“Well...well what have we here?” An elder male voice spoke up, spooking the poor young girl.
“Wah! W-Who...Who are you?!” She asked scared
The male bent down to her eye level, she could see that he had dark black hair and purple eyes. “Hello little one, My name is Lord Lou Sparkfreed, who are you?”
“R-Reyna...R-Reyna Militia…” She said sadly
“Militia huh? Who are your parents?” Lou asked
She frowned as she looked down sadly. “I...I don’t know my mommy but my daddy is a lord….I don’t know his name.”
“Surely you can figure it out. I’ll show you pictures of those I know in the demon realm. You point to your father okay?” Lou asked
She nodded her head. “O...Okay.”
The elder male took out a picture that had all of her uncles and her father with him. Reyna frowned as she pointed to her father-Zavier Militia. When Lou saw that she pointed to Zavier he sighed out as he hung his head. “Why am I not surprised? He’s never been good with kids. Let’s take you to where I live and we can talk about why you ended up flying all the way out here. It’s dangerous for a little cutie like yourself.”
“O...Okay.”
He picked her up and flew off with her, when he got to the castle he had her walk beside him as she looked around. “Whoa this place is big.”
“It’s going to be, it holds a lot of people, Reyna.”
“How many is a lot?” Reyna asked
“More than you have fingers for.” He said with a smile
Reyna’s eyes lit up in shock. “Wow, that is a lot of people!”
He chuckled before they entered a small room that had four different types of couches. He picked her up and placed her up on one of them before he left to get his wife and his children so they can understand how to deal with people who come into their kingdom. Reyna just looked down at her small dress as she had her hands on top of one another as she stayed rather quiet.
“Now Children, I want you to be nice to this young lady who you see before you, she is a princess of the neighboring kingdom. What you’re about to see your father do is something all of you will need to know how to do.”Lou stated before he knelt down to be eye to eye with Reyna. “Now princess Reyna, tell me everything from the start.”
Reyna held onto her light red dress for a moment before she took a deep breath and spoke up looking the older male in the eyes. “Papa doesn’t believe anything I tell him, he thinks I’m the problem when my big sissy Luma always hurts me. Luma always antagonizes me and makes fun out of me for how I look. Every time I tell my father what she does, he never believes me and goes to her to ask her if she did it or not. She always lies to him and he believes it, he always punishes me telling me that lying is a sin and he won’t put up with it.” Reyna said sadly
Lou couldn’t believe what he was hearing, he placed his hands gently over hers. “Tell me what made you run off on your father? You don’t look an age over eight.”
“I-I’m not...I’m six years old sir. What made me run off was telling my father that Luma was constantly using magic to push me down when I am trying to water the plants in the green house outside of the castle. The last time she had she had me knock my head against one of the containers and I was passed out for a bit. I told my dad and he didn’t believe me, he had picked me up and wanted to take me to see Luma. He wouldn’t even trust me.” She said sadly, as she spoke she began to tear up until tears started to fall down her face. “Why should I be home if I can’t be trusted? Luma always gets away with things and I’m sick of it. I’m sick of being her punching bag.”
Lou could tell that he had to talk with his friend, he hugged the young female before he wiped her tears. “Until I finish speaking with your father, you are to stay here and be with my children. They are all well behaved and will treat you well.”
Reyna nodded her head as she looked up at him. “O...Okay Mr. Lou.”
Lou then left and Avery was the first of the lot of them to speak up to her. “Hi, I’m Avery. I’m the eldest.”
“H-Hi…”
Avery held out his hand to her. “Wanna play a game with me and my brothers?”
She hesitated for a bit before the elder female who was watching them smiled at her. “Don’t worry Reyna, they aren’t going to hurt you I promise. They all know how to play nice.”
Reyna hesitantly placed her hand on Avery’s before he pulled her down gently and she was introduced to Riki and Mykel who were twins and the same age as her as well as three females who were a year younger than her Alena, Malia and Isla. Reyna ended up playing a few games with the other kids, and she enjoyed herself for a short period of time before she heard her name being called by Lou. She looked up from the game she was playing to see her father and Luma. Her smile instantly faded off of her face as she got up and went up to the three of them.
