"The beginning to a story doesn't have to be the best, and the ending to a story doesn't have to end in tears. The best is journey between the two."

-Shirin Samar


Prologue: Aish El-Saraya

Samaria was a small country residing in the south-east, separated from Kou by a strip of desert and the southern half bordered by a large ocean. It was a stunning Kingdom for sure, being led by the King Ali Shar and his second wife, The Queen Zumurrud. Currently the prospering country was celebrating the birth of first born son of the King, little Zayn Samar would soon join the world as his father's heir. As the festivities began to spread through the kingdom, none were aware of the incoming danger besides one little girl eyeing the black Rukh fluttering along the skies in a warning.

This little girl was the Princess of Samaria, little Princess Shirin. Once glance could assure anyone that she was at least part Heliohapt with her skin kissed by the sun, and her ash gray hair that fell in stunning contrast to her skin. Her eyes a piercing heliotrope color that was light around the pupil before darkening on the edges of the iris. She was the daughter of Ali Shar and his first wife Talora Amun-Ra. The first Princess of Samaria and yet she had a secret that she'd take to her grave, for she already had once.


I used to be a normal girl from a large city in a now unknown country going to an educational system that far outshines the educational centers of today. These memories led me to question many 'known' things about the world here. Such of them being that the world was flat, the memories told me that the Earth was a spherical planet. That the gods held no control of the weather, with the water cycle swimming in the murky thoughts. The sun didn't revolve around us, we revolved around the sun. The primitive narcissism of these theories always led me to almost open my mouth before I remembered myself. Women's rights had been a hard fought battle in my time, but here it wasn't even a concept worth petitioning, not yet.

Most importantly I remember dying, not exactly how as that particular memory was shrouded in too much emotional pain. I couldn't remember anything personal about myself, just that my hair used to be brown and that I had once been in love. Other facts were swimming in the buried realms of my memory that would surface sporadically when triggered but were there buried beneath the surface. I theorized that it was because I had accepted my position, the person I was here in this world. I was the first Princess of the Kingdom of Samaria, Shirin Samar. I was the daughter of the King and his first wife Talora, I was to be the big sister of the crowned prince of Samaria, little Zayn. My best friend in this world was my bodyguard/attendant who was years older than me. I had the rare ability to see the spirits of the dead in this world, called Rukh leading many to believe that I would become a magician later on in life.

What many didn't know was that when bad things would happen, I'd see the dark rukh just before the incidents occurred like with my mother's death in this world. So every time I saw them I'd be scared and wary of them. I should have known as the rukh swarmed like a murder of crows along the land, that my peaceful life as a princess would come to a bloody end. Like a plague on the land to wash away the sins of the people, they swarmed and consumed everything. I had never thought I'd be in a fictional world, even with the rukh a clear sign that I was. How was I supposed to know, when if the kingdom had been cannon in this world it'd been destroyed well before the cannon story had started? When I had only just begun watching the first Magi series? I barely knew this world, and I wouldn't know much more for many years to come.


"Princess?" A voice called from ahead, drawing the startling eyes from the Rukh and into the deep ruby eyes of her attendant, a small curious tilt of his head allowing that carmine red to spill against his face and shoulders that was his hair.

"-qut" She muttered out his name, her hand reaching forward and connecting with his much larger hand, drawing the young girl closer, "The Rukh-"

"Are you tired, Princess?" The male asked picking the girl to rest against his hip, her head falling against part of his chest and shoulder, "The festivities of Prince Zayn's birth are a bit hectic."

"My stomach hurts, I have a bad feeling." Her head nuzzled against his shoulder, hiding her gaze from the seemingly knowing dark rukh that were spiraling along the skies.

"Princ-" The teen started before he let out a grunt, a sickening snapping sound as the duo were thrown from a close range explosion. She could remember as her attendant curled around her, but the rough ride made her lose consciousness well before they finished that landing.


If I had known how long it'd be for us to meet again, I'd have told you how much you meant to me. I would have fought harder, I would have done anything, and more just to feel the comfort of your arms again. You were never just my attendant, you were my whole world, and I let you slip through my fingers so easily. Every time I bled, every time the sun set, and every time I met a ruby gaze I saw you trying to welcome me home. I begged and screamed to the fates that you were not lost to me, I couldn't go on knowing that you were lost, and so I kept believing that you were alive. I'm so glad you were alive, Ya. So glad.


