Kon, 1000 years ago...

I could've been training. Kitaya watched as the last of the people trickled into the dining hall. Her eye twitched and her mouth dipped into a frown as her senses were assaulted by all the stimuli around her. The light from the hanging orbs reflecting off the polished silverware, the rustling of fabric, the soft murmur of hushed conversation. She'd much rather be down in the garden, practicing her spear throws, Or up in the observatory, watching the stars drift by.  But when the Queen had guests for dinner, she expected everyone present and dressed in their finest. 

Eriani gave her a scornful look from the head of the table, and she realised she was slouched over, elbows on the table with her chin in her hands. Bit by bit she corrected her posture like a wooden doll being posed for a display.

Several Lords of the council sat at the other end of the table, along with their families. Which meant Eriani had some kind of announcement to make. Probably expanding the farming district, building a new grain house, or something else Kitaya didn't care about. It was bad enough she had to cut her training with Kemah short, but now she had to listen to these stuffy snobs prattle on.

"Kitaya," Shara said from across the table. "How's your training with Kemah going? I saw you two in the gardens earlier. Seems intense."

"It's coming along," Kitaya said.

"That's great. What will you do after? Join the guard, perhaps?"

She shrugged, and began toying with her wine glass in hopes that she'd be left alone. It's not that she didn't like the girl. They'd kept company once or twice, but Shara was – for lack of a better word – boring. Whenever Kitaya suggested something for them to do, she'd be met with a 'that seems dangerous' or 'we could die.'

Eriani clapped twice, blessedly cutting their conversation short, and the attendants entered the dining hall balancing trays laden with food and drink. The scents of roasted meat and vegetables and rich, hearty stew filled the room. When one stopped to fill her glass, she took the whole bottle from the tray, not missing the look of disapproval from the head of the table.

Silverware clinked against plates as everyone dug into their meals. Kitaya kept her head down and eyes on her food, hoping that the dinner would end fast. A bean, the size of her thumbnail landed in her food and she squinted at it before staring across the table.

Ade waggled his brows at her, a sly smile on his lips.

"Really?" she mouthed at him. Now wasn't the time to start a food fight, and they weren't children anymore.

Eriani cleared her throat, silencing the table. "I have some... rather unprecedented news." She sat back in her throne-like chair and spun the stem of her goblet. "I was contacted a month ago by the new King of Ravina."

A chill came over the room, as though the temperature had dropped, and a few Councilors shifted in their seats, leaning closer to better hear what the Queen was saying.

"New King?" Mellidius looked at Eriani as though she'd grown a second head. "You mean to tell me Roderic defected?"

The Queen snorted. "You know that would've never happened. Roderic clung to power as though his very life depended on it. A group of rebels staged a coup, and took the throne by force. The former King is dead and the new King is looking to make amends."

"Make amends." Lord Aderro wrinkled his nose. "They fought against us in the Millennia War. They sanctioned the use of forbidden magic and they still do. By the gods, they nearly destroyed half of Magika. Why should we make amends with them?"

The Millennia War was still a touchy subject in Kon, even though thousands upon thousand of years had passed. They'd lost so many, nearly their entire army, along with Kon's third ruler. Which was why forbidden magic remained just that. Forbidden. Nations across Magika had come together to sign a treaty to outlaw it, turning their backs on those who wanted to remain on the wrong side of history. Ravina had been one such Nation.

Eriani shrugged a shoulder. "I sent Kemah to liaison with him."

"What?!" Kitaya shouted, before she could think better of it. "You sent Kemah into enemy territory? Were you trying to get him killed?"

Eriani's face contorted into a mask of rage. "Don't you dare speak to me with such disrespect."

"Kitaya, it's fine," Kemah said, his voice gentle as a cat's purr. "I'm fine. The trip went well. The current King of Ravina wasn't around for the war, and it was he who led the rebellion that ended in Roderic's death. He's young but quick, reminds me of you Mellidius." He saluted the person in question with his glass.

"And what do they really want?" Lord Aderro asked, narrowing his eyes at Kemah.

"They need help. You see, the rebels stood for everything Roderic was against, which means that now that they're in charge, they've lost all of Ravina's allies. Word spreads fast you know. And thusly trade has come to a standstill. They have no one else to turn to, since there are sanctions still in place from the countries that signed the millennia treaty."

"That indeed does put them in an awkward spot," Mellidius said with a frown. "I'm guessing they're running out of resources?"

"Not only that, the remainder of Roderic's forces are still actively fighting against the rebels. So there is still much bloodshed. The situation there is... dire to put it lightly."

Kitaya sniffed. "And? How is this Kon's problem? The Ravinians were on the wrong side of history. They deserve all the suffering they get."

"I wholeheartedly agree," Lord Aderro said. "This is just their comeuppance. Long overdue if you ask me." A few other Lords nodded their approval. "I'm guessing this will be taken to a vote your Majesty?"

"No, there's no need for that." Eriani leaned back in her seat, folding one leg over the next. "This dinner wasn't to take a vote or take opinions. It was to inform you that I've already granted approval to their request. Aid will be sent to Ravina in the morning."

A wave of shock swept through the room, leaving it awash in silence. Several people took huge gulps of wine, others gesturing for servants to refill their glasses.

"With all due respect, your Majesty, don't you think you should have consulted with the Council, or at least our allies before making such a groundbreaking decision? Ravina was one of our deadliest opponents in the Millennia War. We're getting in bed with the enemy here."

"Our allies do not rule Kon. I do. And I am not getting in bed with anyone here. When the Millenia Treaty was signed, all parties were invited to the table, both friend and foe. It was for the betterment of Magika as a whole, not for a handful of Nations. We will give them aid, then we will bring them to the table to discuss the future of Ravina. This will either end with more of the same, or them signing on to the Millennia Treaty and thusly becoming an ally." Eriani words carried an air of finality, and she gave the gathering a look that dared someone to challenge her. "There is such a thing as atonement, and I believe that is what Ravina's new King is seeking."

