The war was over. The news was everywhere: on the street, in the newspaper, supposedly even in the songs of the birds. People saw wonder in everything. They said the falling of the autumn leaves marked the end of years of bloodshed and suffering. Personally, Kaya thought the notion was rather foolish. Thousands of leaves had fallen during the Trenian wars and peace had yet to show itself.

Unlike most, Kaya firmly believed they were worse off now. Enemy soldiers still marched through the streets, fueling century-old hatred. The sound of brawls polluted the silent night and blood stained the streets. Some of the former enlisted found themselves on the street with a bucket and mop, told to clean these bloodstains. They had to be taken to mental hospitals when they collapsed on the floor, tormented by memories. At least some acknowledged the unrest and predicted a hard winter and next few years. Others cast any such thoughts from their mind and put on their rose-tinted glasses.

Kaya sat at the bakery window, eyeing the passersby sceptically. She was fidgety and the heat of the burning ovens was making it worse.

'You're doing it again,' said her mother, producing a tray of pocha from the oven. Fruit juice trickled from the turnovers. Red for cherries, orange for peaches, green for kiwis, a pale yellow for elfri. As a child, the process of baking had fascinated Kaya. She had watched how the floppy puff pastry formed a crust and changed colour with wide eyes. Simple things like that had always been a good distraction.

'What am I doing?'

'You're being grumpy when we should be happy.' Romilly Kaya put down the tray and flicked Kaya's nose. 'The war is over, Kaya. We're at peace.'

'I don't feel like Surtrenan occupation is something to be celebrated,' Kaya grumbled.

Her mother let out an exasperated sigh, then changed the subject. 'Your breadsticks are burning.'

'It's a choice. When they're singed, the taste of the herbs really stands out.'

'Singed isn't how I'd describe those. More like if you leave them for one more second, they'll disintegrate.'

'That's slander,' argued Kaya, but she still slid on an oven glove. Swiftly, she lifted them out of the oven and onto a rack. Her uncovered left hand reached for the tray and she winced when her bare flesh came into contact with the burning hot metal. Her mother didn't react, just watching sadly. Kaya had been doing this for years, her little act of insanity. Her hope still perservered.

'Do you want to get changed before we go?'

Today was the Fetaprès, at least, that's what the propaganda-spouting papers were calling it. Stalls had been set up to celebrate the end of the war and the unveiling of the memorial monument. As much as Kaya didn't want to go, she was going with her mother to hand out their freshly baked goods. It would be good advertising, though Kaya hadn't been aware of them needing more customers.

In the end, they didn't get changed. Romilly had offered her daughter gloves for her scarred, burnt hands, but the latter had turned them down. People probably thought she was just incredibly clumsy or rather thick. Kaya was happy to let them think that, as it was better than the truth.

The two Elementida walked down the cobbled path. Passersby cried out exclamations of good tidings. Every time such a cry was aimed at them, they smiled and bowed their heads. By the time they reached the crowded field, Kaya was fed up with it. Luckily, the sight before them distracted her from her frustration.

Although the occasion was officially a memorial ceremony, a small fairground had been constructed. Several little stands and salespeople lined the sides of the fields, offering sweets, salads and most. The smell of burning fat from deep-fried radish balls filled the air. An air Elementida redirected the breeze to rock a gigantic swinging boat from side to side in which children and loving couples shrieked gleefully. A group of former soldiers competed in a tug-of-war while their friends and admirers cheered them on or teased them. A Vuscan created a show of lights while a Forti darkened the surroundings to make the flames pop, which was helped by the dark storm clouds overhead.

'I've never seen anything like it...'

Kaya sulkily agreed, 'I guess people really think the wars are done for good.'

Surtrenan soldiers also lined the field. They had swords and spears on their person, but were relaxed. Kaya was surprised that nobody was jeering at them. Maybe she could be a trendsetter.

The duo positioned themselves next to a drink stall. The smell of the pocha perfectly mixed with that of boiling fruit for most. The owner offered the two women a cup.