Waking was slow for Shirin, the scrape of sandstone along her arms and back weren't the cause but the noise of it was buzzing in her ears. It took several moments for those eyes to open, bleary and uncoordinated as they gazed along the moving floor, or was it she that was moving? Blinking her eyes as arms weighing like stones moved to rub the grit from her eyes, she let out a small gasp as she was lifted by her aching ankle to stare into dark eyes. She swallowed in fear, seeing herself reflected in those eyes blood dripping along the side of her face, one eye wide in fear and the other barely able to peer open.

"Hello little Princess," He greeted her, a shine of regret in his face as he made his way over to the window dangling her like a piece of bait for slaughter out over the castle's courtyard, "It's for the best little one, a quick death."

"Shirin!" A shout could be heard somewhere behind the man who turned, ruby meeting heliotrope for a second before she was swung around barely bracing her arms against the wall keeping her face from being smashed.

"Someone contain the Fanalis!" The man barked shaking the girl slightly with his brisk orders, "He's too good of a chance for the Reim gladiator circuit, a good prize!"

"Give me back MY PRINCESS!" Ya roared before a mangled body slammed close to her head, it's blood splattering across her face, a choked sob escaping drawing the man's attention to her.

"Watch carefully Fanalis as your little mistress falls," The man ordered before suddenly Shirin was flung out the window, everything slowing down as she watched Ya slam the male into the wall and open his mouth.

"RINNNN!" The roar that fell from the Fanalis burst the eardrums of anyone close enough, the shock wave of sound blasting the tiny princess into the trees near the edge of the courtyard, the bite of branches and bark barely felt by her as she scrambled to find purchase in the foliage. Her ears ringing as she dangled from a branch, little arms straining as she scrambled up. Turning her gaze met Ya's as he was grabbed in a struggling fight, she choked as a knife sliced into the teen's arm. He managed to scream one last thing before she got moving, an order, "RUN PRINCESS, RUN!"


I look back to this time and I feel regret, I feel turmoil, and I feel scared. I was just a child and the Kou Empire had destroyed my kingdom for no other reason than to expand their own country. The Kou, Reim, and the Parthevia Empire have been rushing to expand their nations as wide as they can as if in some kind farce pissing contest on size matters. If I had known the true reason for the attack I would have fought harder, I would have done something, if only so my little brother had a chance. Oh Zayn… I can never ask for forgiveness for what my ignorance has caused you.


Scrambling through the tree branches, burst of golden rukh causing her to stumble enough that flying projectiles missed by a hair's breadth from the tiny girl. She stepped on the gate walls of the palace and scrambled, a shout drawing her attention to one of the guards of her father. She didn't think as she launched herself from the walls and into his arms, the golden wings at the corner of her vision moving with her. They both grunted from the catch before the man was running with her, other officers trying to lead the civilians out of the Kingdom, turning to cover them. She clung to the man, his arms like chains around her body. Peering she saw a barricade of rukh that were leading to an alley.

"Right!" She barked into the man's ear causing him to try and follow through with her order, his skidding steps leaving him open just at an angle to the alleyway. He saw then why she'd scream as a horde of weapons flew through the sky, his last act throwing the princess into the alleyway. She didn't turn as she landed on her arms into a roll, up on her feet she ran. An officer on her heels, ready to defend her if the need arose. He was racing after her, the birds of different colors rushing on either side of her letting her know that she was in a tight spot. Ahead of her she could see the small hole in the wall that used to have pipes, all rusted away that only a dog or a small child could fit through. She slid into a slide, crawling to get out, a hand grasped her ankle before it was ripped away along with one of her slippers. The sound of people clashing filled her ears even as she hit the desert sand, sliding down the dunes. A burst of multi-colored rukh shooting out after her in a stunning light show.

"Run Princess." She whispered, heart clenching painfully in her chest, sobs forcefully held at bay, and she ran head first into the desert.

For you Ya, I'd run all the way to Sasan if I could.


Authors note: So… I decided to remake this story, with very little extra added. I felt like I was focusing on Shirin's looks more than I should have been and decided to rework it. I've changed the name of the chapters to be middle eastern sweets, as just adding sweet to the chapter name with relevance of the chapter seemed cheap. Aish El-Saraya is "literally the bread of the royal palace" and I thought the sweet fit well enough with the prologue. Hope you guys enjoyed. Also still unbetad.