(AN: Hello, please leave critical comments. Also I do not own any of the artwork. Each art except the title cover has the artist's info. I just use the pictures as a reference of how the characters look. Thank you and enjoy.)
We are told that our kind are born to be blessed by the Priest Yocab I through the blood of our All Mother. Our All Mother is picked every fifty years by the time she is a young maiden and had slain at least twenty of our arrival tribes. She will be taken to the Shrine of Yocab where she undergoes major training of the heart, soul, and body. If she survives, she then will be presented to all of the people in our tribe with marvelous wings. The All Mother is to protect us and be kept as a virgin throughout her time. If she is deflowered, well mistakes like myself happen and she is to be executed before the tribe after her dying wish. Usually the offspring and father will either be exiled or be killed along with her.
In my case however, I was born with white hair and silver eyes. The High Elders took this as a sign that all what was pure left in my mother was transferred into me. My fate set in stone to be the next All Mother once I undergo the training and experience my mother had gone through. If I were to fail, I would have to be killed like my father and mother.
I do not plan to fail, I thought as I swung my wooden sword repeatedly at the straw dummy who took every hit with pieces of straw flying about. I will not fail! I could feel my skin tingle with every anticipation to grow stronger. My cheeks flushed as I heard a crowd gathering near and their whispers of discouragement.
A hand rested on my right shoulder as I paused for a breather. My lungs on fire, I couldn't let my sharp tongue speak. I only turned around slowly as I gathered my breath and gazed up at a boy of maybe eight or so. Messy dark red hair matted around his face as he too was sweating. His light green eyes hazed with honey of the sunset was full of determination as he grinned and wiped his brow.
"J'hai." I blinked at him as he properly greeted me. No one has ever done that.
"J-J'hai..." I mumbled back.
He chuckled, "I want to spar you, White. You seem to know what you are doing, and your footing is good too. But, I kind of want to see how it would be against me." He said rather too cocky as he held his chin up.
"You do know that we must be in the same age group to spar? And my name is not 'White'." I pursed my lips as I glared at him.
"Age? I am seven. We are in the same class, White." He held his side's as he laughed for a moment. I did not join him, but put my sword against the dummy.
"Fine." I turned around to face him. This was usual for me, people wanted to spar me and usually I let them win due to the ugly glares and words I get if I were to win. I sighed and stood still with my hands at my face and my knees slightly bent. I looked as pathetic as the dummy behind me, but I found this stance easier for myself to least likely get hurt.
His reply was a crescendo of laughter. The crowd started to disperse and I felt warmth engulfing me into a tight embrace. Confused, I peeked through my fingers and saw the red of his hair lick the skies as though they were flames. I felt his cheek against mine and his laughter suddenly stopped. "White as snow and pure of heart, yet the fools see you as weak. But I know. I know you are strong. Please, I don't want to see you alone anymore. Promise me that you can come to me whenever you need aide." Be had whispered this into my ear so softly before pulling himself away. My hands dropped and I frowned.
He simply smiled and placed his index finger to his lips. That day was the day I had truly lost a fight, but won a friend.