AN: Now, with the semester being over, I'm back to writing! Expect less of a gap for the next chapter!
Chapter 3: The Empress and the Seas
Far from the reaches of the Hoolian states, in the mountainous lands of the former Jouzhen Kingdom, the elegant Tyto Empress perched on her polished jade throne staring at the ocean between giant marble pillars. Her eyes wandered on the same, rolling waves she had seen all her boring life. She reached into a small stone bowl next to her for a chunk of juicy vole meat as she stared. Noticing that an empty bowl met her neatly-groomed talons, she called for her personal chef, Greta. The short, plump sooty owl waded into the giant, lonely throne room. The Empress yelled down, "Greta! I'm all out of vole! Bring me more!" Her voice echoed on the walls.
"Yes, my empress! I shall bring more! Juicy vole is on its way, yes!" The chubby Sooty rushed back out.
Shortly after the echoes left the hall, the elegant Empress returned to her deep state of thought. The ocean before her guided her thinking with its mood. When its waves were soft, her thoughts were calm. Today, for some odd reason, the waves appeared uncomfortable and foamy; restless. She shrugged it off for now; it meant nothing more than a few rough winds. She tried to think about some other subject than the waves, but was interrupted by the loud voice of Greta returning.
"Your Majesty, here is the meat, yah!" She flew the bowl of vole meat to the Empress, Nariana.
Nariana looked at the smooth silvery plate, which, aside from the meat on it, reflected her beautiful and elegant face. Yes, it was beautiful, but it was, in fact, the face of a killer; the throne was given to her by force. Having nothing to do in this gigantic and empty polished jade palace, she decided her mother's reign was over, and with a simple swipe of sharp battleclaws, she became the Empress. Did she miss her dear mother? No, nor did she care for the passing of anyone who could ever come in contact with her. She simply did not care.
If this murder had been committed by any other owl in the entire kingdom, it would've meant instant execution. Yet, since she was the daughter of the Empress, all the owls and other beasts celebrated. Whether it was out of fear or respect, they considered this killing a victory. All accounts of the event described the murder as heroic and claimed the slain empress was a coward who deserved what she got, though neither opinion was true.
Niriana stared back at the sea. The same sea that has seen hundreds of empresses come and go. It was the sea that witnessed the forceful removal of Nariana's mother from the throne. The sea that would be there long after she, Nariana, and the kingdom were gone and forgotten. The sea, large and monstrous, looked back at her. The waves crashed.
The soft shadows of a barn owl and sooty owl loomed over the former Sea of Hoolemere, now called the Sea of Nyra. The moon above, now waning, reflected beautifully upon the sea below. The barn owl carried a bag with her journal inside. She would take it wherever she went, for if she felt inspired, she felt the need to write. The Sooty next to her looked around at the vastness that was the sea; it meant nothing to her. The moon above somehow gave her reassurance that nothing bad would happen. It made her feel safe, even though she was on the way to a prison.
There, on the horizon, they both caught a glimpse of a depressing and bare rock island. The sooty, Glace, stared at the large rock jutting from the sea. It gave her the same feeling of security as the moon, yet she had never been near it or seen it in her entire life. Still, the island gave her gizzard a feeling of strength.
What does this island have that is making me feel like this? She thought. As the two owls approached the island, the sensation grew, and the answer to Glace's question began to take shape.