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Prologue

Kataya

"Kat..."

Lady Kataya's slumber was interrupted by the sound of her husband's voice, echoing throughout the royal chamber.

"Kat, wake up. You must prepare."

The Queen was not nearly awake enough to comprehend his words. Only a moment beforehand, she had been enjoying the sweetest of dreams. She closed her eyes desperately, hoping to recapture it before it slipped away from her forever.

"Kat... Koba."

This time Lady Kataya understood clearly. She sat up abruptly, forgetting instantly about the dream which she had just tried so hard to cling on to. Her eyes scanned the bedroom, searching for the voice that had awoken her every morning for as long as she could remember.

"Kolo, where are you?" she inquired. "I'm sorry, my love. I was having the loveliest dream."

She looked around once more, as her eyes started to adjust to the sunlight but, was unable to find her husband.

"I'm here" Kolo replied. His voice emanated from the only corner in the room that wasn't flooded with sunlight.

"What's wrong, my love?" Kataya asked.

No one knew Kolo better than Kataya. They had been together almost every day since they were children. Only once before had she heard that emotion in his voice, and hearing it again sparked a feeling of anxiety within her.

"Love? Talk to me" she pleaded in response to his silence.

Kolo emerged from the corner of the room and calmly walked towards the bed. At just under seven foot tall, the King was a beast of man. He was burly too, with broad shoulders and massive arms. For a brief second, as he made his way past the window and towards the bed, the light in the room was all but extinguished by his towering frame. A great shadow flashed ominously across the Queen's skin, feeding her anxiety. As the room filled with sunlight once again, Kataya looked upon her husband's face. He was smiling, yet she could tell it was forced. This she had also seen before.

She thought back to the time when she had last heard Kolo speak in that tone of voice. It was the day that their youngest boy, Bodi was born. He had been two moons premature and both the physicians and the hydogens had stated that it was unlikely the boy would survive. That morning, Kolo had tried his best to be strong for her, smiling and promising her that he was certain Bodi would endure. That had been the only time she could recall her husband being afraid— until now.

"I'm fine, love. Don't be silly," he said softly, attempting to mask the fear in his voice. He leant down and kissed Kataya on the lips. "You'd better get up and get things ready."

Kataya was afraid too now. She knew that he would not be fearful unless he had a very good reason to be. He was brave and full of heart, certainly not the type to worry about something insignificant.

She did not have the time to draw an explanation from him yet, so she decided it would have to wait until later. Rising out of the bed, she planted a kiss on his lips. "I will. You'd better do the same!" she reminded him.

"I must speak with my brother first. I won't be late," he shouted as he hurried out of the bed chamber and down the hallway.

Kataya hopped out of bed swiftly. The position of the sun in the sky informed her that she hadn't the time for the luxury of a bath. Why did Kolo allow her to sleep so long, she wondered. Was he so consumed with fear that he had forgotten the time himself? What could it be that had him so afraid? These were not questions that she could afford herself right now. She threw on the same gown she had worn the night before and promptly left the chamber.

As she closed the door behind her, a nearby voice made her jump.

"Good morning, your Highness."

Kataya turned around quickly, raising her hand to the back of her head as she rotated.

"Don't be alarmed, your Highness. My name is Drex. I am the new commander of the King's Armourage," the man said proudly.

Kataya looked him up and down suspiciously. He was a man of average height and build, yet his demeanour was one that you would expect of a much larger man. He had a strong, commanding presence, and a look of complete confidence on his face.

"I hope I didn't scare you, my Queen?" he said apologetically.

"Of course not," she lied. "Tell me why you are here."

"King Kolo asked me to accompany you today. He said that there is going to be some heavy lifting?"

The Queen hadn't the slightest inclination as to what this man was talking about. She looked at him in confusion.

"The King's gift, your Highness. He said it's a big one," he added.

Kataya realised once again that she had no idea what the soldier was speaking of. However, she loathed to look stupid in front of a stranger. She had an image to maintain and appearing clueless was not part of that image. "Very well then, Drex. Keep up, I'm in a rush," she instructed.

"Yes, your Highness." he agreed.

As the Lady Kataya made her way to the kitchen, the anxiety within her began to grow. Her husband had been terrified this morning, and now there was a strange man that she had never seen before following her around. Is this really the new commander of the Armourage? What happened to Marho then? She wanted to ask but, knew that she couldn't do so without looking stupid. She was disappointed with Kolo for putting her in this situation. They discussed everything. Why had he not told her about this? Deciding to probe for an answer, the Queen offered an inquiry.

"Were you close with Marho, Drex?"

"No, your highness. He was just my commander, nothing more."

Was? The word confused the Queen. Was Marho dead, she wondered. The need to know more pushed her to press further.

"Surely every soldier ought to be close with their commander?"

"A little, I guess. I was no more bonded to him than any other, and I certainly knew nothing of his betrayal."

Kataya almost lost her footing for a moment. Betrayal? Marho? He had been Kolo's friend since childhood, and hers too. She wondered what he could have done to betray her family, and if that was the reason why Kolo was so afraid this morning. Perhaps she had read her husband wrong. Maybe it wasn't fear he had been feeling, but rather grief over the betrayal of his closest friend. She worried that her nerves were beginning to get the better of her. They had almost led her to kill this young man upon exiting her bed chamber. Taking a much needed deep breath, she attempted to clear her mind of her worries and
focus on preparations for the day's event.

