My eyes peeled open to a stone ceiling. Sitting upward, a pile of animal fur fell from my aching body. I looked at my hands and my wrists. The blood was gone, and in its place were two green leaves wrapped around my wounds. I studied my surroundings, finding I was once more in a place I didn't know. Though the place I was in recently was fading from my memory. In here was a stone room with a straw mattress and a barred window. There wasn't anything else but stone walls.

I stood, almost collapsing as pain shot from my leg to my spine. I looked down at my calf, the marks from the rope had healed, leaving a mighty scar that was red and raised, wrapping around like the leaves on my wrists.

"Hello?" I called out.

No response.

I hobbled over to the window and sat at its side, sneaking my hand past the iron bars. I felt the bitter wind graze against my flesh and pulled back. I shifted my body, staring out at the world beyond the kingdom of Udan. The world beyond was amazing to behold.

A crystal river stretched for miles, protected by a veil of mist from the east to the west. Beyond it, was a lutrious forest waiting to be explored. The trees concealed faraway lands, jagged peaks, and secrets. For a moment, I thought I saw another kingdom beyond the trees a distance away but it faded from my sight before I could gather if it was.

A bird called from beyond the river, croning a song like when I first awoke. I stared at the wall, remembering how tall it looked when I was staring it at from below. Now that I was above it, it seemed smaller and so did the entire kingdom of Udan compared to the rest of the world waiting on the outskirts. A thought dawned and I realized I was in the tower, a part of the stone castle I saw when life was fading from me.

I winced, balancing myself as I stepped away from the window. My head swayed as I looked to the other side of the room, noting a wooden door with an iron knob and a keyhole.

I imagined the door was locked, but took a chance in opening it. I required answers and the river had them. Going back might help remember who I was and where I was from.

I fell into the door, hitting my shoulder. As the pain throbbed, I turned the knob, relieved to find the door was not locked after all. As I turned it, someone else on the other side did.

With a release, I stepped back in surprise, my eyes wide. My stomach turned as my hands clammed up. I feared it was Jonga, aiming to bring me to the brink of death once more.

The door screeched, revealing Hona. He bore a welcoming smile that perished when he noticed I was awake. My stomach knotted as I remembered his warm eyes when I first met them. How kind I thought he was until he ignored my pleas and cries. He was wearing a blouse instead of showing his bare stomach and chest. He appeared proper instead of savage like before.

"Leave," I spat. "Now."

"I can't do that," he declared.

"I will strike you again if I need to," I threatened, folding my arms to my chest. Even though he saved my life, I didn't want to be near him. I could care less about him and the man that had hunted me.

"I would grant you a pass if you did," he whispered. "It certainly would be warranted."

"I cried for help and you..." My voice droned off as I remembered the blood on my wrists. The steady torrents and pooled blood under me.

He stepped forward, pushing a finger to my lips. I felt my face grow hot as he stared into my eyes. My stomach tied as I looked at him. I wasn't sure what to think or feel. He removed his finger and walked past me.

"I know," he answered. "But you are standing here now, alive and well."

"Well?" I laughed. "With scars that will never heal."

"You provoked Jonga," he argued. "Those scars are your fault."

My fault. He made it seem like I wanted Jonga to attack me.

"How?" I hissed, narrowing my eyes. "By being a woman?"

He fell silent, and ignored me, sitting on the edge of the bed. I remembered Jonga called me a vile woman and wondered by Hona's silence if I was right.

"Well?"

"Let us start over," he sighed. "I can sense there's a lot of ill will in the air."

"You wonder why," I snapped.

"Easy now, intruder," he said with a smirk. "You are going to want to make allies here."

"Since I am now a prisoner, I feel I have no choice," I hissed with a roll of my eyes. "Though I don't think it would be wise for me to become allies with you."

"You'd be surprised." He smiled wider, clearing his throat. "Welcome to Udan. My name is Hona."

He had the nerve to pretend like nothing happened. I wasn't going to forget anytime soon. "I gathered that. Now with this pointless introduction out of the way, I have questions and I want answers. I expect compensation for my death."

"I will do my best to answer them." He set his hands on his knees, not agreeing or denying. It was strange that he was willing. Maybe he was trying after all.

There were so many questions in my head. If he was going to answer any of them, I thought it would be best to start with the most simple. "Why am I here?"

He stiffened, not hesitating as he answered, "Queen Baria thinks you are a threat against Udan and so does Jonga. Since you were trespassing, everyone knows you as an 'intruder'."

I remembered what Baria had said when I was in Azali. She said the same name that Jonga said. A Kaijan. I didn't know what they were but remembered they mentioned my features. "By the color of my skin and hair, correct?"

He nodded. "Kaijans bear a resemblance to you."

"Kaijans?"

"They are people on the other side of the river," he explained, clearing his throat after. "Also one of our greatest enemies."

Their greatest enemies and I had been mistaken for one.

