Time To Live Again
She walked outside of her hut and looked up to the sky. Her once brilliant green eyes that sparkled in the sunlight were now dull. A smile from her was now a surprise. She hardly laughed, joked, or sang stupid songs anymore. And her heart, once open and friendly was now a block of ice. This is what happened to Rae after her death. She felt dead...why hadn't she stayed dead? Why was she brought back? Her life was supposed to be over. As far as she was concerned, her purpose had been lost. And over on the other side of the island was Loa. Silent deadly Loa who had ended her life in a heartbeat. Why was Loa still on the island? What kept Rae from tearing her to shreds? Rae couldn't even answer her own questions. Ever since Loa had killed her life had been different. It seemed empty. Rae hated Loa with a vengeance. Rae wanted so much to toss her off the cliff where she spent most of her time. But something was holding her back. Was it the lessons she had learned as an Amazon or was it her own will? She didn't know. Rae started down the path. She had her destination in mind. She talked about the events that had occurred only when she was asked. But something bothered her. She kept having nightmares recently. She kept hearing Loa's evil laugh and feeling that cold sharp dagger enter her skin. And when she woke up, she felt hatred. It burned inside her. Then she felt confusion. She felt upset. Finally she reached her destination. The little clearing in the forest where the sun always seemed to shine. It was her mothers hut. Her mother had been killed a year ago. Her memories lived within this hut. Rae entered the hut. The sweet smell of flowers soothed her thoughts. Rae walked around the hut. The sunlight filtered in through the thatched roof. She picked up one of her mother's scrolls and sat on the bed. "Mother…" she whispered. "I…I miss you. I'm so confused." Rae rubbed her eyes and tried to wipe the tears that threatened to spill over. "Why…why did you leave me? Why did I bring Loa here? Why was I even born?" Rae started to cry uncontrollably. All of her bottled up emotions spilled out. "I need to leave. I need to go home. Mother where is my home? Who is my father?" The sudden question that she had said out loud halted her tears. Who was her father? All those years she had never bothered to ask until now. She wanted the security of her parents. She needed it. She wanted comfort. The Amazons were a great comfort to her…yet it wasn't enough. Rae got up to put the scroll back when she saw something that she had never seen before. A scroll buried underneath all the others. Rae moved the other scrolls and picked the new scroll up. It was tied with a green ribbon. Rae took that scroll, sat back on the bed, and opened it. The date on the scroll was older then her. Rae read with interest. Rough Cove has turned into the most wonderful place to live. Once Hunter and I were shunned as poor homeless things, but now we've risen. Nobody dares to call Hunter a flea-bitten mongrel anymore. And here's the even better news: Austenair and I are to be married! Rae almost dropped the scroll. Married? Her mother… and who was Austenair? Was he her father? Rae skipped on to another part. I'm leaving. Austenair doesn't know. I feel helpless…shame…I am with child and I don't know who the father is…I will leave on a small boat. Hunter knows. I have told him to stay here. He's been my guardian since before I can remember. I will miss him… Rae stood up in shock. "The child…it had to have been me. And my mother didn't know the father? Was I a mistake in the first place? No…I couldn't have been. Mother loved me too much. I have to go to Rough Cove…I need my father!" Rae stood up quickly and ran towards the Amazon village with the scroll in hand.
Rae reached the Queen's palace in no time. She decided that it was the fastest that she had ever run in her life. Rae didn't even bother knocking or explaining herself. She burst into the throne room. "Queen Cyan!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. " Slow down Rae," said the calm voice from across the room. Queen Cyan did not expect Rae of all people to burst into the throne room considering the condition that she had been in. Rae walked swiftly to the Queen and bowed. "My Queen, there is something really important that has come up that I really need to do. But I need your permission. Please this is a major thing." "Ok Rae stop while you're ahead. First of all what is this important thing?" "I…I need to travel off-island. I need to go to the city of Rough Cove." The Queen was silent for a moment. She had a feeling about where this was leading. She knew that Rae's mother had come from Rough Cove. She also knew the reasons. "Why must you travel to Rough Cove, Rae?" "I need to find my father. Please. He could be my only hope. I need him…I need help. This whole thing with Loa has bothered me too much. I need to get away from her…" Cyan nodded. She knew that the tribe had given Rae a lot of help…but maybe what Rae needed was the security of her father. Cyan knew that Rae cared for the tribe deeply…and considered them family, but maybe what Rae needed…was her blood family. "Rae, you have my permission. I know this means a lot to you, and if it means your happiness then I am willing to allow you to go." "Yes!" screamed Rae. She broke into a huge smile and began jumping around the room. This made Cyan smile as well. The last time that anyone had seen Rae happy was before she and Loa had gotten into their fight. Cyan decided that her decision was definatly the best thing to do.
