Kamiria

Fight

Rage running in my vains
Not even caring if it rains
I draw my sword to fight
In the dawn of day or the dark of night
The people need to be protected
From the dangers that lie untested
Lives are on the line today
There is no room for failure, I always say
Draw your sword and come forth
Show me what you got; Show me your worth
My sword is out and ready to defend
Attack if your ready to decend
For this place is protected by me
And will be for all eternity



Prolouge

There are many cities in this world that are unknown to the human world. They are the cities of the dead. The vampires that survived the Hunters extermination three hundred years ago.
The Hunters have tried to find these cities and destroy those within it’s walls. They have been, so far, unsuccessful.
They came close once, so vary close. Our Guard tried to stop them, to keep them at bay. They died with honor.
In the end it took two of our best to stop them. Jimi and his life bonded, Kamiria defeated the Hunters but not without a terrible price. A price I would not have asked any to pay.
They were both so weak and exhausted after the battle. When found Kamiria was unconscious and barely still with us. Jimi, I am grieved to say, had left this world shortly after.
Kamiria took his passing hard to say the least. As would any in the same situation. She went so far into her grieving that she tried to join him in the next world. When that didn’t work she resigned from the Guard. Not wanting to lose such a valued soldier I gave her an extended leave.
I asked her to think on her decision and if that is what Jimi would have wanted for her. She told me to go to Hell as she walked out the door.
She has not returned in two years. Though I know she still needs time she is needed. A new threat has made itself known. A spy has found its self within these walls and her skills are needed.
I wonder if she will come.
Queen Aisha


Chapter One


“The Queen summons you.”
Kamiria turned to face the speaker. Tonight she decided to wear black pants and a forest green tank top that hugs her form. She has a line of earrings that trail her left ear and has three in her right. All save for one were small hoops. One earring at the bottom of her left ear was a small cross. It was uncommon among her kind to wear the cross. Some said she did it out of spit. Only a few new her real reason.
“You tell me nothing I am not already aware of, child,” she tells the figure hiding in the ally. “You are the fifth messenger to come and I will tell you the same thing I told them. Go Away!”
“My orders are to take you back with me,” he said as he walked Into the street light. “I will not fail.”
One thing was for sure, he was not a messenger. He wore all black and had a tattoo on his right wrist of a phoenix that matched her own. He carried a sword at his side with his hand on the hilt.
A member of Guard, Kamiria thought her blue eyes sparkling with interest. Sent here, no dought, to Challenge me into going back. Her Highness is smart bit did she sent someone worthy enough?
“I have not lifted my sword in over a year,” she stated looking to the sky. “A little practice might be fun.” She looked back at the Guard. “If you beat me I’ll go and see Queen Aisha. If I win you leave me alone and send no others.”
The Guard nodded. His queen had informed him that he might have to face a Challenge. “My orders are to bring you back and I will not fail. Retrieve your weapon. I’ll wait for you to return.”
Kamiria closed her eyes, smiling. “My weapon is here, Guard. I never go anywhere without it.”
She lifted her hand in the air and snapped her fingers. A bright blue light glowed from her hand. When the light died Kamiria was holding an old Japanese sword.
The Guards eyes widened slightly. He was not surprised by the sword. Queen Aisha had told him what kind she had. What she neglected to tell him was that she was a Meja.
