Ballad of the Vahlykins

Chapter 1.

There were a lot of things that HaRhi regretted, a lot of things that she had done for the sake of her king and kingdom, now everything has started to slow, those memories were starting to creep up on her. The Kingdom of Awellyre's reach had grown due to the strength and might of the Vahlykins and at the tip of the spear was the Red End, the small troop that HaRhi lead, conquering kingdom after kingdom, until most of the Southern Continent came under the control of Awellyre. Six mounted warriors, trained assassins, the heroes of Awellyre, nothing but the thrill of battle to satiate their desires and for ten years this is all they have known, blood, battle, victory, a vicious cycle that kept them as sharp as the blades they wielded but now, even though peace now reigns, the Red End remained restless.

HaRhi stared into the dwindling fire, lit just before sundown, though in a few hours that sun would return without a wink of sleep for the Red Ends fearless leader. The fire gripped tightly to the wood trying to prolong its flame, the orange light providing little sight or warmth, HaRhi feared her return to Salysin would mean the end of everything she knew. The constant battle kept her conscience silently tucked away into the back of her mind and even though the deaths caused by her hand and order were necessary to bring peace throughout the country, silencing greedy kings and lords that let their people starve and be sold as if they were worth less than the grass they stood upon, most of those who she fought were just following orders too.

"You keep dwelling on it, it will send you mad" she wasn't shocked when Yilen's quiet voice spoke out amongst the darkness, she was the smallest of the group, but was also the most brutal, both on and off the battle field, she doesn't get caught up in emotions or the events of the past, HaRhi envied her for that. Yilen's voice caused the others to stir, they had grown accustomed to sleeping on the ground, out of sight, at least that's what they tell themselves, but inside they knew it was just fear of seeing their people again, the fear, the whispers, the name they made for themselves, though made them heroes, it also made them outcasts. People were afraid of them, didn't dare go near them and though they try to make it seem like they were beneath such reaction, a small sharp pain was always felt in their chest whenever people quickly darted out of their path.

"I see you didn't get any sleep again" Kawei sat up beside HaRhi, pulling his knees into his chest, he turned his head to look at her, before settling it back down on his knees. One by one the other men also rose from sleeping positions, their eyes flitting from one person to the other,

"At least I wasn't pretending" HaRhi bit back, they all gave sly grins as they stretched out their bodies, grabbing out their water flasks to save their dry throats from cracking.

"What was it?" Kawei felt the most comfortable asking HaRhi personal questions, he was her second, fought together in training, in the sections of the Vahlykin infantry and was the first person she chose to join her troop when she became captain. She trusted him the most out of anyone but even she sometimes felt he overstepped the boundaries of their friendship, so when she refused to answer he turned to Yilen.

"The violence is dimming, what she has done in order to bring peace is now bringing harm to her mind" HaRhi shot Yilen a glare, she replied with a shrug and got up from her spot walking over to where the horses stood grazing. The looks on their faces were enough to make her blood boil, she was not weak in any sense but their eyes made her feel as if she were a child in need of tending.

"Get up, since we're all awake we may as well continue on to Salysin" She ordered, she stood from her spot and grabbed her saddle and carried it over to the grey Hallandra Stallion, one of the finest horse breeds in four continents, he was the only foal sired by Yarraman, HaRhi's father's horse, the King had him breed with a Hallandra mare with the purpose of creating a beautiful foal to gift to HaRhi when she finished training and joined the sections of the mounted infantry.
Joon has quickly become the envy of every horse lover or collector, rumored to be the finest horse within the four continents with extraordinary lineage everyone marvels at his beauty and HaRhi is constantly asked to sell him with prices reaching higher than HaRhi would ever be able to earn in her lifetime, however, Joon has not only become her companion he is also one of the last remnants of her father, so there is no price in the entire world that would make her give him up.