I've uploaded again! Please make sure to like and comment if you enjoyed it!

I will be updating weekly now so make sure to add to your library to get the notifications!

S. A. A

                           °°°°°°°♧°°°°°°

"Masks?" Maya let out bitterly and we all turned to her, except Negus who held the object in his hand whilst looking out the window. Maya tutted loudly.

"We're warriors, father. And, you expect us to hide our faces under masks? Why should we give in to such otherworldly nonsense?" She bit out and Emut sighed heavily, his hand on the hilt of his sword, purely out of habit.

"It gives us the element of surprise, Maya. If the Chigaru do turn up, we look like regular villagers." He explained and Abrax handed out the masks to everyone. I took mine with a small smile.

Maya laughed scornfully at this.

"Oh and I suppose that's why I have to wear a dress as well. How ridiculous!" She huffed and Ayla tutted beside me, most likely annoyed at the tangent.

"Perhaps, seeing you in a dress would be enough to scare the Chigaru off." Demir clipped back and Maya glared at him.

"I designed the clothes; it'll be fine, Maya!" Arun whined, holding a bag full of clothes. She sighed at this, but seemingly conceded as she didn't say anything else. All the while, Negus observed, saying nothing. I had noticed this earlier also. Of all the times there was a meeting, Negus never chose to intervene or argue in any discussions. He merely let it play out and let the group decide what they wanted to do.

Emut leaned forward on the table that we were surrounding. We were currently in Negus's study, looking at a map of the village.

"Arun, hand out everyone's attire for the festival. Abrax, go through the contingency plan." He instructed and Arun smiled excitedly before reaching into the bag and handing out the contents to everyone. He finally came in front of me, handing me my clothes and I smiled in thanks before tucking it to my side as I listened intently.

Abrax cleared his throat before leaning against the table, a serious look in his eyes.

"This is what we're going to do...."

***********

"How are you doing your hair tomorrow?" Ayla asked from her seat in front of my vanity set. She eyed me through the mirror as she spoke whilst I tapped my hair dry from the shower I just had. Raising an eyebrow at her words, I sat on the bed.

"You realise we might be ambushed tomorrow and you're thinking about hair styles?" I mused jokingly and Ayla let out a small huff of a noise before standing up and dropping down dramatically on the bed beside me.

"A festival's still a festival. And, I want to look pretty for the occasion." She whined, flicking her blonde hair back for effect. I laughed as she crawled up the bed to lie on a cushion alongside me.

Ayla and I had both planned to 'sleep over' in my room at some point and had decided that the day before the festival would be best, so we could help each other get ready in the morning. I looked towards the bundle of burgundy clothes draped across the chair.

"I don't usually wear dresses." I commented mindlessly. I would have loved to, but I was always made to wear whatever Debra had shoved my way, most likely Sierra's old clothes.

Ayla smiled at this, nudging me and I lied down beside her, turning to face her.

"Nor do I. It's not ideal for fighting." She joked and I laughed at her words.

"Yeah, I bet." I answered through laughs before furrowing my eyebrows in confusion at the sly look on Ayla's face.

"What is it?" I asked, my eyes narrowing and she shrugged her shoulders, a look of mischief in her eyes.

"Oh, nothing." She muttered out, a smirk on her face. My eyes narrowed in suspicion and I poked her stomach to urge her to spill.

"Tell me, why do you look like you're hiding something?" I said, poking her repeatedly to which she groaned loudly before putting her hands up in surrender.

"Okay! Okay! I'll tell you!" She said, out of breath and I moved back with a triumphant smile, leaning further into the cushions. I stayed silent, nodding my head to encourage a response and she moved closer, a sly look on her face.

"Maybe the dresses will help entice some potential bachelors." She said tantalisingly before wagging her eyebrows and I blushed at the mention of a potential bachelor for me.

She pushed me hard, laughing.

"Ooh, by the Gods, you're blushing!" She teased and I slapped her hand away before pushing her back.

"What about you? You must have someone on your mind if you want to 'entice a bachelor'?" I retorted teasingly and then it was her who was blushing, using her hair to shroud her face.

I stilled at this, my mouth agape.

"Oh my God, there actually is someone on your mind." I let out the revelation after all the joking had faded and Ayla was still blushing.

Ayla hushed me at this before looking around the room, frantically.

"What if someone hears you?!" She let out, resting her hand against my mouth. We stayed silent for a minute listening for any sound, but when nothing came, I licked her hand to which she yelped, moving her hand back.

My curiosity was at an all time high now and I edged closer, making sure I was whispering this time so that Ayla wouldn't have another fit.

"Who is it?" I asked, excitement building slowly as Ayla deliberated telling me, a look of thought on her face.

"I won't tell a soul." I promise whole-heartedly and Ayla sighed at this, a sad smile on her face.

"What's the point? He doesn't like me back." She muttered and I tutted at her pessimistic tone before slapping the back of her head. She rubbed her head, but her eyes were still sad.

