Chapter1

Once upon a time, there were two twin kingdoms. Escalus and Namid. Escalus was a magical kingdom. Vampires, Werewolves, Nymphs, Wizards, Ogres, Giants, all magical creatures and people lived there. Namid was a non-magical kingdom. Only humans lived in Namid.

Humans fear the creatures that lived in Escalus, so both kingdoms were separated by a magical barrier. No one from Escalus could cross the barrier. Only humans could. But the people in Namid feared that one day the barrier would be broken, and all the creatures they had come to fear would seep into Namid.

So they got young boys and trained them. From the moment they turned 5 until they became 18 they learned how to fight. They were taught how to use a sword and how to fight with their bare hands. Every home in Namid had at least 5 weapons inside them.

The women were taught how to hide. Each home had a basement, and the women all knew that if the wall ever broke to take all the other children and hide in the basement. Everyone in Namid was, well they said they were just prepared for an attack, but they were actually paranoid. Always fearing the worst, never relaxing or having fun, always in a heat of worry.

But how did they get like this? How did they get so paranoid? Well, it started around 100 years ago. When the magical barrier didn’t exist, and everyone lived together. There was no Escalus or Namid. Only one society, Dangarlan. Dangarlan was beautiful. There was no fear that hung on the people’s shoulders, no evil that lingered the air. Nothing but peace. Now I could sit here and tell you all about what happened that separated everyone but I would think it better that I let the story unfold it self. Now to find out what happened we have to go to 100 years after it happened. And start with a girl named Destiny.

“Destiny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Mother screamed at the top of her lungs. I sat up from my sleeping spot, under the old oak tree. I stuck my head out into the open garden of the Milgo Manor. Mother stood at the large extravagant patio. Her face was full of anger and I almost didn’t want to step out from behind the tree. But I had to, or she’d take her anger out on Father or worse, Brother. So I ready myself and stepped out from behind the tree. Mother’s eyes found me like a hawk searching for its prey. “Destiny.” Mother growled, “Come here!”

I walked towards her try my best not to fall over, from my knees shaking so much. As I stood in front of mother I could see, a large green vein pulsing madly on her forehead. It was a very unfeminine thing about Mother. People in the village said that mother could be as graceful as a feather and as well mannered as a Queen, but nothing would make up for that vein. At that thought I had to bite back a smile that would have been plastered on my face, but when Mother was angry a smile was to be no where in sight or it would be the last smile to ever be on your face again.

“Yes, Mother. Did you call?” I asked, knowing the answer already, everyone in the town of Milgo knew Mother had called me.

“Yes Destiny, I did call, and do you know why I called you?” Mother asked me with a sweet voice and a smile on her face. At the sight of that smile, a voice in my head started to scream, ‘Danger! I repeat, DANGER!!!!!’

I stood there, my face completely expressionless, but inside me everything was going insane. I had to get out of here. Mother was very angry and I didn’t even know why? I tried thinking about what I could have done to get her so angry at me, but I didn’t have to because the answer walked right through the door. Literally.

Zalika stood at the door way of the Patio with a tear stained face. Her dress that would have been beautiful was covered in mud and something that smell like the horse stalls. Her long brown hair that was usually soft curls now had hay and looked like a birds nest. At the sight of her I knew what she was going to say before she said it.

“Destiny…” she sniffed, “Why didn’t you help me when you saw that the horse was dragging me away?”

“Yes, Destiny.” Mother said the green vain pulsing madly on her forehead. “Why didn’t you help her?”

I stood there saying nothing. I would not, no matter what. Because if Mother was standing where I was, she would see the smirk that was on Zalikas face. Her face was in simply bliss at the sight of me getting in trouble. If only Mother knew the truth. If only everyone knew the truth.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Zalika Hondry had come to Milgo over a decade ago from a foreign village. Her father, Charles Hondry who was a rich governor, had lived in Milgo since he was 17. When he became governor, he traveled around and stayed in different places for long periods of time. It was rumored that he had had affairs with women in other villages, but it was never proven. Until Zalika came to Milgo.

