Underneath the splendor of the grand palace of Tides, in the cold, dim dungeons. The girl from ten years ago remains. The sunshine of her hair was completely gone leaving long, thick silvery hair in its place and the creamy tan became a caramel color. Her body grew to be slender and delicate-looking. The only things about her left intact were her face and those crystal blue eyes.
Those eyes she had come to hate. Those eyes: always full of despair and hatred; her father's eyes.
'Why' she thought
She heard the gates swing open. It was time for her daily abuse from either her Queen Andromeda or rarely King Richard. Yesterday it was just verbal abuse from Richard. It would have been more but he was tired from all of Andromeda's planning. The visit Layla was having here was of uttermost importance to them. She was to be the next queen and her son's future bride. "Look, I have no time today," she stated in a matter-of-factly voice "My son will be home with his future bride."
She hurried off but not before flashing the necklace she took from the girl. She made it clear when the girl stepped foot onto the grounds that the pauper would not be dressed as a lady. The queen made her way out of the dreary dungeon to the glorious royal life where she and only those she saw fit belonged. That child belonged no where near her perfect world.
Andromeda fingered the necklace, a platinum key with detailed wings on the edges and an aquamarine gem in its center. Andromeda couldn't understand why some one would carve such a beautiful gem into such a simplistic design; a waste of a perfect gem. She found Richard waiting in a corridor looking out of a window.
"Are you done?" he asked
"For today," she responded. Her usual response
"I expect that you won't carry this on while Layla's here?" asked Richard
"Don't worry about me, worry about whether or not you'll be on your best behavior, Richard," she replied
"I misbehaved once," he stated
"Once? It was a couple of times and one of those times, the first time may I remind you, landed us with that child," growled Andromeda
"Well its one child," he growled "Besides it's not like she's going to replace you or our son,"
Andromeda let out a huff and stared out of the window on to the sparkling seas of Tides.
"We should get ready for dinner," stated Andromeda "They'll be here soon,"
Richard only nodded in agreement and continued to stare out at the window. Unlike Andromeda he was not enjoying the sun setting over the sea but rather looking gloomily at a distant part of Tides. Ten years ago he had a hand in its destruction. Now that part was nothing but scorched ruins. The only living being was the girl; his illegitimate daughter.
It's
not like he wanted to go that far but Andromeda was pressing him to
end the relationship. The girl's mother however wouldn't let go
and there was the fact that the girl's mother was a demon too. The
woman had to be destroyed and personally he wanted the girl gone too,
but Andromeda wanted her to suffer.
What was done was done.
Beside it didn't matter anymore. It was all water under the bridge
now. But he still had reoccurring thoughts that maybe she might have
connections outside of Tides; someone looking for her perhaps.
"Your highnesses, Nabu has arrived with Layla," called a voice
Andromeda face lit up and she hurried off to meet them. Richard however took a slower pace to greet them. When Richard got to the dining room, everyone was seated waiting for him.
"So how's school coming along?" Andromeda was desperately looking for a way to start conversation.
"It's fine," replied Layla.
The entire evening continued that way. Dinner was finished quickly and they rolled straight into dessert. Richard remained silent and the other three were getting nervous.
"Dad you've been quiet all evening," commented Nabu
"It's nothing," he replied
Nabu didn't press the matter any further. Dessert was gone and the couple of the hour was left by themselves.
"Did I do something wrong?' asked Layla
"No, Dad's been acting this way for a long time," answered Nabu "I wonder what's wrong,"
Later that night…
Everyone had gone to bed for the evening and a certain girl was looking out her barred window. The stars were shining brightly as back in her mother's home village, Konoha in the Land of Fire. This would be the time of year where the Chunin exams would take place and the Star and Summer festivals; her favorite events. Her only dream is to go home and find her family; a dream at this point that seem as far as the stars themselves. As she was reminiscing on the past, there was a huge explosion, knocking her onto the cold, stone floor and leaving her unconscious. She could only hear the guards, rushing towards the exits in panic and the explosions in the background.
The Next Morning…
Richard, Andromeda and Nabu were looking at the remains of their home. In one night, one man and a monster managed to destroyed the half the palace. Even worse, Layla was gone.
Only a note was left in place: I'm taking your daughter, Richard.
The signature read "The snake demon"
"I don't understand," stated Nabu "What does he want with Layla and why is it addressed to dad?"
"They took Layla but," started Richard
"You don't think that…"began Andromeda
"Think what?" asked Nabu
Before he could get an answer, Richard and Andromeda were hurrying to what was left of the dungeons. They had the prisoners transferred to another top-security prison. The only one who hadn't tried to escape was the girl. She was on the rubble of the stone floor sleeping peacefully as if nothing happened at all.
Nabu caught up and looked at the girl questionably.
"Who's the kid?" he asked
Still no replied from either parent.
Richard shook the girl in an attempt to wake her. She was still drowsy. She saw an unusual amount of light and felt the warmth of sunlight except on parts of her arms. She couldn't make out the fuzzy outline of the persons in front.
It was her father, Andromeda and her brother.
Andromeda took a deep breathe before she spoke "Nabu, this is your younger half-sister,"
"Half-sister?" he questioned
"Wake up," Richard demanded
Those crystal eyes opened to see the person they couldn't stand to see.
"What?" she asked groggily
"Get up," he said
"Okay, okay," she stood up unsteadily
"You have some explaining to do," said Andromeda
"I do?" questioned the girl
"Why was Layla kidnapped?" asked Andromeda
"Who?" the girl inquired
"My future daughter-in-law," said Andromeda. She was furious with the girl playing with her like that.
"Well how should I know?" asked the girl "How should I even know who Layla is to begin with?"
"Don't you read?" asked Andromeda
"I would but you've forbidden any text to come to my cell," smugly put by the girl
"Does anyone care about how I feel right now?" asked Nabu in distress
"Not really," replied the girl
Ignoring the comment Nabu went on "What's your name?"
"It's…"
"Her name is Tom," said Andromeda abruptly
"Tom?" questioned Nabu "What kind of name… Well Tom, do you know anything about Layla's abduction?"
"No," stated Tom
"Are you sure?" he asked
"Goodbye," she said as if she didn't hear him
"Where are you off to?" asked Richard with a warning tone
"I'm outta here," Tom replied
"Really and where will you go?" asked Andromeda
Tom began to look left and right over the horizon as if searching for the answer to Andromeda, "Where the flames of Will burns on, of course"
"Stop talking nonsense," said Richard "You're going to help us find Layla,"
'Find Layla, and just why I would do that?' thought Tom. Then it hit her like lightening. 'Perhaps I will help, old man '
"Of course sir," she replied
"Your highness," he corrected
"Your highness," she said "I won't be helping anyone unless I get my necklace back,"
He paused hesitantly, trying to control the anger boiling inside him. He stuck his hand out for his wife to place the platinum jewelry piece in his hand. She snapped it off of her neck and slammed it into his hand and he then handed the necklace to Tom.
"Happy are we?" asked Richard
"Very," replied Tom "If you don't mind, I have an idea on how we can find Layla,"
"Really?" asked Andromeda
"With the help of some friends of course," mentioned Tom
"Sounds good," said Nabu
'You keep thinking that,' thought Tom 'Keep thinking that'