Chapter 1

Nara lived in the city gates of Nanata kingdom. The eldest daughter of one of the long line of witches she was left by her parents to raise three of her younger siblings. Zara, Xander and Mira. She had to grow fast when her parents left work in the mines. When time passed and they hadn't returned she knew they had died in the mines. She knew it was her duty to keep her siblings safe. She had been their mother, father and their sister all these years. Zara was stubborn and mischievious, she loved running in the streets with boys and Nara always worried that if one of them would be in trouble with the law it would be Zara. Xander was a man of class, he loved to keep things to himself and was a true gentleman. Nara didn't quite understand her youngest sister Mira. She was quiet and rarely spoke. She was one of them most powerful one that her sister had to have neck band when she was still young. At nineteen Mira showed a lot of maturity than girls her age. She rarely went out of the house and Nara knew her sister was not like any of them. The new king was twice as ruthless as his father who had descended from the oldest king Peli who had made the covenant with the vampires and the werewolves. King Joram  was his name, he had been enthroned after his father's death. His hatred for witches was more as one had killed his mother trying to escape from the palace dungeon. For revenge he slit her throat and threw himself through the upper window and killed himself too.  Since his ascendance to the throne king Joram had tightened his grip on the witches. Any use of magic was punishable by death. His wife queen Tarnia who loved the classy life rarely showed herself to the public. She was rumored to be as cunning as a fox but she never really showed interest in public affairs. Nara after the new decree became wary of her sister Zara and banned her from leaving the house. She had told them to only stay as far as they could from the upper city. "You are the one who works in the palace Nara. It is you who faces more danger. Maybe you should consider getting another job sister." Zara warned her sister after Nara had warned her about being seen in public. Nara was packing up the food in the cupboards. "You know I can't quit my job. What will we survive on?" She asked her sister. Zara went and threw herself in a chair close to her sister and took an apple. "We could all get jobs Nara. Besides I think it's best we all leave this place. It is not safe for us here." Zara said to her sister. Nara took the apple back from Zara and put it back in the basket. "This is our home Zara. Where would we go? Besides the city gates are safer than out there. The vampires and werewolves have divided governance over the eleven territories. It is worse out there." Nara explained to her sister. Mira sat by the fire listening to her sister talk but she didn't say anything. Xander came into the house running and breathless. Nara and her sisters all looked at their brother curious. "Varsui and Reeva the oldest vampires have just arrived in the city. They have come for the king's birthday celebrations." Xander told his sisters. They all began closing the doors and the windows of their house and they could see most of the witches do the same too. These were the two most powerful vampires and whenever they were in the city chaos ruled the day.

It was early dawn when Nara was getting ready to leave for the palace when Zara woke up and walked up to her. She began to help her tie her hair in a note. "Do you think it is a good idea for you go to the palace today Nara? The vampires are there and you know that king will do anything to just make them feel powerful." She warned her sister. Nara smiled whilst looking in the mirror. "I will be fine Zara. You stay here and look after our siblings. I will be back before you even know it." She assured her sister. Nara kissed Zara on the cheek and walked out of the house. Zara kept staring at the door. She'd do that everytime her sister would leave the house for the palace. "You know she always comes back Zara." Xander said to her sister as he touched her shoulders. Zara touched her brother's hand and replied quietly. "Well I always fear one day she won't."  She took in a deep breath and saw her younger sister still sleeping peacefully. She walked over to her bed and covered her with her blankets. "Do you think she still remembers them? Mother and father? She was so young when they left." Zara asked her brother and Xander smiled. "I think she does. Who would forget mother's dark brown skin and long white braids? She was the most beautiful woman. Besides Mira takes after her." He explained to his sister and Zara laughed. "Oh yes she was beautiful. Father was so pale and white but everytime he looked at her his cheeks will just pop a little red. They were so in love." She added on to say with tears in her eyes. She sighed, walked away from the bed and took gourd to go fetch water. Xander walked out of the room with her sister and Mira opened her eyes. She had been awake all this time and she just pretended not to hear them. She walked slowly to the mirror and touched the copper band they tied to her neck. This kept the witches in check and only the keys would unlock this. she had never used her magic all her life and she could feel it in her body but was too afraid to ask her siblings about it.