Zavier looked at her disapprovingly” So this is where you went! You’re so grounded young lady!”
Reyna shook her head and she stepped a few steps backwards. “I’m not going anywhere! Mr. Lou’s kids treat me a lot better than Luma does! They don’t hurt me or say mean things to me! She does! You always believe her instead of seeing what’s right in front of you! You’re not my father!”
Luma went up to her and glared at her. “Don't say that to father! You’re just being a spoiled little brat!”
“The one who is spoiled is you! Father always listens to you! Never me!”
“Well of course he does, I’m his favorite. He’d never think I’m lying.” Luma said proudly
Lou could see what was going on and looked to Zavier. “Zavier, you know I would never steer you wrong. But you mustn’t allow your kids to be treated unfairly, Luma is more than five years older than Reyna. She has had a lot more time with you than Reyna has-I do believe that you need to hear the truth to see the truth.”
“And how do you suppose that to happen?”
Lou got out of his pocket two bracelet's that were metal with a dark purple rim. “I had placed these on my kids to make them tell the truth, it tightens when they lie. Let’s see who is truthful and who isn’t.”
Zavier nodded his head and took them from Lou before separating his kids. He placed the bracelet on both girls before he had them both look at him. “Now girls, we’re going to do this nice and fair. We’re going to talk about the past incidents and the most recent one. This will show me who I can trust and who I cannot.”
Both girls nodded their heads before Zavier looked at Luma. “I previously could trust anything you said-but I have been nudged to think that I can’t. So let’s see if the nudge was right. Have you been bullying your younger sister?”
Luma scoffed. “No.”
The bracelet on her got closer to her wrist which freaked her out. “W-What is this Father?!”
Zavier said nothing before he looked at Reyna who wouldn’t even look at him. He was starting to see what Lou wanted him to see. He looked back to Luma. “Tell me every time that I asked you if you were nice to your sister, have you been?”
“Yes, I’ve been ‘nice’ to her.”
The bracelet got even closer to her wrist, she was getting concerned about why it would do so. Zavier sighed out as he shut his eyes. “Well this is very concerning. Have you been going to your lessons like you're supposed to and doing your training sessions as well?”
“Of course I do.”
The bracelet was now completely tight around her wrist and it hurt her. “Daddy! Get this thing off of me! This hurts!” Luma said freaking out
“No, you will deal with the pain while I talk with your sister.” Zavier said seriously before he looked at Reyna. “Reyna dear, please look at me. I won’t yell at you or accuse you of anything. I just want to know the truth.”
Reyna shook her head. “I’ve already told you the truth, I always tell you the truth and get punished for it. Luma always hurts me and lies about ever harming me. She uses her staff and magic against me, she calls me useless and her casting dummy since you apparently only need one heir to the throne and that’ll be her.” Reyna said sadly
The entire time she spoke the bracelet didn’t move at all. Zavier fell down to his knees as he hung his head. He had been punishing the wrong child and believing the wrong one as well. He always thought that there was something wrong with Reyna for constantly going to him-but now he knew why. Lou went up to Zavier and placed a hand on his shoulder, Zavier looked at him without saying a word.
“You know the truth now...don’t you?”
“I...I do, how could you tell?”
Lou pointed to Riki and Avery. “I’ve just recently dealt with a similar issue in reverse. Riki had constantly hurt and bullied his pacifist elder brother who wouldn’t ever hurt a fly. I learnt the hard way that Avery has always and always will tell the truth. He stumbles with his words if he lies and I take that same outlook with other children as well. When Reyna came here she was scared but she was more upset than scared. She told me everything and I figured you would need a good nudge in the right direction.”
Luma tried to pull the bracelet off of her but it wouldn’t budge off of her. Lou took the bracelet off of Reyna and patted the top of her head softly. “Go on and play with my children for a bit longer. I’ll tell you when you’ll be leaving.”
Reyna bowed her head before she went to go and play with Avery and Riki once more. Once she was out of ear shot Lou looked Luma dead in the eyes. “Listen here Luma, lying isn’t going to make your father trust you anymore than anyone else, harming your little sister is only going to make her hate you in the future and end up making blood shed happen. You wouldn’t want your end to be by younger little sister now would you?”
