Heziyn let out a tired yawn as she sat on a soft pillow which was inside an extravagant wooden compartment that was carried by eight Fire Breakers.

She wore a flowing black gown and a black lace headband that was embellished with the crest of Hatua – an upward-facing spear housed within a diamond. This signified her as Mlezi’s wife and a part of the Hennean dynasty, something which most people knew but was never actually confirmed since Heziyn never attended any meetings or other such things alongside Ua.

Mlezi had also never officially acknowledged her as his wife but she was technically bound to him by old tradition, something which was muddied by the fact that she wasn’t a concubine.

The confusion around her was further exacerbated by the fact that she worked alongside the maids.

This led to her sometimes being referred to as the Maid Queen.

However, her maid status had seemingly changed since Ua sent her south.

Her hair had been styled into two thick braids that coiled upward above her headband, giving her a very regal air.

The compartment she sat in was lined with dark purple curtains that protected her from the harsh summer sun.

As part of Ua’s plan to Monitor the people who had settled to the far south, she sent Heziyn, five Shangazi and an entourage of fifty men to visit Kimbilio, which was a fishing city which sat humbly along the southern coast of the Southern Continent. Most of its buildings were made from wood and the smell of fish hung heavy in the air. The ships that sailed the waters to the south looked quite similar to those designed by Jua and I imagined someone from Abanafash had brought the design to the people of Kimbilio.

Upon arrival, Heziyn’s group was allowed into the city and as they made their way towards the mayor’s office which stood at the centre of the city, the locals all scurried into their homes.

Those who were working in the mud-paved streets lowered their heads, not out of respect but clear and visible fear.

They moved out of the way as Heziyn’s group entered the city proper.

Her chair was eventually lowered in front of the office and she was led inside by one of the city’s guards, a man who seemed tiny in front of the Fire Breakers. He wore simple leather clothes and wielded a simple iron-tipped spear.

The guard opened the door to the mayor’s office, allowing Heziyn and the Fire Breakers in.

She winced a little upon seeing a scrawny man seated behind a large table covered with leather maps and scrolls. His eyes were baggy and his face was lined with wrinkles.

He nearly jumped out of his old wooden chair upon seeing Heziyn and company.

“Oh- greetings, my Lady!” He cried while rushing onto his feet.

He tried walking over to greet Heziyn but ended up tripping on himself and falling at her feet.

“Ouch!” He cried while trying to get up.

Heziyn winced a little before offering her left hand and, with a shaking hand, the man accepted it.

“Sorry about that, my Lady! Please, feel free to sit anywhere you like.” He said unreadably loudly as he stood up.

He had gestured towards his chair but Heziyn sat on the chair in front of his table.

The man weakly nodded before sitting on his chair and taking a deep breath.

“How can I help you, my Lady?” He asked while holding his breath.

Heziyn looked him over before gently smiling.

“Feel free to speak with me freely. I am but a simple maid, after all.”

“Is... That so? Well, then feel free to speak to me as you see fit as well... my lady.”

“Alright. My name is Heziyn.”

“Oh- I forgot to introduce myself! Please accept my deepest apologies!” The man cried loudly while slamming his head on the table as he bowed.

“Before I accept your apology, I must first have your name.”

The man looked up to find that Heziyn was still smiling.

He swallowed before taking another deep breath and sitting upright.

“My name is Ed and I am the mayor of Kimbilio.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Ed. As I said, my name is Heziyn, servant of the Hennean Queen.”

The man’s already wide eyes grew more so.

“I have come here to visit this place, by order to the Queen, to build... Friendly relations with her southern neighbour.”

“Oh? Well, that sounds lovely. We of Kimbilio are a welcoming sort and I would very much like to show you the simple wonder of our home if you like.” Ed offered while standing up.

Heziyn nodded before joining him in leaving his office.