Realising that she had neglected to speak for almost 30 seconds, the Queen quickly responded. "That's good, Drex. We need someone that we can rely on. I hope you will not let us down."

"Never, your Highness." Drexo replied convincingly.

On approach of the kitchen, Kataya was greeted by the scent of freshly baked bread. The sweet aroma took her mind willingly back to the dream she had woken up from only fifteen minutes ago. The dream had been a splendid one, where she and Kolo had taken residence in a quiet cottage, deep in the Bhuzian forest. They were accompanied by all their children. Kataya was surprised that her mind had even permitted the existence of Tamia in this dream.

Tamia was wife to Koba, her eldest son and heir to the throne of Amanak. Lady Kataya had always distrusted Tamia. She had no reason to do so, other than intuition, but that intuition of hers was typically very reliable. Kataya had pleaded with Kolo for months before the wedding, attempting to get him to prohibit the marriage. She had almost convinced him, but once Tamia fell pregnant, the Queen knew that there was nothing more to be done. Baby Jako needed a mother, and from what Kataya has seen, Tamia appears to be a good one.

In the dream, there had been no animosity between the two. The entire family were happier than ever, living far away from the City of Kapita, with no royal responsibilities or public duties.

"Good morning, your Highness! It's a lovely day isn't it?"

Kataya was expelled from her daydream and jolted back to reality by the interrupting voice of the Lady Yessinya. The realisation that she had not included Yessinya in her Bhuzian fantasy left the queen overwhelmed with guilt.

"Are you looking forward to the ceremony?" Yessinya inquired, before giving Kataya the opportunity to respond to her first question.

"Yes, sweet girl. It is a beautiful day, and I am very excited!" Kataya proclaimed, as she knelt down and offered a smile to the young girl that was now a daughter to her.

"Me too! The dressmakers have made me the most elegant of gowns for today. I cannot wait to wear it!" Yessinya had a smile on her face, stretching from ear to ear.

It had been almost half a year since Kolo had returned to Kapita with the Lady Yessinya. For a month or more she had not spoken a word. The tragedy that had befallen her and her family was unspeakable. For the last few weeks, Yessinya had been smiling all the time. The Queen thought that this must mean the girl was now beginning to feel at home.

Kataya thought once again of her husband and how compassionate he had been to take her into their family. She loved him so much. More than that, she loved how she was still able to love him more every day, even twenty-two years into their marriage.

Her facial expression changed as she remembered the fear on her husband's face.

"Your Highness? Is something wrong?" The smile left Yessinya's face as she spoke.

Kataya forced a smile back onto her lips. "Of course not, sweet girl. I am just wondering if we have enough time to prepare."

Kataya wasn't accustomed to having to lie this often. She hoped that she would have a better understanding of what was going on once her husband returned.

"What have I told you about calling me your Highness? Call me Kat. We are family now."

Kataya wanted to tell her that she could call her mother but, she worried that it would serve only as a painful reminder of what happened to the girl's natural mother. Perhaps it was too soon to be assuming that title anyway, she thought.

"I'm sorry your High- ... Kat!" She corrected herself. A devilish smile returned to Yessinya's face as Kataya stood back up.

"Where are my children?" The Queen looked around the room as she asked.

"Joma is still in bed. I tried to wake him up but, he wouldn't budge. I don't know where the rest of them are. Sorry."

"No need to apologise, silly. I will find them." Kataya ran her thumb softly down the side of Yessinya's cheek. "Run along now. You have to get into that new dress of yours. I will come and find you soon."

"Okay!" The Lady Yessinya agreed ecstatically as she sprinted out of the kitchen.

"Let's go, Drex." Kataya didn't even turn her head to see if he was still behind her before giving the order.

"Of course, your Highness."

The Queen paced quickly to her second born son's bed chamber, followed by the sound of Drex's footsteps hurrying behind her. Without knocking, she entered the room and approached the bed.

Joma lay there, sleeping on his side, clutching his pillow tightly. On his face was the subtlest hint of a smile. Kataya wondered what he was dreaming about. Probably a girl, she guessed.

Joma was only fifteen years old but, he had a lot of love for the fairer sex, and they for him. Almost any time Kataya laid eyes on him, he seemed to be flirting and bantering with some girl or another. He was also the happiest of her children. Much like in the case of Yessinya's recent behaviour, it was a rare occasion to see him without a smile on his face. He was a lazy young man too. Or, at the very least an unmotivated one. Just last week, while Koba and Bodi were out cultivating their archery skills, Joma had decided to skip his lessons and instead play around in the stables. When Kataya had interrogated him as to what he was doing, he claimed that he was spending time with the horses.

"They looked lonely, mother," he had explained to her. Kataya wasn't buying it. She knew there was likely some castle keeper's daughter hiding in one of the stables, but when he smiled at her, she couldn't bring herself to spoil his fun. She wished that all her children would smile like that more often.

