Pythor waited in the throne room of the palace. He had ordered his guards to bring in the blacksmith after his sister was reported fleeing the city the day before.
"Where is my food boy?" Pythor snapped. Lloyd came into the room holding a tray
"Here master" The young boy kept his head down looking at the floor. The guards walked in. Pythor noticed that they didn't have the boy with them
"Sire. The blacksmith has gone. The only thing we found was this" He held out a small golden tiara embedded with emeralds.
"What fool would leave this?"
"Sire. Men are reporting seeing a girl with green eyes. They are reporting seeing the girl entering and leaving the city regularly over the past few months. People are also reporting seeing the same girl yesterday when the thief escaped and again when the blacksmith left."
"Green eyed girl? Impossible. The girl is dead!" Pythor raged. The only person he knew to have green eyes was the brat. He looked at Lloyd. "Come here boy" Lloyd moved forwards. Pythor grabbed his hair, yanking his head back. "Eyes this green?"
"Yes sire" Pythor released Lloyd. The small boy retreated to the shadows
"Find her!" the king snapped
"I don't think that will be necessary" Pythor turned around. A young girl stood in the doorway. A young girl with red hair and green eyes.
Ember looked at her brother. The two pairs of green eyes met. For the first time in years Lloyd smiled.
"So the girl shows herself" Ember walked forward.
"Yes. You are going to let my brother go. You are going to surrender the crown and you are going to leave this land in peace."
"What if I don't?"
"Then you will die"
"Unless I win. Seize her!" Ember stood there as the guards raced towards her. At the last moment she moved to one side. the guards tried over and over to grab Ember but the small girl moved with ease and grace that only comes with years of practice.
Unseen by everyone Jade moved over to Lloyd. She grabbed his arm, leading him out of the palace and then out o the city and into the woods.
As soon as Ember noticed Jade had gotten her brother out she jumped onto the window ledge. As she turned to leave she noticed the golden sword on the wall. The sword of fire! Ember lept over the guards and grabbed the sword off the wall. Only problem was that she ended up backing herself into a corner. Looking around Ember saw that the only way out would be to fight. So fight she did. Watching Ember fight was like watching a dance. Swift, graceful, and delicate yet deadly. Ember swung the sword like it was an extension of her arm but it didn't feel quite right. She was skilled with a sword but it wasn't her weapon. Nonetheless Ember made it to the door and upon doing so raced from the room.
Jade lead Lloyd through the forest
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere safe"
"What about the other girl?"
"Ember? Ember will be fine. She survived ten years on her own."
"Ten years I spent imprisoned."
"Did Pythor really think Ember was dead?"
"Of course he thought I was dead Jade. How long could a five year old survive on her own?" Jade and Lloyd turned around to see Ember swinging the golden sword.
"How about ten years Ember."
"You took the golden weapons?" Lloyd asked
"Yep. I took the Nunchucks of Lightning, the Shurikens of Ice, the Scythe of Quakes and now the Sword of Fire."
"He was so mad when the nunchucks got stolen. Then he arrested some guy, all the while going on about how it's 'happening again' and 'the ninja will rise' What's all that supposed to mean anyway?"
"I have absolutely no idea whatsoever. But it sounds important" Ember replied laughing. Jade smiled. The young girl had opened up a bit now that she had found her family.
"What's our next move?" Cole asked. The group were all sat inside Ember's tree house. With Jade, Jay, Nya, Kai, Cole, Wu, Ember and Lloyd it was getting pretty crowded. Ember had give Kai the Sword of Fire and Cole the Scythe of Quakes but she had kept the Shurikens hidden. Instinct told her that she hadn't met the person they were meant for yet.
"We need to contact the citizens of the land. We need to tell them the prince and princess are alive. We should split up. Cole and Jade, you two go north. Jay and Nya, you two go south. Kai you and I will go east. Ember you and Lloyd will stay here" Wu stated
"I know how to fight! I can help" Ember protested
"In the wild yes. In the city? Not so much. You know the way of nature, not the way of man. You will be no help on this mission." Ember scowled
"Not many people can go ten years without Pythor knowing they're alive!"
"Not many people have bright green eyes that give away who they are either" Lloyd pointed out. "That's what got me caught. My green eyes"
"That might be true but only two of us have green eyes. Can't be that hard to hide can they?"