And so, Layrion and Ammy were raised in the House of Lord Akil as thought they were his children. No harm ever came to them, no news of the War or threat of Human siege
threatened the secluded castle of Akil. The daughters of Dicion enjoyed riches beyond their wildest imagination, the finest teachings of Scholars, Seers, and Prophets in the world, and every comfort known to both mankind and Icchorian alike. They wanted for nothing, and were allowed to roam free within the walls of his fortress. They attended the most secret meetings of the Elders, and fought with every warrior that Akil had to offer.
And thus it was that Ammy grew in both mind and aura, the mark of the Scholar getting stronger in her spirit everyday. Her beast form revealed itself to be serpentine, and in her human guise, she carried a whip as her weapon, forged from the leather of the finest, most exotic cows in Akil’s herd. And thus it followed that the successor of her father’s seat, Layrion, grew in both spirit and in strength, and in favor with Akil and his clan. Layrion’s pureblood form revealed itself to be that of a great lion, and she trained with the finest generals in foreign armies to perfect her hand-to-hand combat with daggers. Beautiful, deadly, and tragic, the daughters of Dicion thrived in their new home for two hundred years.
All was not so perfect as it would seem, for the Lord Elder Akil was not an open Master of his house. Few clansmen were ever allowed to leave the walled fortress, and little information ever came from the outside. He made sure the sisters were the epitome of perfection in their statuses as his wards. They both dressed in the finest of silks, adorned with the most precious of gold and jewels. He had even required them to learn to dance for the dinners that he hosted- and dance the two sisters did, although they staunchly refused to dance with anyone but each other. Ammy took to these things with all the grace and poise she had grown into as the years passed, becoming the very picture of a perfected Lady of the House Akil. Layrion, however, despite being reigned in so- preferring armor to dresses, sparring to dancing.
The House of Akil was isolated, self-sufficient in its stagnant peace. After a time, the orphaned sisters became bored with the lavish lifestyle. Layrion’s eyes were opened, and she knew that the world needed to change. She could hear the whispers of violence on the wind, knew that outside this castle of peace was a war that tore through the land. When a messenger arrived one day and Layrion intercepted him before he could reach Akil, she was shocked by his news. Humans were forming armies- overcoming their own internal strife to form an alliance that could fight the Icchorians head on. She knew then she had to leave, had to help fight for her people.
Akil was adamantly against the idea when she brought it before him. He spoke of danger beyond her comprehension and was not moved by her words of compassion for their fellow Icchorians in danger. Her words fell on deaf ears, and her resentment grew for their provider. She would leave and fight the battle of her forefathers.
Escape was easier said than done, but as Fate would have it, Akil announced he was traveling to the East on a diplomatic mission. Layrion and Ammy knew that their only chance to escape the House of Akil would be in his absence.
The night was full of thunderstorms and of an eerie silence that hung about the castle. Akil had been gone for three days. Layrion and Ammy sat in the large suite they shared with their handmaiden, Kali, who had ceased to be a nanny and who had become the only person they felt worthy of trusting in the entirety of Akil’s clan. Kali was pouring over a large, dusty tome of ancient inscriptions when she suddenly looked up at the sisters, who were both standing at the window, watching the torrential downpour.
“You’re thinking of leaving, aren’t you? You’re thinking of escaping.”
Layrion turned around. Her single golden eye piercing in the dim light. She had taken to covering her 'human' eye up with a decorative patch, seeing it as a mark of shame that she had no answer for. “Your perception is second to none, Kali.” She sighed. “I cannot take this protected lifestyle anymore. This false sense of peace...I have no knowledge of the outside world. I am not helping our cause by being a pretty princess for Akil to show off. Sometimes I think he rescued us purely to further his own ego trip.”
“You should be careful of what you say, dear sister. Though Akil may be gone, his ears are everywhere. News of our dissent will surely reach him in time. I don’t like to imagine what our punishment should be.”
“Akil has no right to punish us. We are the daughters of the Elder Dicion of the great Northern Clans, the last of his bloodline. We are forged from fire, and we are stronger for it. I am tired of taking orders. I am not a plaything, a refugee that Akil can order around because he ‘saved’ me. I will shape my own destiny, and my destiny is not here.”
Kali was overwhelmed with the passion of Layrion’s words. This beautiful Icchorian that she had mothered for hundreds of years was going to cause a shift in the Great War’s end result. She could sense it, and she smiled. “You tell me what I need to do to aid in your escape.”
“I will take nothing that I can’t carry on my back. The last thing we need is to be weighed down on our journey.”
