Hey everyone!

So I know it's been forever since I've put this story out there, it's been about 4 years since I began writing it. I just finished it for the sake of completing the story. However, seeing as most of it was written 4 years ago, my writing was considerably weaker than it currently is. Therefore, many of the characters are not developed well from the beginning of the story. They are quite static and don't speak like themselves. Anyway, just know that it does get better toward the end (I think). So read it if you want to, but definitely be aware of this :)

Happy reading!

~RukiaRae

This is inspiration from one of my English assignments. This story is based on the story Sundiata, a Malian epic that is also the basis for the disney movie, The Lion King. This story originates from Ancient Africa! I hope you like it, even if it's different...

Chapter 1

Sundiata

Long ago, the kingdom of Roth was ruled by a benevolent, kind king who was loved by all of his subjects. His name was Trigon. Everyone knew that Trigon had a bad temper, but he rarely let it show. Trigon had two wives (which wasn't many, all things considered). His first wife, the cruel Madame Rouge, had given birth to one son, who was now 8. Madame Rouge had short, jet black hair with matching eyes. Almost all of her robes were a shade of red and she always wore bright red lipstick. Her demeanor was almost always upleasant and she was suspicious of everyone. She had a very thick French accent that could always be heard. His second wife, Rita, had given birth to two girl twins, Tara and Jinx, who were still toddlers. Rita was a beautiful red head who was very kind and softspoken. Her daugters, Tara and Jinx, were ferternal twins. Tara had long blonde hair and navy eyes while Jinx had brown hair and brown eyes with pink flecks.

While traveling to the kingdom of Azure, Trigon met, what he thought, was the most beautiful woman, named Arella. Arella had purple hair and beautiful brown eyes (with purple flecks) that contrasted with her pale skin. It was said that Arella had telepathic abilities, but couldn't control when she used them. For instance, when she was little and wanted something, the object would usually begin to levitate. She, just like Trigon was very kind. Arella traveled with Trigon back to the kingdom of Roth, and upon arrival, they were wed. Together they merged their kingdoms into a new one, called Azerath.

However, Madame Rouge would ridicule Arella's appearance to others, especially when Arella was near. A few years later, Arella gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Raven. Raven had her father's dark hair, but in the light her hair had a velvet sheen that her father's hair lacked. Her skin was paler than her mother's, which many had thought was impossible until Raven was born. Raven also had beautiful purple eyes. After Raven was born, Madame Rouge no longer perceived Arella as a threat since Raven was a girl and only boys ascended the throne, therefore Rouge wasn't as cruel.

When Raven turned three, she still hadn't uttered a word to anyone yet, but she would mumble things to herself. At four, when all of the other babies in the castle could walk, Raven still resorted to crawling to get around. For this, Raven (and Arella) were teased. At eight years old, her father could feel his life waning, and Raven still hadn't said a word nor walked yet.

"Bring me my daughter, Raven," he commanded one afternoon.

As soon as she was brought in, her father began to talk to her, and it appeared that Raven understood what he was saying.

"I can feel my life coming to a closure," said a very tiered Trigon, "I am now going to present you with a gift that a king gives all of his successors. I am going to give you a griot. My griot is Bruce Wayne, and your griot will be his son, Richard. A griot is a storyteller. Your griot will teach you everything you need to know in order to rule. From now on, be inseparable friends. He will teach you about manners, government, making allies, military stratigies because when I die, I want you to take the throne," announced Trigon in front of Bruce, Richard, Raven, the Council of Elders (which had twelve members and was headed by Bruce), Rita, Rouge, and Arella.

This shocked everyone, especially Madame Rouge, who's son was in his twenties and extremely talented. What happened next though shocked everyone even more. Raven summoned Richard to her with a wave of her hand. She then said, "You are my griot."

This made Trigon and Arella so happy, that they both wept for joy. Two days later, Trigon died in his sleep.

The council of elders gathered to choose his successor. Disobeying Trigon and one of the oldest prophecies (which said the best ruler would overcome many odds, such as muteness and would be the one to defeat the evil king of Gotham), they selected Adam, better known as Red X, Madame Rouge's son, to take the throne. Red X rarely listened to anyone but he was extremely bright. They thought that since Raven was young and couldn't walk that she shouldn't rule. Plus she was a girl. Even though Bruce fought for her to rule, he was outnumbered 11 to 1.

