Queen of Shadow (18+ to be safe)
This is an original story of mine, so please don't steal it :'). It is being written as I go, and I would love for others to read my work! I am an amateur writer, but I have been enjoying writing a lot recently, and it gives me something to do. If you like it, have recommendations, or just want to say hi, please feel free to do so, and thank you for reading! :)
Before Adeline was born, her family was poor and isolated. People were dying as a result of disorganization and lawlessness. Adelaine's father, Anon, was exiled for attempting to influence the people with the goal of bringing back the monarchy. Before he met his wife, he was succeeding. Nearly half of his large community followed him, agreeing that one sole leader would better protect them from raiders and ensure peace and the survival of all members. One family would look over the rest and be the face of change. The other half of the community believed having a single leader would quickly lead to corruption, and they banned together against him. During this time, Anon married Hassah, one of his followers, and a powerful seer. He invisioned her as a beautiful queen who would be loved by all. Not long after Hassah became pregnant, he was confronted with a choice: reintegration, exile, or death. For the sake of his new family, he chose to stop the fight and was exiled. Some of his followers continued with him to a strange, new land where he became the head of a new community. Addie was born a few years after and lived in the new community, which had built itself back up in a short time. By the time Addie was 13, Her community had become so well off that they became the new target of a group of local and powerful raiders. Anon did his best to protect them, and he did, but soon the attacks became too frequent; the raiders hit them hard each time, and the people struggled to keep their heads above water. Meanwhile, Anon trained up his daughter to be an agile, skilled fighter, keeping to the shadows in honor of their shadow god. Little did she know that her father would soon use her, not as the weapon she'd been training to be, but as a powerless offering.
It is quiet this morning. The breeze is gentle and cool; the air swirls gracefully around me as I walk through the woods, my feet silent on the forest floor. I didn't have any intention of training this morning, but something kept me awake during the night; something I still can't put my finger on. I try to sift through my mind in search of any answer, but I quickly get distracted by the sound of branches snapping in the distance. I swiftly step behind the thick trunk of a nearby tree, the sudden rush of adrenaline pulling me out of my thoughts. I sense something strange, though, almost like a ghost or a shadow that causes the skin on my neck to prickle; as if someone is telling me that something is about to happen. I breathe in the fresh air, a gentle gust of wind blowing the hair from my face. After a while of silence and not seeing anyone or anything near me, I decide to press on, keeping my eyes peeled for movement and my steps light. My precious daggers, Thamin and Ketim are strapped to my thighs, awaiting my skilled hands and something to cut. I won't be needing them quite yet, but they comfort me nonetheless. They were a gift from my father as a symbol of my coming of age and initiation into my community and the church of Shadow. According to him, they were passed down through generations, which is impressive, considering the fantastic condition they were in when they were gifted to me. Since then, my blades and I have been inseparable and they are the only weapons I hope to wield until my last days.
I can see the sun beginning to rise over the horizon now. Its warm, gentle light blooming through the leaves, lighting my path forward. Whatever made the noise earlier must still be nearby. I stoop down low, listening and searching for any signs of life nearby. The sound of crunching leaves catches my attention after a moment, but I still notice no movement. From what I gather, though, it is getting closer. I quietly slip once more behind a tree and wield my blades, taking a slow, deep breath to calm my nerves. I slip back out as silently as before, blades at the ready as I make my way towards the sound. I see something move from the corner of my eye and crouch low, my head snapping in the direction of the creature. I still see nothing; no indication of what the creature might be, but I know I saw movement. As unsure as I am, this is my training hour and I need a distraction from this dreadful feeling more than anything else right now, Shadow forgive me. I make my move, inching quietly forward as my eyes search the wooded area for signs of the stealthy creature. As I approach another large tree, I notice a humanoid shadow being cast by the figure I must be hunting. I smirk, proud of myself momentarily before quickly regaining my focus. With one swift movement, I dive forward and pin the figure against the trunk of the tree, one blade at his throat and the other aimin at his liver. "Gotcha," I whisper, a grin on my face.
The figure looks at me, a proud smile on his gorgeous lips. "Well done, princess," he says calmly before slowly moving his hand to push my blade away. I allow him to, but stand firm, our bodies nearly pressing against each other. "I really thought I had you there. Good work. Your father taught you well."
My smile grows at his praise, my heart skipping a beat. My gaze locks with his, even as he raises a hand to my cheek, gently brushing his thumb against it. "Thank you for training with me, Rafael," I reply, my voice soft and gentle despite my racing heart. "You got closer than last time. Why didn't you use magic?"
"I will never use sorcery around you, Addie, you know that. Not until I'm confident I can control it. For now, it brings me peace to know you can handle yourself." His tone is a mixture of genuine pride and sarcasm, but I can't help but ignore it as he leans in to kiss me, his free hand pulling me close by my waist. His lips are warm and soft against mine. The adrenaline of the morning's exercise heightens my senses as our breaths mingle in the forest's cool morning air. I melt into him even as he pulls away, my weary eyes taking him in. Dark hair that curls elegantly against his forehead and ears, framing a handsome face with sharp features. Soft, yet powerful arms and calloused fingers holding my face. Gray eyes that sparkle when he looks at me. This is the man I want. From the moment I met Rafael, I knew the Great Shadow brought us together. When he looks at me the way he is now; when kisses me, I know that he feels the same. All I can do is smile in silence as he holds me in his arms.