“We already have our weapons; I suggest wearing as much golden armor as we can. Some packs with maybe a few books for me, and...”
“...blankets to give us shelter on our journey. We’re not always guaranteed to come across an abandoned shack. If we’re going to be nomads, we have to be doubly prepared. To die in the daylight would be a foolish death indeed, and would shame our clan. I will not be caught unaware by the garish sun.” Layrion crossed her arms. “However, the day might just provide us with the cover that we need. That is when we will take flight.”
“In the sunlight? But how?” Kali’s face contorted in horror. She rose from her desk and walked closer to her two friends. “No. I won’t let you be burned to death just trying to get out of this city. I was charged with your care, and your well-being is my only concern.”
“Relax, Kali. It will be difficult, but not impossible.” Ammy grabbed her hand. “I can see a way already. Layrion and I will cover ourselves from head to toe in black. If we keep to the rooftops of the houses beyond the palace, we should go relatively undetected.”
“We’ll wait in the trees of the garden nearest the southwestern gate of the wall,” Layrion continued her sister’s thoughts. “We’ll make it over the wall just as the sun rises. If our flesh is not exposed, we shouldn’t be in too much danger.”
Kali shook her head. “This is too dangerous. I don’t like it. I know you must leave this place, but there has to be a better way.”
“There isn’t. I have been thinking this out for weeks. The only way to avoid detection is to go over the wall while the sun has risen.”
“But our curse...even though you are covered, won’t you still be affected? Your whole body could shut down. ”
“Ah, that’s where I come in,” Ammy interjected. “It might seem crazy, but the ancient text of Bahtukan the Elder suggest that the curse isn’t upon our minds, but our skin only.”
Kali scoffed. “Bahtukan wasn’t the most popular elder of his day, you know. Don’t base such a risky plan on the writings of some isolated old codger. His ideas were quickly squelched by the Council and regarded as nonsense. I say again, I won’t have you burned up or rendered lifeless so easily.”
Layrion furrowed her brow. “You have been our only kind caretaker, teacher, and friend that we’ve had in this place. You have been like a mother to us, and for that we are grateful. But you are not our mother, and you must understand that every move I have ever made in life has been to protect my sister. This escape is not a selfish one, but one of familial duty. I appreciate your concern, but if Ammy believes that we can walk covered in the daylight, then that’s a risk I am willing to take.”
The determination in Layrion’s words was clear, and Kali sighed, defeated. “I’ll be watching you, and I swear, if I sense any danger to you both, I’ll be there to rescue you even if I die in the process.”
“You’re a brave friend, Kali, and we will miss you. You have taught us so much.” Ammy kissed her lightly on both cheeks, an old Northern custom of showing affection to a close family member. “You will always be our family. We understand that you cannot come with us, but we will never, ever forget you.”
Layrion put a hand on Kali’s shoulder. “Whatever happens, I want you to champion our cause. My only goal is to end this war, no matter what steps I have to take to get there. I will always consider you a part of my clan. Someday, Ammy and I will return for you.”
Kali nodded, trying her hardest not to cry. “I am horrible at goodbyes. Just know that if I have ever believed in anything in my whole life, I believe in you girls. You are special, and you are going to shape the world. Now come. Let’s get you packed and covered for your journey.”
Just before sunrise, Layrion and Ammy stole from Akil’s castle and hid in the very tops of the trees to remain undetected. No rational Icchorian would dare step out into the daytime hours. Layrion trusted her sister completely, but still, she was nervous. What if Bahtukan the Elder had been mistaken about the curse? What if she were rendered paralyzed, or worse, turned to stone, like some ancient legends warned? She prayed to the Originator that they were making the right decision by leaving Akil’s false utopia. The bloodlust burned within her. She was ready to challenge Fate and stare Death in the face.
Then, she saw it, the blinding orange rays of the sunrise. Though she wore a transparent gray cloth over her eyes, her pupils closed automatically. It was several minutes before she could force her golden eye open. She hissed and quickly pulled off the patch covering her strangely colored eye. To her surprise, it did not irritate her, and she was able to see clearly. The sight stunned her where she was for a moment, for the land was very different in the brilliant light of the Sun. Gingerly, she flexed her hands, cracked her neck, looked over at her sister, who seemed to be rubbing at her eyes. Layrion tested her movement, seeing how long she could get away with this defiance of the curse. Finally, once the entirety of the sun had cleared the horizon line between heaven and earth, the two sisters elegantly leapt to the top of the fortress wall, and over it. Layrion led Ammy through the thick sand hills that surrounded them.
They were free.
Comments (0)
See all