'Winter's coming, you know,' he said in a gruff voice, 'Already damn cold.'

Kaya's mother gratefully took a cup. 'Should be a nice winter though. With peace and everything.'

'Wouldn't be so sure about that. I bet the Northerners try to steal our resources.'

'Hey, I've found you a friend,' joked Romilly, nudging her daughter. Kaya rolled her eyes.

The celebrations continued. Bit by bit, Kaya's breadsticks disappeared. To her mother's entertainment, the drinks vendor agreed with her about the taste of the herbs being better when the breadsticks were burnt.

For the next twenty minutes, Kaya was wondering what they were waiting for. Was the plan to unveil the monument once the storm had started so that everyone could catch pneumonia? If so, they could forget the memorial, Kaya was going home. Just when she was about to complain to her mother, a carriage pulled by runnerdeer appeared. The sound of its rickety wheels grabbed the attention of the attendees, causing the crowd to create a path.

The carriage halted and two figures stepped out. Kaya instantly recognised one as Caitlyn Sequor whose face appeared in every newsletter nowadays. Since the war had ended and her predecessor had been executed, she had become Soustren's defence minister, raking in praise Kaya doubted she deserved. She was the daughter of weapon manufacturers but had never been at the front, not to mention the fact that she was barely an adult. Timothy Crayver should have been the one getting the credit for ending the war, but Surtren seemed to be backing her. Chance had it the rumours about her having cooperated with the enemies was correct.

Her companion was one of the various Surtrenan generals whose names regularly came up, but Kaya couldn't say which one. He had a bulky form and all the Surtrenan soldiers instantly saluted. Tension crackled in the air.

'She's trouble, I'm telling you,' said the vendor beside us.

She and the soldier stepped closer to the centre. The crowd watched in anticipation. Restless murmuring travelled through the field.

'Fellow Soustrenans,' she paused with a smile, then called out, 'We are at peace!'

The crowd erupted into cheers. Some were hesitant like the vendor and Kaya. Even her mother who had put on a happy-go-lucky act whooped half-heartedly. A wrinkle had appeared on her forehead and the line of her brows hinted at her troubles.

Once Sequor had silenced the crowd, she had continued, 'After decades of fighting, the end is in sight. Of course it won't be easy; it never is. Nobody wants to walk out of a war a loser, but we'd be a bigger loser if we resisted and restarted the war.'

'But the Northerners would be losers too!'

She ignored that attack. 'War makes monsters of us all, but luckily Surtren has been more generous than they might have been because we are trying to right our wrongs, starting with the cause of the war.

'Trenia once was united. The nations blessed by the river Tren were comrades and friends. When a land plagued by drought and famine turned to us for help—we, who are proud to live in such a fruitful and prosperous country—we should have supported them. Not just through aids. Problems should be fixed at the source. It was fertile land we should have given them, but our ancestors were too proud and greedy. Now it is time to right those wrongs. It is time to ensure Trenia becomes a region of trust and companionship again so that we can flourish.'

A silence had settled over the crowd. They were scared, Kaya realised. As good as a new age of peace sounded, no-one wanted to be the one to sacrifice their comfort for it. Those who had turned a blind eye to the fighting on the street would be forced to face the facts.

'The peace negotiations have been long and heavily debated but eventually, compromises must be made. We picked the smallest settlements to give up when redrawing the border in order to limit the effect on people's lives.'

Everyone knew what was coming.

'I'm afraid this settlement will become part of Surtren.'

Chaos erupted. Civilians wept, others jeered. Children who hadn't been paying attention looked around with wide, frightened eyes. Ruffians launched themselves at enemy soldiers.

It was too much, all the fighting, all the violence. Kaya ran a hand over face, transfixed by the horror unfolding before her.

Romilly grabbed her hand. 'Let's get out of here.'

Kaya nodded, struggling to tear her eyes from the chaos. It was true that the war had ended, but Kaya feared something just as horrific had begun.

♤ ♤ ♤

Autumn had come to a close and winter had begun. The time of buzzing bees had passed, instead seed bugs sought shelter in warm houses. The bakery attracted many such creatures thanks to its roaring ovens.