Once again she was transported back to her dream from that morning. In it, Joma had been climbing a tree and hanging upside down from branches pretending to be a monkey. He would always do such silly things. He would say it was just to make Bodi and Lola laugh but, they all knew that he did the same when he was alone.

Kataya thought of Bodi's laugh as he watched Joma's monkey imitation. It was that same laugh she had heard so many times before. She allowed herself a moment to close her eyes and picture the dream. Bodi's hysterical giggles echoed throughout her head, as if he was in the room with her.

"Yes." Joma muttered, still fast asleep. The subtle smile on his face turned into a grin.

"Yes what?" Kataya whispered, attempting to decipher her son's dream.

"Yes." Joma grumbled the same word once again.

Kataya considered letting him enjoy the rest of his dream, until she realised that she had wasted too much time already. She walked over to the fireplace and grabbed an iron rod. Without hesitation, she struck the hollow post of Joma's bed, making it ring like a bell.

Joma instantly jumped up, placing his hands over his ears.

"What the fuck!" His words were drowned out by the sound of the bed post ringing.

"What did you say?" Kataya asked in a disciplinary tone.

Joma smiled. "I said you look beautiful today, Mother. What's for breakfast?"

Kataya threw the iron rod on to the bed next to Joma. "Don't you worry about breakfast, son. You'll get plenty of food at the feast."

"Oh yes! I had forgotten. When is it?" Joma seemed alert considering he had just woken up. Kataya thought that perhaps she should use that iron rod more often.

"Very soon. Hurry and get dressed and meet us in the orchard." Kataya turned as she spoke, eager to find the rest of her children. Before exiting the room, she stopped and turned back around.

"And remember; today is Koba's day. I don't want any shenanigans from you." She tried her best to sound serious, but the smile on his face was making it difficult for her not to respond in kind.

"I would never..." Joma's words were full of mischief but, Kataya had no time to reiterate her point. She sped off down the hallway with Drex following closely behind.

As she made her way down the hallway, the scenery reminded her once again of her squandered fantasy. She had marvelled at the glory of this castle before, but never had she been able to appreciate the architectural work quite as much as she could now. It was a wide hallway. At least 15 foot from wall to wall, and seemingly endless. There were stone pillars that ran from floor to ceiling, two by two, on the sides of the hallway every few metres. These were no ordinary pillars, however. They were sculpted in such a way as to look like tree trunks, with the pillars branching out at their peaks and running across the top of the hallway. It was a standard practice for pillars to be sculpted like trees all over Amanak, but this was a particularly special execution, exceeded only by that of the Great Keep of Khyra.

Bodi's laughter replayed throughout the Queen's mind as she continued down the hallway, seeing only the Bhuzian forest in front of her. As she slowed her pace in an effort to enjoy her daydream a little longer, Bodi's laughter was joined by the sound of Lola's. It was a welcome addition.

"Your Highness.." Drex dispelled her reverie.

"What is it?!" Kataya snapped, angry that her dream had been stolen from her yet again.

"Your children, my Queen." Drex sounded awfully satisfied with himself. "I have found them. They're in the orchard."

Kataya turned around to see that Drex had stopped next to a window overlooking the gardens. She joined him and peeked through the glass.

It was clear to Kataya now that Lola's innocent giggles had not been in her head at all. Her youngest daughter, aged five years, was sat on the broad shoulders of her first born, Koba. Her laughter echoed throughout the entire orchard as she tried to grab an apple from an overhanging tree branch. Bodi, her second youngest, who was seven years of age, was sat on the top of Joma's shoulders, trying to grasp the same apple. Joma kept pulling him away just before he was able to place a hand on it.

Kataya wondered how Joma had gotten out there so quickly, and fully dressed too. It had been no longer than two minutes since she had left his bed chamber. He must have jumped or climbed out of his window. There was no other rational explanation. That's nearly a twenty foot drop— he is far too reckless, Kataya thought.

As she watched her children play together, looking happier than ever, she realised that she did not need to hold on to that dream. She was already living it. They may not have been in the Bhuzian forest, but they were happy. All of them.

"Your Highness, now that you have found Koba, shall we take the King's gift to him? Or would you like to wait until the ceremony?"

Kataya thought of the gift that her and Kolo had chosen for Koba. It was a rare collection of books, containing the entire history of Amanak. From the Takatan rebellion against the tyrannical reign of the Greedy King, to the genocide of the people of Kurukai that used to dwell in the Eastern islands of Amanak. Everything was said to be covered in those books. Koba loved to learn about the histories of the great cities of Amanak. There would be diplomatic applications to this knowledge when he becomes King, so Kataya was glad that he was so committed to learning. She was even happier that Koba was the first born, and not Joma. She wondered if he would be able to take his Kingship serious enough. He would likely lead the country into disarray.

The Queen couldn't even begin to guess what Kolo's gift for Koba was, but she chose her words carefully so as not to reveal this to Drex.

"We have another gift to give at the ceremony. Let's give it to him now, while he is with my other children. Will you be able to carry it all the way to the orchard?" Kataya hoped for more than a one word answer.