Zalika had been 6 years old when she had moved to Milgo. She was shocked many people. Everyone had known she was from somewhere foreign. She had long straight brown hair, large almond shaped brown eyes, and dark caramel skin. She was exotic. She looked like someone had taken her out of the wild and put a dress on her. But what had shocked everyone was when she said that she was Mr. Hondrys daughter.

Mr.Hondry is the complete opposite of Zalika. He was pale with thin icy blue eyes and curly blond hair. Even there face was different. Zalika had long eyelashes and high arched eyebrows, while Mr. Hondry had short eyelashes and straight eyebrows softly arched. Zalika had high cheekbones and Mr. Hondry had average cheekbones. Zalika had full lips and Mr. Hondry had thin but not too thin lips. The only thing they had in common was that they were both beautiful. Both could stun people with their beauty.

Even though Zalika and Mr. Hondry were complete opposites, she was indeed his daughter. Mr. Hondry had admitted that she look just like a women he had met in a village. The woman had died and Zalika had no family. So Mr. Hondry took in as his daughter. She had been given the most expensive toys, and clothes. She was treated like a princess. But Mr. Hondry still left on his usual trips and would be gone for weeks. Zalika was always seen sitting alone and reading. Some even said they had seen her cry. The town baker had taken pity on her and had given her a sweet one day. She had smiled and had said thank you in the most cutest way. That was the day people started to believe she was innocent.

It had been Mothers idea to make Zalika and me friends. She had taken sympathy on Zalika, so she had set up a play date. Mother had told me for a week to be nice to Zalika, that she was in pain and she wouldn’t be able to handle anymore pain. She had made me dress up in a frilly pink dress that made my legs itchy. I had begged Brother to come with me, because I didn’t know how to make friends. He told me I would be fine because Zalika didn’t know how to make friends either. So on the day of the play date I walked to Hondry Manor with mother. Not knowing that it would change my life and the thoughts people had for me forever.

Zalika had been sitting out in the garden sniffing a flower. Mother bent down and whispered, “Go play with her Destiny.”

“But what if she doesn’t like me?” I asked frightened of being rejected.

Mother looked at me with caring eyes, that was last she ever did that. “She’s going to love you, Destiny, and if she doesn’t she missing out.” She smiled at me. It was the last smile that was ever for me. “Now go play with her and stay out of the mud.”

I nodded and walked towards Zalika. I remember feeling so nervous. Wondering would she like? Would she hate? Would she even talk to me? All those thoughts entered my head, none seeming to want leave, no mater how hard I tried to kick them out.

“Hi.” I said politely as I stood in front of Zalika. She looked up at me, my heart pounding like crazy.

“Hello.” Her voice was different than anyone else in Milgo. It had a foreign accent in it. “Are you Destiny?” My name sounded so weird, yet so beautiful.

“You have a pretty voice.” I blurted out.

“Um……Thank you?” she replied awkwardly. Making me blush at the realization of what I had just.

“Uh……um…well…uh…” I tried to think of what to say, but nothing came to my mind. She was going to think I was weird had to say something, but what?

“Do you want to take a walk in the garden?” Zalika asked sniffing the flower once again.

I looked at she had talked to me with no nervousness. It was like she was talking to someone else. I admired her for that.

“Um…sure let’s go!” I replied not wanting to ruin one of the only chances I might get to be friends with her.

I watched as Zalika smiled but it wasn’t a smile of happiness it was something else. But before I could figure out what it was, she turned around and started walking. I followed wondering where she was taking me.

We walked past the entrance of the garden. That was when I realized something was wrong. I started to get an uneasy feeling. Where was she taking me?? I said nothing but followed. We ended up at the very edge of the Hondry property next to the Silan river, which ran through all of Namid and Escalus.