Rae dashed back to her hut. She had to prepare for her trip quickly. She took out her bag and began putting things in it. The last thing that she put in the bag was her mother's scroll. Then Rae picked up her sword and sheathed it. She glanced around her hut to make sure that she hadn't forgotten anything important. Finally she was sure that she was ready. She ran all the way back to the palace where Queen Cyan was standing by the portals. She led Rae to one of the portals. "This portal will take you directly to Rough Cove. To return all you need to do is go back to where you first land and the portal will appear for you. Do you understand?" Rae nodded. "Good luck then. Find your way and return to us quickly." "Thank you, my Queen," said Rae, and she took a deep breath and jumped into the portal…
The salty air stung her nostrils and the wind whipped her hair. Rae opened her eyes. She was standing on a beautiful beach. The water was a bright blue. The rocks were covered in fine green seaweed, which made Rae guess that the tide was out. The sand below her feet was a mixture of tan, black, and white. The birds called out overhead. There were docks and ships some distance down the beach. Rae knew that Rough Cove was near…but she didn't see the city. She decided to go to the docks. Maybe there was someone there who could help her. She neared the docks. Sailors were unloading cargo, men were fishing, merchants were making deals…the docks seemed to be a very busy place. Rae walked around in the activity. She decided to ask one of the fishermen for help. Rae walked up to one of them. "Excuse me, may I ask you a question?" The fishermen turned. "You just did." Rae turned a little red. "Yeah I suppose I did…" The fishermen laughed. "Judging from the way you are dressed I can say that you're not from around here." Rae looked at her Amazon garb. "I guess you can say that…in a way…" "So what was your question?" "Am I near the city of Rough Cove?" The fishermen smiled. "You sure are. Take the steps up the cliff and you'll be there." Rae thanked him and started for the steps. She climbed the steps and…the city of Rough Cove took her breath away. It was beautiful. How could her mother have left such a beautiful place? Rae wandered into the city. There were interesting people everywhere. The shouts of merchants selling their products rang in the streets. People were laughing, children were playing, dogs were barking…Rough Cove was nothing short of perfection in Rae's mind. Rae was so entranced that she didn't watch where she walked… Suddenly she ran into one of the merchant's stands. "Hey!" "Ah! Excuse me. I'm sorry," said Rae. The merchant's stand was full of fruit…which was now mostly on the ground. "My fruit! Oh no…" the merchant's voice trailed off. Rae started picking up the fruit. "Here I'll help you. I'm so sorry…I can pay for the damage if you want." The merchant looked at her and suddenly a shocked look came to his face. He stood there openmouthed. Rae gave him a weird look. "Um…what? What's wrong?" "Jade." "Excuse me?" The merchant shook his head. "I'm sorry you looked like an old friend of mine…except she would be a lot older by now." Rae smiled. "Oh that's all? Here's your fruit…I hope I haven't done too much damage." "Oh it's all right. Nothing is spoiled. So who are you? I haven't seen you around here before, and I've lived here my entire life." "I'm Rae. I'm not from around here…well I guess you probably figured that out." The merchant nodded. "I am Ronan. Where are you from?" "Well…I'm an Amazon…and I live on an island…" "YOU'RE WHAT!?" Rae jumped, shocked by the sound of his voice. "Sir…Ronan, are you all right?" Ronan closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes. You see, my friend…the one that you look similar too…it was rumored that she ran away to an island…an Amazon island." Rae thought for a moment. "Who exactly was your friend?" "Her name was Jade, and she was…" "Jade?" Rae interrupted. "You did say Jade right?" "Yes, she was my best friend. Until the day she disappeared." "And how many Jades live in Rough Cove?" "Ah she was the only Jade I knew of. She was going to be queen one day…the bride of Prince…well he's now King, Austenair." "OH MY GODS!" "You seem so shocked child…why?" "The Jade you speak of…is my mother." Ronan looked stunned for a moment. "No wonder you look so familiar…and how old are you?" "Fifteen summers." "Jade left fifteen summers ago…she disappeared. Then where is she now? How is she now?" "She's dead." "No…" "Yes. She died in battle a year ago. Now I am on a mission. I must find my father." She thought for a moment. "You knew my mother…do you know my father?" Ronan shook his head. "No…I didn't even know that she was with child. The last time I saw her she told me that she was going to leave. I didn't believe her." "Oh…" "I was wrong… I shouldn't have let her leave…" Rae thought of all she had gone through. Maybe Jade shouldn't have left Rough Cove… "No, Ronan you can't blame yourself. What's done is done. There is nothing that any of us could have done to stop it." Ronan nodded. "You're right I suppose. Rae, you are very smart…so wise for such a young age." "Thank you. Most of it comes from my Amazon sisters. They are very wise. But Ronan…I have a question…" "Yes?" "It may sound very stupid but…where was my mother's home?" "That's not a stupid question at all. Come I will shown you. It's time for me to close my stand anyway."
