The Crimson Queen

It was in the midst of winter when I ran away from 'home', again. The bite of the frosted air as it whipped across my face, stung down to my very toes.  "I'll kill you, you little tramp!" Warren screamed. The beast of a man was as fat as a pig and just as disgusting. For a guard he'd always been a little too handsy for my taste. What he saw in my scrawny self I'll never understand. My head was full of the burgundy red hair that according to my nanny was proof of my barbarous heritage. I had eyes too big for my small oval face and it didn't help that they were a startling violet color. My almond skin was as my nanny would say "The outward revelation of my dirtied soul," she really has a way with words that one, and at four and a half feet and a light 57 pounds I wasn't exactly womanly material. All in all who knows what that man saw in me. I guess he's simply like what Zepora always said 'a sick bastard'. Hiking my dress, so as to run faster, I continued my dash through the crowd. "Sorry....scuze me.... scuze me.... whoops, sorry." My little feet quickened pace, as I zig zagged through the crowded streets.  "Gotcha!"  "Ahh" I screamed as he caught hold of my scarf.  With a twirl and quick kick to the hand that grabbed me, I hurried faster, mocking him as I did. "You're fast, for a fat man." He roared in anger as the passerby's snickered at my comment. There amused stares made me sick, a little 8 year old girl was running for her life and no one was lifting a finger to help. So what I was trained in fighting arts and swordplay, archery and dagger work, they didn't know that. I could seriously be in danger right now, what if he sat on me? Sem (teacher) has trained me for all sorts of situations but being suffocated by a fat pig was a lesson I might have missed. These people were nothing short of another perfect definition of 'sick bastards'. This city I lived in was far from the capital, towards the tranquil borders of Asadia, situated in a kingdom known as Froinia. With the year around snow capped mountains to our east separating us from our hostile neighbors; the Akilla tribesman, I felt lucky to be here in Senri city, despite their dastardly ways. Who cares if my mother supposedly came from Akilla, even out here in this godforsaken city, their notoriety was well known. On this side of Froinia we bordered the Hazah Forrest to the west with the less hostile Asadia nation.  Forgotten by the capital, people out here seemed to live by different rules.  "Just wait until I get you, you'll come back, you always do." With Warren seemingly giving up the chase, my heart leaped with joy as I neared the entrance to the market, also known as the slums. Like a cat caught with its tail on fire I dashed through the gates separating the slums from the rest of the city. Strangely enough I'd found more kindness and warmth among the people here than anywhere else. "Running away again ey Ara?" Cruz took another puff from his tolly (type of cigarette) as he smiled his mischievous grin. I slumped to the ground out of breath. "What can I say, I love the thrill." Cruz chuckled as I tried to tame the curly mess that I knew as my hair. Giving up I decided to take in some much needed oxygen as the ever watchful Cruz looked on. Despite weathered clothing, you could see that he might have once been a very charming young man at a point in time. With a clean shave and proper finery, I bet he could still break a few hearts here and there. He still had the body of a young fit soldier. "This is what, the 5th time this week? A new record I might add." "It's the seventh but whose keeping count, is Sem up yet?" smiling to himself he looked up to her window. "She has company right now, but I'm sure she'd love to see you and have reason to get rid of him." Ruffling my hair he pointed me in the direction of Zepora's house. Zepora was once one of the most beautiful women in Asadia, at least that's how Cruz tells it. It seems she was tricked by a nobleman's son and came here to escape an unwanted marriage.  He promised her wedded bliss and so much more but turned out he was already married and she became nothing more than a mistress. With no home to return to she found herself disowned, humiliated, and abandoned in the borderlands here in Senri city. Just thinking about it made my blood boil,  "Men are scum." Climbing the termite infested stairs I reached Sem's room.  knock knock knock  cough cough "Who is it.'" The angelic like voice, that followed the gut retching coughs made tears threaten to escape from my eyes. "Its me Ara..." After being betrayed Sem's health never recovered from the shock. She had her good days but more and more of them were becoming bad. "Oh Ara dear come in." Entering the room, I was engulfed by the emerald eyes of the most divine looking being. When he stood to face me his his wide shoulders were pulled back in perfect posture which gave him a cultured and educated look. He had a firm jawline that seemed to move ever so slightly with his changing facial expressions.  