The Red Luna: The Queen of the Flames

ROWENASomething broke in me that day.When I awoke, I found myself in a dark dungeon. I felt weak and lightheaded. I tried to move but my body ached with each attempt. Soon I realized I had been bound to the wall with a chain on my left wrist. The dungeon was cold and smelled of mildew and dust. As I sat in the darkness, I tried to recollect what happened. I remembered that I collapsed no sooner than I cut myself and my palm still stung from the pain of the wound.Just then, I heard the sound of voices coming from behind the dungeon’s iron door, followed by a set of footsteps which was accompanied by the release of bolts and removal of chains. Then the door opened.My father came in through the door holding a lit torch. He no longer smelled of alcohol but he looked at me with a face so grave I began to fear. The iron doors closed firmly behind him after he had entered, as if to prevent anyone from getting out unwantedly. I tried to stand on my feet but failed and fell back.“Father

ROWENA We arrived at Ravenshallow at the crack of dawn. The landscape was like nothing I had ever seen before. The atmosphere was shrouded in grey fog, the sun's rays barely pierced through the mist. In the distance stood tall rocky mountains barely visible above the mist, with buildings and structures emerging from the mountains.“We are here ladies,” one of the slavers said before letting out a drunken laugh. “Don't be frightened,” the other one said to us at the back. I couldn't see his face but I could sense a shared smile in his tone. “You all will be put to very good use here.”The wagon moved slowly through the town to the market square. The smell of raw meat, vegetables and the indistinct chatter that was akin to the market, filled the wagon. Suddenly, the wagon came to a halt. The door of the wagon was opened and we were all made to climb down its steep ramp. We were about to be sold off, like goods, we were about to be bargained for like lifeless items at a stall. We were

THANE“To think that a slave girl could have such audacity,” I grunted as I dodged the sword aimed for my chest. Then I turned and made a clean swipe at my opponent with my sword.“A slave girl laughed in your face. And then what?” Celdric snickered, trying in vain to hide his obvious amusement towards my experience. He swerved, missing the blade I thrust at him, and gave a counter blow with his sword. We had been practicing like this for hours now. Our bare chests moistened with our sweat but neither of us were close to exhaustion. Celdric, who was the closest thing I had to a brother, was the only one in the calvary, and clan, whose strength could rival mine. But I was still stronger as I had proved over the years. “You think this is funny?” I growled. I hit him in the stomach with the butt of my sword before he could dodge. Celdric fell back, stunned by the blow. He bent over, shaking with laughter at all that I had told him since we began our training. Celdric rarely gets an oppo