"The sun is coming up. Let's get you home before your father begins to worry." With that, he pushes off the tree, his arms falling to his sides. I admit, the lack of contact makes me feel suddenly cold and maybe even a little disappointed. I quietly nod and begin heading toward home, my cheeks still flushed from the heat of his kiss and this morning's training. I laugh to myself, realizing that for a long while, I hadn't noticed the horrible feeling I've been having—until now, that is. I'm not sure why, but I'm completely dreading returning home, and even my body betrays me, my feet faltering the more I think about it and try to decipher what I cannot grasp.
"Addie, are you alright? Do you need to take a break?" Rafael calls out, as my feet stumble over a root.
"I'm fine," I reply without hesitation, swiping beads of sweat from my face. "That feeling I told you about yesterday—it's back." I glance at Rafael and his expression falls. I can tell he is worried about me and has been for the last few days, but I don't even know how he would be able to help me.
"I'm sure everything is just fine. Ask the Great Shadow to show you the way. Maybe he is trying to communicate with you."
I consider his advice and nod. Praying would certainly be a good place to start, especially if this is something more than a feeling. At the very least, praying for guidance would not cause any harm. I may also consult my mother for advice. It would bring me some peace to at least know if this feeling is worth paying attention to or simply my body being unusually paranoid. I give Rafael a soft smile before reaching out to take his hand in mine.
"I know. It's probably nothing," I say with a shrug. "I'll pray and then I will consult my mother this afternoon and see if she has heard anything on my behalf."
Once we arrive in town, Rafael lifts my hand to his mouth, gently kissing my knuckles before we go our separate ways. He only agreed to help me train this morning because I caught him in the forest practicing his sorcery. He'd agreed to tag along and I promised that he could return to his own training the moment we returned. I take a breath as I watch him go, my heart wrenching for a reason that remains unrevealed. Part of me wants to follow him to avoid going home; to avoid facing whatever this nagging feeling is, but I know better. If this is Shadow, I must respond. I must investigate because gods forbid I ignore his call, there is no doubt I will pay the price for my ignorance. With a newfound determination, I hurry home and push the front door open. It is still early morning and the house is quiet. My father must be awake, as he usually rises before the sun to do work or pray before his leadership duties call. My mother, however, was probably still asleep, her spirit still wandering the realm of gods and spirits, consulting with them and learning from them. I can only hope she learns something about me.
I walk upstairs, my head poking into my father's study on the way to my bedroom. "Good morning, father," I say softly. He turns to look at me, smiling the moment he sees my face. Even with graying hair and an array of wrinkles, he appears to be a handsome, and kind leader. For the most part, this assumption is true. If anything, his age is a testament to his wisdom and ability to survive. Even after all the raids and bloodshed and weeping that we have experienced, it warms my heart to see that he still has the strength to smile. One day, when we are stronger, I know we will take down the raiders and end my people's suffering, but for now, I have other things on my mind.
"Good morning, my daughter. Out training again this morning?"
"Of course. I couldn't sleep last night so I thought I would get up early and get ahead of the day. I see you're doing the same, as always, father."
"Ah," the old man shakes his head, glancing back at his desk before returning his gaze to mine, though he doesn't hold it for more than a second. I notice right away that he is hiding something; my father is an extrovert and maintains eye contact when speaking to someone out of respect, especially with me. I glance at his desk and notice a stack of papers with the symbol of my father's signet ring stamped on the bottom of the top page, as if he signed a contract of some kind. I take another step into his study and read the words "Peace Agreement" at the top of the document. As my eyes flicker briefly over the page, words such as "Marriage," "protection" and "agreement" catch my eyes. My moment of peace quickly becomes fear and unnerve.
"Father, what is this?" I ask, walking forward to stand beside him. He swiftly gathers the stack, turning the papers over and out of my sight. "What is that?" I repeat myself, my voice unintentionally louder this time.
"Adeline, please—let's not do this here, so early in the morning. I want to explain—"
"Then explain now," I cut him off, nearly yelling at this point. Surely my own father would not give me away to a stranger so soon. I turned 19 just a few months ago and there is only one person in this town that I love. I have a sinking feeling that I will not be marrying him. "Don't send me away now that I've seen it. Tell me what it is."
"Adeline," he says sternly, his volume matching mine. It was his way of saying be silent, or there will be consequences. I know better than to open my mouth. "I will tell you when the time is appropriate. I will not have you speaking to me like a servant in my own house. Go to your room and I will speak with you when I am ready."
My mouth snaps shut at that. I can do nothing else but obey when my father uses that voice. At the end of the day, he is my father and the leader of my people with the weight of an entire generation's future on his shoulders. He is right, of course. I should not have yelled and allowed my emotions to get the better of me.
"Yes, father," I reply curtly, my voice soft again before I turn on my heels and make my way to my room.
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