The Alchemy of Souls (The Sun)

Prologue

Queen Nayara

In the old world, before phones and social media…

The Solhari, the first people to touch this land belonged to the Kingdom of Khamar.

Those born of the sun bore skin that was as dark as the midnight sky.

Those born of ember carried the earth tones of deep brown and red clay.

The rarest of them all, born of scales belonging to a winged serpent who had the ability to create the first flame.

Even when we hid from the new world, our world only continued to grow.

The Great Halls of the palace in the heart of the Khamar Kingdom were filled with cries as I stared at the newborn being thrown in my arms. My body was still exposed on the bed, drenched in sweat as I just gave birth for a second time.

The stoned walls were cracked with flecks of gold and silver.

The floors had some of the finest handmade rugs from other territories given as a gift to our king.

This was supposed to be a big day, celebrating the birth of a son.

A prince. My hands were trembling with fear as my nerves began to get caught in my throat.

Nari oru senu, tirasa… Born of the sun, a daughter.

The oldest language in the world, Sutari, was spoken by the midwife announcing the sex of my child when I looked down, terrified.

Her fate was sealed the moment she was destined to become a female.

The midwife continuously wiped her down while checking her ears and feet.

All toes and fingers were accounted for.

She indeed belonged to the king. I could already see his dominant features in her from the sharp eyes to the full lips.

Sniffling, I tried to hide my own tears because of what I’ve just done.

The biggest crime I’ve ever committed in this lifetime was giving birth to a daughter.

“Nayara, you will be queen,” the midwife anxiously whispered as she smoothed my hair back and looked at me. “She is a beautiful daughter…born of the sun…he will accept her.”

I closed my eyes while I felt her push the baby closer to my chest so she could cry against my skin. The disconnect was stronger than the touch. All I could think about is what I’ve done and what will happen to me once he finds out.

“Once you lay with the king again, you give him a son,” she soothed. “Women are nothing more than a vessel to give birth to the father of a nation, and protector of our kingdom. You will do as the sun commands because it is your destiny and your right. You are on the right path.”

The Solhari people are the original natives, the original black nubian skin to touch this land before colonizers came, attempting to spread disease and their ways onto our land.

We are the oldest, the most sacred, and hidden civilization on earth.

The king will do anything to protect this, and the loyal followers will do as told.

With a trembling voice, I whispered. “He will have me killed.” I looked towards the midwife who tried to mask her fear.

She placed her hand on my forehead, saying a silent spell of a prayer just as the double doors opened.

The King… named the Great Sun when he was born by a high priestess, he walked in with no smile, no excitement for his first child.

He stood in the center of the maternity room with a velvet robe draped over his shoulders with intricate gold designs of sunrays stitched down the sides.

He walked barefoot, shirtless, showing off his incredible strength and was young.

The veins traveled along his body to his feet like paths and routes.

He could have whoever he wanted in this kingdom.

Khamar was one of the youngest to touch this throne, but he was wise beyond his years, always respecting those before him yet knew how to stand on his own as a true ruler.

They said he was a gifted man that would go on to expand our empire, and I should be honored to share his bed.

Handsome with dark brown eyes, skin the color of black seed oil, just like any other born of the sun, his council of tribal men stood around him, waiting for his approval as he slowly made his way over.

With a rub of his thick curly beard that was tapered low against his jawline, he leaned over the bed before cutting his eyes at the midwife who took a deep swallow.

“What is it?” He asked, accent thick, voice deep with a subtle vibrato that couldn’t be imitated.

When the Great Sun speaks, you have no choice but to listen with your eyes, your heart, your mind, and body.

He could have you killed just for looking at him wrong or speaking out of turn, so I kept my head down with a lick of my dry lips as his daughter continued to cry.

I cut my eyes towards the back door where the other midwife stayed, hidden in the shadows attempting to clean up but when I slowly released my hold on the baby, I exposed her naked frame to him.

He inhaled sharply, dark nostrils flaring with annoyance, but he didn’t turn away.

“Is it healthy?” He asked. This is how he addresses the future princess. A mere woman as his first born. Never a good sign for his reign.

“Yes, Great Sun. Nayara is healthy too. She did fine. She will make a beautiful bride and even more so a beautiful Queen of Khamar.”