The two returned to the streets of Kimbilio with the Fire Breakers in tow and Ed glanced at Heziyn’s entourage of warriors along with Blessed sisters who stood beside them.

Ed’s eyes shook a little but he swallowed before leading Heziyn to the pier where they beheld the Southern Sea.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Its turbulent waters bore the distorted image of the setting sun.

Ed turned to Heziyn and gauged her reaction but her expression was stiff.

“Beautiful... I-isn’t it?” He stuttered making Heziyn turn her half-open eyes to him.

“Yes.” She weakly smiled as a seaborne breeze rushed by.

Ed smiled back before suddenly gasping.

“Oh- if you’re here to visit, then you’ll need a place to stay... But we don’t have many empty rooms to spare.”

“That’s fine. We brought tents. We’ll set them up just outside the city so as to not obstruct your people.”

“I couldn’t possibly let a guest sleep outside! So please, at least make yourself at home in my spare room.” Ed offered with a pained expression and although it seemed like Heziyn wanted to refuse his offer, she let out a sigh before nodding.

“Alright, but my men will remain outside.”

“That is more than acceptable until we can organise suitable accommodation for them,” Ed said with a determined frown.

Heziyn nodded before following Ed on a short tour around the city.

Fish and other goods were sold at the market at the city’s centre and the city wall, although made of wood and much shorter than those in Hatua, was regularly patrolled.

The people, although they hid from Heziyn’s gaze, were surprisingly mixed with the majority being Chofumah and the rest being Umande.

Ed eventually led Heziyn back to his office where they sat while her men set up camp just outside the city under the light of the evening sun.

Neither of them spoke as the room gradually darkened.

Ed fiddled with his hands and lightly tapped his heel, filling the air with his anxiety.

As for Heziyn, she was seemingly stuck staring at something outside the window behind Ed.

I wondered what was going through her mind.

I knew she had a plan of some kind but I had no idea what it was.

“I initially came here to extend the greetings of the Queen.” She muttered making Ed’s eyes widen a little.

“H-has that changed?” He asked.

Heziyn opened her mouth to speak but she hesitated.

She turned to her Fire Breakers, men who had watched over her since their conception all those years prior.

They stood attentively, covered in robust leather clothing and wielding iron spears and Pangolin scale shields.

“Could you all step outside for a moment?” Heziyn asked making the Fire Breakers all turn to each other.

They then all simultaneously glared at Ed who cowered behind his arms.

“Alright.” One of them said before leading his fellow warriors out of the room.

Heziyn then returned her gaze to Ed who looked like he was about to pass out.

“Are you afraid?” She asked.

“O-of what?”

“Of her.”

Ed’s eyes reached their widest.

A moment passed as silence enveloped the room and it would be his shaking voice that eventually broke that silence.

“I don’t know if I would call what I feel fear because this feeling has haunted me for years now and it has only worsened in intensity,” Ed said while wrapping his arms around himself but Heziyn leaned forward a little just as the sun sunk into the horizon, casting it in darkness but she used Light Magic to break the darkness as her hair began to glow a pale yellow.

“Well, I have been afraid for a very, very long time. Every single day I wake up and I am thankful that I have not experienced a horrible death at her hands.” Heziyn hissed as her face twisted with all manner of emotion.

Ed looked to be lost for words and so Heziyn moved her chair closer to his by a little.

“I ask you again, Mayor Ed, are you afraid?”

“Y-yes.” Ed whispered while tightly clutching his shirt.

Heziyn nodded before placing her small right hand on the table and nodding at it, prompting Ed to place his rough hand on top of it.

“You’re of Chofumah blood... Surely you heard about what Ua did to our people-“

“That woman is not the one who marred my heart with fear.” Ed interrupted making Heziyn tilt her head a little.

“I was there,” Ed muttered while tapping his heels again.

“I was there when Chazak killed her boy. I was there when she fell from the heavens themselves to deal divine punishment.” Ed whimpered as tears fell from his eyes but this just made Heziyn even more confused.

