Chapter 5
Eliane
A knock on my window woke me up this morning.
Another day, another pigeon. The white pigeon held a letter in his beak instead of a newspaper.
This time I stayed wise and sprinted toward Da, before opening and reading it on my own.
The preliminary rounds are starting today.
Enough people volunteered and are battling in the first rounds.
I am not expected at the palace, since I already ‘earned’ my place as a secret trump.
I might be the king’s ‘secret trump,’ but he doesn’t even know my name, and that stings. The words written down in ink still ring in my ears as I reread the letter.
To: The light wielder girl with the power to control the sun and Fintan
Three days ago, I spread the word about the event of the century, the trials of Drimyé.
There are plenty of applications already and we closed the registration at midnight to limit the number.
There are still too many to let them all enter and compete in the trials.
Today, I am going to select the strongest ones by putting them through a preliminary round.
You are not expected to compete against the others.
You are my secret trump, and you will enter the trials anyway.
Regards,
The King of Drimyé and leader of Ilanos
Chadd Malik Dunkeld
It doesn’t shock me to be honest. Da told me earlier that the king only cares about signets and strengths.
Afterall, my power is the reason my parents abandoned me.
I am not even sure why they are so scared of it.
It is true that as far as we know I am the only sun wielder to exist, but I haven’t figured out what I can do with all of it.
Yes, I figured out how to strengthen the sun, make it warmer or brighter, or even wield the light that comes from the sun to use it for my light signet to blind, light up or make illusions.
I know that must be scary for some people, because the sun is the factor of life, but I don’t even know if my signet is that dangerous.
I should be able to take the sun away or burn the continent with it, but I am not there yet.
I think Da is scared to let me unravel that type of magic.
If I did something, I could ruin the whole ecosystem and not only that. People their health and happiness.
All things that are impacted by the sun.
I feel the magic, the control shudder under my skin, like there is a door waiting to be opened, the end of a deep well. But if I dig too deep into the well, I might burn out. It is a balance I am not sure how to hold.
Do I even want to be able to do those things with my signet?
Da kind of freaked me out. Not because he wanted me, but I can see it in his eyes every time we practice.
The practice I never asked for, but something I am never going to complain about.
I like learning how to defend myself. Like learning to read someone’s weaknesses. It keeps my anxiety under control.
But I don’t like the idea of hurting someone.
Never mind killing someone.
But I might have to if the situation comes.
Da knows as well.
And with that in mind during our session, I feel like I have a burden on my shoulders.
After Da read the letter, he left quickly to support his students at the palace, who might also enter.
I can’t come with him. Despite the fact that I am not invited to enter the preliminary rounds, I am not allowed to go anywhere outside of Koteld.
At first, I told myself that they wouldn’t have to know.
I tried sneaking out multiple times at midnight.
I never even made it to the city, the king has guards everywhere.
It is almost like I am a wanted poster living rent free in everyone’s mind 24/7.
Watch out, a 5.8 feet girl, with golden hair, freckled face, and brown eyes who wants to go see the beauty of our village.
Bring her back before she has the best day of her life.
I hate it.
Last year they dragged me to the dungeons of the palace, and tried to punish me, but Da got me out before they started. The King and his way of handling things are corrupt as hell. That is the last time I tried to leave. Luckily, this birdcage has an expiration date.
The trials.
They are my only way of freedom; after them I am free. If it all works the way I want it to.
I wiggle my legs over the edge, swinging my legs back and forward.
I sit on a jutting rock, on the edge of a mountain under a tree.
The sun shines softly on my face, my gaze focused on the palace.
We can’t see the palace from our house, but from my secret hiding spot I can.
It is a two-hour hike through the mountains towards the edge of Koteld, but sitting here is for now the closest I can come to experiencing royalty.
The people there are still as small as ants, but even from here I can count more than two hundred dots.
The royal garden has a lot of sparring areas, and since all the people are standing there, I think I can assume the preliminary round will take place in the garden.
The garden looks bright and colorful. I want to go there and pick flowers, but I can’t and don’t dare to ask.
I always pick flowers for Da. It is one of the only things I can get him to show him my appreciation.
It’s something I started doing as a little girl and even when I do it now, so many years later, I can get him to smile.
I don’t fight the smile that appears on my own face at the thought of those moments.
I will definitely pick some flowers for him on the way back.
Because I think I haven’t done that for him in over a month.
And that man deserves all the love he can get.
There seem to be three battles. I can’t really make out the faces of those who are fighting.
I can see some, but not good enough to recognize anyone.
Not that I know many people. There are muffled sounds, I can’t make words or sentences out.
A group of people circle around a fight, around two men fighting.
A sword flies away and the person on top shapeshifts into something brutal.
A black monster—a wolf. A person hurries through the circle of people. And that is a person I do recognize.
Da.
With his dark skin, tattoos and buzzcut, he isn’t one to miss. The wolf shifts back and I assume the fight is over. I squint my eyes really hard to make out the faces of the two people covered in blood, but I can’t figure it out. All I can see is that they do look really handsome, both of them.
Maybe all the guards are that busy with the preliminary rounds, they won’t notice a girl sneaking around?
It might be worth the try, if I don’t get too close at least. I climb the last part of the mountain down, leaving my usual look out spot.
My short green dress lifts up slightly, revealing my thighs, as I jump down on the grass.
I am allowed to do this.
I deserve to be free.
It is kind of a mantra and a little shove into my own back, encouraging me that what I am doing is okay. I am also a candidate, I need to prepare, see who I am going to fight against. I stroll forward, head focused on my goal.
The sounds of birds chirping around me help me relax on the last hour of the climb down.
A little scream squeaks out of me when a deer jumps out of the bush, amending to cross the rocky road in front of me, close enough for me to touch it.
It has white dots over his body and black, glassy eyes looking to the other side.
Out of nowhere, it stops. I freeze to my spot, making sure I don’t make a sound as the deer turns his head to me, looking directly in my eyes.
I slap my hand in front of my mouth, but that was already enough to scare the little deer.
It hops away and I finally release one of the breaths I hold in way too long.
I see a lot of deer across our home, but every time I see one up close it feels so special.
In front of me is a small brook followed by big dark trees.
My feet drag me towards the brook. As I reach the water, my mind focusses on my power.
I crouch down and dip my fingers gently into the water, shivering as the cold seeps through.
As the water slips past my hand, it begins to glow softly.
Tiny sparks of light scatter, leaving shimmering trails beneath the surface.
Some fish freeze in place, while others dart after the glowing streaks.
I can’t help but let out a quiet chuckle at their bewilderment.
Rising to my feet, I follow the brook deeper into the shadowy heart of the forest. The lights in the brook follow me every step I take.
I move my hand in a slow swing up, palms open and upwards.
The leaves of the dark trees that seemed so sad before, start to light up.
As I move through the forest, more leaves light up.
Every footstep of mine gives light, and I leave a trace of luminous footprints behind me.
“Whoa!” I yell, sunken so deeply in my own magic and thoughts.
A bunny jumps out of the bushes, looking curious at the lights I created.
“Hi buddy, you scared me. I thought you were a guard,” I whisper at the bunny.
I sink to the ground, opening my arms, inviting the bunny to come over.
The little white bunny hops over to me, crawling into my lap.
I brush my hand behind his long soft ears.
“While I enjoy petting you very much, little guy, I must go. I have somewhere to be. I already got distracted way too much and if I don’t leave right now, I will miss it all,” I whimper, looking up into the sky.
I push the bunny softly off my lap. I jump up and wipe the sand off my dress.
I probably already missed much of the preliminary rounds, but I want to see something at least. That is why I left in the first place.