CHAPTER 4: Lost But Not Forgotten

"Nara! What is going on! Why is the palace in chaos?" Cat tugged at her sister's arm, ushering her from her room.

"Go back to your room kitten, father will be upset if we are not in place...he told us.."

"Forget that! I want to know! Now!"

"I don't know anything!" Nara pulled her arm free from Cat's, moving her head away from her gaze so as to hide her expression.

"Come on now! I am no fool! There must be something that Kilik told you!"

"He made me promise not to tell you."

"Not to tell me? But he told you anyway, meaning that he knows the consequences of his actions! Now tell me! Is it brother...is he alright away at war? Nara! Nara!"

Nara pulled Cat towards her and placed her hand over her mouth. Peering in both directions down the hallway to make sure the sound did not alert any guards. Nara flipped her around and began pushing her sister down a few doors towards her room.

Stepping in, Cateile broke free and swung around.

"Come on with it!" Tapping her leg impatiently, she began to pout and playfully whine at her sister. She stepped directly in front of Nara's face and looked into her eyes with a grin. "Hmm? Hmm?"

After seeing no budge from Nara's expression, Cat scoffed.

"Alright! I'll tell you a secret and you tell me one! Deal! Deal?" She waited for a nod of approval before turning around to reach below her bed. Before pulling whatever it was she was going to show Nara out, she stopped to make eye contact, as though looking for any signs of betrayal. As there was none, she slowly revealed her secret.

Cateile had one of her guards steal the cub from Eve and was now conveniently hiding it under her bed.

"Cat!" Nara gasped as her sister unveiled the sickly cub from beneath her bed.

Placing her index finger over her lips, Cat impatiently shushed her sister. Using her other hand to shove the cub in her sister's arms, she also pulled her away from the door. She peered out briefly into the dark corridor and then closed the door again.

"Come on now....this can't be worse than what you are going to tell me!" Cat brushed her hand through the air to dismiss her sister's look of disapproval. "Now, out with it!"

"No, it's not worse but you will meet father's wrath soon enough for your actions, kitten! He already has one child of his releasing him into a fury!"

"So it IS brother!" Moving closer to get the details, Cat petted the cub that now nestled in Nara's arms. Her eyes fixated on Nara's face, not leaving it for a bit.

"Not quite."

"Did YOU do something? Highly unlikely..." Cat eyed her sister in disbelief, all the while waiting for the details.

"No. It was our 'other' sister."

"Other? Well, who would that be? It's only you, Furok...and myself." Cateile gasped loudly in shock! "Is mother with child?!"

"Don't be ridiculous. There's one minor thing...we have yet to tell you."

Cateile stopped stroking the sleeping cub and patiently waited for Nara's next words.

"I have a lot to tell you Cat...but I'll start with her name. Cobrantes. She's our oldest sister from father. She was... gone.... before you were born and never mentioned again...because of the...nature of her departure."

"What?"

"Let me tell you the story....." Nara sat next to Cateile on the bed and lowered the sleeping cub next to them. Taking in a deep breath...she began.

Cobrantes, the first Princess of Kajor, firstborn of Heliar Saith and Helias Rugo. At the age of three she had already proven to be advanced in her speech and learning. She surprised the kingdom at how beautiful and intelligent she was and gave high hopes to the people. Everyone celebrated the young princess, since she was born in one of the most prosperous times the kingdom had ever seen. All praised the princess. All but Jarhod, who was the High Priest.

The High Priest consulted the Heliar about a vision he had from the Gods. A vision that Cobrantes would bring chaos to the kingdom. Hunger and famine would befall upon his people. Wars would erupt and blood would be spilled. All because of one little girl, who had yet to know her destiny. The High Priest held its power for centuries, helping to advise the rulers of Kajor with the words from their Gods. Being so, Saith dared not to be the ruler to fracture their kingdom's history now.

The Heliar disregarded all of Jarhod's warnings, as often as he might bring them up, he was shut down. A year past, bringing about his heir Furok and then another year. His grace was then blessed with another princess, Nara. However, the High Priest was adamant in his disapproval that the Gods had only spoken ill of one.... Cobrantes.

One day, Jarhod burst into a meeting with the Heliar and his advisors to express his concerns once again. This time...Jarhod's visions had led him to utter these horrible words...Cobrantes will KILL her father!

This prompted an immediate response from the kingdom's advisors. With the unanimous decision, the six-year-old Cobrantes was banished from the kingdom and sent to live in the East Kingdom of Lusidor. From then on Saith dared not to utter her name in the kingdom again.

Helias Rugo, however, fell into despair at the thought of her little girl being cast off to a ruthless kingdom. Eventually this despair turned into depression, unfortunately taking her life.

Years passed and news of the young princess continued to travel in. She was not treated as a princess, but almost as a slave in the kingdom of Lusidor. The royal family had put her to serve them, and after building their trust made her a warrior in their elite guards. She went to fight in battles against rebels and earned an infamous title as a ruthless warrior. The nature of the young princess then caught the eye of another infamous leader. Isilan, the prince of Lusidor.

Isilan was known for his mistreatment of women and lack of respect for them. He was known for beating women and children alike, often showing cowardice against men who challenged him for it. However, as the future ruler of a kingdom, he merely had to snap his fingers to rid himself of his foes. He got whatever he wanted. However he wanted. The last news that traveled to Kajor was news of marriage between the Infamous princess and the troublesome prince turned King. The last news...of the first princess of Kajor.

"And now she is coming to Kajor, kitten."

"I have another sister." Cateile stood up slowly trying to process the information. "I can't believe no one told me this! Why did you all hide this from me?"

"Cat... there's so much more to why we would not tell you!"

"Nara. We have done our dear sister injustice! We should be rejoicing that she is returning to us!"

"No! Father said we are NOT to meet her! She is not here for reunion. It's bigger than that...."

"But.."

"She killed the King of Lusidor. She murdered her own husband and seized the throne for herself... There's no telling what she brings with her in her heart...." Nara paused to think, nibbling away at her bottom lip in a daze. "It certainly won't be love...."

"But the High Priest is to blame!" Cateile shook her head, a slight tremble escaped from her lips. She tried to wrap her head around the thought of a woman killing her husband. In Kajor the consequences are death. By burning alive....

"Yes! And that's why father had him killed! Especially after what he said about you.... You remember." Nara placed both of her hands on Cat's shoulders to connect their eyes.

"Yes...I remember. When I was smaller...the High Priest had deemed me a tragedy to the kingdom. After he uttered those words to father, the High Priest was dead before nightfall. The entire kingdom was enraged....at who the killer might be." Cat turned away, in guilt, at the thought of a man dying because of her. That guilt quickly washed away as she remembered that she was just a little girl and had no way of defending herself from those accusations.

"Yes....now...can you imagine how she feels? She wasn't protected like you Cat. No matter how long ago it was...It may have been lost...but never forgotten." Nara rubbed her sister's cheek and excused herself from the room. Cateile flopped onto her back and stared up at the light flickering across her ceiling. Lost but not forgotten? A wave of uncertainty, fear, and panic rushed through her. A very familiar feeling. All too familiar.