A Meja was a powerful vampire that could summon their weapons at will. Most had other Gifts like that of a Mage. Meja were rare and far between. He had never meet one much less fought one.
This might prove to be an interesting fight, he thought going into an attacking position.
Kamiria went into her defensive mode. She shut out everything around her but her attacker. She closed her eyes taking a deep breath. Holding her sheath at waist height she grabbed the handle hard.
Her sky blue eyes locked on to his brown as she waited for him to move.
Finally, after what seemed like hours to her, he moved. The Guard moved so fast that she almost didn’t have time to react. She evaded his would be blow to her ribs by side stepping. As they both regained their balance the Guard noticed that Kamiria had not drawn her own sword.
What is she up to, he thought narrowing his eyes.
Seeing the look on the Guards face, Kamiria smirked. Taking her stance again she did the one thing that he would not have expected.
She attacked.
He had been informed that she had stopped attacking and only defended herself. He barely avoided having his neck sliced open only to feel a sharp pain in his side. Kamiria had hit him with her sheath. She smiled a little and turned to walk away as he picked himself off the ground.
“You should give up now,” Kamiria stated going back to her stance. “You are out of your league, child. You’ve barely come of age.”
Like most of her kind Kamiria could read the aura surrounding a person. He was still young compared to her. A vampire reached his coming of age at their one hundredth birthday, weather they were born a vampire or changed. He couldn’t have been no older that one hundred and fifteen if she was right. She just turned four hundred not to long ago.
“What would you know, half bred,” he growled. How dare she talk to him like she knew him. He was born a vampire while she had been changed. Anyone who read her aura could tell that.
“Half bred,” she said shocked. “I haven’t been called that since my training day’s with the Guard. I think I’ll let your wicked tough slide with that insult. Call me that again and I’ll have to pull it out. What would the Queen have to say to that I wonder.”
He glared at her as he took his stance. Kamiria let her eyes fall to his neck and the small droplets of blood on it.
“First blood, by the way.”
His eyes widened as he lifted a hand to his neck and felt the blood. He had never been the first one wounded before. Narrowing his eyes into tiny slits he went back into his stance.
“Play time is over,” he growled through clenched teeth.
“Hey, you’re the one that insulted me.” Kamiria’s eyes seemed to glow with excitement. It had been far too long since her last real fight and she had forgotten how it felt to have the adrenaline running threw her veins. She was curious to see how the young one fought when mad.
The Guards speed had picked up, she noticed as she blocked a blow to her side. It had enough force to send her to the ground where she immediately rolled to her right to avoid being stomped on. She hit the building hard with her back. She narrowed her eyes and brought up her sword in time to stop the Guards attack on her neck. Kamiria used her leg to knock him to the floor then her sword to make a slash in his left leg. Jumping to her feet she got out of his attacking range.
He got to his feet slowly, eyes never leaving her face. He tested his weight on his leg to make sure it would hold. The cut was a good inch deep but the blood flow was already slowing down. He told himself to see the medic when he got back and put the injury out of his mind.
“Second blood,” Kamiria stated. “I wonder what Queen Aisha has to say. It can’t be anything trifle to have sent you. Shame that I’ll never know what she wants. Come, child, let’s finish this.”
The Guard smirked at some unknown secret. He attacked her with all he had.
He just hoped it was enough.