“No! But if she’s gone father can focus only on me again! I never wanted a little sibling! I hate her! I don’t want her to be my sister! She’s ugly and boring! She is too much of a goody to shoes for my liking!”
Zavier shut his eyes as he stood up before he opened his eyes and he grabbed Luma by the arm. “We’re leaving and you’re going to be punished hardcore for what you’ve placed your sister through.” Zavier said sternly before he looked at Lou. “Do you think you can take care of my daughter until I can get Luma to behave?”
“Of course, she seems to be doing well with my children so she is more than welcomed here.”Lou said with a nod of his head
“Thank you.” Zavier said before he pulled Luma away as she looked at her father upset.
Once Zavier and Luma left, Lou went up to the children and placed a hand on the top of Reyna’s head. “Reyna seems like you’ll be living here with me for a bit of time. I want you to know that as long as you’re here that you can ask me or any of my children anything alright?”
Reyna nodded her head. “Okay...why did he leave me here?”
“He wants to discipline your sister, once she learns not to be a brat and lie-you will be going back and live with your father and sister once more.” Lou stated
“Oh...okay.”Reyna said before she smiled a bit at the elder male. “Thankies for taking me in.”
Lou chuckled a bit. “You’re welcome, now enjoy yourself while you’re here dear.” Lou said before he left the kids to play while he went to talk to his wife about what he had witnessed.
While he did, Avery couldn’t stop staring at Reyna, he soon saw her stare at him as she tilted her head to the side. “Why are you staring?”
“You are pretty, I like your red hair.”
Reyna’s face soon matched her hair as she heard him speak. “Um...T-Thanks I think...I..I’ve never been told something like that before.”
He moved closer to her and held her hand in his. “Well I never lie, I think you’re really pretty. I hope you stay with us for a long while, Reyna.” He said happily
She nodded her head in agreement. “I hope I do too-I don’t like it back at home. My cousins are all meanies and Luma just makes it worse.” She scooted closer to him. “Here I’m treated nicely and I like that...I like that a lot.”
One day turned to a week, then a month before the month turned to a year then it turned to be ten years. At the time Esta and Lou were talking with Avery, Jessica-Avery’s girlfriend and Reyna about a problem that had happened between Reyna and Jessica with Jessica playing the victim. Reyna just about had it with the girl and wanted to kill her but never once ever spoke up about it knowing that it would work against her. Before Jessica could speak a silver haired male with silver eyes showed up and looked directly at Reyna and Avery.
“Hello ladies and gents, I’m here on request of two lovelys here. Avery-Reyna, you should remember me, yes?”
Reyna instantly smiled at him. “Yes Bryce I remember you, I’m surprised that you are here and not Tina or Tyche.”
“Tyche and Tina are *ing out your dearest father right now-It’s best that you stay here dearie. Now-let’s do the favor of Avery, yes?”
Reyna nodded her head. “Sure, he deserves to keep his family as is.”
Avery was quiet since he knew who Reyna was to him-even though he was with Jessica. It wasn’t long until they saw Melo who had a book in his hand. Before he could speak a word Bryce had taken the book from him kicking him into a wall before he flipped through the book.
“Hm, yeah this is one of five that are out there. This is a no-no book boys and girls. This is illegal magic.” He said before he burnt the book. “Now it’s no more.”
Bryce then looked at Melo. “You are one badie that’s for sure, who gave you that book?”
“I...I got it from unclaimed land after the war happened.”
“Unclaimed land my ass! All the land in this world is claimed! The place you went to was in a * state yeah?”
Melo nodded his head quietly.
“Yeah that’s the place where the founders once lived-but cause of your *ty sister they no longer live there. They had all of the no-no books to keep safe. Now because I know what you were going to do-that would have taken years from your life. I know who you’d kill-for that I have bargained the life of a few angels with the life of the one who held the book. Which just so happens to be you. So...you’re going to take your daughter's place. Bye-bye!” Bryce said before he took the heart out of the angelic male and burst it making him scream out in pain before he turned into dust.
Bryce then let out a sigh before he looked at Avery and Reyna. “How has life been for the two of you? Any different?”
