market, Cassidy hears the passerby's comments on the poster, mumbling about how the wanted girl in the poster attacks Neji. She proceeds to the meat stalls. 

 " Vendors are fewer today huh?", she said while handling her payment.

 " The Royals had taken many of us to be their serf", the old lady replied. 

 Serf?! Cassidy looks around and notices the empty stalls around. There are no live cattle even. She went there to buy some fruits but instead, she found none. During Cassandra's reign, there was no serf. The hierarchy in the land was just Tribe leaders and the people. As much as possible everyone got to enjoy their freedom. Everyone can farm and have their own land to farm. No landlords. No nobles. The people are not commodities of any Royals or nobles and so everyone lives with a sense of dignity. The first ringmaster Queen worked hard for Velaris to become wealthy and strong so it would not need alliance and protection from other Kingdoms, because, for the Queen, the alliance might result in captivity or s*****y. Neji, I returned to take back the ring from you. You're no leader. I made a mistake. You do not deserve to be my successor. Cassidy clenched her fist at the thought of his nephew. 

     Neji lays asleep in a huge vintage white bed with elaborate pomp and white canopy. He snores a little sign that he's sleeping sound unaware of the coming danger. A girl in her teenage years, sneak inside his room like a skilled assassin. She laid the sharp edge of her razor on Neji's neck preparing to s***h it at any moment. Yet, it seems like Neji has a strong sense, he immediately gripped the hand that threatens to kill him. He twists it, pressing her wrist so hard. Yet the girl is so skilled in combat, Neji wasn't able to grab the dagger from her. Then, she realizes who's his enemy. It's the girl in scarlet cloak again! Neji fights back eager to take off the mask she's wearing behind that hood. He's determined to unmask her. He hates not knowing his enemies. Yet he didn't even get the chance to corner her. At the back of his mind, he's thinking that she's Cassidy. How could I win over you at the final round in the competition if I can't even scratch your skin now? He thinks. But the girl in the scarlet cloak goes there for another purpose. Before Neji notices, she flew away, escaping from the palace knights that are chasing her. What is left in her room is the poster of her being wanted in the town, Neji picks it up to examine what is in there. A message is written on the back. Your hands are stained with the blood of your own family! Reading it, Neji's eyes widened once. He feels frozen in his place. He crumpled the paper and ripped it. Holding his head he walks back and forth in his bedroom. I've tried to bury this! But here it walks again in my door. How can that damn girl know it? No one knows it except my father! It was just a mistake. It's just an urge inside him he can't control! Neji said to himself. Wait. I must capture and kill that girl. The entire land must not know that I murdered Queen Cassandra's firstborn! Or else I'll be removed! After an hour of reacting agitatedly. Neji sits down on his bed, now a little bit calm. He is a picture of a pitiful, harmless yet ruined man. His mind wanders back to days when he's still a kid and when Cassandra was her only friend and family in the real sense.

 " Amita", he whispers. Tears flowed down. But then in a second, there's a sudden change in his facial expression. His eye colors darkened. He scowled. Then in a split of time, it returns to normal. The ring on his finger feels like it's burning his skin. Neji grasps his hand. No! He utters. He groans as he feels the weight of darkness and light colliding inside him. Confronting the ugly truth is never comfortable. Yet, it's the key to freedom. But for Neji, he can't just dive into it, because he has more to lose.