"Lovely," I sighed. "So I am currently an enemy in your eyes and everyone else's."

"Until your trial. Which should be at some time today."

I couldn't imagine what could cause these people so much hate. "Why are Kaija your enemies?"

His face drained of color and the playful smile disappeared. "Kaija is a kingdom of rapists and thieves," he sneered. "A long time ago, our queen was fond of a Kaijan. Some say she loved him, but he betrayed her. Our queen was angry and she took matters into her own hands or at least that is what we were told."

I didn't know what to say. It was unfortunate that I bore a resemblance to these people, but I couldn't do anything about it. "I understand."

"We loathe them for what they have done to our queen."

I didn't want to question him further. For the time being, I was going to try and be on their side, rather than work against them. I may help me escape and get back to the river.

"I don't believe I belong to them," I whispered, staring at my hands. My flesh was pale like they claimed Kaijans were but when the name was called, I felt like it didn't belong to me. "I would harm no one."

Hona laughed, striking a brow. "You harmed me."

I rolled my eyes, trying not to think about what happened before. Silence fell, swelling the air. It grew heavy like a stone. I looked down at my wrists at the leaves once more, imagining the torrent of blood once there. When I blinked, it disappeared.

"What are these?" I queried, raising my wrists.

He looked up. "They are a magical herb called Santrom," he explained. "Leaves taken from Song's Wood by experienced healers."

"What is Song's Wood?"

"It is a forest north of here."

"I see."

Before I could ask anything else, Hona spoke once more. "Do you have a name? I know you have stated you can't remember but I was wondering if after this time you've recalled anything."

"I'm not sure."

"Perhaps picking one would benefit you until you remember," he explained. "I would guess being called a Kaijan while you are here is not something you would want."

"Not if they are an enemy," I breathed.

"If you aren't, why were you in the river?" he questioned.

"I don't know why I was," I answered, honest. "I was hoping to find the reason why when I return to it."

He ignored my blatant request. "Do you have any idea what your name could have been?" he asked. "Any at all?"

I looked up, deep in thought. In my mind, I searched for the answer. I swore it was on the edge of my tongue, begging to be said, but I wasn't certain if it was my name or not. It felt familiar, but the familiarity was still a distance away from becoming the truth. From beyond the caverns of my mind, a name arose. It wasn't certain who it belonged to but it felt like it could belong to me.

"Mara," I whispered. "You may call me that."

His eyes widened.

I took in his expression and thought I had messed up once more. "What is it?"

"That name holds significance in our kingdom," he explained.

"What does it mean?"

"Mara in our tongue means 'Mother of the Sun'."

"Mother of the Sun?"

He nodded. "It seems to fit you perfectly. You light up the sky like the sun does." His eyes widened. I couldn't believe he said that.

I smiled, then remembered what he had done. Even though I had inflicted harm onto him, he still... "Why did you save me?"

His eyes relaxed as if he understood what I meant. "You remind me of someone," he whispered. "Someone I knew a long time ago." I could see the sadness in his eyes as he looked out the barred window.

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right."

I knew I shouldn't have pried. "Who were they?"

"She was a Kaijan," he explained. "The only one I've ever met. She challenged all of my beliefs in one moment."

A Kaijan. So there had been more than one to venture into Udan. I wondered if she was the source of hate rather than the man from the story Hona told me. I couldn't believe anything he was saying. Not yet. He hadn't proved his trust.

"I—" My voice was cut off by the sound of the door creaking open and a march of echoing footsteps.

Jonga stood in the doorframe, a crowd of soldiers dressed in silver armor stood behind him. They wore visors, standing at all sizes, and carried spears as their arms. I recognized one of the men from the wall.

Jonga bore a wicked smile. "By order of Queen Baria of Udan, you, Kaijan, are on trial for invading our lands, and striking the future king of Udan."

I turned to Hona, shocked by the news. He was to be crowned king.

My mouth fell open as the soldiers filed into the room, filling it. They stood beside me while others moved toward Hona, placing their hands onto his shoulders. He grimaced, his grip tightening on his knees. I saw the shift in his demeanor and the color of his fingers change.

"Make sure he doesn't interfere," Jonga hissed. He reached forward, grabbing me by the hair. My bad leg couldn't handle the amount of body weight and I fell. My legs ached as I collapsed and my face pounded on the icy stone floor. I stared at Hona, feeling like I was back in the river again.

"Help me."

Hona stood and stepped forward, but before he could take another step, a guard grabbed hold of his shoulders, tightening their grip. Hona tried to lash forward but he fell to the ground, flailing. His black hair fell into his face and he stared at me with desperate eyes. They restrained him, holding him down like a caught wild animal. He fought against them with all his might, but was unable to fend them off. He fell to the ground, defeated instead.

"Help me!" I cried out again as Jonga started out the door and down the stairs of the tower.

My legs dragged and I watched the room disappear slowly from my vision. The last thing I saw was the open wooden door. The stones of the tower replaced my vision as the man from the wall stood by the door. His hand held the frame. He took one final look at me before the door closed.