The number of customers was dwindling. Although the territory would only be handed over in spring, many people were migrating farther south. It wasn't just a case of hatred for Surtren, but their cultures were rather different. Sequor kept claiming they'd just be Trenians, but she was fooling nobody. Surtren would impose their way of life, Kaya was certain of it.

'We should go north too. Father wouldn't have wanted us to become Northerners.'

Romilly sighed, wearily running a hand over her forehead. 'I'm not so sure. Your father fought out of gratitude for the chance of a new life outside of Cines rather than out of hatred towards Surtrenans.'

'But you left Cines too when things were bad.'

'Things weren't bad. We just wanted to give you the chance to choose.'

And then you blew it.

Kaya watched the emigrants walking down the street with all their possessions they could transport on their backs. A father had a kid strapped to his front as well. Kaya frowned.

'Kaya, I know you're proud of this country, but we've built a life here. I don't want to uproot it.'

'You did it before,' pointed out Kaya.

'Exactly.' Romilly wiped a hand over her forehead. 'That's precisely why I don't want to go through that again. I'm older now and want to grow old in this bakery, whether it's in Surtren or Soustren.'

'And if they take your bakery away because you're a woman?' Kaya hissed.

Romilly rolled her eyes. 'For somebody so critical, you'd think you wouldn't be so paranoid. I'm sure a lot of it will have been exaggerated to boost resentment between the two countries during the war—clearly it worked. Don't be prejudiced.'

Kaya shut up but still didn't brighten up at all. That idea didn't comfort her because she barely believed it. Then again, that soldier had let Caitlyn Sequor be the one to speak despite her gender. Perhaps it wasn't quite as bad as she'd thought?

Her mother sighed, 'At this rate, my cakes are all going to taste like bitterness and angst. If you're so unsure about Surtren, go there.'

Kaya gaped at her. 'Do you want me to die or something?'

Recently, several of the boats crossing the river had been sunk by those who didn't want this peace. Mainly Soustrenans, but there were also Surtrenans who resented Soustren for getting off so lightly. Kaya didn't want to take her chances crossing the river. Not to mention, she didn't exactly like water.

'You don't need to use that border. Go via Avi. If you pass through Deuvis, you can cross over a bridge. It's no longer barricaded,' the baker informed her. 'If you hate it, you can head further south.'

'And you?' Kaya looked at her with wide eyes.

'As I said, I don't want to leave. But you're not a child anymore. Maybe it's time I let you go.' She paused, then added, 'We've still got time. We can think about the future once you've returned.'

Kaya shook her head. 'I'm not going. Avi isn't exactly safe either.'

'Take all your documents. Use your Soustrenan ones in Avi, Cinean ones in Surtren,' suggested Romilly.

Kaya continued to refuse. She didn't want to go to Surtren, nor to risk the crime-infested streets of Avi. To her surprise, she missed the war. Back then, everything had been easier for her. Her future had been clear and unchallenged. Nobody had quizzed them on why her father's name wasn't on the memorial. The streets had been safe because Soustrenan soldiers had headed in and out of the military camp.

She didn't want anybody to die. She didn't want anyone to suffer. But she didn't want to have to leave her mother either. If only her father were still here. He would have had the answers.

♤ ♤ ♤

Her mother got her way of course. Romilly Kaya started commenting on the marvels of Surtrenan herbs when it came to baking and declared herself as far too old to travel to buy some. Naturally the task fell to Kaya in spite of all her protest.

She got up early that morning, rented a horse and mounted it. Even though she was always warm, she wore a light cape over her tank top. It almost felt like she was some kind of warrior princess on a horse with a cape. She spent the first few kilometres trying to decide whether or not she enjoyed that sensation. By the end, she still hadn't settled on an answer.

Although she didn't want to leave the country, riding along the Ruenn was lovely. Soustren was known for its fertile soils and even in winter, it remained beautiful. Further north it rarely snowed, but new plants grew that only bloomed in the colder season. Up north that included clementines and elfri. Various berries also grew throughout the land. Kaya inhaled their sickly sweet odour deeply and then sighed out contently.