A woodsy smell wafted from his person making it seem as if his emerald green eyes were the gates to an untouched celestial forest. His boyish face was the only telling sign of his young age since he seemed as if he was built to stand firm against a legion of soldiers. I'd never seen a man so imposing and so utterly attractive. He assessed me for but a moment, making my heart beat in a way its never done before. "Zepora, please come back with me, there is no reason for you to stay in a place like this or in these conditions." As his deep velvety voice broke the silence in the room, I weakly let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. "I told you many times before I will not return with you." The young mans jaw seemed to tick in frustration at the soft spoken women. It was the most memorizing thing I've ever seen. What is he doing to me? Looking him over I noticed how finely dressed he was, from head to toe there was not a strand out of place. His curly jet black locks sat neatly on his head. With a flawless deep bronze complexion, that made his already majestic look that much stronger. Catching me ogling the young man Sem had a knowing smirk on her face. ***********************Declan PV **************************** Facing my sickly elder sister an indescribable kind of regret continued to plague me. The Once proud princess reduced to a mere shadow of her former self. Her once long black locks hung limply on her shoulders. The once playful brown eyes were dull and full of sorrow. I was but a young boy when my beloved sister ran off with that Froinian piece of trash, 7 years ago. I had hoped she was happy with her decision and wished her the best. Only to find out some 3 years ago, that she had been tricked and abandoned by the bastard months after eloping with him. Luckily her guard, Cruz, has been with her all this time or I fear things would have been far worse. "Zepora, no one would dare blame you for what happened, it wasn't anyone's fault but the bastard who tricked you. Just come back with me and let me take care of you, the way you did me when I was young." Back then I was too young to help but now at the age of fifteen, I could certainly protect my sister with my own strength. If not, then what good was my title as crown prince of Asadia for?  knock knock knock As she began to speak a coughing fit racked through her now emaciated frame. "Who is it?" Just then a soft sing song voice sounded from the other side of the door. "It's me Ara..." "Oh Ara dear come in." Entering the room I was struck dumb by the small child that appeared. Her bright violet eyes a clear contrast to her smooth almond skin and luscious burgundy red curls. Looking at her from top to bottom I figured she was no older than 8 or 9. Her larger doe like eyes captured me in there depths, she was sure to be a beauty that could cause wars in a die time. Looking back at Zepora's grinning face I couldn't help but turn from the girl in an attempt to hid my flustered self. What am I some young maiden? She nothing but a child. Seeing as Zepora tried to adjust herself in bed, I turned in indifference from the small fairy like girl, only once glancing at her from the corner of my eye. ********************************Leonara PV************************* Seemingly uncomfortable with my presence, the young man turned from me while glancing at me once, before turning back to Sem. "Just promise me you'll stay safe, there is a lot of unrest in Froinia, there's no telling what sort of mess that idiotic King will get into next, or what his so called counselor is up to." Leaning down he placed a light kiss on Zepora's cheek. Whispering softly to her before waltzing out of the room, in all his wonder. As soon as the door closed I rushed to Zepora's side, "Are you OK? What did he want? Who was he? How do you know him?" Speaking everything at once I could hardly breath. "Whoa, whoa calm down child, I know you're curious but every maiden has her secrets and I'm no different. Though I promise you'll get another chance to drool over him in the future." She exclaimed with a childish grin.  "Oh, Sem I wasn't...That's not...I didn't drool." Abashed I searched for the words to cover my moment of weakness, while Sem laughed and giggled. Seeing her so happy and how she clearly didn't want to talk about it, I changed the subject. "Well in other news, my 'dear' nanny has been acting strange lately. She's always meeting people in secret and acting all nice to me. There was even that time the other night I heard her talking about how "they'd" come for me soon. Whatever that means." Sighing Zepora placed a hand over my own. "No matter what happens you just remember to stay true to yourself and remember what I've taught you, you'll be alright. I'll make sure of it." tightening her grip she seemed almost desperate as she spoke. "Promise me you'll overcome all the obstacles in your way, and survive no matter what." As I started to brush off her words with a joke she pulled me close with a serious face. "Promise me Leonara, please." Hearing her beg me is not what I wanted, so I was quick to give my word. "Yes, I promise." With an unreadable look Sem stared into my eyes. It was true that she had taught me a lot in the past 3 years, since running into her while escaping another beating at 'that' place. Since then she's been the closest thing to a mother I've ever known. From reading and writing to business, politics, and self-defense. It seemed as if there was nothing she didn't know and she was a spartan teacher when it came to drilling it into my head. "No matter what happens and no matter how far apart we may be, know that I am always on your side." "Sem, you talk as if I'm gong somewhere far away." Jokingly I tapped her nose. With sad eyes she seemed to drink me in. "There is nothing more unknown than tomorrow my dear, that is why we must treasure today." And how right she was.