The Phoenix's Maiden

A New World (Part Three)

Amber wandered through the hallways inside the castle and she is not very familiar which way to go, because this is her first time in this place. She is just walking around aimlessly hoping to reach the dining room where Azura and Ashura went for the banquet. Her stomach grumbled just thinking about the food that they might have prepared for her and as time passes by, she grew tired of fruitless walking around.

She noticed that this is the tenth time, that she saw the door from the room where she came from earlier. It’s like that Amber is just walking around in circles this whole time. Becoming more confused, she looks around hoping that she can find someone to help her reach the banquet. They are probably eating by now; Amber pictured the twin demigods eating with lots of dishes in their table. Her saliva started to accumulate inside her mouth and her stomach became angrier.

“Hello!?” she shouted hoping that someone will respond to her call for help. “Anyone there?” she calls again but still the eerie silence embraced the hallways and there are no signs of presence as of the moment. They must be in the banquet by now enjoying their share of meals. She sat against the door that she kept finding herself again and again and hugged her knees. Amber pressed her face to prevent her tears from falling down.

Her current situation reminded her of her past, when she is just a child aimlessly living her life for no reason. She has neither goal nor any motivation in everyday life, and that time she is all alone. No one is there to comfort her whenever she cried. No one is there to pull her up whenever she is down. No one loved her when she needed it the most. The darkness, she can feel it again and she is afraid of it. She ran away in hopes to find the light in her life, to change everything in this colorless world of hers.

She thought that she completely moved on but deep inside her heart, the past still exists deep inside her heart, ready to devour her whenever she is the most vulnerable and weak.

She heard faint footsteps but she doesn’t have the strength to continue looking around anymore.

“Are you okay?” a sweet calming voice asked her. It is from a man and the owner of the footsteps that she heard earlier. “What happened?” he asked again but Amber didn’t answer his questions. She felt chills down to her spine when a cold metal touched her shoulder skin. She jolted and let her guard up towards the man.

But... she was caught off guard; the sweet calming voice belonged to a man that has a face of an angel. He has a blonde hair and yellow eyes. Red lips and a white skin that is nearly like a snow. A well-built body that makes you feel safe in his embrace, but this is covered in a silver knight’s armor with a golden outlines in it. Every woman that sees him will probably fall in love with his looks. His charm can’t be resisted, every woman’s ideal man but Amber is not one of them.

She admits to herself that he is a good looking man but it doesn’t change the fact that he is still trying to sexually assault her and immediately puts her guard up again.

“Touch me again and you will taste the wrath of my fist,” she threatened the young knight. He backs off to put some distance between him and the girl that he just met. He puts both his hands in front of, that is covered with metal gloves, to guard himself if ever she decided to throw a punch to his face. He doesn’t want it to have a bruise or any injuries, because this may affects his charisma towards the citizens that he protects.

“Easy there,” he said. “I am just trying to help you,” he defended himself from Amber’s accusation. “I do not mean any harm,” he added but this is not enough for Amber to put her guard down towards the young knight. The young knight sensed her distrust inside her and thought that maybe she has a tragic life beside her. Suddenly an idea came up to his mind and put his hands down. He closes his distance between him and Amber then he hears her stomach grumbling just on time. Amber in shame quickly covered her face that is starting to blush.

“Back off,” she told the young knight for him not to see her face but the young knight chuckled and Amber’s shame grew even more stronger.

“You want to come with me in the banquet?” he offered his assistance to Amber.

“What for?” she acted like that she does not know anything about the banquet, so that he will not know that she is lost. She had enough of these embarrassing moments, and more of this will make her go crazy.

“I heard that the kings are preparing a feast for the grand return of the long lost royal lineage in this kingdom,” he said to her. She was shocked because it is bigger than she thought it would be.

“What is this royal lineage all about?” she asked and curiosity tempted her. She stands up and slowly let her guard down unconsciously.

“Oh,” he was surprised by Amber’s question. Everyone in the kingdom knows about the history of this place, even this royal lineage that he is talking about. “You must be new here,” he said and Amber nods to confirm his speculations. “That’s why I thought that your face is unfamiliar of all the women that falls for my looks,” he boasted.