Chapter Two

Tall brown Oak doors closed behind her. The sound they made when shut filled the whole room. Kamiria took a deep breath and looked around. In all her years she could not get over how wonderful this room looked.
The sisten chapel has nothing on this place, she thought.
The Great Halls ceiling was pure white with sparkles. Only two chairs occupied the large room at the end. One for the Queen and one for the King. Over looking the Great Hall just behind them was the Royal Panting of the current royal family. At the moment it was only Queen Aisha and her life bonded Himal.
For fear of assignation their were no windows in this room. The only source of light came from the huge chandelier that hangs in the middle of the ceiling and small candle holders that where placed around the room. The right and left side of the walls were covered in two hundred and fifty eight hand drawn paintings that were applied directly on the walls.
Kamiria walked down the left side, trailing her fingers along. Each of the paintings featured a small town and twenty or so people standing together. All were smiling. They were the first Vampire cities and the ones who made them.
She stopped at one of the paintings. Her sad eyes looked on as her fingers trailed over one of the people in the portrait. This was the city of Amoria. Kamiria knew the city and her people well. She and Jimi helped build it.
“Jimi,” she whispered looking at the young boy in the center. He had messy black hair that went all over the place and dark brown eyes that seemed to see everything. Kamiria looked at the young girl of about seventeen standing next to him. She was the only one not looking straight. Instead she was looking at Jimi with her hand on his shoulder, a goofy smile on her face.
What I wouldn’t give to be that carefree girl again, she thought. Back then I thought nothing could separate us. How foolish I was.
“Kamiria,” a voice said just behind her.
Startled, Kamiria reached at her side for her sword and pointed it at the speaker. She retreated it instantly when she saw who it was. A girl that looked all of twenty stood facing her with her arms behind her. Though she looked twenty she was in fact close to four hundred. She had on a red stain evening dress with matching slippers. Her long black hair was pulled back and braided into a tight bun.
Kamiria quickly returned her blade to its sheath and bowed on both knees. “Queen Aisha. I apologize for my rude welcoming.”
Queen Aisha raised an eyebrow looking down on her. “Rise, Kamiria. Bowing has never suited you. If you would be so kind as to remove your weapon from this room all will be forgiven.”
Kamiria go to her feet, snapped her fingers and touched her sword. A blue light glowed around it then it was gone. “You summoned me.”
“Yes, I did,” Queen Aisha said slowly. “Five times, in fact. Four of my messangers came back saying that you told them to go away. If I recall correctly you threatened one of them saying that you would beat him to within an inch of his life if you ever saw him again. Is that correct, Kamiria? I would not want to have false rumors flying around.”
Kamiria tried not to smile. She remembered the boy. He had hung around for five days before he got the picture. She knew that the Queen was not angry about it. Her left eye seemed to twitch when she was.
“Yes, My Queen, it is. Forgive my lateness. I had something that I, um, that is I needed to take care of something.”
Queen Aisha raised an eyebrow. She clearly didn’t believe her. “I am sure you did but when your Queen summons you, you should come.” Kamiria bowed her head looking away. Sighing the young Queen continued. “We have had a number of attacks on a few of our cities.” Kamiria’s head shot up. “None have been wounded gravely, but you are hereby reinstated into the Guard.”
Kamiria clinched her fists until her knuckles turned white. “With all do respect, Aisha, I can’t.”
“Can not or will not,” she replied in a hard voice. “I know your reasons for to wanting to come back, girl, do not get me wrong. Now is not a time to dwell on the past. You are needed here and here is were you will stay. I will ask you the same thing I did when you left. Would Jimi have wanted you to turn your back on the people that need you? That helped you when you had no one else? You have had time to grieve and I know that it is not enough. No where near enough. I am asking you to put your grieving on hold and help us.”
Kamiria looked at her side ways. “How long have you rehearsed that speech?”
Queen Aisha winced. “That obvious? I told Hamel it would not work.”
“Ah. Where is dear King Hamel?”
“I left him to the mercy of the Councilors. I wanted to do this alone.” She knew that Kamiria would put up more of a fight if there were others. She would feel trapped. Like she didn‘t have a choice in the matter. More than likely she would say or do something that would get her into trouble. She did not have Jimi there to help keep her temper anymore. “Seriously, Kamiria we need you. More than ever.”
Kamiria turned back to the painting with a sigh. “What is it that you think one lowly, useless half bred could change? What is it you want me to do, I wonder?”
“Nothing you have not done before.” Queen Aisha assured her. “You have never been useless, Kamiria. From the first day you walked into our Keep. I’ve never known you to give up.”
“I still don’t want to be here.” Kamiria whispered as tears came to her eyes. “if you need me that much I will stay. Besides, Jimi would kick my ass if he know I could help but didn’t.”
“My brother was proud of you, Kamiria.” she said softy coming to stand next to her. “Never forget that.”
They both bowed their heads in a moment of silence for the fallen hero.

