Author: Ruth Chua Hak Yee
CHAPTER 1
"Xanda! Xan-da!" Came a voice from the kitchen.
A little boy about the age of ten ran to his foster mother, Mrs White. "Yes, Mar, are you calling me?"
"Urgh, not you, Xander, I'm looking for Xanda! Your Mother's bery creative, I must admit. Can't stand the way she named her child!" The old woman murmured.
"Mrs. White?" This is how the twins called their foster mother when they were not please at what she's talking about. "Mrs. White, you know Mother can't help it, right? This is how Rondovians name their children!"
"Hurgh...Tradition, Tradition, TRADITION!" Grumbled Mrs. White, "Whatever. Call your sister here at once!" Xander ran away.
"Uhhh... You calling me, Mar? Sorry I didn't hear you; I was in the garden with Xandia. " Xanda popped her head round the door.
"Go to the bakery and fetch some cakes for our tea. And STOP saying those Xander Xanda blah blah blah things in front of me!" said the annoyed foster mother. She frowned to herself and tried to calm down. Breath, breath.... Be calm and patient... The twins' mother, Damasira Kompar, was a lawyer in Rondov. She died in an accident when her children were three years old. Their father, Sir David, had been killed in the Battle of Canesa, just four years after Xander and Xanda's mother died.
Xanda fetched the cakes and prepared to head back home. Suddenly, someone hit her behind her head. She heard a faint blood-curdling cry... A strong, dreadful pain making her dizzy... She saw visions of herself being carried away by an angel... and everything turn into darkness...
CHAPTER 2
After Xanda fainted, somebody took the girl to the City of Rael. Curious glances turned to them and the mysterious man who carried Xanda avoided their glances. He went down a tunnel and arrived in....
꧁•⊹٭𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙿𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎٭⊹•꧂
Xanda panted heavily and struggled to sit. The cold and damp air around her made her teeth clatter. Drip drop drip drop. The leaking water pipe in the room was dripping. Xanda managed to stand up and she look around in alarm.
"Hello? Anyone here?" She called softly. No one answered. Xanda sighed. Spider webs were everywhere. The girl climbed on the broken bed and rested.
"I've done the job, master. She's already in the dungeon." sighed Bolt, "For the sake of His Majesty the King..." he sat down on the colorful carpet from India. His master rocked to and fro on the old, ancient rocking chair.
"Bring her before me. She will be a good warrior in the future." said the master, Blazen. So, the prisoner was brought to the room, helpless.
"Bow." commanded Bolt. The prisoner bowed clumsily and stumbled over. "Te-hehe-he." Giggled all the servants.
"SILENCE!" Blazen thundered, "How dare you all laugh at the mighty warrior that will save all of us one day?" The servants grew silent.
"L-let me o-o-ou-t of here... I want to go back home..." The prisoner panted, "I want Xander. I want Mar... And where am I..."
"I apologize for treating you so cruelly, but I have no choice. I know your name, and where you are living. I know all about your twin brother and all about you..." Blazen said gently, "I will tell you why you are here. Drink this." He held out a purple liquid that tasted like rotten egg. The prisoner drank it all because she was too thirsty to care about its taste. Once the liquid entered her throat, she dropped into a long, long sleep.
CHAPTER 3
Xanda appeared in a magnificent and noisy castle. All the servants were cleaning and tidying.
"Hello...?" Xanda greeted, curious. No one can see nor hear her. She is invisible. She went out of the room and found herself face to face with a man wearing royal cloths and a glowing crown. He is the King. Beside him, a charming lady sat on another throne, fussing over a crying baby.
"Shh... Don't cry, dear! Mama's right here." She comforted the baby boy in a gentle voice.
"Why is he crying?" Asked the king, "Baby Judars, Shhhh..."
The queen ordered a servant to take the baby to the baby room. Xanda backed away, afraid the servant will see her. But Whooooooops! Xanda tripped on the carpet and yelped.
"Who's that?" The king asked sharply. He pulled up a shining ball and threw it on the ground. "Omi, Omi, show your power to whoever in this room. Viola!" And the ball immediately spotted Xanda and made her visible in front of the king. "Trespasser!" The ball shouted. Xanda gasped. The king stood up immediately and marched smartly to Xanda.
"Arghhh! I'm not a spy or anything you're thinking of!" Xanda screamed. The king smiled a little.
"So... You said you're not who I'm thinking of? So you're not Damasira Kompar's daughter Xanda?" The king asked Xanda. The girl gasped in surprise and bowed down low to the king.
King Adam! The most wonderful pleasure in my life to meet King Adam III of Rondov!
The queen examined Xanda and silently motioned her husband to her. The queen, Naila of the Flowerine Nation, whispered something and the king looked alerted!
"You got the sign! The warrior sign! O great warrior, though you don't know who you are, I'll tell you now. You have the sign of a warrior, when you grew up, you will be a fearless warrior higher than any king in the world!" King Adam explained to the future warrior, Xanda. Xanda sighed. Things can't be more complicated for her...
TO BE CONTINUED...
Guess what happened next? -Editor-