Avery looked down sadly as Reyna walked up to him. “It’s been different-I haven’t seen my father since I was six and I’ve lived here with Avery since then. I feel stronger than I did back then. What did Tyche and Tina do?”
“They pited you especially since you wanted a goddess to kill you, Tina hasn’t killed in over a millennia! There is no way that she’d do it now, Tyche felt especially bad since she was so busy with other people's lives she just ignored what was going on with you. She was tasked to watch over you and she failed that. She wanted a redo.”
“Well that was certainly interesting-but I want to go home, I want to see my cousins and go through the trial. I wish to show that I am strong enough to do anything that is placed in front of me.”
Bryce nodded his head. “Alright, I can do that-you got the mark?”
She nodded her head. “I do, I got it four days ago.” Reyna said as she lifted her shirt sleeve to show that she had the lily mark on her upper arm.
Bryce grinned. “Alright! Now we’re in business, little princess! Hold my hand, I’ll take you to where my wife is and it’ll be up to you to do what you want, kid.”
Reyna happily nodded her head before she looked at Lou bowing her head. “Thank you for having me all these years, but I must return home. Keep your son on a short leash, there is something you should know that I know he knows which is why he’s so silent right now.” Reyna said before she lifted up her shirt on the left side. “We’re marked to be around one another, once he’s done messing with that angel...he knows where I’ll be. Only when he’s ready to beg for forgiveness knowing that I’ve always been right will I’ll ever listen to him. That woman is a tramp and he’ll learn sooner or later.”
Reyna then placed her hand in Bryce’s hand before they went straight to where Tina was via lightning teleport. Once they landed behind the two goddess females the two girls looked behind them, Tina instantly went up to Reyna and hugged her tightly. “Good you’re still in one piece. Listen to me well Child, your father had no intention of getting you back from the place you were in. So you need to show him that you are capable of being better than your elder sister.”
Reyna nodded her head sternly. “I’m more than ready to do so. I can pass anything my father gives me.”
Zavier got up and glared at the red haired female. “We’ll see about that, first thing first. Your written exam of basic knowledge of this kingdom. If you can’t pass that you aren’t going into the training field.”
Reyna crossed her arms. “Give me your best shot old man, you gave Lord Lou some bull * so you can spoil the * out of Luma! At least Lord Lou treated me with respect, and was honest and fair with all that grew up there! You’re pathetic next to him!”
“You’re going to eat your words child.”
The three gods followed Zavier and Reyna into the library. Bryce went book searching while Tina and Tyche watched the two interact with one another. Zaver placed the test in front of Reyna before he timed her to finish the long test that took over two hours to finish. Within a half hour she finished everything and slid the booklet to her father. He stopped the time watch and looked through everything. He was more than speechless as he saw that she was more knowledgeable than Luma was and Luma was his star child. Reyna leaned against the table with her hands under her chin. “What’s next, old man?”
He got up and glared at her. “You’re to go through the hardest of trials, if you have the seal of Wraiths it shouldn’t be that hard for you to do.”
“I did, with pride four days ago. First try.”
He gritted his teeth as they went to the training grounds. When they did, Bryce went beside Reyna. “So I found three of the books, which means the last book is missing somewhere.”
“Do you think the founders took it with them?” Reyna asked
“Possibly, but for now focus on proving your father wrong about you. We got your back.”
She nodded her head as she met up with Corporal Ivan once more, Ivan instead of having her go up against Zane. Had her go up against her sister who was feared as the strongest woman in the military. Once they were told to go Reyna kept looking forward and didn’t look back at her sister struggling to get through before her. She didn’t stop as she finished the obstacles, she just went through the others one by one until she got to the one with the dragons.
Reyna knew she didn’t have Nala around, so she didn’t know how she’d get past it only to see a small black dragon zooming past the elder dragons and in front of her. “Miss me Reyna?!”
Reyna happily hugged the dragon. “More than you’d ever think Nala! Let’s do this, just like before. We need to show up my * of a sister.”
Nala nodded her head and she went through the course as she made Reyna laugh and giggle the entire time. Once they ended up on the ground Nala turned to be her human form before the two held hands tightly and they bolted through the last part of the course. As they got to the last course Nala went first before Reyna went in. The Dark shadow let out a dark chuckle.
