A Warrior's Dance

XXX - The Awakening

Sanne was disoriented when she woke up from a deep sleep. She felt a heavy thump in her chest, as if another part of her soul began to beat together with her heart.

Groggily, she sat up from her bed and gazed down at her hands. She had to wear thick gloves that afternoon to hide the light igniting from her fingers after lighting the silver candle. To be honest, she quite didn’t know what to think of what Princess Rainlee made her do. She wrote a message to ask for help but then she instructed her to burn the paper using the silver candle.

“That was weird,” she muttered to herself.

It was nearing midnight and tomorrow would be a Temple Day which meant she had a day off from work. Usually, back in Barren Island, she would pray with her father at home, to thank the Sun God for the gifts. But Crimson Palace did not recognize the Sun God. That bad King Darius is considered as god.

A knock from her door startled her. Covering herself a decent robe, she opened the door to see Madam Bettina, the right hand of Madam Lariza. The middle-aged woman told her the commander wanted to see her.

“Me?” she asked, surprised. “Am I in trouble?”

Madam Bettina barely nodded her head. “We all are. They are starting to interrogate all who works for Madam Lariza.”

Sanne gasped, her eyes widened. “L-let me just put on some decent clothes.”

As she put on the same white robe and scarf over her head, Madam Bettina led the way inside the palace, and they walked toward the court room.

The Court Room was spacious, a lone chair stood on the small stage in the middle. There was a high table opposite the chair and Sanne assumed it was the king’s spot. The little girl suddenly felt nervous, a lump forming in her throat, as she stepped further inside.

“Have a sit, little lady,” Commander Riz Bon said, gesturing for her to occupy the lone chair on the stage. He looked tired and unhappy at the current task on his hand.

Prince Matthews stood at the side, silently observing them. Sanne looked up to the commander, his Claymore sword elegantly attached at his side.

“Yer name, please?” Commander Riz asked, eyes fixed on the stack of papers on his desk.

“My father named me Sanne, sire,” Sanne answered, trying to calm her shaking voice.

The commander nodded, scribbling something. “Do ‘ya know why yer here? What is this all about?”

Sanne glanced back at Madam Bettina, asking for a clue but the woman’s face remained blank. Swallowing, Sanne uttered a no.

“How old are ‘ya, Lady Sanne?”

“Eleven,” she answered, her hands clamped together on her lap.

“And what is an eleven-year-old girl doin’ in White Tower?” he asked, turning his attention to her. “Is it Madam Lariza who took ‘ya in to work inside the White Tower?”

Looking at Madam Bettina, she subtly shook her head.

“N-no, sire,” Sanne said as she cleared out her throat. Commander Riz just looked at her, waiting for more explanation. “Our house was caught in a fire a-and… and I have nowhere to go…”

He nodded his head. “Is this the small fire reported in Esmo town many moons ago?”

Sanne figured she should continue her lies. That was the only way to keep her life. “Yes.”

The commander clicked his tongue and scribbled something again.

Matthews’ voice chimed in, breaking the silence. “By law, it is in the White Tower’s responsibility to keep an abandoned child, those under sixteen, and nurture them until they come of the right age, in exchange of giving services. From then, the king can grant them freedom to live their own life.”

“Thank ‘ya for remindin’ me that, my prince,” Commander Riz said with a forced smile. “I do not forget the law, fortunately.” He then turned his attention to Sanne. “Have ‘ya notice anything unusual while workin’ with Madam Lariza?”

She shook her head. She wouldn’t betray the woman who saved her. “Nothing unusual, sire. She’s just… a common woman for me. For us.”

The commander didn’t respond. He wanted nothing but to march to Peachrow and be done with the nonsense the general ordered him to do. After a moment, she had been dismissed.

***

Sanne sneaked into the garden, visiting the same spot where she had met Raiden. She wore the moonstone necklace beneath the white robe, silently asking herself where Raiden had gone to.

With a huff, she climbed up the thick old tree. Hidden in her boots was a pocket knife Madam Lariza bought for her. She balanced herself as he sat straight on the branch, spinning the knife on her fingers. She suddenly missed her father, Lady Avery and Daisery. It seemed only yesterday where she would hunt with Daisery, both of them wanted to ride a Valkan ship.

But not anymore.

The talk around the castle was how Raiden got taken away by Madam Lariza. Momentarily, she closed her eyes, thinking now why things happened the way it happened. He was accused of being a traitor and she knew it had to do with the letter he sent on her behalf. The blade of her knife suddenly cut her as she got caught deep in her thoughts.

“Ouch!” she yelped as the knife fell down on the grass.

Blood oozed from her fair skin and she pinched it to release more blood. Her other hand wiped the blood, and the moment she touched the wound, it healed, no trace of cut could be seen.

“What?” she asked dumbfounded, staring at her finger. Right then, she saw the tiniest hint of glow on her hands again. Just like yesterday after she burned the Lady Rainlee’s candle.

Double checking, she brought her hand closer to her eyes, finding the cut but there was none, as if she hadn’t been cut by the sharp knife. As if her blood didn’t ooze seconds ago.

Looking around, Sanne saw a man from a far distance, watching her. She tightened her grip on the branch, not wanting to fall, as she narrowed her eyes to get a better look on the stranger.

He was so fair, so white, and almost shimmered under the moon. He is beautiful in her eyes. Sanne felt a sudden strange connection toward him. And as the wind blew, she blinked, and the man was gone from where he stood.

“Oh, Sun God!” Sanne blurted out, startled to see the stranger now standing below her. She gripped the thick branch on where she was seated then held her chest, calming her heart. “How did you get in here so fast, mister?”

The man held his hand to her, not responding.

Frowning, Sanne stared at him, contemplating what to do. But looking at his green eyes and pointed ears, she realized he was a Neraida. And heaven fairies do not hurt children, do they? She wasn’t so sure anymore. But she decided to reach his big hand and he helped her down the tree.

“Thank you, sire,” Sanne whispered.

The man carefully touched her yellow scarf and unpinned it, letting the girl’s hair swayed with the wind. She saw it then, that they had the same color of hair, but his was longer, neatly braided.

“I can feel it,” he uttered, his stare intense. “We share the same Light.”

Sanne stepped back, unable to comprehend what was happening. “I’m not sure what is it you are trying to say, sire.”

“My name is Thaeros,” he said, his usual fierce eyes melted at her innocent face.

She brought her arm across her chest and bowed her head. “It is an honor to meet a heaven fairy, sire. Do you need an escort going to the palace? I think, the king’s aide started their march going to Peachrow by now. That’s what I heard, anyway.”

His lips curled a little. “What is your name?”

“Sanne.” She returned his smile. “I’m Sanne, daughter of Hilmer, the blacksmith.”