Maldows Isles

Chapter Five

Amaria's POV

"Betroth?" I look between Ash and his mother, "I'm engaged to Ash?" His mother simply nods. I look at Ash trying to read his expression, but he turns his face away.

"Your parents and I did not decide this ourselves. It was a decision made by the Goddess Valkyrie." Calissa states calmly, a ghost of a smile settles on her delicate features.

"The Goddess?" This is getting more confusing by the second. Ash is still not looking at me, "If it was out of your hands, how do you know the Goddess chose Ash?"

"Not only do I have the gift of mind-reading, but I am also the Goddess's vessel, among other things. I take care of this realm for her since she has so many to watch over. The Goddess's vessel is hereditary, passed down generation after generation. The firstborn of each generation will be the one who carries on the Goddess's work." She pauses, waiting for my reaction.

"So since Ash is your only child, he is the next vessel?"

"That is correct, and so will your firstborn." She smiles.

"Won't my firstborn be the next heir to the throne?" It should be that way right? "How would they rule and be the Goddess's Vessel?"

"Being the heir to the throne is much more complex than being the firstborn It is hard to explain, Let me show you." Calissa takes a step towards me, causing Ash to back out of her way, and places her palms upward. "Take my hands child, I will show you my memories."

Hesitantly I reach for Calissa's hands, her eyes clouds over, and the hallway transforms into a beautiful garden.

-FLASHBACK-

Calissa's POV -23 years ago

Rosemary is chasing Sariyah and me around the palace's garden. Her laughter fills the air as Sariyah trips over roots coming out of the ground.

"Are you okay Riya?" Rosemary's concerned expression falls onto her sister when she had not gotten back up.

"No Rosie, I'm stuck. Don't come too close I'm gonna have to burn my way out of this." I watch as Sariyah sets the root on fire, quickly standing up and brushing herself off.

"Oh Riya, I wish I could control an element, Even if it was just one. I wouldn't want the throne. I just don't want to be watched constantly. I want to be able to protect myself." She looks over her shoulder at the guards watching us.

" Rosie don't worry maybe you'll get one someday. Then you two can compete for the throne!" I say excitedly. Sariyah is too much of a hothead to rule Maldows Isles. Then again she is only 10 years old, maybe she'll mellow down when it's her time to rule. I smile at Rosemary. "The Goddess works in mysterious ways. I know that for a fact since she hasn't given me my gifts yet. How am I supposed to train for being the next vessel when I don't know what gifts I have yet."

I sigh, laying my back on the soft grass. Rosemary and Sariyah do the same, and we all look at the sky.

" You're right Lissa maybe one day I'll control an element, but I do not want to rule."

" Good because it's my rightful place." Sariyah smiles at her sister.

-20 years ago-

"Calissa!" Rosemary comes running into my chambers.

" Yes, Rosie?" I turn away from my studies. We both turned 15 years old, our birthdays being a week apart we had our celebration together.

"I need you to keep this between us!" She looks me in my eyes, " Promise me!"

" Okay, Okay I will." She has my full attention now, " Come on tell me. Why are you being all weird?"

Rosemary takes a deep breath, holding out her hands. I watch closely as there's a spark and then a small flame appears.

"Rosemary! The Goddess has gifted you an element! You can compete for the throne now!" I'm excited she should lead us all. Not Sariyah, she has become even crueler over the years.

"I'm not done yet, Lissa." She closes her eyes and a ball of water forms around the flame. I stare at her in a daze.

"Two elements? She has given you two elements?!" I say it a little too loud, and in an instant, the flame and water bubble are gone and she slaps her hand over my mouth.

"Shhh! No one can know Calissa! I do not want the thrown." She is serious about this. I see movement behind her and I look up. There's my mother, her eyes widen in amazement.

"Rosemary! I will let your parents know immediately." Before Rosemary could protest my mother takes off.

" Oh, Goddess.." She says in fear.

" It is meant to be this way, Rosie. The Goddess must see there's something wrong with Sariyah. She cannot rule us all."

Rosemary looks at me and sighs, "You're right, but she has been preparing for this since she was five years old."

"Now you will prepare for this for the next three years, Rosemary." Her father says. We look back and there stands my parents, Hazel and Rashaud, Rosemary's parents, King Jared and Queen Stacey, and Sariyah who's eyes are blazing with anger.

"It's not possible!" Sariyah shouts, "I'm the rightful heir to the throne I have control of Fire!"

"Rosemary has control of Fire and Water." their father states. Sariyah lets out a terrifying scream. Then my chambers light up in flames. I cough as the smoke fills my lungs. I look at Rosemary who is trying to put out the flames with water. It's no use, though, when one flame dies out another takes its place.

"This is my realm! NO ONE WILL TAKE IT FROM ME!" She shouts.

Rosemary runs towards our parents as the flames continue to burn everything down.

"Hazel, teleport the girls out of here now! Come back for Stacey next then me last, I will try to calm Sariyah down." Their father shouts. My mother takes ahold of Rosemary and me, and we're teleported on the other side of the realm to a small rundown cottage.

"You girls stay here. I will be right back with the others." My mother says and in a flash, she is gone.

"Rosie are you okay" I turn to my friend who is crying.

"This is what I was afraid of." My mother appears with my father and Queen Stacey.

"I'm going back to get your father, Rosemary. Hopefully, Sariyah has calmed down by then." My mother vanishes again. Our parents rush to us checking us over. The ground trembles, as if it is weeping, and Queen Stacey and my father falls to the ground screaming out in pain. I couldn't focus on them for long because my eyes clouds over, my body is instantly in pain. When I blink my eyes to refocus I'm no longer in the rundown cottage but in a moonlit field.

"Calissa, I am the Goddess Valkyrie, your mother's time as the vessel has come to an end. You will now begin your journey. Your gifts will be given to you as soon as you leave my realm." I stare at the Goddess, then I bow.

"Yes, Goddess." I'm fighting my tears as my eyes clouds over again. I'm back in the cottage and Queen Stacey and my father are still balled up in pain. Rosemary is shaking me.

"Calissa, they're gone. Sariyah has killed our parents." She cries out. I hold onto her as I cry with them, mourning the loss of my mom, her father, and a person who used to be my friend.