A Warrior's Dance

I - The Island of Barren

“Once upon a time, where the fields still have no king, and the tree of Maisha still shelter the phoenix, men, warlords, neraides and every races and tribes make peace with each other. One night, a ball of light emerged from the sky, so bright that no one dare look up to it. Every race bowed and they had called it the Sun God since. It was a great world and the Sun God promised to shower them with graces. And so the Sun God gave the neraides an everlasting life and beauty, gave the warlords strength and power, and provided men with intellect and love. He promised there will be more as time pass by. Creatures wander around, each with distinction and role, and for a moment, everything looked beautiful and united.

But each of the races was not contented of the graces given to them. They envy each other and so they questioned the Sun God. Testing them, the Sun God ordered them to tame the great phoenix, and once they were able to tame the great creature, a gift will be given to each of them. They tried and tried but it seems that nobody can tame the magical bird. Until a young girl came and sat under the tree of Maisha and talk every night and day to the phoenix. She would sing a song, tell stories and nurture the tree. The phoenix started to fly over her head and gently landed on her shoulder.

That angered the neraides and warlords. You see, they did the exact same thing, but the creature never responded to them the way it responded to her. Envy and jealous and greed dawned on them, and the first war broke into the open fields. They captured the girl and put an arrow into her heart. The phoenix let out a screeching sound and left its shelter, making the Sun God angry. From then, there’s only sins and betrayals and weakness.”

Sanne’s brows furrowed remembering the story told by her father. Her wavy red hair was tucked messily in her worn scarf, some wayward strand reaching her small face. She was small for a ten-year-old, her oversized silk dress barely fitting her small frame. Her dear father made her wore a belt just to hold the dress together.

“Father?” her small voice called out to him, halting herself from setting the table for dinner. “Do phoenixes still exist?”

The middle-aged man turned to her briefly but continued to polish the new forged sword. There was no piece of resemblance between him and his little girl, once making them the center of rumors. His skin was tan, whereas she was fairly-white.

“Not anymore, little dove.”

Sanne placed the wooden bowl on the table. “Is it true that once they die, they rebirth from their fire?”

He thought for a moment. “Yes.”

“Then how come they do not exist anymore?”

It was her father’s time to furrow. Times like that where Hilmer would remember the girl’s mother. They were both eager to question things. He scratched his thickening beard, trying to see where this conversation was heading.

“No man had seen a phoenix after the great war, child.”

She sighed, trying to fit the pieces of invisible puzzle in her head. “You told me once that just because somebody said their version of truth doesn’t mean it is the truth.”

Hilmer gently placed the sword on top of the table, away from the girl’s reach. A small smile curved his lips but he didn’t let it show. “You are too smart that you might scare people.”

Sanne took that as a compliment. She climbed into the chair as her father brought the bowl of soup on the table. “Is that a bad thing, father?”

He didn’t answer and just bowed his head to start a prayer.

Hilmer, a forty-five-year-old blacksmith, was once used eating alone in silence. He was a man of few words, as what his friends used to say. He grew up with no proper learnings, unable to read books or write a letter, but what he lacked in education he filled in skills only he could master. He was recognized as the master blacksmith in Barren tribe.

“Is it true that valkans are the scariest ones, father?” her little voice rang out again, breaking the silence.

She was the only noise in his little cabin, and his most favorite one. He smiled at her curious face. “Not all. But there is always a scary one.”

She crunched up her nose, foods still in her mouth. “Daisery said that their Sea king will rob us and eats our corpses after he- “

“Sanne,” he said cutting her off, an edge to his tone. She shut her mouth instantly, weighing if she’d offended her dear father. “What have I told you about talking when your mouth is full?”

She began to respond but thought better not to. Her mouth still had her unchewed foods, after all.

“Once the valkans arrived tomorrow at dawn,” Hilmer began, “we have to welcome them at the entrance as a sign of good fortune. Every house will present the captain a gift.”

Sanne rapidly swallowed her food, her round, cat-like eyes focused on him, full of curiosity. “And that sword will be our gift?” she asked, pointing at the newly forged sword her father had been working for days.

“Yes,” he answered. “It’s a cutlass.”

“Daisery said they don’t speak our language.”

Hilmer looked at his daughter again. “Daisery seems to know a lot about valkans.”

She remained silent, still waiting her question to be answered.

“Most of them do not speak our language, yes. But some of the high ranking men, including the captain, knew our language.”

Sanne smiled in awe, her eyes unable to hide her excitement. Whether Hilmer admitted it or not, he couldn’t make his head calm. This would be the first time the valkans would land their ships into their shores after a long time, and the first time for Sanne to meet them. They were known as proud voyagers with a little whisk of arrogance. They were best at wielding swords and spears and had talents in arrows and tactics. He was afraid that trouble would find his little girl in the midst of the short visit.

“It’s best if you don’t mingle with them.” He looked away as he said those words.

Her eyes grew wider. She hadn’t expected that. “And why not?”

“They eat noisy children. Be careful.”

A little terror crossed her face but her mind had told her to doubt it. Daisery kept telling her that valkans were a bunch of brutal men.

“Then you should warn Lady Avery! I don’t want them to eat Daisery!”

Hilmer tried to stop his chuckle at her sudden outburst. “I remember that your friend is a quiet girl. They won’t harm her.”

Sanne’s eyes narrowed as she leaned closer to her father, her food left forgotten. “They might. Daisery said the captain’s brother will marry Lady Avery. They will be family. She’s noisy when she sleeps. They could eat her.”

That made him stop. He felt as if his daughter stabbed him right through his chest, leaving a deep wound no herbs could handle.

“Where did you get that news?” he asked slowly, beyond surprised.

“Daisery told me. She said soon there will be war that’s why our chief makes Lady Avery marry a valkan.”

Marriage for the sake of allegiance, Hilmer thought to himself. He tried to swallow everything he heard from his daughter but he seemed unable to accept it.

There was a knock on their door, startling Hilmer from his seat. He inhaled a lungful of air before standing to his feet, trying to find the strength he seemed to lose upon hearing Sanne’s news. He went to the door and opened it, seeing the lovely face of Avery.