"Yes, your Highness. The armoury is right next to the orchards!" He seemed to have been insulted by the inquiry. "I know I don't look much, your Highness. But, I'm not as weak as you might think."

A satisfied smile covered Kataya's face.

"There are different types of strength, Drex." The Queen proceeded to educate the young man. "You would do well to remember that before getting insulted so easily."

Drex looked utterly bewildered by the statement, yet It did not stop him replying, "Of course, your Highness."

The queen started heading for the armoury at quick pace. Her curiosity was piqued and she was eager to find out what Kolo's gift for Koba was. She thought it was probably an ornate sword or bow of some type at first, but then she considered its apparent heavy weight. It must be something a lot larger than that, she thought. Perhaps one of those large shields that the
Westerners use. She hoped it was, if it meant keeping her beloved son from harm.

By the time they reached the armoury, Kataya had convinced herself that the gift was a sword and a shield. As soon as she stepped inside however, she knew she had been wrong about her assumption.

In the centre of the room lay a large rectangular shaped object, covered in a black sheet. The box must have been eight or nine feet tall, it was certainly bigger than King Kolo. Its width was barely half its height.

"Good morning, your grace." Joro, the head blacksmith appeared from nowhere.

"It took seventeen of us eleven hours to complete but, we managed to get it finished in time. I hope it is to your liking." Joro had an air of pride about him.

"I'm sure it is great, Joro. My husband tells me that you never disappoint."

"Really? I'm honoured, your Highness. Please thank him for me!" The blacksmith pleaded.

It was true. Kolo often praised Joro's talent for producing exceptional weapons. Though, this did not look like a weapon to the Queen.

"Thank you for working so hard, Joro." She added. "Go now and see your wife and son."

"At once, your Highness. Thank you, your Highness." Joro bowed and swiftly left the room.

Kataya returned her attention to the centre of the room. What on Atalas is under that sheet? Her mind failed to summon so much as an idea of what it could be.

"Drex. Take the sheet off. I want to see how it turned out." Her eyes never moved from the object as she spoke.

"Certainly, your Highness." Drex responded enthusiastically. It was clear to Kataya that he was just as curious as she was.
Drex walked slowly up to the mystery gift and pulled back the sheet, exposing what was hidden underneath. His eyes lit up as if he was to be the recipient of the gift.

For the second time today, the Queen was awestruck by a glorious work of design. Before her stood a beautifully sculpted ebony cabinet. On the front of the doors, an intricately carved portrayal of Kolo and Kataya was enclosed within an elaborate border of silver and gold. Kolo and Kataya looked downwards at baby Koba, held within the King's arms. The craftsmen had embodied the God of the Amanzi people into the image too, with thousands of raindrops etched into the portrait. The droplets were carved in such a way that they looked as though they were both in front and behind the portrayed royals.

"Astonishing." Kataya had not meant to speak out loud.

"It truly is, my Queen. The carpenters outdid themselves with this one." Drex's face was still full of amazement.

"Open it." Kataya was eager to see what, if anything was inside.

Drex wasted no time in obeying the command. He opened the doors to reveal a rack, stocked with an array of weapons. The commander looked even more excited. There was a bow, a dagger, a short and long sword, as well as a war hammer. Each of the weapons was as extravagant as the cabinet they resided in.

Kataya was unable to admire the artistry in this case. An intense feeling of terror overcame her, causing her to shiver. First Kolo had afraid this morning, and now she finds that he had commissioned the blacksmiths to forge for their son, not one, but five weapons? Kataya tried not to think about what this could mean.

She failed. Was it to be war? With whom? How long did they have to prepare? Question after question presented itself in Kataya's mind, yet no answers were there to be found.

"Shall I take it to the orchard, your Highness?"

For the first time today, the Queen was happy to have her thoughts interrupted by Drex.

"Are you serious?" She looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Once again, Drex looked insulted.

"You underestimate me, your Highness." A determined look covered his face as he closed the cabinet doors and threw the sheet back over the top of it."

"Okay then, Drex. Show me what you have got." The Queen looked at him with pity, sure that he was about to embarrass himself.

Kataya made her way to the double doors at the orchard side of the armoury. She opened the doors for him and stepped to the side, allowing him the room to pass.

Drex approached the back of the cabinet. While bending his knees, he reached his arms out and gripped the edges. As he rose, so too did the cabinet.

"Wow." Kataya was impressed.

The Queen watched as the giant cabinet, covered in cloth, made its way towards her. All that could be seen of Drex was his fingers, clutching tightly onto the sides of the sheet. Though she was unable to see him, she could certainly hear him. His breath got louder with every step until it sounded as though he was attempting to blow the doors from the cabinet. Then all she heard was a thump as the cabinet hit the floor, still six feet from the doors leading to the orchard.

Kataya bolted across the floor to see if Drex was injured, just as Drex pulled back the sheet to see if he had damaged Koba's gift.

"I'm... so... sorry... your Highness." His face was blue and he sounded as though he had just competed in the Hydrothalon at the Great Games in Khyra.

"Are you okay?" Kataya asked anxiously.

"Yes... The gift.. is not.. damaged."

