Chapter 2: A story told
The day had been normal for Raven, she meditated, she read, her teacher Azar had her classes, now she was just sitting under her favourite willow tree in the royal garden. She wasn't doing anything, just sitting there enjoying the day, the sound of the birds, the sound the tree made as the wind blew through it.
Raven opened her eyes and looked down to the village. Her father's empire was the biggest in the world, but then again, it was the only one. Nobody else dared to rise another empire, her father was so powerful that he held the entire world in his hand. People were afraid that he would come after their land or homes.
But he wasn't a monster. He was just different, yes. That's what she liked to say. Raven never went to see the battles her father held, she thought they were too gorey. But that didn't stop him, she did have a choice to go anyway.
Raven looked at the huge colosseum, she could hear the faint screams as people were forced to watch their loved ones get killed in battle. She didn't know why, but she felt some kind of sympathy for them.
She shouldn't feel that way, her father told her they were just slaves. Just slaves.
Raven stood up, she didn't want to listen to the screams of terror, fear and sadness. She walked inside the huge castle that was her home.
"Good morning your highness." Many maids said as Raven passed them, Raven nodded to them with a slight smile.
Raven walked into the huge study, if she wasn't outside she was in the study. She picked up one of her new books and started to read.
When Raven closed the book, it was almost dusk. She placed the book back and was about to leave the golden home that was her study, yellow marble stone walls with a white marble floor with tall bookcases, a huge window at the far end wall. She loved to sit there, just reading. Nothing could disturb her if she was deep in the book, and people knew not to disturb her while she read.
The entire empire knew of Raven's dark powers. Emperor Trigon had been very proud when he found out his daughter was special with magic powers. Raven found her powers at the age of seven, that's when she learned she had the power to control the light and the dark.
He was very protective over her, as well as her older brother. Aaron. Aaron was eight years older than Raven, they loved each other highly. Aaron would always help Raven with things she couldn't understand. And the day Trigon found out Aaron had powers too, he almost went insane. Aaron found his powers to be controlling the elements; Fire, water, earth and wind.
Trigon didn't wonder where the magic came from, he knew it was from him as he himself had magical powers. Arella was the only one who wondered where the powers came from.
As Raven walked up the hallway to her room she bumped into him. He was, of course, taller than her, he had bitch black hair with four colored eyes. It was strange, his eyes were split into four, giving each piece a colour; Red, blue, yellow and green.
"Hello Aaron." Raven greeted.
"Had a good morning?" Aaron asked, he knew she had been outside earlier. He also knew why she didn't like to be outside when the battles started.
"The usual." She said and turned to him, he smiled to her.
"My baby sister scared?" He teased, he loved to tease her, it just made his day. He knew she hated to be called 'Baby sister'.
"I'm not a baby Aaron!" She started to yell.
"Whatever you say… Baby…" He smiled before running down the hallway with Raven right on his trail.
They chased each other all the way until they stumbled into the throne room, where Trigon and Arella was sitting. Trigon had just gotten back from the colosseum.
Aaron had stopped dead in his tracks and before Raven could react she fell onto him, making both fall to the ground with a loud thump.
Arella giggled at the sight, but Trigon sighed in frustration. "Kids…" He grumbled.
"Trigon dear, let them have some fun…" She said smiling at her husband.
"Aaron is twenty five, he is soon supposed to take the throne." Trigon complained.
"So he is not allowed to have fun with his little sister?" Arella asked, she was always so gentle when she spoke.
"I guess not, but he should learn to behave." Trigon rubbed his temple with closed eyes.
"we're sorry father." The two said looking down in shame. They might be seventeen and twenty five, but that didn't stop them from having fun and act like twelve year olds.
"You two should behave, tomorrow we get a really important guest and I want both of you on your best behavior." He said, Arella sighed. "Now go to bed, you'll have to get up early." With that he waved them off.
The two siblings walked to their rooms that were across from each other. They had gotten room across from each other when Raven was five, she started to have nightmares. Aaron allowed her to sleep in his bed with him, he would always say; "I'll keep the monsters away… I promise."
When Raven got seven she started to get more nightmares, but it was because of her powers. That was also the time when she needed Aaron, and he had been there.
