I've wanted to do a Riddick story for a while, and I finally got around to it. Look on my profile under Maya Sarantos to see a picture of her hair and face. To see the outfit she's wearing look on my profile under Maya's First Outfit. I hope you like it, and please review it makes me super happy!
Walking along the dusty road I gaze up at the starry sky, sighing and clutching my wicker basket closer to my body. I can see the town in the distance, the sunrise beginning to light it up with a soft yellow glow. The wind rustles the tall grass on either side of the road and swishes my dress around just above my knees.
My basket is full of flowers picked freshly from the meadow a mile from the small two room cottage I dwell in just outside the city. The city is Galadon, the capitol of the planet Furya. Furya has been long forgotten, but our king is returning to us any day now as Lord Marshall of the Necromongers.
Many people are excited but nervous because of the Necromongers, but we are generally nice people so we'll give them a chance. I feel curious about this Riddick character, but I am looking forward to our planet being restored to its former state.
The sun has risen above the horizon by now as I step into the city square where a large fountain sits. I sit on the ledge, keeping my dress out of the water, and withdraw the book I've been reading and wait for customers.
It doesn't take long for people to start bustling about and set up their stalls to sell their wares. An older lady who is married to a farmer shuffles up to me as she does every morning to buy a pink daisy.
"Good morning Maya!" she says brightly and I smile happily at her.
"Hello Karena," I say quietly but she doesn't care. She knows I hate loud noises; my ears have always seemed to be sensitive. I hand her the usual flower and she drops a couple coins in my basket, giving me an extra tip.
"Don't say a word, I worry about you sometimes. In that cottage all alone out there, you should find yourself a man," she says winking at me and I blush, smiling softly at her.
"I know I should, I just haven't met anyone I could fall in love with yet," I whisper and she sits down next to me, smiling at me.
"You will, sweetie! Did you hear that King Riddick and the Necromongers are arriving today?" she says excitedly and I shake my head no.
"I hadn't, no," I say softly with a curious undercurrent in my voice.
"He's going to be taken on a tour of the city and the surrounding land to plan for renovations! Maybe you'll catch his eye, I heard he has no significant other," she says and waggles her eyebrows before nudging me gently.
"Sure," I say in response looking up at the sky, the soft breeze tickling my hair and the sun warming my face that's dusted with freckles.
"I'll see you tomorrow dear, make sure to get home before dark!" she says sternly and I nod smiling slightly at her as she walks away. A few more people who regularly buy flowers from me come over the next couple hours until a big commotion causes people to flock towards the palace.
I look over curiously to see a large ship landing and guards dressed in shiny armor emerge with a well muscled man wearing black goggles, a shaved head, black tank top, black cargo pants, and brown boots. That must be King Riddick and the Necromongers, wow he's different than I pictured.
I stand up and gather my things, holding my book to my chest with my basket hooked on my right arm.
I walk into the library that's a small ways away and put the book I had just finished on the front desk before walking through the aisles of old texts and stories to find another interesting read.
I find one eventually and lay a coin on the front desk so Artur, the library keeper, will know I was here. When I step back out into the sunshine the people have returned to their daily activities while the King and a few guards walk around observing everything with Artur as their guide.
They head towards the library and I quickly turn the other way, walking back towards the edge of the city to go home knowing I probably won't sell any more flowers today. Suddenly hoof beats are heard and the local bandit group that's been terrorizing the city comes in yelling and slashing their swords.
Everyone starts screaming but the King and his guard start targeting the bandits. I shuffle quickly through back alleys towards the edge of the village, looking behind me every few seconds.
I turn a corner and run straight into a gross smelling, rock solid chest and I gasp as I tumble onto my butt. My flowers fly out onto the ground and my book lands a few feet away. I look up to see the leader of the group smirking down at me and my breath quickens.
"Leave her alone," I hear the voice of Karena bravely say and I look behind me quickly to see her standing there glaring at the leader.
I unsteadily get to my feet and Karena pulls me to stand behind her, shielding me from the evil man's lusty gaze. I'm only five foot tall and Karena is five foot five so I'm shorter than the average twenty eight year old woman.
I get worried for Karena because she's sixty five, and that's too elderly to be taking on bandit leaders.
"Or what?" he sneers and she huffs.
"I bet if I scream either the guards or the King himself would be over here in a second," she says smugly and he pales, glancing towards where the screams were now pretty much nonexistent.
"She doesn't have to scream," a deep voice says from the shadows to the right and I gasp, my head whipping to see who spoke. A flash of black and glinting metal flashes out and the bandit leader falls dead instantly, his throat slit.
I shudder and avert my eyes, squeezing Karena's hand I grasped when I heard the voice. King Riddick is standing over the leader, looking down and probably glaring but he has his goggles on so it's kind of hard to tell.
"King Riddick, we didn't expect you! Thank you for saving us!" Karena says bowing her head in respect and I quickly do the same, keeping my eyes on the ground.
"Riddick, don't call me King," is all he says before walking back into the shadows. I slowly get down on my knees, setting my basket back up and saving the flowers that were still in good condition. Karena kneels down and starts to help me.