“Don’t lump me with them,” she protested. He offered his hand when Amber tried to stand up but she did not accept that offer. Embarrassed he took his hand back to himself again and Amber proudly faced him. “So where is this banquet, you’re talking about,” she said with pride.

“Follow me,” the young knight cheaply said as he find Amber’s attitude amusing. This is the first time that he met a woman that totally ignores his charms. In his experience every woman are head over heels just to touch his hands. But this woman has even the guts to hurt his pride, and this is totally new to him; a challenge that he never faced before and an obstacle to reach the peak of his manliness. He probably thought of that.

He started to walk leading her, where the banquet was held and Amber tried to keep up with his speed looking at him with excitement in her eyes, almost like she can see stars twinkling inside them.

“So what is this LONG LOST royal lineage all about?” she finally asks the question to him, emphasizing the two words that make it more intriguing.

“Do you really not know anything about our history?” he asked but Amber just shook her head like a child. “Even just a little bit?” he asked again.

“Not a single thing,” she said innocently and the young knight sighed because there is no hope for this girl. He prefer woman that has the same patriotism as him towards the kingdom. He even can’t believe that a citizen in this kingdom that is not aware of its past history still existed.

“If the kings learn about this, they will be probably mad,” he warns Amber and she covered her mouth. She became nervous about their conversation earlier, she can’t control her excitement. Maybe that’s why Azura is looking pretty pissed off back in the room, she said to herself. She grew anxious about facing the kings anymore.

“Oh,” she said cheaply.

“Back to the topic, let me give you a quick recap about our kingdom’s history,” he offered her and Amber are all ears to his words. “Long ago, the lineage of the Phoenix, a special clan to be precise, was ruling this kingdom,” he started. “The kingdom was known for its prosperity as for they have the ability to give life energy to other living things. The citizens were happy and living the best times of their lives because they are the very definition of great rulers. The king was known for its meekness and wisdom,” he told her. “But that prosperity and peaceful times came to an end when the underworld grew weary and jealous of the king and its family, they even want to take their abilities as the phoenix’s descendant,” he added.

“Why did the underworld attack the kingdom?” she cuts him off.

“According to the legends that they found a way to use their blood to gain immortality, that is why they seek for their end,” he answered. “But they failed on doing that and after the Great War the family vanished, never to be seen again,” he said. “That’s when Azura and Ashura the twin disciple of the king emerged to rule the kingdom and continue what the king left behind,” he added pertaining to the governance of the twin gods. “It’s been more than a century when they vanished and now that one of them appeared again, we are very happy to welcome him or her and to thank them for what their ancestors’ deeds for the kingdom,” he finished.

“Oh, now I understand why,” she replied to him.

“Yes and don’t ever mention your lack of knowledge to the kings,” he warned her again for Amber’s ignorance of the past.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she reassured him.

They walk silently and for the first time Amber noticed some changes in the hallways that she have never seen before, when she is desperately finding her way towards the banquet.

“Are they gods of some sort?” she can’t help herself to ask again. The young knight looked at her surprised.

“They are more than the gods we know off,” he answered her question. “In fact, they are the closest being next to the all father,” he said. “Their immortality and the ability to be reborn again are the one that made the gods in the underworld envy,” he explained.

Amber never heard the story of the Phoenix’s family in any mythology that she has read throughout her life. Bennu has a pretty similar ability to this family and other mythologies also mentioned their versions of the phoenix but they did not mention its predecessors or any of its successors. She realized that It’s all connected and there is still a dot missing after she confirmed that gods do exist.

A few moments of silence have passed and they finally get a glimpse of a huge entrance with too many people on the other side. She started to get skittish because of her social anxiety is starting to attack again.

“Don’t worry, I will be your guide throughout this night,” again he offered his assistance but this time Amber hold onto his shoulders and gladly accepted his offer.

“A pleasant evening Sire,” the guards greeted the young knight.

“A pleasant evening to you too,” he greeted back.

“Arthur the brave and loyal Knight Commander of the kingdom has arrived,” one of the knights announced using his unnatural loud voice.

 The place became quiet and all eyes are on them. But Amber ignored those stare, because she is shocked for yet another revelation that happened to her this evening.

He was holding onto a legend.

King Arthur, the legendary knight who pulled out the Excalibur.

To be continued...

-The Phoenix’s Maiden-