"Any man will be stupid not to like you. And, if they don't then they're missing out, not you." I reassured her and she smiled at my words, her blue eyes lighting up.

She looked around tepidly before moving closer and I rolled my eyes at her antics before leaning in as she whispered.

"I like.. I like Abrax." She whispered out, before she could say anything else, I moved back and squealed loudly in excitement. She smiled at this and I stopped, my mouth agape.

"Oh. My. God. Since when?" I spluttered out, feeling shocked at the revelation. Never in my head did I think that Ayla would like Abrax. I thought it was platonic, but I knew now that my intuition skills were practically non-existent. She leaned a closer, a bashful smile on her face.

"Since I was 17; Abrax was 21 at the time. It was a little over a year since he arrived and, I don't know, he's just so kind and hard-working." She gushed in a whisper, leaning back against the cushions and I nudged her teasingly, thinking about the encounters that I could recall of the two.

When at the village, she was always adamant on going to watch him wrestle as well as being the loudest person to cheer. She wasn't as mean as she was to Emut, Demir or Arun- all of which she constantly found a chance to jokingly berate.

"I can't believe I didn't realise." I groaned out, placing a pillow onto my face. Thinking back, I should have guessed, but I was merely too oblivious to guess. Ayla let out a laugh at my words before pulling the cushion off and setting it on her lap. She raised an eyebrow at me as she spoke.

"What about you? Has anyone captured your heart yet?" She said dramatically, laying a palm across her chest and I rolled my eyes at her antics.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to say no." I drawled out, but truth be told, I didn't have the time to think about that; I barely had time to think about what I was doing with my life.

Ayla waved a hand dramatically in my face.

"Oh come off it. There has to be someone you're at least fond of." She almost pleaded and I shook my head at her words with a small smile.

"If I did, you would be the first to know, but truth be told, I haven't thought about it and I don't plan to. With all, the sudden change in my life, I- I need to figure out who I am. Up until 2 months ago, I didn't even know where I was born." I said truthfully and Ayla rubbed my arm to comfort me. I smiled at the gesture before turning to the bedside table and picking up the leather book I had been studying everyday.

"What's that?" Ayla questioned, leaning her head on my shoulder. I pursed my lips as I looked at the object.

"It belonged to my mother." I said simply and Ayla looked up to me, her eyes warm before tightening her grip on my arm with her hand. She said nothing so I continued venting what I had felt over the past 2 months.

"Negus said it could help me in finding myself, but no matter how hard I try, nothing happens." I bit out, my tone morose.

I thought back to the memories of every night before bed, reciting the same word over and over again, with no effect.

I sighed deeply before lying down and Ayla tutted.

"Life is not a straight line, Hanna. There are going to be bumps. You just have to be strong. Besides, I'll always be by your side to battle it out with you." She reassured me and I smiled at her words as she pulled me into a hug. She blew out the candle on the bedside table and I did the same with the one on my side.

Laying down, I heard Ayla's words as I fell into a deep slumber.

"Remember, Hanna, it is not wanting success that makes you succeed; it is refusing to fail. Ma'as-salāma."

That was all I heard before sleep overtook me.

The sound of whispers made me snap my head.

"Who's there?" I exclaimed into the darkness but was met with a cold and ancient silence that was more telling than any uttered word.

A dream. It's only a dream, Hanna.

That I knew, but try as I might, I couldn't stop the churning feeling in my stomach. Pushing forward, I walked through the darkness, my hands wrapped around my body in a bid to hide from the darkness, but it found and clung to me and everything else in its wake.

I was blinded then, a pitch black slip over my eyes and the thought that it was now able to touch me made me run faster than ever. I ran through, letting out screams as the branches of trees pierced through my skins.

They may have been branches, they may have been claws, but I didn't stay long enough to find out.

It didn't matter anymore; all I knew was I had to run. I let out a small relieved sigh when I saw a small source of light shining in the distance and followed it in clumsy steps.

The whispers were frantic now, licking at my neck and I increased my pace, clawing at my neck to fight the sounds.

Nearing the light, I slowed my steps, my breath coming out in huffs. It was only when I got closer that I realised that it was not a light source but rather a heat source.

I gasped, stepping back at the flames devouring a tree, climbing its branches in viscous movements.

The whispers were back again and I gave in, turning around to only see that the flames had surrounded me, full circle. I hurriedly looked around in panic for a means to escape but found none. I raised my hands again to protect myself, but screamed when I saw them dripping with blood. Crying anxiously, I looked up to see the circle was solid and rapidly closing in.

"No, no, no!" I screamed when the flames hit me and then everything was engulfed into terrifying darkness.

                        °°°°°°°♧°°°°°°

Hope you guys liked it! Let me know how it was!

I will be updating weekly now so make sure to add to your library to get the notifications!

S. A. A