Zalika sat on the ground and looked at me. And I mean looked at me. All of me as if she was judging me by my looks. I wanted to say something to her, but she decided to speak first.

“Oh my you are a very ugly girl, did you know that?” Zalika said still watching me.

I was shocked, had I heard right? No this was Zalika Hondry!!! The sweetest girl in the entire village. She couldn’t have just said that!!!!

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking that you must be hearing things, if you are you’re a stupid girl too.” Zalika smirked.

I blinked. Okay that proved it. She was saying mean things about me. But why? As if she could read my mind, she answered.

“I don’t like you or your family. Your idiotic mother actually believed I wanted to be friends with someone like you. But I think you can be of use.” Zalika was smirking evilly and I almost didn’t want to ask. But I had too.

“What do you mean of some use?” I asked.

“Well” she started, “this town is horribly boring and I need something to keep me entertained, don’t I? So I’ve decided to ruin your life. You don’t have a problem with that, do you?”

I was frozen for a second, everything not seeming to want to function in my head. But I snapped out of it.

“Of course I have a problem with that!!!!” I screeched. “You can’t do something like that!!!!”

“Oh too bad.” She said smirking, “I’ve already decided to. So it’s the time for the show to begin.”

And with that she started to scream. I was frozen what was she doing? I watched in horror as she jumped into the Silan River. That’s when my brain, being kind, told me to save her, or she would drown.

I ran and grabbed her hands to pull her up. I heard running from a distance, my mother was coming. I looked back about to yell for help when Zalika grabbed my hands and but them on her head. She went under the water with my hands still on her head. What was she doing? But before I could figure it out, I heard Mother.

“Destiny!!!!! What are you doing to Zalika!!!!!” Mother screamed.

Mother pushed me to the side and I fell into the mud. I watched as Mother as she pulled a sobbing and shivering Zalika out of the water. Mother looked at me anger filled her eyes.

“Get in the house!!” she yelled.

I jumped, but did as she told me. Why was she mad?? I was only trying to pull Zalika out when she put my hands on her h… I stopped realization coming to me. Mother thought I was drowning Zalika. I had to explain to her, that that didn’t happen.

I walked with Mother home. She had said nothing except ‘don’t speak’. The silence scared me. I didn’t feel like the silences we always shared. The calming silences, this on was heavy and freighting.

“Destiny.” Mother started. I looked at her but she did not look at me.

“Y-yes Mother?” I stuttered.

“Why did you try to drown Zalika?”

“I didn’t Mothe…”

“Don’t lie to me!!!!” Mother glared at me. “Zalika told me that you pushed her in!!!”

“But I didn’t!!!!”

“So you’re saying that Zalika is a liar!!! Do you expect me to believe that!!!”

“Yes Mother!!! I’m telling the truth!!!”

I didn’t know when I had started to cry but I was sobbing now. Mother didn’t look at me in kind eyes like she always did. Her face was filled with disgust.

“I can’t even look at your disgusting face” she sneered.

She walked on ahead not caring if I followed or if I didn’t.

 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

My heart felt like lead. That was my most painful memory. I was staring at the ground; I always did that when I thought about that day. That day was what had placed the hatred that sat in my heart. That hatred belonged to Zalika.

“Destiny!!!” I jumped and looked up to the angry face of Mother. “Answer me!!!!! Why didn’t you help Zalika!!!!”

I looked at Mother, was she actually asking me this. After all these years was she actually asking me to tell her my side of the story?

“What do you think mother?” I said not caring. It was too late Mother.

Mother shook her head “You’re still the same disgrace you have always been.”

With that she turned to Zalika and started to mother her with care she didn’t show me. I turned and started to head back to the oak tree when I heard it.

“Destiny, go clean all the dishes, and clothes!!!!” Mother screeched in my direction. “Clean the servants’ dishes and clothes too!!!!”

I looked in mother direction. That was impossible!!! We had 70 servants!!!!!! It was so unfair!!!!!! But then again it was my life, and nothing was fair in that.