Chaaya's Lair

At last, the girl’s golden eyes flutter open and meet the gentle gaze of a woman kneeling by her side. Her long brown hair is adorned with precious feathers and her white dress embroidered with colors tells of her nobility.

“Who are you?” asks the girl in a soft voice that had long since been used.

The woman smiles at her question with the warmth of the sunlight itself.

“Call me Zaniya.” She says, reaching forward to wipe the tears from the girl’s weary eyes.

A girl who couldn’t even remember her name, let alone her own distress, clings to the woman she now knows as Zaniya. And much in the same way, she clings to her own fleeting memories as they slip through her very own fingertips.

The emptiness of something, or someone, that is supposed to be there causes her heart to ache. An invisible open wound gouged by an ephemeral dream. She instinctively clenches at her chest through her tattered clothes.

“It must have been a lovely dream…” Zaniya remarks.

“I…. can’t remember it anymore…” The girl sits up, her deep orange hair hiding the remorse evident on her face. “I can’t remember anything… my name… myself…”

“Am I supposed to be here?”

Zaniya comforts her by brushing the orange locks obstructing her eyes. “Supposed to be? That is irrelevant my dear.” She lifts the girl’s downcast face and their golden eyes meet.

“What matters is that you are here now. And as long as you remain, you will reclaim what you have lost.”

Reclaim what you have lost. Those words resonate in the girl’s empty heart and kindle a fire in turn. Was this all a trick of the gods? Was this a tragic result of her own mistakes? Her crippling sorrow fuels her fury and her hope.

“Now let’s start with your name shall we? All names have a meaning…” Zaniya pauses to examine the newfound determination in the girl’s eyes.

“Nelli. Truth.”

“Ne.. lli..” The girl repeats it back. The name is simple to remember yet foreign still. In fact, much of the world she finds herself in now is foreign. The uncertainty is one that could cage anyone’s soul, yet she remains grounded at the simple sound of Zaniya’s voice.

“May this name serve as a constant reminder of your goal. That you may find your true self.” With a reassuring nod Zaniya rises to her feet, lending a hand to Nelli as she does the same.

Dusting themselves off, Zaniya leads the way through what seems to be an endless grassy field adored with beautiful flowers. Nelli follows along much in silence but there is a question that picks at her mind. She finally allows herself to pause and ask.

“What does your name mean?”

Zaniya comes to a gentle stop. She doesn’t turn to Nelli. Instead her eyes seek a distant unknown place. 

“Always, and forever….”

Her words trail off with a soft incoming breeze, like petals in the wind. She finally turns to Nelli with a warm smile and beckons her to come close. The wind starts to pick up as if pushing the two towards their fate.

Nelli reaches Zaniya’s side with a light skip and upon arrival her eyes meet a wonderful sight. At last she can make out what lies beyond the field. A large intricate city with two large structures in its center looms at a great distance. Their white color makes them shine beneath the sun like two beacons glimmering in the midst of the surrounding jungle. She takes a step forward, ready to run ahead but Zaniya takes her hand.

“Before we proceed, I want you to know that you can depend on me Nelli.” Zaniya squeezes her hand. “No matter what happens… you can trust me.”

Nelli tilts her head with a quizzical look. Their golden eyes meet again. That golden color feels all too familiar somehow but before her thoughts can trail further, Zaniya lightens the mood with a cheerful wink.

“I wouldn’t be the High Priestess of Khan if I weren’t dependable after all~” And with a spring in her step Zaniya skips forward, carefully guiding Nelli along their path.

Through the fields, through the flowers, through winding paths beneath the stars, the two journey together until finally reaching the grand entrance of the illustrious Kingdom of Khan.

To be continued~

~~~ Closing Notes ~~~