At the palace everything had been blocked out so no sun could get in and this was for the sake of the vampires. The queen was in her chambers getting ready for the big bash when Nara entered her room. "You are late Nara! I was expecting you earlier today." Tarnia said to Nara and Nara bowed her head down in apology. The queen liked her so she just forced a smile. "Get on now we have banquet starting in a few hours and I don't want to be late." She ordered Nara. Nara helped the queen get ready for the banquet and she looked through the window. "The vampires had to send one of their oldest to grace this banquet, it is quite odd don't you think so Nara?" The queen engaged Nara but she just continued doing her job. Tarnia looked at Nara and shook her head. "You barely say a word Nara. Why is it? You are too afraid to speak or you just don't want to speak?" She asked her but Nara kept quiet and the queen just smiled. When she was ready Nara helped her up and said. "You look beautiful your highness." She bowed her head down and Tarnia walked past her. Nara followed the queen behind to the banquet hall. They were only a few guests as more would come later. The vampire Varsui kissed the queen on her hand and said to king Joram. "What a beauty this one is. You picked well my king." He complimented the king who just nodded his head. Tarnia went and sat next to the king and Nara followed her. The werewolves had just arrived and there was partying and celebration. Hansu  the fifth and Kitoli the werewolf alphas had come on behalf of the werewolves. Kitoli was beautiful and strong. She had taken the reigns of alpha when her father had died and she was one of the fiercest alphas. After this unholy alliance the vampires and the werewolves had buried the hatchet for hundreds of years and lived in peace with one another. As the celebrations began they was drinking of wine, human blood and eating of meat. Nara kept her mistress's cup full all the time and she just stood there quietly.

It was night time and they sat at the table eating and drinking. Kitoli known for her arrogance and her need for making others uncomfortable had been looking at Nara all night. "Witch, tell us about the story of the famous three." She asked Nara arrogantly. Nara just looked at her as she stood next to her mistress. Kitoli stood up and walked towards Nara, she breathed into her neck and smelled her. "Fear, I smell fear. Speak witch." She commanded Nara. Nara took a deep breath. "A very longtime ago before the civilization and anything mother Warona created three of her children to rule the earth. She didn't know she had gifted them with the most powerful weapons of the earth, the stars and the water that they became more powerful than she could ever be. Two daughters and a son. Seeing her children's powers grow she became jealous of them so she sought after them. The two siblings vowed to protect their sister so they made a blood covenant and three became one. She was Adara. Adara was hidden from this world and never to be seen again. Her siblings died protecting her from their mother whom they also died along with. Legend has it that Adara the greatest witch to walk the earth will one day return to put back the balance that was destroyed when her mother's blood went into earth and gave birth to vile creatures like vampires and werewolves." Nara narrated the story. Kitoli laughed sarcastically. "Vile creatures is it? You call us vile creatures? We all know that is not how werewolves and vampires came into being." She said annoyed by Nara's version of the story. "We all know it was just a story that has been passed on from one generation to the other by witches. There is nothing like that Kitoli." A screechy voice said as it entered the room. It was Manol the witch who had lived for five hundred years with the help of vampire blood. He had sold out his people because he had been banished by the withes for practicing black magic. Kitoli smiled at him. "Manol welcome. Well you have lived long enough like the vampires I choose to believe you." She said to him as she sat down. "We have heard this story many times but I haven't seen the great witch in all my years. Reeva and Varsui have lived for thousand of years and yet they know nothing of her." Manol mocked her. Tarnia looked at him and scoffed. "You are of witch heritage and yet you do not believe in what could be the greatest ancestor of yours. They say witches were born form her tears. Humans drank from the well she dropped her tears and became witches." She told the guests and everyone laughed. "Where is this well your highness?" Varsui asked the queen and she smiled. "Legend has it the witches of the old heritage hid it from the world so no one could ever misuse its powers again." The queen advised Varsui who just smiled and drank his blood. Manol was irritated by this conversation and the queen's flirting with Varsui. "Anyway this is all just fantasies for children. We have never seen this Adara nor has anyone seen the vampires and werewolves come from this fantasy of a story." He quickly dismissed the story. Kitoli known for her sarcasm just took out a huge chunk of meat and replied. "You are not a firm believer I see."  Manol sat down at the far end of the table and joined the rest of the guests.

