Winter's Dance (#1 Ruthen Quartet)

Prologue: Half-White; Half-Black

In case you have not noticed it, this the new draft. Chapters will be posted after editing. 

This chapter is edited by @rageynerd.

**********

 The crunch of the dried leaves under the horses' hooves was eerie in the abandoned route from Khione to Ileatia. Outside, the call of the birds became a distant sound as the light dwindled to stark nothingness. She drew the curtains down; it was no use trying to see in utter darkness.

Much to the displeasure of the knight who was seated on the opposite seat of the carriage they shared, she revelled in the darkness that surrounded them. Before the night had set in, his face was contorted in uneasiness. And she knew exactly why. No one passing through this pass at night ever lived to tell the tale.

This was exactly why she chose this way.

"My Lady?" the knight called. "I do not think it is advisable to go further."

She pushed a strand of blonde hair back. "Where can we go now, Jafar? We are halfway through. Same distance to Khione and same distance to Ileatia. I would rather go to the capital."

"But...," he began.

She answered him with silence. It was his duty to protect her, not to advise her. She had purposefully chosen this route. It would be easy for her to meet them – if they came.

As though the Spirits had heard her message, her carriage came to a stop. She smiled, revealing her pearly teeth. It was definitely Dyiq-lye. Who else would dare walk in these passages, if not them?

The knight stood up. "I will go out and see what has gone amiss."

She nodded; when she realised he could not see her, she said, "Yes."

He went out, closing the door; not locking, but just closing.

The lack of moon and the cloudy sky was favourable for Dyiq-lye. They were a group of skilled hunters, trackers, and assassins. They worked better at night than at day.

Fourteen soldiers on horses and two knights were accompanying her, and her carriage was driven by two other soldiers. How much time would Diq-lye take to kill them all?

She closed her eyes. Neither the groans of dead leaves nor the complaints of the protesting squalls were heard. It was the night where the predator was out for blood.

A man gasped and the carriage shook as he fell against it. First blood had been drawn.

Before she could open her eyes, three more men fell down. Like a child seeing snow for the first time, she was joyous. What more could she ask for?

She hummed to herself as she counted the fallen men. Jafar's cry upon his death was a melody to her ears. Only the female knight, Dame Bernyce, was alive.

"...bastard." The knight's voice was feeble but strong.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the carriage and stepped out. The trees were still and the grey clouds hid everything with their shadow.

"Go! Run! Hide!" the female knight, screamed at her.

Three men stood above the dying knight. Their faces were hooded; and their manner of dress was meant to blend in with the shadows. Out of the three, only one man's eyes were visible. She was not sure what colour it was but it was a dark shade. He seemed to be the leader.

"Were you the one who called us?" the leader asked, his voice deep and accented.

She looked at the fallen knight and nodded. "Yes."

Dame Bernyce's figure froze.

The leader took a step forward. "Why? Who are you to call us?"

"I heard your leader wanted all of Ruthen," she stated smugly.

"How would you know?" he growled.

He was not a powerful man in Dyiq-lye. His leader was. This man was just sent here to take her to his leader. With his impatience, she wondered why his leader ever kept him by his side.

One of the other two men held Dame Bernyce's head by her hair. She did not scream, despite the pain.

She shrugged. "You can kill her for all I care."

"What?" the leader asked, confused.

She laughed, putting all of her hidden malice into it. Her time was coming. "Kill her. She is of no use to me now."

As if to strike fear in her heart, one man slit her throat.

"What is to say that I will not kill you now?" the leader asked, not taking any step further.

She smirked. "Because your leader will not be happy if he came to know that you have killed the one who had so much to offer him."

"What do you have?"

Her smirk deepened. "He wants Ruthen."

"He already has Ruthen."

"Really?" she asked, folding her arms. "Then why is Yerinah not a part of King Taimore's empire anymore?"

She waited for him to answer; an answer she knew he could not tell, for there was nothing to say.

"He has an army," she said. "And I know how to give this country to him."

"What do you want?"

"He can have the whole of Ruthen. Why, he can have the whole of Lavatia itself," she said. "I just want to be the queen of Yerinah."

The man sighed. Relented to her words. "My name is Blayke Mystor."

She thought about telling him her name, but decided against it. "Call me Dawn."