The two kingdoms of Aldold and Emtolia were both beautiful. Their cities had towering buildings that cast cool shadows over the streets. They were ruled by twins, Queen Amarita of Aldold and Queen Ellspento of Emtolia. They were mortal enemies. Queen Ellspento was also known by her nickname, the Black Claw, and Queen Amarita by her’s, the Pale Beauty.
It was well known that Queen Ellspento would have done anything to get rid of Queen Amarita. Queen Ellspento had a rather small empire and wished to expand it. That is why it was no surprise when The Pale Beauty received a death threat from The Black Claw.
This was not a run of the mill death threat. It was a painting. A beautiful painting really. It was black and white, featuring a chessboard where many of the pieces were already scattered across the board. The Pale Beauty actually thought it was an offer of peace, until her head guard informed her otherwise. In the painting the black queen had just placed the white king in a checkmate.
The Pale Beauty’s head guard was named Aquafina, a name that had come over with the first traders. She was a pretty girl, with pale skin and straight white-blond hair. She was about 15, though not precisely. Her best feature were her eyes. They were a piercing violet that seemed to hypnotize everyone. They had hints of blue around the irises. She was an orphan, left at the castle gates as an infant. The previous head guard had taught her everything she knew, and by now she was pretty lethal.
All these traits contributed to The Pale Beauty’s decision to send Aquafina to kill, not capture, The Black Claw. Aquafina was to take her most skilled girls with her. She only took two other girls, Ampathia and Amperadia. Only three girls. A lucky number in Aldold.
The girls set off at midnight the next day, with daggers hidden in the folds of their flowing dresses. They had to journey through many a city before they even reached the border of Emtolia. It took a day to reach the outskirts of the city. They had crossed through the gleaming city and into the countryside. The countryside was fairly big, and no one could cross it if they were as exhausted as the three girls. They made camp and prepared for a long needed rest.
Altomia lived in a small town on the outskirts of Aldold. She had wild red hair, which was odd considering everyone in Aldold had blond hair. She had amazingly blue eyes that were said to be as deep and wide as the ocean itself. From her window she could see another tiny town, but this one on the outskirts of Emtolia. She was told never to go there, for all Emtolians were violent and deceitful people. None the less, Altomia had to go dangerously close to the village to fetch water. That little pond was where Altomia first spotted Emerando.
Emerando was a citizen of Emtolia, though he thought Aldold looked so much more beautiful. The town he lived in was just inside Emtolia, and it relied heavily on the nearby city as a food source. He had learned to go to fish at the pond on the border so that no city had leverage over him. On one such fishing outing he spotted Altomia. He knew instantly that they were going to be friends.
Altomia had let her hair out that day and Emerando could not see her face, but he knew she was no one he knew. Of course, that was easy, considering Altomia was the only one with red hair for miles. Emerando walked over to the other side of the pond. He was in Aldold territory. He tapped her on the shoulder. Surprised, Altomia looked up from her bucket in the water.
“Ahhhhhhh! Who are you? Are you an Emtolian? If so, get away from me!” Atomia took a step back after she said this. Without knowing it, she stepped back into the pond. She made a huge splash as she fell into the murky water. Emerando jumped in after her.
As soon as Altomia saw Emerando in the water with her, Altomia ducked under the water and swam away.
“Relax.” Emerando said, after she had resurfaced. “I won’t harm you. Not every Emtolian is like that you know. I just came over to say hi.” After he said this, he got out of the water and offered his hand to Altomia. “Need help?” He asked.
Altomia took his hand warily and pulled herself out of the water. They both sat by the water’s edge. Altomia was shivering. They both sat there in silence.
After a while Altomia said, “If anyone sees us sitting next to each other we would both be executed.”
“I know.” Emerando responded.
“I have never been so close to the border.”
“I’ve never been inside Aldold. It’s pretty here.”
Emerando looked over at his village, his eyes stopping to rest on the house closest to the border. It was blackened by years of house fires.
“Is that your house?” Altomia asked.
“Yes. I live by myself in the old clunker. That is, me and my baby sister Elmerita. That’s the way it’s been for a while. I got a deadbeat dad and my mom died when she gave birth to Elmerita.
“I’m sorry.” Said Altomia.
“Yeah, well, things happen for a reason, as they say.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re easy to deal with.”
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