"Thank you," I say quietly like usual and she nods, smiling at me with twinkling eyes.
"Oh Maya, you always manage to find trouble don't you. Maybe you shouldn't go home quite yet, more bandits might be lurking around," Karena says nervously and I give her a tiny smile.
"I'll be okay, it's not far," I murmur as I grasp my book tightly and stand up with the basket hooked on my right arm.
"Oh alright, but if you're not at the fountain tomorrow I'll come looking for you," she says playfully but I know she's dead serious,
"Of course," I say before accepting her hug and heading back towards home. Still being a little shaken up from the recent happenings I didn't notice the figure lounging in the shadows and watching me with interest.
Riddick's POV
Maya, the older woman Karena had called her. She was an interesting one; any other woman her age would be in hysterics after coming face to face with a bandit leader.
Not her, she seemed relatively unfazed just gathering her flowers and books and continuing on her way. For some reason I felt compelled to follow her. After walking about a mile a tiny cottage appears, and I'm confused.
Why would she live all the way out here, where anything could hurt her and no one would know? Her scent was intoxicating, a mix of lavender and honey.
She enters the cottage and I stay in the shadows, watching for any signs of movement in the surrounding area that could suggest danger toward this woman. Shaking my head I make my way back to the city, fingering my shivs. I fucking hate bandits.
Maya's POV
Inside my cottage I set the basket of flowers on the table and sit in the chair, sighing heavily. I guess I do always attract trouble, but somehow I always stay unharmed. I stand up and grab my recently acquired book before making my way out the door and into the surrounding forest.
I walk for a few minutes before coming upon a stream lined with a grassy bank. I lie down and crack open the book, relaxing as much as I can. I read for several hours until my growling stomach reminds me I need food.
I make my way back to the cottage, fixing an apple butter sandwich when I get there and downing it with a glass of milk. I read around the cottage for the rest of the day, climbing into my small but comfortable bed and falling into a dreamless sleep quickly.
I wake up the next morning to the sun shining on my face through the open window and the birds chirping to each other. I get out of bed and munch on an apple before getting dressed (Look on my profile under Maya's Second outfit) and putting my hair in a braid.
I grab my basket and book before setting out towards the city. When I reach the fountain and sit down I look around noticing guards keeping watch and I smile softly.
It feels good to be protected, and it's about time we got treated like decent human beings. As I read my book, selling flowers every so often, the city life bustles on around me like I'm not even there.
A shadow falls over me and I look up to see Riddick looking down at me with his goggles on. He's wearing a tight gray t-shirt today with black cargo pants and standard brown boots.
I get a little nervous when he doesn't move or say anything I glance around but no one is really paying us any attention.
"Maya, right?" he asks in his deep voice and I'm surprised he knows my name.
"Yes," I say quietly and he cocks his head at me.
"Why so quiet?" he asks but it isn't said to make fun of me, he's truly curious.
"I just always have been," I say trying to speak louder but my voice just doesn't seem to want to listen to me.
"Alright. Those bandits from yesterday, they come around often?" he asks and I look around.
"About once a month. Never was able to kill anybody, though," I say and his mouth tightens in what is most likely anger.
"You read a lot?" he asks and I look up, surprised at the random question.
"Yes, it's fun," I say and he nods moving to sit next to me. I notice how graceful he seems to be and how strength seems to seep from his very pores.
"So, you sell flowers. Where's your family?" he asks and I shrug weakly.
"Gone," I say and he nods.
"They're having some kind of celebration. For me. How ironic, everyone used to hate me and now they're all happy I'm ruling their planet," he says and smiles coldly and I set my book aside.
"We haven't had any kind of celebration in a very long time. Everything changes, if nothing ever did we'd never be who we are today," I whisper and he glances at me.
"I guess. Get home before dark," he says the last as a command, his hand brushing mine as he stands up and I have to hold in a gasp from the tingle I get. Before I can say goodbye he's already walking back towards the palace, talking with some of his guards on the way.
I sit there stunned for a few minutes, and I know I should be displeased that he commanded me but I can't find it in myself to have any sort of bad or negative feelings towards him. When our hands touched mine started to tingle, and I wonder if his did too.
I try to keep him off my mind as I continued to sell flowers and read my book for the rest of the day until evening. When Karena came to buy her flower I decided not to tell her about Riddick, I wanted to keep our conversation to myself.
I started for home earlier than usual for some reason, probably to make it home before dark. When I get into bed that night I feel excited. Excited for what I'm not sure, maybe the possibility of seeing Riddick tomorrow. I really have to stop thinking about him, he's a King and I'm just an ordinary person. It could never work, but maybe we could be friends.
I know it's kind of short but it's just a prologue of sorts! Will she and Riddick really only just be friends? And why is Riddick feeling protective of someone he barely even knows? All will be explained in due time, my friends. Please review, it would make me super happy and I should have the next chapter up sometime tomorrow or Monday!
LilCrafty6 :3