Red X was given the throne, much to Madame Rouge's delight. She was given the position of advisor; however, Red X was Rouge's pawn. Anything Madame Rouge wanted, she'd tell he son to get it to her, and he would. Rouge banished Arella, Richard and Raven to the backyard of the palace to live in the storage hut. Despite all of this, Arella and Richard would teach Raven anytime the opportunity arose. However, Arella had little free time because Madame Rouge would make her work extremely hard for little scraps of food. Arella was allowed to keep her own garden, though. Rouge also allowed anyone to see, "The freaks."

One afternoon, Arella needed leaves from the Baobab tree to use for a fire. Arella went to Rouge to beg for some of the Baobab leaves that she had so many of.

"Look you," said the evil Madame Rouge, "I have a whole basket. Help yourself, you poor woman. As for me, my son knew how to walk at seven and it was he who went and picked these Baobab leaves. Take them then, since your child is unequal to mine." Then she laughed cruelly.

Dumbfounded, Arella never felt so much hate in a person before. When Arella returned to the hut, she saw Raven eating while sitting on her useless legs. Arella couldn't take it anymore, so she started sobbing. Seizing a piece of wood, she proceeded to hit Raven on the head.

"Oh, daughter of misfortune, will you never walk? Through your fault, I've just suffered the greatest affront of my life! What have I done, God, for you to puish me this way?"

"Mother," asked Raven, "why are you crying? What's the matter?"

"Shut up, nothing can wash me clean of this insult," replied a crumbling Arella.

"But what, then?" asked Raven, innocently.

"Madame Rouge has just humiliated me over a matter of a Baobab leaf. At your age her son could walk and he brought her Baobab leaves."

"Cheer up, Mother," replied Raven monotonosly, "everything will be okay," she said, but it was evident that Raven wasn't good at cheering people up.

"I can't," replied Arella, weakly.

"Very well then, I will walk today, " said Raven, "Go tell the blacksmiths to make me the heaviest possible iron rod. Mother, do you want just the leaves of the Baobab or would you rather me bring you the whole tree?"

"To wipe this insult, I want the tree and its roots at my feet outside the hut."

Richard then went to get the rod. Raven crawled back into the hut, and continued to eat rice as if nothing had happened. Arella sat outside the hut, weeping softly. Just then, a loud laugh could be heard from nearby. It was Rouge, telling one of her jokes again. This made Arella weep harder.

Richard, along with six other blacksmiths, brought the iron rod to Raven. Raven then surrounded the rod in black energy and had it stand perpendicular to the ground. She then grasped the rod with her hands and, with much effort, she was able to pull herself to her knees. Raven then inched herself up, ignoring the beads of sweat that were forming and the immense exhaustion, she was able to pull herself to her feet. It took several tries, but she was eventually standing.

Then Raven then dropped the rod, and then took one step, then two, and so on. A crowd had gathered around to see Raven stand and walk.

"Back up!" said Richard, making a path for Raven to get to the Baobab tree. Slowly and painfully, Raven walked until she reached the tree. By now the crowd was cheering, all except Rouge and her son.

"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" cried Raven, covering the tree in black energy. She then used her mind to pull the tree from the earth and move it in front of the hut, at her mother's feet. Many recognized these words to be the ones Raven had muttered to herself when she was little!

Everyone was astonished, especially Madame Rouge. Many kids began to play with Raven from then on. I was almost as if people hoped that by spending time with Raven, some of her glory would rub off onto them. In the years that followed, Raven made many new friends like Tara, Kori, and Karen. Raven became best friends with her half cousin, the one that had another twin sister, Jinx. Jinx was also the daughter of Rita. They would always walk to the market or play games together. Wherever they went, Richard followed (as was the duty of a griot). Richard was able to join Raven and Jinx in many of their games, as he was only two years older then them and they hardly ever did girly things. The three of them were almost a unit. Sometimes they could be pursuaded by Tara, Kori or Karen to do some girly things, like play dress up or do each other's hair.

Madame Rouge was beginning to worry about her son's position of the throne. Now that Raven could walk and was gaining popularity, could she overthrow her son?

One night, Madame Rouge called upon the Nine Witches of Azerath.

"Why do you summon us?" they inquired.

"I want you to kill Raven Roth," replied Madame Rouge, simply and emotionlessly.

Should I continue? Leave it? Delete it? Let me know…