The Queen started laughing uncontrollably. She laughed loudly at first, and then silently. She laughed so hard that she forgot to breathe and her face turned as blue as Drex's.

Drex looked at her with mortification as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. Her silent giggle was so powerful that it was causing her entire body to convulse as if she was suffering a seizure.

"You have no idea how much I needed that." She looked at him as she struggled to get the words out. The confidence that had been there all morning was now nowhere to be seen. The guilt that Kataya felt upon viewing Drex's face was enough to suppress her laughter.

"You needn't be embarrassed, Drex. Frankly, I'm amazed you were able to lift it off the floor."

Her words did not appear to make him feel any better.

"Even the King, the size he is, would have difficulty with this one."

Drex nodded his head but, did not avert his eyes from the floor.

"How about we give it to Koba after the ceremony instead? The King can help you with it, he will be back by then."

"If you wish, your Highness." he muttered, still staring at the floor.

"Drex!" The Queen shouted.

Finally he looked up.

"Do not be embarrassed. I doubt there is man on Atalas that could have lifted that thing. Come with me to visit with my children before the feast. You can help me carry the food instead."

The Queen hoped that giving him another purpose may make him feel a little better.

"I can do that." He nodded as he spoke.

"Your Highness." He added the words quickly, as if he thought he had offended the Queen by not saying it sooner.

"Call me Kat." She barely finished her sentence before shooting out the door to find her children.

From across the orchard, Kataya could see that Yessinya had also joined the others. She wore a somewhat ostentatious dress; purple with black trim, and decorative rubies across the hem. The outfit made her look older than her fourteen years. That sweet smile was on her face yet again, as she spun around in front of Joma, flaunting her new dress.

The reflection of the sunlight on the rubies looked like embers from a fire, blowing in the wind. It truly was a beautiful gown. Kataya considered how much beauty she had see in this past hour alone. She felt blessed.

" Mother!" Bodi was the first to notice Kataya making her way across the garden. He ran towards the Queen with his arms open, Lola following behind.

Kataya knelt down, smiling, with her arms open ready to greet him with a hug. Bodi leaped into an embrace, knocking his mother backwards onto the grass. The Queen giggled and opened her mouth ready to say good morning to her son. Before she was able to get a syllable out, Lola jumped on Bodi's back, pinning the both of them on the floor.

The Queen attempted again to say good morning but, between her laughter and the children jumping on her stomach, she was unable to get the words out.

"Okay, you two. That's enough. Let mother get up."

Kataya was happy to hear Koba's voice again. He had been visiting Pavhas with his uncle Kano, Kolo's brother, for the past fortnight. This was the first she had saw of him since.

"Bodi. Lola. Up. She can't breathe." Koba spoke in a more assertive tone this time.

"Fine.." "Okay..." They agreed unwillingly.

As they attempted to climb off of Kataya, Joma came speeding across the orchard and vaulted, landing on top of the three of them, yelling "Mother!" in a mocking tone.

Bodi and Lola started screaming with laughter. Kataya knew that Joma was only being playful, and she could tell that he was being careful not to subject the three of them to the entirety of his body weight, but she had been on the ground too long now and was becoming agitated.

"Imbecile!" Koba grabbed Joma by the back of his shirt and pulled him backwards on to the grass.
Joma landed on his back, and rolled in reverse, pushing himself with his arms onto his feet. He gave Koba a cold, inquisitive stare.

"Don't you think it's about time that you grew up? You're not a child anymore, Joma." Koba did not try to mask his anger.

"I need to grow up? You're the one who is acting like a girl, getting upset about nothing, when everyone else is enjoying themselves." Joma's tone morphed from one of frustration to one of calmness, as though he had remembered his mother's warning half way through his sentence.

Koba took a threatening step towards Joma.

"I don't want to have to hurt you on the day of your rebirth, Koba." Joma smiled antagonistically as he took a step backwards away from his older brother.

Bodi and Lola laughed once again. Koba was almost as big as his father. He was definitely at least a foot taller than Joma, and broader too.

"Enough, Joma!" Kataya shouted at him in disappointment.

"Me?" He sounded confused by the accusation. He clearly felt that Koba was to blame for this.

The eldest of the Queen's sons shook his head in disbelief and stepped towards his mother. With one arm, he took her wrist and lifted her up onto her feet.

"I must speak with you at once, Koba." Kataya spared no attention for Joma and his confusion.

"Of course, mother. Is everything alright?"

"For now. Yes." The two headed towards an apple tree on the far side of the orchard, with Drex following a few feet behind. Meanwhile, Joma headed back inside the castle, with Yessinya, Bodi and Lola running behind him, calling his name.

As the Queen and her son made their way across the garden, a worried look occupied Koba's face.

"Tell me, mother. What is the problem?" He pleaded.

"What do you know of Marho's betrayal?" She knew nothing of it herself but, she hoped that he would.

"Nothing, mother. What has he done?" Koba scratched his head as he considered what crime Marho could have committed.

"I do not know what he has done. All I know is that he has been relieved of his command for some type of betrayal." She looked Koba in the eyes, expecting him to offer a potential explanation. Her eyes were met with another head-scratch.

"Your father was not himself this morning. I am quite worried, Koba." She added.