"Let me go!"

Jonga stared down at me, his eyes blackening like in the river. "No," he spat, gritting his teeth. "You are a filthy intruder and you will pay for your crimes one way or another."

I wished Hona was behind me, prying me from the arms of the cruel man that hurt me, but there was no one there. I was alone, tangled in the arms of a monster.

My back hit each step, causing a yelp to escape from within me. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought back to the river. I wailed as my leg cracked audibly, making the ache burn like a flame.

My lip trembled as I thought of the many times Jonga dropped me to the pathway, bringing me to the edge of death before I was delivered. His fingers latched further into my hair and I screamed as the scar on my calf burned.

My body tightened as he dragged me toward the bottom of the stairs. The tower's ceiling arched, shadowed in black. Jonga threw me through the opened door, and I fell to the marble floor in front of a woman I had seen before. I remembered the blood on my lips and on her wrists. I already felt the ache but now it was more prominent.

Queen Baria stood before me. "How dare you strike the future king of Udan!" she shouted, her face reddening.

Her eyes were silver like a dagger and her face was pale. I thought to call her a 'Kaijan' but her hair was darker than mine was, golden like sunbeams.

Nonetheless, she was beautiful even when anger drove her to madness. I looked at her wrists, trying to find scars from when she cut her wrists but there were none visible.

"I..." I took a breath, trying to regain my breathing. "...needed to defend myself," I tried not to meet her eye, keeping my eye on the floor as I filled my lungs. "I thought he was going to hurt me."

"Hurt you?" she laughed.

He had already.

"You are an intruder!" Baria howled. "An enemy on my land! I am not an unmerciful queen, but I will not pardon this!"

"Please... my queen," I whispered, begging to keep the life she gave me. "Spare... me." My eyes fluttered as I black spots clouded my vision.

"Silence!" She raised a hand, about to strike me. I could feel the blow already.

"Your majesty!" a kind voice roared from behind. She stopped, lowering her hand.

I craned my neck, hearing the sound of footfall once more. Hona rushed toward me. He stood to the side of us, his chest heaving. The other soldiers were present, and so was the man from the wall. The guards were breathing just as heavy as he was, bearing red marks on their faces. It looked as if Hona fought to get to me; to save me once more.

"You are not supposed to join us," she hissed.

"You will not stop me."

She eyed him with a snarl on her face. "I will deal with you later."

"No."

Her eyes widened. "How dare you say 'no' to me," she hissed, her face drawn in surprise. "My love, you betray me."

"She is innocent," he breathed. "She isn't an enemy of ours."

I wasn't the enemy. He really believed that. I wasn't so sure anymore. My head was crowded with pain.

"And what proof do you have of that?"

"She was unarmed, dirty, and wounded when we found her in the river," he explained.

She glared in my direction. "She attacked you."

Only to save myself.

"I am aware," he confirmed. "But she was afraid, alone. Jonga had just inflicted pain on her and she was suffering. Imagine if you were her, would you strike me as well?"

Baria pondered this. In her eyes was a glint of curiosity. "You want to jeopardize your position on the throne by siding with the intruder?"

Intruder. There was venom in the name.

"Her name is Mara," he declared. "And a true king honors the innocent."

"Innocent?"

"I believe she is and I want to prove it."

He wanted to help me. He was finally helping me. Perhaps I could trust Hona after all.

Baria cleared her throat. "Very well," she whispered, her cruel tone changing, lighting. She leaned down, her eyes on me. "Thank your hero, girl, because of Hona you now are a prisoner of Udan until I am given testimony of your innocence."

I nodded, tears brimming my eyes. I didn't care. All I wanted was for the pain to end.

"Rooke," she shrieked, composing.

The man from the wall stepped forward and bowed. Baring his sword, he flung the tip of it to the floor and knelt. "My queen."

"You are to take some soldiers and search the perimeter," she explained, her gaze not leaving mine. "Just in case our dear Mara is a scout."

He nodded, leaving the throne room with the group of soldiers. The sound of the throne room doors banged behind him.

"As for you, Hona," she spat, staring at him. "You are not to go near this woman again. Do not forget what happened to the last one."

Questions invaded my mind. I knew now was not the time to ask them.

Baria turned, walked upon the dais, and sat atop her throne of gray stone. Hona's eyes fell to the ground but I couldn't stop looking at him.

I wondered if the woman she was speaking of was the same one he was in the tower. His Kaijan. Someone he knew a long time ago.

"Call for Qia," she ordered with a wave of her hand. "She will orient her with the castle and ready our dear, Mara, of her duties."

"Yes, your majesty," Hona grinded out the words as we stepped away from me and walked to the door, fleeing as Rooke did. 

And we meet the Queen of Stone herself. The cruel, unjust queen. What do you think of Baria? If you could rule as a monarch, what would you value the most in your kingdom?