"Night…" They said before going into their rooms. "Sleep well…" Was the last thing Raven heard before the door closed. He usually said that because of the nightmares.
Raven's room was as the rest of the castle, with light yellow marble walls and white marble floor. She had a skybed with purple seethrough curtains, she also had dark purple curtains. A huge white stone wardrobe, she quickly changed from her dark blue dress she had been wearing into a long white gown.
She climbed into the bed, blew out the light and went to sleep.
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The next day Raven sat at the huge meeting table, she was sitting at the end of the huge square table. Other royal families were sitting at each side. The families were named; Roth, Wilson, Todd and Logan.
Raven was sitting next to her mother at the right of the table, next to the Logan family. Aaron and Trigon was sitting at the left, Arella and Trigon were sitting in the middle.
The Logan family had two sons and both parents. The lords of Jump village the harvest village.
The wilson family had a son with a mother and father. The lords of Steel village the mining village.
The Todd family had two sons with both parents. The lords of Star village the fishing village.
Raven felt a little awkward that she was the only teen girl in the room.
Trigon rose from his seat. "Welcome powerful households, I called you here to discuss an important matter. A new empire has risen in the west without our permission, I called you here as an alliance to take down this new empire. Our empire is the only one to be in the world." He said, the families looked at him shocked, not even them would dare to rise their own empire.
Not that they wanted, Trigon wasn't so bad, he did give people protection. The only truly bad thing he did was enslaving the truly poor people. But according to their law, the only ones to become slaves were the ones who couldn't afford a roof over their heads.
"Emperor Trigon, if I a allowed to make a comment." Lady of Todd said, waiting for Trigon to nod. He gave a nod. "If this empire is new, it's probably weak too." She said.
"You're right Lady Todd." Trigon said. "If we attack soon…" He started to mumble to himself. "Aaron, Raven… Do you have control of your powers?" He asked.
"Yes father." Aaron said.
"N-Not yet…" Raven muttered low.
Trigon sighed. "Very well, Raven you will be our second defence. Aaron, you will lead the front army with Todd and Wilson. Logan you will be in charge of keeping the royal families out of harm."
The meeting ended and Raven had to go with the Logan family to Jump village, they told Trigon about the catacombs underground. Before she left, she had to change into a more appropriate attire, a cream coloured dress.
She was allowed to spend the rest of her day with her family. "We're going to miss you Raven." Arella said as she hugged her daughter.
The family was going to be split up around the empire to keep them safe. Aaron was leading the war in Star village, Arella was going to Steal village to hide.
"Don't forget us." Aaron hugged Raven and wiped away a tear. "I'm going to miss you… Little sis." Raven hugged him tighter, they rarely called each other 'Little sis' and 'big brother' mostly when something heartbreaking was happening.
"I'll miss you too… Big brother." Raven whispered.
She waved to her family as the carriage was driving out of Azarath. The carriage was pulled by four white horses and the carriage was made of gold covered wood with white silk.
"Do not worry dear, we know where to hide you." Lady Logan said, trying to comfort her.
Raven looked down at the ground as the family lead her to the underground catacombs. They told her she would go into a sleep, until someone woke her up again.
They were looking sad at her when they covered the wall back up. Some items had been placed in the room, mostly important items. They had placed the cage there so nothing magic could get to her from the outside.
Raven could hear them talking outside the walls.
"I feel so bad for her…" Lady Logan said.
"I know mother, but this is the smart choice to keep their family strong and alive. They have magic for crying out loud." A young male voice said.
"I know, I know…"
"Dear, we need to leave now… If the enemy finds us here they will know something is hidden down here…"
With that she heard the voices leave.
Raven didn't fall asleep at once, she sat there staring into the darkness. She just sat there, staring.
"You'll be safe…"
"There's nothing to be afraid of…"
"Just go to sleep…"
Raven didn't react, she knew it was just in her head. She closed her eyes and layed down, it would be over soon and she would be back with her family.
She sung herself to sleep with a lullaby her mother had sung to her and the voice of Aaron in the back of her mind.
"I'll keep the monsters away… I promise…"
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The next thing she knew, was waking up to a white light with strangers staring at her.