Crouched down, ready to strike. The antelope was a fast creature but she was faster, she was more deadly. With a leap she held her spear true, the jagged edges biting into the animals hide like the teeth or her patron animal, the panter. Her name was Dia Blackfoot and she was a member of the Blackfoot tribe, one of the many tribes that made up the Commonlands.
The panther was the sacred animal of the Blackfoot tribe; symbolizing power, mystery, and protection. For those reasons village Chieftan Otumba and his wife Alesa named their youngest child Dia's animal to be the panther. Never before had a fourth child to any family in the village survived past childbirth. Dia had and thus recieved the adulation of her people.
Most sibling would despise the youngest child for being so loved. Instead her siblings Makala, Sitara, and Tobo treated her well and taught her everything she needed or wanted to know about life. From Makala she learned how to hunt and how to play at war, making her an expert warrior. From Sitara she learned gracefulness from singing, dancing, and the carrying of water on her head from the river to the village. From Tobo she learned how to be swift on her feet and how to hide from her enemies. These skills coupled with the diplomatic skills of her father's teaching and the ability to heal through soltices and solutions from herbs like her mother taught her made her the woman she was; a well rounded woman.
Dragging the antelope back to the village, she allowed Makala to take it from her once there. "Little panther," Makala smiled down at her, his brutish 6'9" frame standing tall over her 5'10" frame, "you have brought back a good hunt yet again. You put my own work to shame."
"Crocodile," Dia giggled at her brother, referring to him by his animal name, "you bring more food to the village than I."
"Ah but little panther you do it quicker," Makala beamed, his voice deep with laughter. They entered the hut that belonged to the family, smiling when they were greeted by Alesa and Sitara. While Dia's spirit animal was the powerful and mysterious panther for the mystery behind her birth and Makala was the crocodile for his bitter battle tactics, Sitara was the songbird for the way she flitted about and sand while Alesa was the giraffe for the graceful and silent way she composted herself.
"Dia, Makala," smiled Alesa, hugging her youngest and eldest children, "your father has received word from Luminiege that he is wanted to the kingdom as an ambassador."
"It's quite the honor," Sitara chimed in, busying herself with her weaving, "Papa wants to take Makala and you with him, Dia."
"Me?" Dia asked, "Why me?"
"The king mentioned you especially," spoke Otumbo as he entered the hut, his voice as slow and even as the movements of the elephant which was his spirit animal.
"That's why father was at the spirit house," Tobo replied, sitting on the floor of the hut, "He do-" Much like his spirit animal, the antelope, Tobo often didn't know when to bound out of a conversation and when to stay in the area.
"I prayed on it Tobo," Otumba quickly cut off his sons concerns, "I have my answer and Dia is coming with me, so is Makala."
"Why would they want me to come father?" Dia asked, looking at the aging chieftan, "What is so different about me than about Sitara or Tobo?"
"You are the panther of the Blackfoot clan," smiled Otumba, "everyone has heard of your prowess. Some even speak of an unobtainable woman and unbeatable warrior."
"Me? I'm just a young girl," Dia replied gently, almost embarrassed that other people in other nations had heard of her. She never liked getting to much attention, thinking it was something that should be awarded to someone when they have done something truly remarkable.
"So you say and so we know," chuckled her mother, "but it could get us more food as a nation."
"The lands are plentiful and we have enough to live on comfortably," Otumba replied, crossing his arms over his chest, "people are happy. I go to Luminiege to keep these lands safe from invasion and nothing more."
"They would invade us papa?" asked Sitara, looking up quite fearfully, "Why?"
"Not all men are as knowledgable as we," Makala replied, "some do not know the kindness of humanity. Little panther, let us go pack our bags for the journey. Makala, Tobo, help mother and father cook the meal for supper."