Kitaya ground her teeth together, and fisted her hands under the table. "Why don't you just go to the memorial site and trample all over the graves?"

"Kitaya," Mellidius warned, and she shot him a dirty look. Of course he would just toady to Eriani no matter what nonsensical decision she made.

"I refuse to be a part of this." Kitaya rose from the table and took her leave. As she walked through the halls of the castle, she was surprised there wasn't a trail of fire in her wake. Staff and attendants gave her a wide berth as she stormed all the way to her chambers.

Castle Kon was less of an opulent display of wealth and more of a veritable fortress. Thick walls warded from floor to cieling and a maze of halls that even those who'd spent their whole lives there got lost in. No enemy, no matter how fierce could breach it. 

Unless, of course, they were invited in.

Kitaya scowled. This was just Eriani flexing her power again. She seemed to do that whenever she was upset with the Council. To think she was welcoming those degenerates into their midst. The people who killed countless Konians, who'd made the skies of Magika bleed for a millennia.

From she was but a child, she'd been told the atrocities of the Millennia War, of the selfish decisions of those with power and influence. It nigh caused the destruction of the realm. Now said people with power and influence would be darkening Kon's doorstep. It made her want to retch.

When Kitaya finally got to her room, she threw open the double doors and fed ether stones to the hanging orbs to bring them to life. The air inside was stale and dry from the room being shut up all day, but the books on her desk had been stacked neatly in one corner, and the linens on her bed had been swapped out.

She divested herself of her formal garments, resisting the urge to tear them up in a fit of rage. After changing into loose-fitting pants and a shirt that had long grown too small, she took her spear from the hearth's mantle and went down to the east gardens.

It was quiet out and a moist chill hung in the air. Luminescent insects flitted amongst the sleeping plants and cut across her feet as she navigated the winding pathway. She followed it all the way to the pit – a ring filled with sand that she and Kemah used for training. At its east side a Lyberra sat on a colossal stone perch, silhouetted by the moonlight. Its wings were tucked close to its body and its paws crossed. It had to be one of the royal mounts, since only they were trained to sit that way.

"Chaga?" Kitaya called, and the Lyberra regarded her with a purr and flick of its tail. She looked up at the full moon that hung heavy over the savanna, bathing everything in its silver light.

And by that light, Kitaya trained, thrusting and swinging her spear at invisible enemies. Her feet formed elegant arcs in the sand as spun and glided across the pit. As he spear cut through the air, he mind wandered back to the dinner table. What do you plan on doing when you're done? Shara's question echoed through her head. What was her end game, she wondered? What was all this training for?

Perhaps she could join the Shujaa, Kon's elite guard. She was already adept when it came to flying the Lyberra, and her spear skills were improving every day. But joining the guard meant bowing to Eriani's word, and possibly being sent off to aid enemies. The thought of it made her mouth twist into a scowl.

But what other options do I have? Kitaya lacked the diplomacy to sit on the Council or represent Kon as an Ambassador. There was no doubt in her mind she'd strangle some arrogant, stuffy politician the moment they got on her nerves.

She whirled to slash at one of the dummies, but caught a whiff of warm spices on the wind and stopped mid-strike. "What is it Ade?"

"I can never sneak up on you." He leaned against a thick pillar coated in blossoming vines, and gave a mock pout. He couldn't sneak up on a half dead Lyberra.

"You're not doing yourself any favours by bathing in that spicy oil." She planted her staff in the ground and flicked the sweat from her brow. "Dinner's over, I take it?"

"Indeed, and the Council's not happy. Not that I blame them." He exhaled a sigh. "Aderro is not going to let me hear the end of this."

Kitaya scoffed. The more she thought about Eriani's little stunt, the more it stoked the flames of her rage. "Kon is going to be a joke when our allies hear about this." She balanced her spear in one hand, holding it at eye-level and aiming at one of the targets across the pit. "This is so far beneath us." She drew the spear back and launched it towards the target, channeling all of her anger into the throw. It flashed across the distance, slamming into the dummy with enough force to split the wood down the middle.

Ade gave a lazy shrug and twisted the fat ring that denoted his status. "It's not as though there's anything we can do. Eriani's word is law, and she makes sure no one forgets it." He sat with his back to the pillar and flicked his dreadlocks out of his face. "It will be interesting to see how this all pans out though."

Kitaya shook her head. Perhaps she could find somewhere to hide for a few months. Then she wouldn't have to be associated with this disaster. "Gods deliver me."

"It's not as though I can say much about it. I'm technically not even—"

Kitaya kicked a cloud of sand in his direction before he could get the word out. "Stop that! You are Konian."

"Alirght," He brushed the sand from his clothes and stood. "I'm going to the Light Festival in town tonight. Come with me."

She cringed as she thought of the hoards of sweaty people that would be out there. "I don't know... I want to train a bit more." She'd slacked off while Kemah was away and needed to make up for it.

"That's all you ever do. Have some fun for once. You can plot the demise of our enemies another time. I'll even help you." He flashed her a dazzling smile, but Kitaya wasn't convinced. "How about we find a nice quiet spot to gorge on Chaakiri and watch the light show then?"

"Fine," she conceded. "I'll go with you."

[A/N]: This story is going to follow a similar format to Magika, except we get to see Kitaya's past instead. I hope this chapter wasn't as info-dumpy and boring as I think it is. What do you guys think about Eriani's style of governance? Also, do you side with her or Kitaya? I'll leave you guys with this random Magika factoid: Every Konian has at least 3 syllables in their name. Do with that information what you will.