Questionable Offers

The sun suddenly vanished, and in the sky was a flight of winged monsters, casting horrifying shadows on the Kingdom of Yarma; each so massive, they concealed the blue surface totally and stole the light of the sun. They were ugly with scaly skins and leathery wings, razor-sharp talons, jagged-edged swords for teeth, and fire in the depths of their throat waiting to be unleashed. Seated on their backs were human-looking, blurred-faced creatures, shaped like terror and filled with darkness.

Ki'tory took a step back, her heart racing, her body paralyzed with fear.

"Ki'tory, run!" She could hear Eki's distant voice reach her despite the loud chaos around her as everyone was running for their lives.

How did this happen? Did she fail? Was Yarma left alone to fight her battles? Was it three moons already? Did she fail everyone? 

"Mi Zen, Run!" (My Sun, Run!) That was her father.

"Ryen, Mi Miini!" (Run, My Moon!). That was her mother.

This was a dream. THIS HAD TO BE A DREAM!

Ki'tory took a step back, her heart threatening to explode terror. She wanted to run, she really wanted to, but she just couldn't! Instead, her eyes remained fixed on the leader of the Xoiqs, who kept his eyes trained on her; it was as if she had been possessed to stay still under his gaze. 

His face unblurred a little, and she could see his eyes. 

Red serpent-like eyes.

Her blood ran cold in her veins as he stretched his hand forth. "DISOROYT!" (Destroy!).

At the command, fire unleashed from the throats of the dragon and rained down on Yarma.

Ki'tory snapped awake immediately, breathing rapidly as she wiped away the tears that streamed down her face. 

It was a dream. By Muktury, it was a dream, but that brought her no relief at all. Most of her dreams would usually come true. 

"Princess, a cup of water," Imova said, offering her a glass, trying to calm her down.

"You are here, you are fine. Let your heart be at peace, Milady. Let it race no more," Aytao said, patting her back.

But Ki'tory wasn't listening to anything they were saying, the images of the nightmare remained clear to her, those red serpent-like eyes burnt into her memory.

She could avoid it; she had dreamt about it, she had been warned, and that meant that she could avoid it. If only she had dreamt about Eki's death, she would have been able to avoid it, she would have stopped him from rowing into Akeng's sea that morning. In that sense, she felt that Muktury had betrayed her by intentionally concealing her brother's death from her.

She felt wronged. 

But she couldn't fight a deity, she was just Ki'tory. Therefore, she would have her vengeance on those she could fight. She had to avoid this nightmare.

The Xoiqs must bleed too.

She had to make sure the dream would not come true. 

It took quite a while for Ki'tory to regain herself. Aytao and Imova had brought her food when they had seen her crying in her sleep.

"Nothing happened last night," Imova blurted, observing the room.

Ki'tory's heart dropped. Prince Oi-ju didn't return last night.

A hundred and five days left. There was still time, right?

"Well, that is not good. You have a very beautiful body. How could he have resisted you?" Aytao added, placing the plates on the table at the other side of the room.

"Where is the Prince?"

"We haven't seen him," Aytoa responded. "You should eat, Milady. You will feel better when your belly is filled."

"I will have my bath first."

"I will run you a bath," Imova offered.

"Oh, Imova, we forgot the soup. Will you please run down to the kitchen and fetch it? I'll run the bath."

Imova obeyed without question, and Ki'tory wondered if hierarchy existed between them and if Aytao was up the ladder.

Immediately Imova raced out, Aytao came to Ki'tory.

"The Queen hates you. She wants me to report back everything you do and say, but I will only tell her the things you want me to tell her."

Ki'tory was taken aback; she had suspected that either one of them or both were acting as a spy for the Queen, but she had not expected this confession. Was this a tactic?

"Why?"

"You don't deserve to have lost your brother - those monsters from the other side of the realm will all rot for what they did to him. You have made your sacrifice, she should stick to her word. She has no honour to make further conditions." Her eyes were unreadable.

Ki'tory smiled nervously. "It is good to know I have someone who understands my pain, I was starting to feel very lonely."

"You must miss your family. I can send your letters for you, if you have any."

"Birds can fly through the frozen forest?"

"No. But we have an underground system for letters. All I have to do is give the letter to the Ighi and tell him where to deliver it to, and it will be done."

"The Ighi?"

"Yes, letter carriers. Do you not have Ighis in Yarma, Milady?" 

"No. Each household has a bird, with our crest on its feathers. May I give the letter to the Ighi myself?"

"I will not advise it. The Queen has eyes on you besides me, and I doubt they sympathize with you like I do. Your letters might not reach home, or worse, they might be manipulated." 

Ki'tory nodded. "I understand. I have no letters at the moment, but when I do, I will be sure to give them to you. Thank you so much, Aytao."

Where was Imova? Why wasn't she here yet? This was starting to feel uncomfortable. She didn't know what to think of Aytao, and she needed time to consider every possibility of the situation. She needed time to think!

"Why does she hate you so much, anyway?"

Ki'tory shrugged. By Muktury, where was Imova?!

"What exactly did the Prince do last night? I am just wondering if I can help."

Ki'tory's eyes were sharp with observation. Was that it? Was she doing what she really came here to do?

"He did nothing, as you can see."

A grave look took over Aytao's face. "You need the Prince, Milady, and I have a way to help you acquire him. Although it will be very risky. I'll do it, if you say you can trust me, Milady."

Ki'tory's heart was racing loudly in her ears. There was something strange about this.

She didn't feel settled at all.

"Why would you help me? Sympathy? It seems too much for such feelings, Aytao. Does she not have something over you as her servant, especially one placed to serve me?"

Aytao smiled, almost like she was impressed. "Only because she is Queen. What would be our fate, if she were not Queen, not there at all? If we have a new Queen." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, by Imigo, certainly something better than it is right now. More freedom and more peace."

Not there at all?

Did she just suggest killing the Queen?

Did she just suggest treason?

Was this a trap? Or was it a real offer of help?