“We were all cursed on that day for having ruined her grand plan for our kind!”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Heziyn asked but the horrified Ed was far too shaken to speak and so she stood up and walked to his side where she gently wrapped her hands around his head.

“Shh. I know this may be asking for far too much but I need you to remember exactly what happened on that night.”

“A Meerkat... It was all for a Meerkat.”

.

..

Heziyn’s eyes trembled as Ed finished recounting the events of that night, although he had returned to a state of pitiable sobbing.

“It was supposed to be him!” He cried as Heziyn tightened her hold on him.

“He would have enacted her will through kindness but Chazak- we were all fools!”

“Shh.” Heziyn sounded while running her hands through Ed’s damp hair.

He eventually stopped crying and, after letting him go, Heziyn returned to her seat where she joined Ed in a moment of dreadful silence.

“My goodness...” She muttered before shaking her head.

“Mmm... Regardless of whether or not you tarnished Our Lady Sav’ta’s vision, I think we can agree that this isn’t what she wanted. For us, her children, to live in fear.”

Ed didn’t respond and instead fiddled with his fingers.

“So, will you join me?”

“In what?” Ed asked while raising his head.

His reddened eyes widened a little upon seeing Heziyn’s fierce expression.

“In making things right.”

Ed frowned.

“H-how?”

“By making Musa the true shepherd of Our Lady’s vision, just as she intended.”

“But Musa is dead-“

“True, however, it would seem as though a boy named Musa was ultimately destined to inherit that oh-so-great task. You are unlikely to know this but the Queen birthed another child recently and I would like you to guess what his name is.”

Ed’s eyes widened to their limits.

“I think that you and your friends were right. You interrupted something beyond our comprehension on that fateful night and this fearful but ultimately hopeful heart of mine believes that Our Lady is offering us all another chance.”

“I... I don’t understand. Even if all that is the case, the Queen is also protected by Our Lady. Going against her would be going against Sav’ta herself!” Ed cried but Heziyn shook her head.

“I disagree. Our Lady only ever protected one person, he who held the name Musa and was born of Ua. Anyone else is but a smaller part of her plan. How do I know this? The King of the Umande, Mlezi, was killed by fiends in the Forest Afor and what did Our Lady do? Nothing. And you must remember that he was taught by her directly.”

“So...” Ed droned making Heziyn lean forward.

“So, Ua is just another small part of Our Lady’s grand vision for our kind. Don’t you see? Musa is the key.” She whispered.

“But he’s her son and will probably take the mantle should something happen to her so how will we change whether or not he is as cruel as his parents?”

“Ah- leave that to me. All I want to hear from you is whether you want to continue living in fear or not.”

“Is that question even fair?” Ed asked with a pained face but this made Heziyn smile brightly.

“No, but life, as I’ve learnt, is rarely, if ever, fair. So answer my question.”

Ed bit his teeth and took a deep breath.

“No! I do not want to live in fear!”

“Neither do I and I will spend the rest of my life kicking and screaming until I my heart is at peace!” Heziyn declared as she stood up.

She then offered Ed her hand prompting him to stand up and accept it.

“I look forward to working with you, Ed.”

“Likewise, lady Heziyn.”

TO BE CONTINUED!

AFTERWORD

Wow... That’s a wrap for Volume 1!

Thank you all for reading!

It means the world to me just how many people have read this fiction and what was initially a side project for me to write while slacking off at work, has turned into something I do whenever I have free time.

I want to develop this world, its characters and its narrative to completion so I can’t wait to see you call again in “Volume 2 – A Tale of Two Queens and Angel Birth”.

Volume 1 was supposed to be a few chapters shorter actually but after seeing just how many plotlines and narratives were running, I failed to find a suitable way to conclude any of them without rushing things, that’s why I decided to end it here so that we can have a proper build-up and conclusion in Volume 2.

So... Yeah, see you all in November!