The Ruenn hadn't been unaffected by the latest news. Migrants wandered the main road with heavy packs, others travelled in carts pulled by horses or runnerdeer. Foreign soldiers marched in perfect formation while reciting marching chants. Merchants travelled with their goods, the wealthier travelled to their warmer winter homes or further south to enjoy the snow.

Each time Kaya passed through a town, she was reminded of how lucky she'd been. Terrorists had attacked border towns, leaving houses in ruins. Many were dressed in mourning colours and dried bloodshot eyes with little embroidered handkerchiefs. There were no winners in war.

The road was long, but Kaya couldn't muster the motivation to stop for a drink anywhere. All the towns looked miserable. Maybe she should just ride further south for the day and build a snowman. Her upper lip twitched in distaste. Snow was so wet. Not to mention, she couldn't magically conjure herbs out of thin air. She'd have to go. Besides, she didn't feel like disappointing her mother again.

The longer she rode, the more monotonous it all became. The scents that she'd initially enjoyed were making her woozy. Luckily it wasn't much farther. According to the signs, Deuvis was only five more kilometres away. Each following sign with a smaller number drove Kaya onward, but it also fuelled her anxiety. Was going to Avi really a good idea?

This town was more of a dump than the others. It almost seemed haunted. Nobody was in the street. The town was shady; its buildings were taller to match those of Avi. Many a building was charred, others were in ruins and overrun by feral animals. Kaya considered heading straight back, but plucked up the courage to knock on a tavern door.

A small woman opened the door. 'What?'

'I'm travelling through and would like a drink, but I've got a horse. Have you got any secure stables?'

The woman grumbled, 'Follow me.'

Now this is high quality customer service. No wonder the place was so run down if they scare away anybody who visits. They might as well have moved to Avi, supposedly that was just as bad.

After an unpleasant trip to the worst tavern Kaya had ever been in, she was back on the road, The road soon was replaced with a bridge. For a long time, the bridge had been barricaded to avoid illegal border crossing from Surtren. Now that the war was over, the border was open again, but Kaya doubted it was safe. Still, she had a task ahead and signalled to the horse to trot across.

The sight before her was foreign. Her journey had commenced in a naturistic paradise, now she was in front of a city of darkness. She shuddered as she stepped off her horse at the border control. Silently, she pulled out her papers.

'You can't take the horse.'

'What?' Kaya stared at him.

'Horses aren't allowed over the border,' said the official.

'But... I need it for the full journey. Do you charge duty or something?' Kaya frantically asked. Walking through Surtren was not something she was in the mood for.

'Buy a cab,' he said. 'It's the law.'

Kaya cursed under her breath, but led the horse into the stable all the same. Clearly she wasn't the only one who had attempted to cross the border with a prohibited animal. She stroked its neck, then set off into the town of Deuvis.

If Soustren was heaven, Avi was hell. The sun fought its way through the shadows, but the air was still bitterly cold from the shadows cast by the buildings. The cobbled streets were caked with mud and filth. Wisps of smoke danced through the air, poisoning the lungs of those who spent too long there. Men strolled in black overcoats while ratlike children's fingers "accidentally" slipped into their pockets and happened to attach themselves to wallets. Priests rang bells, chanting about their saviour, the Enfanta.

Kaya kept her head low. When they'd learnt about Avi in school, they'd been warned of its dangers. The streets were crawling with criminals and vermin. Most of the population was poor because the country didn't produce enough. Only the Enfanta, the religious leader, and her priests and Ocùls enjoyed luxury. Paying taxes the population could barely afford was to be seen as an honour because they were supporting their future goddess.

Reaching Surtren should have been easy. There was a simple path through the town that would lead her straight to the border. She wouldn't have even required a lift in a cart. However, after five minutes in the country, Kaya started glowing.