Dia bounded to her area of the hut, tossing things into a knapsack made of antelope skin. She cinched it at the top, making sure everything was prepared. She wandered what Luminiege would be like. Was it hot like the home she lived in or was it cold? Was it bountiful with it's plants and animals or was it a wasteland? When the journey was made and they arrived, Dia knew her answers and did not like them. It was a fallen kingdom with a fresh layer of snow under her bare feet. It was cold, something that she was unused to. She did have a favorite difference, however, and that was the castle that loomed ominously into the sky. "Papa...it's so cold here..." Dia whimpered, her feet freezing against the snow.
"Do not let them see your pain little panther," Makala said, having been to Luminiege once or twice, "these men are privy to the pains of a woman and I do not feel like hurting anyone tonight because they have tried to offend the honor you have."
Dia nodded, putting on a strong air as she and her brother and father entered the castle's throne room. The king, a young but hulking man named Stuart Bennett, sat upon his throne of iron. Otumba knelt in front of his children, the two young ones on either side behind him. The sound of heavy boots sounded against the castle floor, the same boots standing at a halt in front of Dia. "So this is the strange panther of the Commonlands. I head she was beautiful but I did not think it to be true. Not until know that it..."
Dia looked up at the man, King Bennett. There was both a sinister and handsome air to the man. His eyes were boorish and cold, showing that he held no true emotion behind any word he had said. "Thank you, m'king. It is an honor to receive such a compliment from you."
Bennett made the movement for them to rise, wrapping an arm around Dia's shoulders as he did, "You have never been-"
"Remove your hands from her shoulder Stuart," Otumba replied cooly, holding back Makala who looked ready to attack Bennett for the simple gesture. "Amongst our people it is not proper to do such a thing."
Stuart turned, his eyes flashing a steely color as he removed his hand from around Dia's shoulders. "If you wish. Remember, however, that each place has new customs. I will allow you to take the leave and I will see the lot of you at supper."
Otumba nodded, leading his son and daughter to their room. It was quite until dinner, both Makala and Otumba refusing Dia the right to go outside of the room. When dinner rolled around, Makala and Otumba made sure to sit in between King Bennett and Dia. There was something going on, she just didn't know what. "Otumba, my friend, will you not partake in the revelry of tonight by drinking with me?" Stuart asked.
"I do not drink m'king," Otumba replied, bowing his head, "I cannot stomach the stench nor the taste of ale."
"You do know what rule you will be breaking by not accepting this drink, do you not?" Stuart asked, his voice and face not giving away the joviality he gave away inside.
"What rule is that?" Otumba asked, raising an eyebrow.
"If a drink is not taken upon the invitation of the king," Stuart began, a creepy smile crossing his lips, "the king has the right to anything he wants so that he is not offended. Do you accept this?"
"Of course m'lord," Otumba nodded, not wanting to anger his comrade.
"Then I will be taking your daughter," Stuart grinned.
"You cannot my lord!" Otumba shouted, standing up outraged.
"I won't let them!" Makala replied, Dia holding onto his arm for protection. "You will have to kill me to get to my sister or my father."
"That can be arranged, boy," Stuart sneered, not afraid of the much bigger man. "If I do not get the thing that I want, I have all right to take your village."
"You cannot have my daughter and you cannot have my village," Otumba growled, his face cold.
Dia knew what had to be done. To protect her family, protect the home she had always known, she would have to leave it. "King Bennett...please do not hurt my papa and Makala...I will be yours just do not hurt our kingdom..."
"You are a smart girl," Stuart smirked, having his guards bring over the young girl. "Have the two men thrown back into their own savage kingdome. I will be retiring to my chambers."
For the first time in her life, Dia let out a few tears, "Please...please let me say goodbye to my brother and father..."
Rolling his eyes, Stuart conceeded, "Yes, yes, you may say your fare-the-wells."
Dia ran over to her brother and father, throwing her arms around their necks. "I am so sorry, I should not have come..."
"No, no it is I who is sorry that I could not protect my daughter," Otumba cried onto her shoulder. Never before in all her years on the Earth had Dia witnessed tears in her father nor brothers eyes.
There were tears that day and for Dia, everyday after.
Wed Mar 27, 2013 4:32 pm