It was late in the night and Nara was getting ready to leave. She was wearing her court when the queen entered the servant's changing court. She was holding a basket full of leftovers and a gourd full of red wine. She put it on the table and walked towards Nara. "Nara I had the kitchen pack up some leftovers for you and your siblings. You didn't eat most of the day." The queen said to Nara who just bowed her head down gratefully. The queen smiled and Nara took her basket and began walking away from the queen but Tarnia cleared her throat. Nara stopped and turned to face the queen with the basket in her hands. "I believe in her Nara. I know you do too. Don't let them doubt her existence." The queen encouraged Nara. Nara smiled and bowed her head down again. "Thank you my queen. I know she lives and that she will show herself when the time is right." She told the queen and she left the palace. Nara had always wondered why the queen had been so nice to her since she started working in the palace. She had often given her food, clothes and money when she left on most days. She was afraid to let herself open up to her but deep down she felt safe around the queen. Nara covered her head with her cloak and walked down the streets holding her basket in her hands. The streets were quite noisy since the king had provided the people with wine and meat to celebrate his birthday. It was not safe for witches when things were like this so Nara kept walking at the far end of the streets. She kept on lowering her head as she walked home and she could see other witches being tortured, beaten up and stripped off their clothes by drunk humans. She increased her pace as she walked home so they wouldn't catch up with her. When she got home she quickly locked the doors and sighed with relief. Her siblings were sitting by the table waiting anxiously for her they were all relieved to see her safe. She put the basket on the table and walked to the table. "Good evening witches." She teased them and they all laughed. Zara took the basket and put it on the table. "Wow, I knew you'd bring so much to eat today so I didn't even cook anything." She told her sister laughing. Nara kissed Zara on the cheek smiling. "The queen had that packed up for me. She wanted you guys to have it." Nara explained to her siblings. Xander took out the plates and set the table whilst Mira took out the cups. They all sat around the table and Nara said grace. They began eating together. "The queen really likes you. She has always been good to you, if she was a man I'd think she is in love with you." Zara teased hersister and they both laughed. "Well she could still be in love with her you know. Women fall for other women too." Xander went on to tease his sister. Nara threw a bread crumb at him and he ducked. Mira was just sitting by the table quietly. She had always been the quiet one but tonight it was worse. Nara watched her youngest sister sitting there quietly and she noticed a golden hair strand in Mira's hair. "Mira is that a golden hair strand?" She asked her sister. Mira touched her hair and just nodded quietly. She saw how her siblings were looking at her so she quickly left the table and went to sit on the roof.

Mira sat on the roof watching the stars. She didn't feel very much comfortable around anyone so she kept it to herself most of the time. Having biracial parents had made her and her silbings colored but she was a lot more like her mother. She had long dark hair and brown eyes she swore turned red sometimes. She felt like an outsider and she didn't feel like her body was hers. Nara saw her sister go up the roof and Zara just shrugged her shoulders. "She has been awfully quiet these days. I hardly see her smile." Xander said to his sisters. Nara took in deep breath and followed her sister up the roof. She saw Mira sitting by herself on top of the roof. She sat next to her sister and took her hand in hers. "Mira what is going with you? We are all worried about you." She tried to have her sister open up to her. Mira just kept on looking at the stars. "I feel different everytime. I hear these voices in my head Nara, I feel my power through my veins and now my hair is turning gold. My eyes change colors. Why am I the only witch who does this?" She asked her sister afraid. Nara could see the fear in her sister's eyes she held her hands tighter. "You are one hell special witch. One day you will understand all this." Nara told her sister. She took Mira's head and held her in her arms. Nara was so afraid something would happen to her sister but from birth her sister was born powerful. Her parents were believed to have come from the first witches bloodlines and Nara had a theory her youngest sibling could have inherited those powers or more that she was a rebirth of Adara. She had all the qualities they grew up hearing about her but she hadn't told anyone about it fearing for her family's safety. Nara took Mira down to sleep. She and her two other siblings sat by the fire drinking the wine the queen had given them. They all watched Mira sleep in the next room. They were weirdly quiet and Zara cleared her throat. "We all are thinking it. Her powers are becoming to strong even for that little band around the neck. Golden hair is only mentioned among the famous three. She is reborn." Zara just said what both her siblings were too afraid to say. "She is a myth Zara. We all know that, for thousands of years many have searched for her but nothing has been found not even in the archives." Xander said to his sister. Zara shook her head. "I know but the very first witches had a strand of golden hair. Mira is something Alexander! I don't know what but she is something really special."  Zara told her brother who just nodded his head and replied. "Oh yes, she is special indeed." Nara didn't say anything but she kept looking at her youngest sibling sleeping.