She placed her hands on her son's hands and looked him in the eyes.

"Son. I want you to be careful whenever you travel from now on. We are safe here, but I want you to be extra-vigilant any time you leave the grounds. Especially when with your siblings."

"Of course, mother." Koba nodded.

"That means look out for Joma too. God knows that if anyone is going to get themselves into trouble, it is him."

Koba tightened his grip around his mothers hands and offered her an oath.

"Mother, by God I swear that I will not let anyone hurt our family. Don't be afraid."

He kissed his mother on the forehead and embraced her in his arms.

A great weight was lifted from Kataya as she replayed his oath in her mind over and over. She trusted Koba and his ability to protect all of her children. Including himself.

"Oh. And that means Yessinya, too." She quickly added.

"That goes without saying, mother." He searched the orchard for the rest of his family. "They must have gone to the feast already. We had better hurry, mother." He started walking back towards the castle.

"I'm so proud of you, son. Do your best to enjoy this celebration." The anxiety had left her now. The promise he made to her had washed away her fear for the time being. Now all she wanted was to see Koba have the celebration that he deserved.

"Come on, Drex." The Queen raised her voice so that he could hear her.

"Yes. Yes, your Highness." He responded in kind and picked up the pace.

By the time they reached the dining hall, much to Kataya's surprise, everything was already prepared. All the tables in the room had been rearranged, making space in the centre room for the dancing that would take place. All but one of the tables were packed full of food, the other, at the end of the room, contained a mountain of gifts for Koba. There were also decorative banners hanging from each of the walls, bearing the number twenty one, in celebration to Koba's rebirth.

Upon questioning a nearby kitchen-worker, Kataya learned that Joma had been up all night helping to arrange things. He had made the banners himself, and scaled the walls to hang them high.

The Queen regretted the way she had treated him in the orchard. She searched the room for him so that she could apologise, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Yessinya, come here, darling." She spotted Yessinya in the corner of the room, helping herself to some strawberries.

"Yes, Kat?" She ran across the room excitedly, almost knocking over a guest as she did.

"Sweet girl. Where is Joma?"

"We tried to convince him to stay for the feast but, he wanted to go to the stables." Yessinya looked as though she felt that she had let the Queen down. "Do you want me to go and tell him you need him?"

"No, you enjoy the feast. I'll find him myself soon." Kataya walked away as she finished her sentence, searching for little Lola and Bodi this time. There were now a lot of guests arriving and she wanted to keep an eye on her youngest children.
She found them at the entrance of the dining hall, welcoming guests in the most diplomatic of fashions. As she witnessed Bodi shaking hands with an entering guest, she smiled emphatically.

"Mother. It's raining.." Koba stood behind her, glaring out of a window into the gardens.

"Fuck!" Kataya ran to the window to see for herself.

"No no no no no no! Your father isn't here yet. It's too early." She spun her head quickly and tried to locate Kolo.

A nearby visitor noticed the rain and informed everyone in the hall.

"It's raining! Praise be to God" he proclaimed.

Everyone in the room began cheering and joined him in praise. Before long, the praise changed to the chanting of Koba's name.

"God loves you, son." Kataya complimented her son. "Some have to wait days for rain before they can begin the ceremony. For it to rain before the feast has even begun is proof of your divine favour." For a moment, she forgot that the King was not here yet and stared at her son's face in disbelief. She felt even more confident in his ability to keep his promise to her now.

"What about father?" Koba seemed unsure of what to do.

As a crowd of people headed towards Koba, ready to lift him outside to the fountain of life, the Queen jumped up onto the closest table. She slammed a glass down on the table three times loudly, stealing everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone, thank you so much for being with us on this special day. I know this is highly irregular, but the King is going to be arriving shortly."

Everyone looked at the Queen, and then at each other. This was unheard of.

"We shall open a few gifts first. Everyone join us around at the table."

Koba started clapping, and soon after, so did everyone else. They made their way to the huge pile of gifts and Koba took a seat in front of the table.

"Open the biggest one first!" a voice called out.

"Yes." another agreed.

Kat watched from the other side of the table as Koba grabbed a huge box, wrapped in a deep purple velvet cloth. He examined the label on the box.

"It is from my wife's father!"

Everyone cheered for no reason at all.

Koba pulled a knife from his boot and cut the cloth to reveal a wooden chest, covered in gold.

"Open it!" Someone insisted.

Bodi ran around the table and jumped on Koba's knee, curious to see what was in the chest.

Koba opened it and looked up smiling. He put his hands in the chest and raised out of it a sparkling silver helmet.

"It's Western Armour." He explained. "Amazing." He was clearly happy with his gift. Bodi looked even more excited about it. Armour such as that was a rare sight in Amanak.

Kataya hoped there was a shield in that chest too, though she knew there wasn't room for one.

"The next one!" A number of celebrators called out for the next gift to be opened.

"Mother. I cannot see."

The Queen looked down to see Lola clutching on to her leg, unable to see over the table. She knelt down and threw Lola over her arm, lifting her up and making her way closer to the table. There was a lovely scent emanating from one of the gifts. Its fragrance was like that of a flower, but not one that Kataya had ever had the pleasure of smelling before. She leaned towards the gifts, attempting to discern which one the gorgeous scent was escaping from.

