Fyra was an ordinary girl. Well, as ordinary as you can be when you live in Nascartesa. In Nascartesa, you go to school to learn things completely unheard of in our world. Whilst we are stuck in stifling classrooms learning algebra and physics, children in Nascartesa learn of strange creatures even I cannot describe, and the occasional snippet of astronomy. We can learn astronomy too, but only later on when we're older, and our skies are rather dull and empty in comparison to the skies over Nascartesa.
Fyra was small for her age. At fourteen, she was pale and skinny, with a shock of shoulder-length bright red hair that never lay flat. She had piercing green eyes with a tint of blue, quite unusual for people in Nascartesa, where everyone's eyes were brown. For this, she had always been teased, however she had inherited her mother's quick wittedness and had no trouble keeping the bullies at bay with sharp comments they didn't understand. Fyra's grandmother had looked after her for most of her life. Her mother worked as a maid in the palace of Rah Calordan the fourth, ruler of the fair city of Nascartesa, meaning she was rarely at home when Fyra was not asleep. Her father had been killed when Fyra was five, she barely knew him, and so this didn't bother her much. She always seemed more interested in the beast that killed him, but unfortunately, nobody who had been with her father's party that night had survived to describe the creature. Fyra's grandmother had always called her 'special'. Fyra once heard her mother arguing with her grandmother something called a 'prophecy'. This didn't bother her, she had never been taught in school that there were such things as prophecies, and so, unfortunately, she decided her grandmother was losing it slightly in her age.
Our story begins on the second day of summer. Fyra was sat under one of the many oak trees surrounding the city, watching the clouds. She had avoided the house that day because a friend of her grandmother's was preparing a wedding for her daughter, so Fyra's grandmother had been enlisted to help make the wedding dress. Not wanting to be involved, Fyra had ridden out into the meadows surrounding the castle town to escape. A sudden sound sent her horse skittering around its tether. Fyra stood and steadied the terrified creature, soothing it with calm words the way her father used to. The sound came again. It was a horn being blown at the castle. The dull sound that could be heard meant either one of two things; either one of the royal family was dead, or war had been declared with some other province. This meant the whole city had to assemble in the vast courtyard of the castle. Grumbling to herself, Fyra swung herself up into the saddle and cantered back towards the town.
She clopped into the courtyard and joined the crowd at the back. She stayed mounted, otherwise there was no chance she would be able to see anything. On the balcony above the courtyard, a man in red was speaking. Fyra could barely hear him, but she recognised him as the Rah's ruthless brother, Benedito, who had suddenly returned from the East upon hearing of the Rah's poor health. Wild and terrifying, Benedito had the look of a man who craved power, and the hunger in his black eyes was evident even to Fyra right at the back. His hair was long and matted, black, like his eyes. None of the citizens of Nascartesa were fond of him, in fact, many despised him, but unfortunately, the Rah had had no children, owing to his wife's early death at the hands of illness. The realisation spread through the crowd in ripples, as those who could hear told those behind them. The Rah is dead; Benedito is taking over. A kindly gentleman stood beside Fyra's horse and whispered up to her:
"Benedito claims the throne," He rasped, in shock, "Bid farewell to your future, young lady." He shook his head and closed his eyes in silent prayer, begging the gods for help. Looking around, Fyra saw many others in silent prayer. With a growing trepidation, she looked directly up at the new Rah.
A sudden pain shot through her body, causing her to pitch forwards in the saddle. Clutching her heart, she looked up at the new Rah. A burning hatred welled up from deep within her, bewildered and not in control, her hand closed around the sheathe beneath her cloak that held her father's knife. The silver blade was almost out and drawn before she came to her senses and stuffed it back beneath her cloak. The pain subsided as suddenly as it had come. Gazing around, she saw that people were moving, probably going to hide their treasures from the new Rah's army. No doubt they would search everyone and plunder their riches. Shaking herself, Fyra turned her horse and rode home as fast as she could.
"Fyra!" cried her grandmother as she entered the small courtyard outside their home. The old woman ran up to her and seized her into a hug.
"Put Ferro away." She said, flatly, "We must plan our safety!" Fyra did as she was told, then went inside. Her mother was home early, unusually. Seeing her only daughter, she leapt to her feet and hugged her.
"What's going on?" asked Fyra amid all the confusion, "Are we going away?" She asked, eyeing the open trunk on the floor. She saw the answer in her mother's eyes. They weren't leaving; they would stay and resist for as long as they could. The trunk was simply being filled with valuables to hide beneath the floor of the stables in order to keep the guards from confiscating them.
"Dark times have descended on us, Fyra!" Whispered her grandmother Unsure exactly what she meant, Fyra continued to collect valuables from around the house.