Naturally, everybody's first reaction was to freeze. The crowd stared at her and Kaya gaped at her hands, trying to figure out what was happening to her body. But all too quickly, the locals' amazement turned to fury. So, Kaya ran.

The mob chased her through the godforsaken streets. Kaya had now lost track of where she was, content to dash down any road. Unfortunately, this plan wasn't proving especially beneficial. On the contrary, the mob behind her was growing.

The cape kept getting in the way and interfered with the fluidity of her motions. She cursed and tore it off, letting it fly back. Part of her wanted to look back in the hope that it had dropped onto somebody's face, but she forced herself to move onward. She couldn't risk any hesitation.

The first boom rang out. She flinched, causing a moment's delay. In that short time, the town around her grew dark and bony fingers grasped her wrist and yanked her sideways. She almost fell but was caught by somebody muscular, though she couldn't see anything. She gasped, about to scream, but a slender hand clamped over her mouth.

'We're here to help,' hissed a voice in her ear, 'But make this unnecessarily difficult and we'll sell you on the black market. How this goes is up to you.'

Kaya froze. He'd spoken Cinean. She wanted to run as far as she could in the other direction. She couldn't cope with Cines. Yet she couldn't handle the mob or the black market either, so she slowly nodded.

The muscular arms let go of her and she was tugged down an alleyway. She stumbled, completely disorientated in the darkness. Once she even fell down. The boy swore as he toppled over with her. Kaya seized the opportunity to feel him in the hope of getting a better idea of her "abductor".

His legs were like sticks. They were covered by scratchy and partly torn fabric. That was all Kaya managed to feel before he slapped her hand away.

'Your life is in my hands. Now get up.'

'Only once you give me my vision back,' demanded Kaya, staying firmly seated.

There was a short pause in which the Elementida thought she'd won. Then, she was scooped off the floor by the muscular person from earlier. Before she could scream again, the boy murmured, this time in Soustrenan, 'Scream and the mob can have you.'

'I can walk, you know,' Kaya sulked.

'Ne pourer sa apponer,' grumbled the muscular man in Vrail.

'Fine,' he grumbled. Once she was back on the floor, he grabbed her wrist again.

'Not the wrist.'

He ignored her and started running again. Kaya didn't even have time to sigh.

He was a kid. She could tell from his voice and bony legs. If only she still had her powers, she could easily best him. Then again, it wouldn't fix the issue of her vision. In no time the mob would find her.

Eventually, the roaring of the mob grew faint. Kaya heard the squeaking of a door, then was roughly pushed inside.

'Ow.' Kaya rubbed her head.

A new female voice spoke in Vrail, the local language. Kaya didn't even try to decipher it. Her heart was racing and her breathing shaky. This couldn't be real. How could this have happened? It was impossible. What had even happened?

'Can you give my vision back?' Kaya hoarsely whispered. She cringed at how pathetic she sounded.

The first thing she saw was a boy facepalming. 'What if they dissect her memories?' He was skinny with dark skin and messy hair. That was the boy that had grabbed her. She'd been kidnapped by a twelve year old.

The girl shrugged. She wore a dark cape under which Kaya could just about see glints of steel knives and pistols.

'Is it normal to walk around with an armoury on you in Avi?'

The girl chuckled. 'God, I love tourists. Tell me, when were you last in Cines?'

'Three years ago. Why?'

'Parfet,' said the muscular blonde boy. He was older than the others but still younger than Kaya.

'What's going on? Please.' Her voice broke and unwanted tears appeared in her eyes.

The girl crouched down in front of me. 'You have been claimed by one of Cines' spirits or something—I don't know how it works. We will take care of you until your little cult pays a fair price.'

Kaya stared at her in disbelief.

The girl smiled. 'Welcome home.'

♤ ♤ ♤

A/N: This was the third rewrite. The third.

I'm sorry most of the characters didn't show up. In fact, it was only really Kaya and a couple of cameos. Next chapter will feature more characters, but I'd always planned for a start with just one mainie. I've also decided to stick to third person.

I hope you all enjoyed it! Next chapter will be more royaltycore.