"That one, son!" She pointed as she spoke.

It was a smaller, cube-shaped gift. The cloth surrounding it was dull; a simple black. Her curiosity was at its peak as Koba clasped it and pulled it in front of him on the table.

"This smells divine." His words provoked Kataya to nod.

Koba seemed unable to stop smiling, which made the Queen unable to stop herself. She loved to see her children happy, it had been the reason she had treasured the morning's dream so much. They had never for a moment in that dream, had anything but laughs and smiles on their faces.

"Open it, Koba." Lola gave her brother a welcome command.

Kataya watched in anticipation as Koba peeled back the black material to expose another wooden box. Beautiful yellow and blue petals adorned the top of the lid. That must have been where the scent was coming from, she thought. She had seen a lot of flowers in her life, given that her mother had used a lot of them for healing, but she was unable to identify the flower from which these petals originated.

"Mother!!" Koba screamed in anguish as he opened the box. The smile left his face, taking the pigment in his skin with it.

Kataya held onto Lola so tight that the little girl yelped like a tiny dog. She knew from her son's face that something was terribly wrong. Her heart began to beat so fast and so hard, that she feared it was going to explode out of her chest.

Everyone in the room went dead silent as they saw the expression on Koba's face.

"What is in the box, son!?" Her voice was broken. The taste in her mouth, the taste of fear, was affecting her speech.

"It's—" Koba did not get the chance to finish his sentence.

Kataya's entire body was consumed by numbness as she witnessed an axe fly across the table and tear its way through Koba's chest. Her awareness of her own joints, limbs and organs, evaporated into the surrounding atmosphere, leaving only the feeling of her heart sinking to the floor. The ability to support her own body weight was lost to her as she fell to her knees. She let out a piercing scream, so loud that the reverberating echoes drowned out every other sound in the dining hall.

Cursed by a sudden acquired ability to see in slow-motion, she watched as a second axe spun across the room, slicing her firstborn's chin in half before finding a home in his neck. A tsunami of blood crashed against Bodi's face as he fell backwards off of his brother's corpse.

Kataya wanted to die in that moment, but she was dragged to her feet by the sound of Bodi's screams. She had lost one child, she would not lose another.

She spun around, searching the room for the culprit. A mass of bodies was accumulating at the exit as the majority of the guests tried to flee the hall. In the centre of the room, a river of a blood traced back to the severed throat of a second corpse.

Standing above the corpse was Drex. He stood in a high guard stance, ready to battle two more masked assailants standing opposite to him. Thick drops of blood, falling from his sword, showered his face like crimson rain.

Drex glanced at Kataya for a second and then returned his attention to the assassins."Kat! Run!" He darted forward, thrusting his sword downwards as he gave the command to his Queen.

His attack was met by a block from his opponent's sword. The sound of the two swords clashing jolted Kataya into action. She looked around the room for her remaining children.

Lola was sitting under the table right next her, silent as a shadow, with her hands over her ears and her eyes closed. She was rocking slowly back and forth, clearly in shock. Bodi's cries could be heard coming from the other side of the table, next to her son's lifeless body.

She knelt down and lifted the table cloth to see Bodi sobbing, clutching tightly on to Koba's dead leg.

"Come here son!" Kataya screamed at him in fear.

"No." Bodi would not leave his brother. He gripped Koba's leg tighter.

Kataya realised she would have to go get him herself, but first she had to find Yessinya.

As she scanned the room again, she could see that Drex had cut down another one of the assassins. Only one foe remained, though this one was as big as Kolo, perhaps even bigger. She watched as the giant swung his sword down towards Drex's skull. Drex was able to lift his sword in time to defend himself, but the sheer force of the blow knocked him on to the floor.

Kataya searched the floor for a weapon. If she could just help Drex kill this beast then her children would be safe. She failed to spot a weapon but, she managed to catch a glimpse of Yessinya. She sat in the corner of the table at the far end of the room, casually eating strawberries. Kataya knew that she had been through a lot but, just what level of trauma must a child have to suffer to be unaffected by this situation? She hadn't the time to torture herself with an answer.

She glanced back at Drex. He was lying on the floor with his sword out of reach. The assassin was fast approaching with his sword in the air, ready to split Drex in half. Kataya ran towards the centre of the room, hoping to get Drex's sword to him. She halted as she saw the sword swinging downwards, destined for the young commander's chest.

Drex miraculously evaded the blow with a swift roll to his side. The masked man had put so much force into his swing that his sword was now wedged tightly into the floor. Drex wasted no time at all. As the assassin struggled to pull his sword free from the ground, Drex rolled forward, pulling a knife from his boot, and leapt forward thrusting the blade into the face of the assailant.

The giant stumbled backward, his face spraying with blood. His hands waved in front of his face as if he was unable to see.

Kataya continued her sprint to Drex's sword, picking it up and hacking wildly at the large man's legs.