“We meet again, you’re so pathetic. How long will you last until father completely forgets you. You’ve always been the weakest of the two of them. You’ve never been able to handle yourself and it wasn’t until you had to turn to people outside the family that you truly showed promise. You're nothing more than a weak, useless little cry baby. Who’d want anything to do with a cry baby like you?! You ugly little girl!”
Zavier had kept his eyes on Reyna and heard what the dark spirit said to Reyna. Knowing the innermost dark thoughts of his daughter-he knew he was going to be up for a large challenge. Reyna scoffed and threw a fireball at the dark spirit. “* off, I ain’t got time for your bull *! I’m not weak or a cry baby. I’m not a child anymore.” She said seriously before she rushed ahead.
As she went through the last part she was once again face to face with her father before she met up with the leader of the founders. He was told to wait for both of the females to show up so she was able to rest while she waited for her elder sister. It was four hours before Reyna had seen her elder sister who was out of breath. Richard made the portal and the two girls went in together. Luma wanted to burn the entire forest down, Reyna wouldn’t let her as she followed what the sprites wanted her to do. Luma watched her sister from behind and rolled her eyes as she saw how much blood shed she didn’t do. Once they got to the sword Luma wanted the sword for herself. Luma quickly made her wings show and pulled on the sword only to be electrocuted and paralyzed on the ground. Shawn shook his head as he looked at Reyna.
“Wanna give it a go?”
Reyna nodded her head and pulled the weapon out of the rock before the rock turned to dust. Shawn clapped his hands and smiled at her. “Well-well, looks like that’s yours now.”
She nodded her head. “Thank you Prince Shawn...I’m going to take my * elder sister and leave now.”
“Don’t be a stranger Princess.” Shawn said before he disappeared.
Luma soon became unparalyzed and glared at Reyna. “I want that sword!”
“No, it’s mine now.”
“I don’t care, I’m older. I deserve it more than you.”
“Like *ing hell you do.” Reyna said before she flew into the portal and kept the sword close to her.
Luma flew after her sister before seeing their father and Richard. “Reyna stole that sword from me! Tell her to give it back!” Luma said as she pointed to Reyna
“I did not!”
Zavier shook his head and placed the sword in the ground between the two girls. Only to be shocked himself. He soon got over the shocks and looked between them “One at a time you two will try to hold it. It obviously has a protective spell that shocks people unworthy of it. Luma you first dear.”
Luma’s eyes lit up before she went to pick the sword up only for her to get paralyzed once more. Reyna rolled her eyes before she easily and quickly picked the sword up. “Stupid sister, she never learns. That happened in the Ent kingdom as well. I’m going forward-I’ve proven my worth.” Reyna hissed as she glared at her father.
Zavier didn’t know what to say as she left, leaving her old sword in the ground. When Reyna got out of the obstacle Ivan was waiting with the military trainees and her cousins and uncles waiting to see who would come out first. Seeing that it was Reyna shocked them. “That can’t be right, you’re only a child.” Ivan said stunned
Reyna scoffed as she placed her sword in it’s sheath. “I may be sixteen years of age, but this sixteen year old is determined to do what is right for this kingdom. My father has always placed lies before the truth and I wish to change that once he comes to pass. My elder sister Luma cannot do the job properly, she will rob all of you of your job and your homes. She only thinks about herself and that is it. She doesn’t care about any of you-I can tell you right now that she’ll be the worst person to have as a queen once my father passes.”
Nile went up to her and knelt down to her. “You are a brave young woman, your aunt would be very happy to see this.”
“Aunt Andrea and uncle Lucian are alive, they are in cat forms right now. Most likely at this point nearing the kingdom. Cat’s can only go so far before being tired.”
Nile shut his eyes and shook his head. “That can’t be true.”
“Then explain how Stella didn’t wake up until a while ago and grew up ‘normally’ that’s not normal.” Reyna stated seriously
Nile opened his eyes and crossed his arms. “If you can find these cats and bring them back-I will personally find Amara and have him change them back. If you can't, you will be outcasted.”
“Fine.” Reyna said before she called for Nala. “Let’s go, we need to go find them.”