Second Silver A

"My Sha, there is a pressing matter we need addressed. We've seen a fruitful production schedule these past few years, but out male age expectancy is lower than ever before." The middle-aged advisor slipped a scroll towards Farasha as he sat on his throne.

Farasha pressed in his seat, his weary arm resting a top the amber armrest. His creased face frowned, as the paper rubbed against his shaky fingers. "What do you propose?" The sand in the Sha's sphere was diminishing.

"There is an abundance of elder women, I think we need to rearrange tasks." The advisor drew out a metallic structure of the capital city from the hole between his palm and wrist. "These areas," the advisor said, pointing. "We're going to need to shuffle the roles. And also, I don't think you're going to like it, but it's about time we teach the girls how to fend for themselves." The sun swam inside from the windows beside the shelves as the advisor searched through the books.

Farasha stood up. His robe brushing the floor, as he walked towards the advisor, pulled him by the shoulder and stabbed his eyes with a cold expression. "We have the Legion. The women have their roles. It's going to remain that way." The advisor, shivering, looked up to meet Farasha's face. "Did you send for Myscara?"

"Yes, my Sha." A book trickled down, opening a book regarding exotic creatures. "Oh yes, I have another topic which needs attention, it's about the Legion, we received a distress pigeon today." His face was bumped in, a sliver of sweat crawling down his face, painted anxious.

The mirror reflected her extensive shadowlike strands as she struggled to choose an outfit. Her tongue pinned her cheek, shaking her head, she threw herself on the bed. The large lens now reflected a window which gave view to the small buildings boxed in blocks. Some representing house, others shops and pubs. The breeze bustled her hair against her sharp lashes guarding her beautiful eyes and a narrow nose hooding her lush lips. She was combat-savvy, but the subtle muscles build around her shoulders and abdomen indicated she could handle herself in a fight. Her soles sent a cold chime up her body, as she sighed. Do I go with the apple red with green olives or the burgundy chocolate with cream?

The walls were covered with paintings and drawings as she fingered the painting an artist drew of her under a waterfall. It sent a tingle through her delicate skin. The strawberry scent of the candles had caught her in a daze. Her attentive ears sizzled to the melody mellowing her mind, bobbing her head. It had slipped through the crevice cruising under the door. That music only plays for special occasions. Why today? Her palms skinned the cold metallic door knob, her hole was clogged. Oh right, clothes first. She waved her hand through her hair, bundling it back. Her face loosened with an innocent grin. Tomorrow, I finally go out on the Zaar hunt. I know exactly what to wear. Her heart bubbled in ecstasy.

"One of the sealed creatures has awakened? That's impossible!" The Sha's hair rattled against his neck.

A giant chocolate bar blockaded her path as her soles cushioned themselves against the carpet. Her royal robes tugging at her knees. The wind whirled against her cheeks as the advisor walked out. She slugged the enormous throne room. The dark bricked walls were glued with golden portraits of past Shas. Every frame was accompanied with cravings of descriptions, painted in black. The chamber rained down with royalty from every corner. The cups were gold and chandeliers cemented with rubies, along with other embroideries pieced into the room. "Father! You called for me! Tomorrow is the day I go for the hunt!"

The father's face glistened with glare, staring down. "No shoes, again, Myscara?" A portrait of his wife above the throne.

Her face bubbled pink, as she sighed, exposing her white teeth. "So-rry," she sung.

"I'm not in the mood, Myscara." The Sha sipped his drink. "The Legion returns from their ventures today. I need you to prepare for your Zaar hunt."

Depression danced in her as she noticed the lack of sand in his sphere. "Father. Please unclog my holes. I'm finally of age. I deserve to be able to fight to my full capacity." Her eyes crackled with fiery determination; her lips buckled.

Shaking his head, her father said, "The torch. Where is it? You're going to go to the blacksmith and get a blade attached to it. Period."

Her heart went heavy. "As you say father. My Sha."

"I have a present for you. New sandles, which will help in combat." The Sha pointed towards the table. The daughter strapped on the leather against her ankles as her heels bounced against soft soles. She expressed her gratitude and ran out.

Myscara's sandals echoed against the tiles as she ran the spiraling pale tongue of the castle, slipping out of a tower wearing mustard hats, among many others. Her fingers tipped the purple petals resembling her hair color and pattern. She could see leaves littered around behind the palace, their orange tint resembling the fabric shielding her waist, floating with the wind. A belt latched her hips with a rectangular hole in its buckle. She slipped in a badge, designed with a horse symbol at its core, hit her hips and sprouted a transparent horse as she twisted down the slope into the packs of people occupying the streets. The badge was called baeyonet, a pentagon shaped metalic chip which adminstered the power of its label. Most were women, old and young. A handful of younger men, while no sign of the elderly. She masterfully maneuvered her way down as she noticed a bright light coming from the corner of a building and heard shouting.