Ronan led Rae through the streets of Rough Cove. Rae liked the city more and more with every step that she took. She felt connected to it…like she had lived there for her whole life. Finally Ronan stopped near a place close to the edge of a cliff. There were many ruins there…but no homes. He led Rae to the biggest of the ruins. "This is it." Rae looked at the ruins… "This is where my mother lived?" "Well this is what's left of where she lived. This was once an abandoned tower that overlooked the ocean. A bad storm came through once and totally destroyed almost half the city…including this tower. When your mother disappeared, Austenair made it a monument…" The sun was setting in the west…night was coming. "Rae, it's getting late. I can find you a place to stay if you want…" "No…it's ok. I've found the place. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow?" "You're going to stay here at the ruins aren't you?" "That's what I was planning on doing." Ronan looked around nervously. "But it's against the law…it's punishable by death. Austenair is very strict about the ruins because it was Jade's home…" "And she was my mother so that means that it's my home too. Good night, Ronan." Ronan sighed. "Good night Rae." Ronan walked off leaving Rae alone at the ruins for the coming night…
Rae climbed into the ruins of the tower. The salty air was refreshing. The tower was comforting. It seemed as if a presence was there…an unseen force that made Rae feel protected from everything. This assurance made Rae feel quite comfortable, and the sound of the waves below lulled her to sleep…
The brilliance of the sun…and the shouting of somebody woke Rae up. "Girl!" Rae looked down to see a mass of guards. She knew that this was not good…she was definatly in trouble. "Um…hello." She said. The head guard stepped forward, sword drawn. "Don't play games with us. We don't need street rats like you sleeping in important monuments like this." "Hey! I'm no street rat! I don't even live here!" "All the better reason to arrest you." The head guard turned to his men. "Get her." Rae heard the men rush into the bottom of the ruins. She would have to act fast. But something stopped her. A thought…if she let these men arrest her then she would go to the palace dungeon. The palace…where King Austenair lived. Rae ran down the ruins to meet the guards. "Take me to your leader!" she yelled. The guards looked at Rae questioningly…then they arrested her.
Rae was led to a cell deep in the palace dungeon. She looked around. "Not bad at all…" she said to the guard. The guard pushed her roughly. "Shut up and get in." "Well excuuuuuuuse me!" Rae walked around the cell. She would give the guards some time…then she would escape. She still had that bone splinter with her from when she was stuck in Ares' temple. It had proven to be a very useful lock pick. The only thing that would be difficult was getting her sword back. Rae waited for about a half-hour. Then she became invisible, and began to pick the lock. What stunned her was the fact that the guards seemed to be paying absolutely no attention to anything in the dungeon. Rae decided that it wasn't her problem to worry about. After a few tries, she finally got the lock open. She walked out of the cell and looked around. Where was the exit? She walked around until she found it. Once out of the dungeon, Rae decided that she must find her sword. She walked around the twisting hallways for about an hour until she found a room full of weapons. The sword just had to be in there. Rae searched the room. She was about to give up when she saw a glimmer in the dark corner. It was the sword. Rae breathed a sigh of relief, took the sword, and ran out. She had to find the king. She needed her answers. Rae turned a corner when suddenly she heard shouts of "There she is!" and "Get her!" She realized that the invisibility must have worn off. She turned to see guards running toward her. There was only one choice. Rae took off running down the hall at full speed.
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