Chapter Three

Raised voices could be heard nearing the doors. Kamiria positioned herself in front of the Queen calling her throwing daggers. Anyone wanting the Queen would have to deal with her first.
“..Without a Guard!”
“She ordered it, My King.”
King Hamel and his Guards came through the doorway loudly. It was a well known fact that the new King didn’t like Kamiria. In fact he hated her. Kamiria couldn’t say that she cared for him at all. He looked at her with contempt and she had the sudden urge to throw a dagger at him. He was saved, however, by Queen Aisha.
“Hamel,” she said a little more loudly than she needed. “I didn’t expect you to be done for another hour.” She put a hand on Kamiria’s shoulder. “Ryan, I thought I asked for no interruptions.”
Kamiria looked at the Guard next to the King. The same one that had challenged her. He had changed his Guard uniform for that of the Captains. Instead of a black shirt he wore blood red.
So this is who replaced Jimi. she thought, eyes narrowed. “Ryan,” she spat. “What a stupid name.”
“Kamiria!” The Queen hissed. “That was quite rude. You will apologize this moment. And get ride of those.”
Ryan had to stop himself from laughing out right. The Queen talked to her like she was a child. What’s more is that she looked liked a toddler with it’s favorite toy being taken away.
Rolling her eyes she removed the daggers. She just glared at him until the Queen nudged her in the ribs.
“Sorry,” she said it so softly that he wasn’t even sure that she said it at all.
“Why did you leave your Guards outside, Aisha,” said King Hamel coming to stand next to her. “Anything could have happened.”
“Come now, my dear Hamel,” Aisha replied smiling. “We are in the Keep. What could happen here? Besides I had Kamiria with me. She would not let anything happen to me.”
The King did not look convinced. “You still should have had the Captain with you.”
“Ah,” said Aisha. “But he was injured and had to go to the medics.”
“Injured or not, My Queen, I would have come if you called for me.” The Captain gave Kamiria a pointed look.
“Yes,” the Queen said looking at Kamiria. “At least I have one loyal subject that comes when they are called.”
Kamiria rolled her eyes again. “I’m here aren’t I. If I wasn’t loyal I wouldn’t be here.”
“Do not lie to yourself, Kamiria,” King Hamel spat. “your curious that’s why you’re here. You’ve never been loyal to anyone or anything except for the cities and Jimi.”
She snorted at the comment. “Are you going to get to the point of why I’m here. I resigned remember.”
“I gave you a leave of absents.” The Queen replied.
“I resigned!” Kamiria shouted. “Never agreed to a leave. Is that why the Captain is here? To re-instate me?”
“As Captain of the Guard it is my duty to attend any meeting that evolves the safety of the King and Queen and the cities,” he told Kamiria harshly before Queen Aisha could answer. “If you don’t like it then leave. I don’t need you in the Guard.”
“Captain of the Guard,” Kamiria spat. “You couldn’t even best me. How do you plane on beating the Hunters away? If this is what the Guard has come to I’ll stay. Your going to need all the help you can get, Captain.”
“Why you…”
“Enough,” the Queen sighed. “You are both here because I need you both. The cities are being attacked all over. That is why you’re here Kamiria you know better than anyone how best to protect the cities and find out how they know where they are. Ryan you’re here because you know where your men’s capability lie. You can help position the troops to protect them. If you fight against each other it will be harder.”
“I said I’d stay didn’t I. As long as he doesn’t get in my way we’ll be fine.” Kamiria leaned against the wall. “But as soon as this is done I’m gone.”
“Then the sooner we get it done the better,” Ryan growled. “Stay out of my way. I’ll stay out of yours.”
“That is quite enough,” the King shouted seeing the distress his wife was going through. Her eyes were closed with a hand to her head. Her lips a mere line on her pale face. Her eyebrow started to twitch. She was angry.
“What has brought this hostility on, Ryan. I know that she is not the most easy to get along with but I have never know you to act in such a way. I am most disappointed.” Kamiria snorted looking at the ceiling. “Don’t get me started on you, Kamiria!”
“Bite me. He’s just mad because he lost.” Kamiria replied crossing her arms. “He got one good hit in so I don’t know why he’s so angry.”
“You are injured,” The Queen asked worried. She looked her up and down trying to find the wound.
Kamiria narrowed her eyes. “It’s just a scratch.”
“You drew blood three times,” Ryan said staring at her. “I don’t know why you’re here if you won the Challenge.”
Kamiria huffed getting off the wall. She looked him dead in the eyes as she walked away. “My reasons are my own, child.”
Ryan stayed rotted to the spot. Those eyes. They looked so dead. Like there was no life in them at all. He remembered one of his teachers saying that the eyes are the keeper of the soul. Does that mean that she doesn’t have a soul then, he wondered.
“Kamiria,” the Queen said dangerously. “You will meet with him.”
As others would recoil at that voice Kamiria glared and stood her ground. “Or you’ll what, Aisha. Disown me.”
Then she was gone. Out the doors and down the hall. She didn’t stop until she was safely outside the Keep. Stopping only for the Guards to let her threw. To many memories. Memories that she didn’t want to think about.
She would have to apologize to Queen Aisha later on. She knew she hurt her with those parting words. The same words Jimi had said to their mother when she forbid him to see her.
Queen Mayish took him at his word. By the next day she had told the whole vampire community that she had no son. It had hurt that rejection. It hurt even more to know that if it hadn’t been for her Jimi would have been safely in the Keep during that battle. If it wasn’t for her he would still be alive.
She looked at the darkened sky as water hit her. Rain, she thought, how fitting for this mood.
Reaching into her pants pocket she pulled out her cigarettes. Lighting one and took a drag holding it between her thumb and index finger sheltering it from the rain so it wouldn’t get wet.
“Oh, Jimi, what am I doing here,” she sighed turning to the sky for comfort.