Drex picked up a sword from the body of one of his victims and pounced at the killer once again. This time, the blade found the neck of his enemy, piercing its way through and exiting out the back of the head. The life left the assassin instantly. His knees gave way and he came crashing down, landing on his face with the sword's blade pointing upright to the heavens. It was over.

Drex knelt to the floor, exhausted. He and Kataya shared a look of disbelief. They could not believe that they managed to survive that monster.

Kataya had one more look around the room. Other than she, Drex and her children, the room was empty now.

"Come out children. It's safe now." She said with a sigh of relief, trying not to look at her dead son's body.

Bodi was the first to emerge. He appeared from under the table and started running towards his mother. As he got closer, Kataya thought of when he had ran towards her in that orchard, leaping on her and knocking her to the floor. She wished that they had never left that orchard.

She opened her arms, ready to receive his embrace. Koba's blood was all over Bodi's face, other than two skin-coloured trails on his cheeks, painted with salty tears. All she wanted was to make him feel better.

Footsteps near the door put Kataya on alert again.

"Bodi. Wait!"

She was too late.

An arrow flew in from the entrance of the hall, finding its way into Bodi's heart. He died instantly, with his body landing just three feet away from his mother.

Kataya fell to her knees again. She didn't even think to look at what enemies may be entering the room. She crawled across the floor and cradled her seven year old son's body. The Queen tried to scream but, was unsuccessful. Only the broken echoes of her shattered heart were able to escape her lips.

Another arrow flew in from the entrance, this time piercing her left arm. She barely felt it. No physical pain could ever match the intensity of the emotional torture she was currently enduring. She covered her son's body protecting it from arrows and turned her head towards the door.

She saw another masked man come running into the room with a crossbow in hand. An accurately thrown sword from the hand of Drex made sure that the bowman left just as quickly as he entered. As his body fell backwards out of the room, another man stepped in.

This man had not bothered to covered his face. He looked completely absent of any emotion, and calmer than any man ought to be under such circumstances.

Drex ran towards him, picking up another sword from a body on the way. He lunged towards the assassin with his blade, throwing all his might behind it.

Without so much as a change of facial expression, the assailant stepped to the side of Drex's blade and spun quickly to his right, slicing the back of Drex's neck as he rotated. The young commander's body fell to the floor, face first. The murderer finally offered a facial expression. He smiled the most sadistic of smiles at Kataya, causing her body to shiver. There was no escaping now.

She closed her eyes, wanting it to be over.

"Mother.."

Lola's voice cut her deeper than the arrow in her arm. How could she give up now? She may yet save her daughter. And what of Joma? He may still be alive. Even Yessinya was still in danger, though she didn't look bothered by it. Kataya did not want Kolo to return to find his entire family massacred. She swore an internal oath to her God that she would not allow another one of her children to die this day.

"Get behind me, Lola. Quickly." She spoke fast and assertively.

"You too, Yessinya."

Both the girls scurried behind Kataya clinging on to the back of her dress.

The man approached slowly and calmly. That sickening smile was still on his face, and a dagger soaked in Drex's blood in his hand. Kataya closed her fist tightly, making sure that the assassin could see he was in for fight. As he got closer, she raised her fist behind her head and stepped forward quickly.

The killer's blade tore through her stomach with an unrelenting thrust.

"Mother!" Lola cried.

Kataya looked her murderer in the eyes to see that he was still smiling. She offered him a smile back as the fist behind her head pulled the pin out of her hair. She threw all that was left of her heart into the downswing, aiming for the neck. A fountain of blood covered Kataya's face as her enemy's carotid artery was severed. He let go of his dagger and stumbled backwards.

The monster put his hand on his neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but the blood found its way out of his mouth and nose instead. He died slowly, and Kataya made sure to smile at him until the life left his eyes.

Kataya stumbled backwards herself, crashing into the table where her firstborn had died. An avalanche of gifts landed on her as she fell.

"Mother!" "Kat!" The girls called out in shock.

"I'm fine, girls." Kataya insisted. "I need you to go now. Find your brother, Joma and get out of the castle. Tell him to take you to your uncle's. Your father is there."

"No. I'm not leaving you." Lola sobbed.

Kataya felt her eyelids flooding with tears. The tear drops forming were so big that they impaired her vision for a moment.

"I need you to listen to me. I'm going to see Bodi and Koba now. You must leave before anyone else comes." Kataya cried uncontrollably as she said goodbye to her girls.

"No!" Lola was being stubborn.

Yessinya picked Lola up in her arms and knelt down, running her thumb down Kataya's cheek. "Goodbye, mother." She offered Kataya a parting gift and ran out of the room, with Lola crying in her arms.

Kataya closed her eyes and rolled over. She could not bear to look at all the bodies in the centre of the room. She thought of how much she owed to Drex, who had given his life for her family. She thought of Joma, and how glad she was that he wasn't here.

The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching the hall. The Queen opened her eyes, ready to roll over and see who was coming this time. Kataya shrieked as she saw what lay before her. The last box that Koba had opened lay on its side, with the contents in full view.

A final arrow flew across the hall and made its way into the back of the Queen's spine, extinguishing what little life was left within her. As she took her last breath, Kataya looked on at the contents of the box and called out her husband's name.

"Kolo..."

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