Dressed in scars, Eira was beautiful. Seven long scars crossed over her right side along with her golden eye. As for the left, snow white complexion was unburdened by harsh beauty. A shiny emerald was the companion for the golden eye. Ebony plaited crown framed her heart-shaped face. Long slender fingers pulled her dark hood over the unusual face. Her head bowed to the dirt road.

Above her, thick gray clouds gathered like flocks of sheep. Her ears heard the low rumbles of thunder. Soft smoke escaped her crimson lips. Icy shivers shattered her movements. Standing still, the girl gathered the wrinkly fabric close to her chest. Her numb legs groggily moved on.  All around strangers never stopped.

Eira dodged a couple times from being pushed among the crowd. The girl pulled a corner of her hood over her nose from the foul sea water. It was always so crowded  at the harbor.

"Excuse me," she growled while pushing past the moving crowd.  Mismatched sight glanced up at the sign ahead. Shaped like a flying pirate ship, cursive words were carved into the smooth ghost wood. On the sign, it said "Captain's Quarters"

Pushing through the crowd, the girl with the hood strained her hand out to reach for the dark blue door of the stone walled inn. She twisted the knob and shoved the door open. Silence greeted the visitor.

Bright candlelight hung from the iron chandlier on the gray stone ceiling. In the center of the vast hall, four rectangular wooden tables stood along with stools. Only a couple patrons were drinking from their mugs in scattered seating. On the right side of the hall, the staircase was winding up to the second floor. The long bar was on the left side.

Coming up to the bar, the hooded Eira glanced up at the elderly bartender. He was wiping the stone counter with a filthy rag. The girl's nose scrunched at the odor of alcohol and smoke. She swallowed her attempted gag.

"I know that you are here, little one." replied the scrawny  bartender. His bald head was still down at the counter.

"The usual, rum in a goblet." replied the young customer. He nodded in response. The elderly bartender's aching bones cracked in his stride. Beneath the hood, she cringed at the cracks. One more time! she thought, her fingers clenched into a fist. Chilling coldness radiated through her fist. One more! The girl gritted her teeth. Her breath seethed through her heart-shaped lips.

"You her?"

A growling voice broke the slender girl's thoughts. She released her freezing fist. Her mismatched sight shifted to the new speaker. Standing next to her, a hairless woman in black scowled at the customer. The broad-shouldered newcomer was not human. She had one large grey eye in the middle of her forehead. The creature towered over the girl by three feet.

"Not interested in what you have to say." replied the customer. The bartender returned with a goblet, filled with rum. His glassy eyes stared up at the cyclops. In utter fear, he scurried like a rat in a prison cell.

Never minding the barkeep, the customer drank a couple sips of rum. The harsh drink burnt the insides of the hooded girl's throat. She nearly choked. Regaining her composure, Eira glared at the monster.

"Scram or I'll report to the Monster Hunters." she threatened. The Monster Hunters were the most highly trained knights. They never have the tendency to show mercy to unruly creatures. 

"Boss girl want ya." growled the stranger cyclops. The hooded girl raised an eyebrow at the monster. Cyclops were the monsters that worked for blacksmiths. They usually known for their strength, not for their brains.

"Look, one eye. I don't work for blacksmiths." answered the human lady. "Go back to your boss."

The one-eyed savage repeated loudly, "Boss girl want ya."

Annoyance struck the slender girl while letting out a groan. "Alright, alright."the human raised her hands in surrender. "Take me to "boss lady", ok."

The monster led the way up the stairs. The girl felt her insides twisted in a knot. She took a deep breath. Have no fear. thought the hooded lady.

Once they stepped up on the second floor, another hooded figure stood at the end of the narrow corridor. The dainty human fingers untied the strings of the cloak. It slipped off, revealing her garments. She wore a black long-sleeved tunic with matching leggings. Her leather belt was clasped around her waist. A silver chain with a glowing diamond hung from her neck. The icy blue eyes stared down the mismatched eyes. Her orange curls were more brilliant than an ordinary flame. It was tied up in a high bun. Every part of her was angular, no curves.

"You're the Red Queen!" exclaimed Eira, bowing her black plait down. "I meant Your Majesty."

The Red Queen was no ordinary queen. She was the kind of royalty who ruled the streets. It was not just this harbor town of Cavenhall, but along with coast of the country, Ithia. Most villages would say that she was far more powerful than the true rulers themselves.

"That is a thousand times better," replied the grinning Red Queen. She reached into her royal velvet pouch. Pulling out, a circular silver mirror was in her grasp. Her expression transformed into cold seriousness. "I have something you need to take care of." said the queen. She faced the mirror to Eira. Then, she whispered, "Mirror, mirror in my hand. Show the past of our land."

The reflection of Eira's face shifted like a water droplet dipped in a pond. As the ripples fade, a vision appeared. In the vision, two figures were tackling against each other. The first one was a middle-aged man in silvery armor. Sweat dipped from his thin graying hair. He tried to push the other figure away. Unlike the first man, the second one was shaped more like a dark shadow. Its sharp claws twisted both of the man's wrists upward. The man in silvery armor groaned in pain. All of the sudden, eerie amber glow slithered out of the shadow. The radiance move into the veins of the man. He began to cry out as the brightness burnt him.

Eira let out a small gasp when hearing the pain. The apparition vanished in the mirror with a vibrant slimmer. Gazing up at the Red Queen, the girl asked, "What was that thing?"

The Red Queen shook her head as she put her mirror back into the bag, "I do not know, but that thing is killing my guards." she replied. "You know what you must do."

The Red Queen pulled something else  out of her bag. In her hand sat a brown small pouch. The Red Queen tossed it at Eira. The jingling sound echoed in the girl's ear when she instinctively caught it.

Eira nodded her hood. "I understand, Your Majesty," answered the girl.

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