“So you've never seen the Rankf sea?" Ishar asked.

"Never." Edda replied.

"But, don't you come from Remu?"

"The Remu court is some distance from the sea, I grew up there and never really got to leave the court to explore."

"Why?" Ishar asked.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you leave to explore?"

Edda paused and stared at the Kolotian who stood with a half full jug of water clutched in his hands. He would sip from it and pretend it was wine he was drinking and not water. He would forcefully slur his words and pretend to stagger once in a while. Edda had asked him what was wrong with him and he'd replied that he'd never drunk wine and the fact that he was soon going to die meant he probably would never get the chance to drink wine. So he improvised by faking drunkenness and Edda decided she wasn't one to judge him, if she could fake seeing the Rankf sea she would do it.

"There are several reasons why I didn't leave the Remu court to explore," Edda replied, her eyes were fixed to the left of the Kolotian where she'd last seen Ingah's body lie. "I was focused on my studies and training, I wanted to become the next Black Ghost. I wanted to bring pride and glory back to Remu, like the way I heard it was back when we were ruled by a King and not a Council."

"What happened to your King?" Ishar asked while fake wobbling in place like a drunk man. For someone who'd never gotten drunk he sure knew how to fake it. Edda took note that Ishar had leaned off slurring his words as he found interest in the topic discussed.

"The last one was burnt alive and his son was too young to rule." Edda answered and Ishar's eyes widened, he almost dropped the jug of water he carried. "His brutal death devastated the whole of Remu and we did not recover as a Kingdom for over two decades. We decided not to rely on the symbolism of a monarchy and instead elected a council of ten to rule, that way if we lost one we could still have the other nine. Though, we never stopped referring to ourselves as a Kingdom."

Edda was surprised with how easy it was to talk to Ishar. She wondered if her loneliness had plagued her to the point where any company was welcome including that of a mad man. Ishar walked over to the table while no longer staggering, he placed the jug of water beside Edda and lowered his robes to the waist once more. Ishar placed his hand to the left of his chest. "I saw your King."

"What?" Edda asked and sighed. She'd come to note the times her fellow captive was lucid and when he'd go off the rails. It appeared this was one of those times when lucidity evaded him. "You couldn't have seen him, he died long before we were born."

Ishar lifted his head and fixed his gaze on the dungeon ceiling. He sighed and it sounded resigned to Edda's ear, as if Edda's words made sense but the place he was coming from did not rely on sense but he was okay with it all. "Who is Ingah?" Ishar asked and Edda abruptly stood from her chair.

Right then the dungeon cell door opened and the guards Edda was familiar with entered. They didn't wear their usual black leather and instead wore green linen shirts with bronze pants. More guards poured in wearing the same attire but wielding spears that were pointed at Edda and Ishar. Edda took note of the fact that all their heads were shaved clean. There were about a dozen guards with pointed spears cramming the tiny cell but with the clearing of someone's throat the guards parted to reveal Princess Dahli dressed in a magnificent purple gown with slits that trailed up both thighs and gems of different hues fashioned to its bust.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

"Damn girl, you are looking fine!" Ishar said with his eyes on Dahli. The Princess wore a small golden crown upon her head and her face spotted a hint of makeup that made her cheeks look flushed.

Dahli ignored Ishar and eyed Edda. "I have ensured that you were provided for during your stay here, better than other prisoners have ever experienced within this dungeons. You have lacked nothing but your freedom as I have seen to your needs and comfort to the best of my ability. I have also done my part to ensure that your life was preserved until this very moment and for all this I ask of only one thing of you."

Edda returned Dahli's gaze. She knew the time had come. She'd been dreading it and looking forward to it but the day had finally come. It was true that without Dahli's intervention she would have died of hunger and thirst days ago or would have been executed in the same manner as Ingah had... Ingah.. How did the Kolotian know his name? She was sure she hadn't mentioned it or had she spoken of it in her sleep? Edda shook her head from side to side. "What do you ask of me Princess?" Edda asked. Sure, she was going to die a horrible death but her life had been preserved up until this moment by Dahli, she owed the Princess something and a Remu was never one to fall short of paying a debt owed.

Dahli walked towards Edda and the guards inched forward with her with their spears aligned directly to the two prisoners' bodies. One wrong move and they were both dead. The guards were usually lax but it appeared something had happened to them that caused them to be extra vigilant and more threatening. Dahli held out her hands, palm facing outwards and Edda complied and placed her hands into Dahli's.

"We are women so I believe you'll understand this fully." Dahli started. "Growing up it was made clear to me that my destiny was to bear children for an important man and to strengthen the house Vigon in this manner alone. Nobody ever heeded my words neither was any effort extended to teach me Forms of Combat. My brothers on the other hand were listened to and worshipped as probable future leaders, I was sidelined as one who was to serve a single purpose and though they call me a Jewel they call me so as one would refer to a flower, something to be marveled at but not feared." "You wish to be feared?" Edda asked.

"You're so cute I doubt anybody could fear you." Ishar said. Everyone turned to stare at him including all the guards.

Dahli turned her eyes from Ishar and back to Edda but not before Edda saw the blatant hatred in them. The Princess clearly abhorred the Kolotian. "It's more than being feared. I wish to change my destiny, I wish to rise to the highest level in Binoria and to attain the respect due to me. Women all over the realm suffer under the scrutiny of men who think of themselves as greater beings who are closer to the Gods. I wish to change that outlook, to go beyond the singular purpose allocated to me by society. I wish to be revered.

"When you go before the Goddess Meena, as you most definitely will, I ask of you to plead on my behalf, mention my name and ask her to look into my soul for she sees deeper than the eyes of men and can see my worth. She can see that I am worthy of her blessing. Please, this is all I ask, from one woman to another." Edda could see the pleading within Dahli's grey eyes, the need for her to break free of the chains society had placed on her. In a way she was a prisoner too, a prisoner of destiny with no way out other than to beg a Goddess who never chose women as her vessels. Edda nodded at Dahli, affirming that she would do as the Princess had asked. Dahli could not hide her relief, she smiled broadly and Edda understood why the Kolotian was smitten by her.

The Princess then turned to Ishar and the young man stretched out his hands towards her, palms up. He had this hopeful gleam in his violet eyes as if it would bring him more pleasure than freedom if the Princess were to take his hands in hers. Dahli's smile vanished, she looked him up and down twice before scrunching her face and turning around. "Follow me, I will lead you to the Juckwa Arena on foot so as to prevent the crowds from lynching the two of you."