Chapter Four


“Your Majesty?” Ryan asked concerned.
Queen Aisha put her hand back to her head and closed her eyes. “I’m fine, Ryan. You’ll have to forgive her. It has been a bad couple of years.”
“She still had no right to talk to you as such, Aisha,” replied the King harshly. “She needs a good sound lashing.”
Queen Aisha put a hand on her husbands shoulder. “She has been whipped more times than I can count. It will do nothing but anger her more.“
He looked at her pleading face. She was after all her late brothers wife.
“As you wish. Captain, find her and set up a meeting.”
He escorted his wife out of the Great Hall with their Guards leaving the Captain to his thoughts.
Great, he thought. Just fucking great.

Captain Ryan found her outside staring up at the rain filled sky with a cigarette in hand.
“Kamiria!” he called standing in the shelter of the door way.
Kamiria turned to him and took a long drag of her cigarette. She blow the smoke in his direction. That was the only answer he got before turning her back on him once more.
Damn that woman, he thought walking down the steps. He cursed her again for good measure as he almost tripped in a mud puddle.
“What do you need, Ryan?” she asked when he got to her side. She didn’t even look at him, just took another drag.
“I am supposed to set up a meeting with you. The Queen said…”
“I know what she said,” Kamiria voiced harshly. “I was there when she said it.”
He stared at her, shocked, for some time. “Then when do you…”
“You never notice them do you?” she interrupted.
Ryan sighed. He was getting tired of this already. “Notice what?”
She took another drag and blew it at the sky. “The stars. I never really stop to look at them any more. Jimi and I used to look at them for hours. But not anymore.”
“That’s nice,” he said slowly wondering if she had lost her mind. “But what does that have to do with protecting the Queen and King.”
She looked at him as if just noticing him. She blew smoke in his face. “Not a damn thing. They doesn’t need anymore protection. I dare say they has to much as if is. We’re supposed to be meeting about protecting the cities.”
“If your talking about removing the number of Guard around them than you can forget it,” he said hotly. “My job is the protect the Queen and King to the best of my ability and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Kamiria looked at him sideways blowing more smoke into the air. “Aisha and Hamel’s protection is your responsibly but the cities are mine. Putting more Guards around them would lesson security for the cities. That is something that I will not allow. Aisha, at least, knows how to protect herself. You can trust me on that.”
“Trust you,” he spat. “I don’t even know you and you want me to trust you with Queen Aisha and King Hamel’s protection.”
“I’ve known them longer than you, child.” she replied in a cold voice, throwing her cigarette down. “Aisha and I were training for the Guard long before your daddy laid eyes on your mother. Do not underestimate her. It may very well be the last thing you do.”
She turned to walk back into the Keep.
“Wouldn’t Jimi want you to protect his sister?” he called after her.
“Jimi,” she said, voice hard with concealed emotions. “Would want me to protect the cities he worked so hard to build. I would appreciate you not bring him up again.”
“The meeting…” Ryan said racing up to her.
“I’ll meet with you tomorrow, Ryan,” said Kamiria, tiredly passing the Guards with a nod. She stopped to look at one closely.
“Kalien,” she said. “They finally made you Guard.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” said Kalien proudly. She stood as straight as physically possible. “ ‘bout a year ago now, ma’am.”
“You don’t have to call me ma’am anymore. Kamiria is just fine.” She told her.
Kalien shock her head smiling. “With all do respect, ma’am, I will call you ma’am tell the day I die. It is very good to see you again.”
Kamiria graced her with a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Kalien was trained by Jimi. She had not shown much potential and the Guard didn’t want to take her on. Jimi would hear none of that and took her in anyway. He helped her train every free minute he got. She was almost as sad as Kamiria when he passed.
Kamiria wanted to tell her that she was no longer a member of Guard so she really shouldn’t call her that but she was to tired to argue with the girl. Let her call me what she wants, she thought. She gave Kalien a quick squeeze on the shoulder as she started down the hall.
Ryan watched her leave glaring at her back.
“You can give up the glaring, Ryan,” she called back. “It’s getting kinda old.”
He continued to watch her until she disappeared down another hall. He turned and walked the opposite direction.
Kalien and the other Guard looked at each other, shrugged, and went back to their duty. It was not for them to figure out what was going on between their Captain and the former Guard.
Neither noticed the figure that moved through the woods.