"Watch out!" A noise burst out. Myscara noticed a leafy-haired maiden on a flashy butterfly about to crash into her, and jumped up, dispersing her conjured creatures, running the walls, and summersaulted down.

"Brya! I've told you not to try flying that thing." Myscara gave out her hand to her friend who had scrapped her knee due to the landing.

"Angelhearts, disperse!" The butterfly split up into smaller versions and then slipped into her bangles, with a hole similar to the belt along Myscara's belt. "Mys, I was sure I could control them today." She was wearing a wooden block on her head, with the symbol of an owl, projecting two virtual lenses. "I've been practicing combat, and it's going along pretty well you know!"

"You know you can't go with me on the hunt, Brya. It's for my training, I have to do it alone." Myscara had spawned her horse again as the two of them rode through the houses.

"You finally get to earn your freedom, and you can't even have friends along? That's no freedom at all!" Brya pulled her lips back. "Mys, you're bleeding from the shoulder!" she exclaimed as she noticed it turn metallic.

"Still the worry-buddy, huh?" Myscara slipped out a giggle. "How many times until you stop fretting over it?"

"Clearly your father doesn't care for you, so I'm all you have, and maybe Koni."

Myscara turned her head back. "My father does care for me. Why would you say that?"

Brya ejected some sap from the hole between her palm and wrist and applied it on her friend's wound. "The way he's around you, Mys. I just know it, he sees you as a tool, not a daughter Mys." Brya looked at Myscara's holes. "They are still filled. He doesn't trust you. He doesn't trust the women to fight either, Mys!"

"Just stop, Brya. You're being ridiculous, he's my father!"

"Not your biological one, Myscara! You know have the option to find out where your real parents are. You're the only girl in the kingdom with purple hair, and holes which don't produce sap but metal!" Brya clutched her friend's shoulders. "You need to stop being so accepting of him, and express your wishes!"

Myscara stared into the distance. My mother? A scrumptious scent tickled her nose. She was the one person I always wanted to meet. Father... There was a ruckus rattling from the pub, followed by grunting. "There's a lot of megalia flowing from that room, did they unleash their metal?" The duo ran into the room to find their friend Koni in a room with chairs scrambled apart. Curled blades nesting on his head, shorts squinting as he jolted his knees, his shirt slashed, a fierce look pasted on his face, as his drink was spilled on the counter. His metal erupted out his holes like a helical spring as it ricocheted off the wall and slashed his opposition's face. His sphere shaking with silver sand. The opposing man held a zigzagged sword as he ran towards Koni trying to slice his skin. Brya raised out his finger and her butterflies formed a dome around them, separating the combatants from the civilians.

Myscara looked at Brya in awe. And then dashed towards Koni, standing between the two males as she spread out her arms. "Stop it!"

The man would not yield and tried to slash Myscara when he felt a tug at his shirt. "Do you want to get yourself executed? That's Princess Myscara." A man with long pony, scarred wrists, bandana, and casual armored gear whispered as he snatched him away.

"You're the one who got kicked out of the Legion, Reinhurt," Myscara said as she pushedKoni towards a seat. The shelves were socketed with barrels, with more badges, designed with grapes, barley, and cows to name a few.

"He spoke poorly about you, and I couldn't take it, Em," Koni splurted out as he slung his head towards his glass. "If I had a baeyonet, it would have been over in seconds." Bryadispersed her dome as a loud trumpet played. "Brother is back!"

"Those frauds are back, just like our Sha." Reinhurt stared at Myscara. "I still trust you, princess." Looking at the wooden floor, stepped outside.

"What did you call my brother!" Koni barged out of the bar and pushed a steady Reinhurt. "Don't cause trouble for your brother," Reinhurt said as he poked Koni on the neck causing him to stop breathing for a few seconds. Brya came to Koni's aid as the two of them followed the loud clatter towards the gate.

Myscara felt a slight tug at her robe as she stood by the side of the pub. "Missie. Please don't mind my brother. The one who fought your friend, he's just upset over how the Sha has left our district." The little girl wore clothes that would have ripped with a single sneeze, her fragile arms shook as she clutched Myscara's robe.

"It's alright, little one, what's your name?" A frightened feeling ran through the purple maiden when she patted her head and felt a cruel cold.

"Myra. I'm from Burgunbery. Would you care to visit?" the girl asked with a voice about to drain away. Myscara nodded with a smile.

Koni's hand glued his face when the cheering stopped, and the crowd's expressions were filled with tears at the sight of the bleeding and bruised warriors. A cart full of corpses carried the audience's sorrows. "Brother! He's alive, but he's so hurt so badly, Bee!" Koni ran towards the horsemen, but his brother only shook his head slightly and gestured that they would meet at home.