Chapter 1: Falling Alone

Queen Thayet paced back and forth around the study room of the suite that she shared with King Jonathan III of Tortall. Her rider uniform was mused from a hard ride she had that day with the trainees. Her crow-black hair swayed in the braid that had come undone from the bun it was curled into that morning. In her hands she played with an amber bracelet that her mother had given her before she had died. Her mother, Kalasin, had jumped out the top of a tower in hope to make a difference to the society of Sarain, which she had succeeded but at a great cost. Thayet stared into the amber depths to loose herself in memories.

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Sitting on the rim of a fountain she swung her feet. Her scarlet silk dress fluttering back into place, only to be lifted up again by her feet. The place was familiar, yet she couldn't place the name of it. Then she remembered she was in the garden where she usually waited for her mother to return from discussions about her marriage that had been going on for two years already. Apparently nobody wanted her to be the Tortall prince's betrothed because of the bad blood in the line.

Although she was waiting for her mother, Buriam Tourakom came instead with a wistful look on her face. She gripped a sealed letter with the insignia of the crown of Sarain. Thayet snatched the letter out of Buri's hand and tore open the seal in terror of what had happened. The letter was written her mother's neat handwriting.

Thayet, my dear daughter, do not be afraid. I will be in a better place now with Buri's mother and brother by my side. May your heart be at ease, my daughter. I love you with all my heart but I must do this for my people, for our people. My daughter do not forget who you are, who you may be, who you will be. This amber bracelet is for you, a symbol of my love for you dear child. This shall be the end for Kalasin jian Wilima but it is the beginning for Thayet jian Wilima so remember dear child of our fond memories and think of the people always. I love you dear child do not forget that.

Kalasin of the K'miir

"NO!" Thayet protested. " Why did you let her do this? Give her back to me!" Thayet stamped her feet on the ground and fell. She pounded the dirt with her fist in rage. Calmer, she said, " Bring me to her."

Buri wanted to refuse but she had ordered her not questioned her and although Buri was her bodyguard and could be more frank with her, she could not refuse a royal demand. She took Thayet's hand lightly and led her to the mangled body of her mother that lay at the bottom of the tower. Thayet rushed to her mother's side the moment she saw her. She grasped her mother's hand and she found that it was ice cold. She wept into her mother's hair. Her face buried into her mother's hair she cried her heart out hoping, wishing that her tears would revive her mother. Her father drew her from the body slowly, peeling her grasps on her mother's dress to hand her gently over to Buri who held her mistress tightly as the warlord wept silently for his wife, who was proclaimed to be the most beautiful female in the world. Her face had been saved but her body was at an impossible angle. Her pale yellow dress lay around her crumpled figure. All of the people came to mourn the death of Kalasin jian Wilima. Blood pooled around her figure.

Thayet's hands were covered with blood. She shook with undeniable rage. She turned to her father." You did this to her, you killed her and for that I will never forgive you," she said quietly, her voice distorted with the rage that was silently raging inside her. She stood up, her hair blowing in the wind, turning she stalked off towards the courtyard where she had resided before, waiting for her mother to return only to realize that her mother wouldn't be coming back to her. Her father reached out a hand as if to grab her arm but dropped it when he saw her stiffen.

Buri trailed after her mistress in a silent scuttle. Her eyes flickered back to the warlord who still held out his hand, sub-conscious that his daughter now walked away from him. Buri turned her head back towards the path they now trod on. Thayet's scarlet silks fluttered behind her, occasionally whipping Buri in the face. It seemed like a punishment from Thayet because she didn't tell her that her mother would do this and end her life torturing her mistress'. It was true. She had wanted to, but she could not refuse her former mistress' last request of her. They entered the courtyard and Thayet fell, weeping, to the floor. She looked with tears in her eyes towards the tower and glanced at Buri who came to comfort her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered to Buri. Buri winced at the thought of what Thayet's response would be but once again she had been ordered to answer her.

"My lady," Buri began, " How could I not heed her last request of me? I was not to give you the letter until she had jumped, but I still gave it to you before. Thayet, I- I'm sorry. Kalasin bade me not to tell you her plans. I- I could not refuse her. That warlord you call a father made this place a prison to her. She was taken away from all she had known. He even went to forbid her to ride Pishala just because she was fragile! Intricate! He treated her like she was a prized possession not a human being with feelings! All will remember her, my lady, I know you may choose never to forgive her but she did this for the people. You father would not let them worship our four god, if caught they were tortured and killed," Buri began to weep. " Kalasin could not just stand by and watch her people be slaughtered right before her eyes. Your mother was a brave lady, unafraid to die so she sacrificed herself for the rights of the K'miir and for that I thank her gravely. The people thank her gravely."

Thayet glared at her bodyguard. She hated her mother for what she had done, she'd left her alone in this world full of treacherous people. She hated the world.

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Thayet sank into one of the chairs in the study room. Her grip on the amber bracelet was not tight enough and it slipped out of her fingers and fell to the floor. Red shards were scattered everywhere. She wept piteously. The bracelet which she so treasured, the bracelet she had kept with her from the day her mother had left her for the realms of the dead. Jonathan strode in then. He found Thayet there on the floor, meekly holding the shards weeping.

"What happened? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" he questioned her without a pause between the words.

All Thayet could do as weep. She threw herself at him. Gripping sapphire folds of his tunic in her hands she wept. That was all she could do, that was all she wanted to do, weep.