He wouldn’t look at me, but his jaw was rotating in an agitated circle.

It was seen as an embarrassment to have a daughter, especially before a son.

It was a mark against the man that he was not strong enough to produce an heir on the first try.

I finally looked up at him as our eyes met.

I could see my fear reflecting in his gaze and his rage quietly bubbling beneath the surface of his collected expression.

Khamar rarely gets angry enough to express himself.

He is a fighter, but he is smart about it.

Instead, he took a deep swallow and nodded.

He looked around, mentally distancing himself from the child as the midwife took the baby from my arms to give us space.

The judgmental stares from the council waiting for the verdict was a given and the whispers continued as Khamar leaned on the side of the bed to look at me.

“How are you feeling?” He asked. Tears began to bubble around the corners of my eyes.

His gaze looked at my body instead, assessing the situation of the birth and most likely calculating how much time until I can carry another or should he just move on to the next woman presented to him.

They were constantly lined up outside of the palace, hoping to be seen.

It is the nature of a king and men in this palace.

Khamar, soon to be the greatest King of his own, known as the Kingdom of Khamar would have many wives with only one queen to be seated by his side.

“Strong,” I replied, despite the tears. Even through the blurred vision, I knew I was fit to be a Queen.

I had ambition and drive, unlike my sister, Marani, who never seemed interested in it.

I was born and bred, educated, and prepped for this very moment.

Khamar nodded as he looked at his hands, stretching his fingers out to look at the individual gold rings made just for him.

His nails were cut, and clean, free of dirt and he smelled…

always smelled of fresh cocoa oil and vanilla.

“How long until she’s healed?” Khamar asked as the midwife let out a small gasp. She turned around with tears in her eyes as I immediately attempted to sit up, alert that something was wrong. She held my crying baby before rushing over, unable to speak.

“Nayara,” she whispered in awe. “It’s…She’s not born of the sun…”

“What?”

She held the baby before us as she wiggled and turned with her eyes squeezed shut. Her facial expression pinched together before her eyes slowly opened, exposing the faint blue flame that burned in the center of her gaze. Khamar stood up and stepped back with a heaving chest and wide eyes.

“Khal arel,” he let out, voice deep as he turned to look at the council. I shook my head, confused as I looked at my daughter again, seeing the brightest blue light flickering like a flame before fizzling out as the midwife cried out.

“Kara biru! Kara biru!” She cried before pressing her head against mine with excitement, and whispering, “you will be blessed for eternity.”

Khamar had announced that not only did he give birth to a princess as his first child, but she was born of not the sun, or ember…

but of scales. My daughter was born from the richest and rarest bloodline of them all.

Neither human nor element but mythical and old magic.

Where flying serpents scattered the land and became the bridge between earth and sun.

It was a celebration throughout the kingdom of Khamar and across the six other territories that stretched far and wide.

The drums, the music, the cries from our people and everyone congratulating the king on what an honor it is to give birth to a rare breed of a child.

It only solidified his position on the throne and his bloodline.

“You will be protected,” the midwife whispered as I glanced at the back door where the other midwife stared, watching me with a wicked smile. There was no way I could undo what I’ve done… The king has accepted his daughter and my life was spared, my fate was sealed. “You cannot look back now…”

I kept my eyes on the back door when the king suddenly grabbed my head to bring me close and kissed the side of my face.

“You will give me a son born of scales next,” he commanded before smiling as he reached for his daughter to hold.

My body weakened at the sight of how such a hardened man suddenly became mush when he smiled down at his daughter.

He made a clicking sound with his tongue to the roof of his mouth, getting her to quiet down as she gripped his finger to hold.

Looking back at the back door where I last saw my sister run out just before he arrived, the midwives began to prepare for the nursery while getting everyone else to leave.

Princess of the First Kingdom, Ayira Khamar, the First Flame and First of the Great Sun, King Khamar…and the Solhari people.

“One day,” Khamar said as he held her close to his chest to settle her cries. “You will be the one to reunite the earth and sun together, giving birth to a new nation as the next Queen of the First Sun.”

He kissed the palm of her hand, having given his blessing and last prophecy ever said from the Great Sun.