I’ll be posting a chapter from my book series: Solen Masters. This is a Paid Exclusive for a month in certain places until it’s posted here, before I release it to a Selection of Fiction Sharing sites, such as Scribblehub and Royal Road. Most Chapters for each book will at some point be mostly removed from almost all places.
If you spot a typo, please let me know, so I can correct it before the final release.
Acacia inspected her dark caramel curls, unknotting as she went. Her hair showed that she had neglected to keep it in order in the last few days. But then being kidnapped, drugged, and unable to keep the slop that they food down, before narrowing surviving in a fight to death in the Lufas City Arena, meant that personal hygiene was neglected for the sake of her life. With her apparent death, she escaped the Coliseum. That was before Lana had one her people send her to the near by disused Lanta Guard Tower 11 in a blink of an eye.
Lanta Guard Tower 11 was at least day’s hard ride from Lufas City. However, Lanta was familiar territory, as she personally knew several people who laid claim to the area, and the few people in charge on managing it. One of the people who had a solid claim via inheritance, was herself. It would take several hours to walk back to the city, given that path was flooded and not very well maintained. But before that Acacia chose to relax and can now attend to the needs of personal hygiene.
It was the hour after dawn, she had came upon a familiar waterfall that emptied into a gentle, warm pool below. The pool was deep enough to stand completely under the water. However, things were wrong; the crude carving she had cut the previous year into a tree beside the water was gone. Not only that, but most of the trees seemed have gotten younger. The night that Acacia made the carving, she had been drinking, enjoying Samantha’s company and her passionate embraces. It was just almost 4 years ago since Samantha had confessed her feelings to Acacia.
She looked down at her naked body. Her stomach and chest had no signs of having been cut from the day before, even some of her scars that she had before were gone. Trey, her final opponent in the fight, said that he the ability heal her injuries with out leaving too much of a trace of being an injury at all. He did not want to fight her nor did she want to fight him, he had to fake her death, before escaping with her, with help from Samantha and Timon. After a busy day, besides the scar on her neck and he had left a few minor nicks to Acacia’s body to finish the job.
The mysterious girl’s comment about getting “someone to a date in where they can meet with themselves,” seemed to start to echo around Acacia’s head. Could today be Acacia a day she already lived before? It would explain why Guard Tower 11 was in the state it was. It was before Draylith crashed in to it, and the repair work to help her help her recovery. It would also explain why the Gold of Autumn was replaced by the Green of Spring over night.
The question of which day she had lived before was one she pondering as she washed herself. One thought was about the Days that her parents were murdered. Her own mother, Queen Lily Iota-Latione, was murdered in the throne room. Acacia was 4 years old at the time, and all she could remember was her mother covered in blood and stab wounds. Lady Susana had to carry Acacia away from the Palace.
The other day Acacia thought of, was day that her father was murdered. He was said to be stabbed by Tira Tatiana, before stabbing herself in the heart. Acacia didn’t believe it, She was almost a day ride away in the Palace. But her father’s grave was just a few hours walk from Guard Tower 11. Tira’s Grave was never marked, nor that anyone would tell Acacia were Tira was buried. It was somewhat expected given that she’d been declared a traitor to the Crown. Acacia never believed that Tira was a traitor.
It was somewhat hard to build a picture of her father’s movements in his final days, but it appeared that Tira didn’t leave his side. Her quest to find out ended when Acacia found a Wanted Poster for herself.
The Wanted poster described Acacia as being equivalent to a 12 years old human, despite her having just entered her 22nd year. She suspected that this poster was more for Lord Gast’s forces than the locals. Today, some humans would describe her as being about 20, despite being in mid way though her 26th year.
Acacia was more muscular than most elven women around her age. But then she was often fighting along side her small number of troops. Most of them would be living in New Lanta City. The City would have been visible from the tower, if it wasn’t for the fog covering the lower hills that morning.
The pool was pretty much unknown outside of few of Acacia’s friends. Almost no one visited Guard Tower 11, nor they had reason to be in area. The path between towns didn’t go near here.
But still Acacia felt like that she was being watched. Trey didn’t appear the type, but appearances could be deceiving. Acacia was more annoyed with the fact Trey was hiding, instead of bathing with her.
In her pile of clothes, she left her Solen Blade at the top. She waded though the pool to grab it, and started to climb out. Acacia didn’t extent the sky blue Solen Blade, leaving it looking like dagger for most people.
“Don’t hurt me!” yelled a bush.
It wasn’t Trey’s voice. It wasn’t even a male or even a human’s voice. It was one of a young girl, a Vedran. It was clear she spoke Elfish with a slight lisp that all pure blood Vedran had. Acacia suspected it was due to how each race was.
What appeared to be a pile of mud in the shape of a Vedran girl in her teens, crawled out of the bush.
Her eyes locked on to the Solen Blade, “What are you doing with Aunty Lana’s knife?”
If this girl seem to be somewhat familiar with Lana Wiess, enough to recognise one of Lana’s own unique weapons. It’s quite possible that she would know Mayor Lukas, Lana’s right hand man.
“Lukas gave…” Acacia voice rasped. It still hurt when she spoke. Given how the girl reacted, Acacia must have shown her pain.
“You must really know Uncle Lukas if he gave you that. Mama gave Uncle Lukas my knife, something about having the Rite of Passage before she let me have it.”
Not having The Rite of Passage, yet? This girl is still considered a child, and this raised more issues than Acacia would like.
“So, I’m Niu Hannatan. I’d ask for your name, but it looks really painful when you spoke,” the girl smiled.
Acacia’s knowledge of Vedran culture was more than most Elves. But then she had previously had worked heavily with two different Vedran Houses. Just my mentioning her name, Niu either didn’t belong to a house, or chose to keep it hidden. Acacia suspected that Niu didn’t belong to a House.
Her Surname revealed more information, mostly her mother name: Hannah. Acacia knew of an older Vedran woman Hannah. She had Black Fur, and missing her left eye.
Acacia covered her own left eye to mimic Hannah’s eye patch, Niu soon realised what Acacia was showing her, “You know Mama. Not a word to my Mama!”
Acacia covered her lips with a finger held vertically.
“Do you mind if I join you?” Niu asked.
Acacia smiled, dropped the Solen Blade back in her pile of clothes. She looked back to see Niu struggling with her cloak. Acacia sigh, and helped undress Niu.