1: THE CITY OF QUEENS

Siana.

A nation that has withstood the onslaught of time and remained, unlike all of its fellow ancient predecessors who were all eventually drowned by the rapids of time. A kingdom so ancient and mysterious that not even the most well versed historians or archeologists can pinpoint the exact time period this kingdom came into existence. A kingdom so mysterious that even the most thorough cartographers and widest traveling adventurers have never even come close to reaching the country governed solely by women. The only locations known to enter and exit the country is known by it's citizens and the high officials of it's alliance kingdoms, Durol and Shar.

Siana was known for being a country of only women but these rumors of it only having females were widely exaggerated and inaccurate. To put it in proper terms it was true to say the country had no men.

Within the kingdoms territory, its borders are quite clear as they tower a hundred meters over it's most highest reaching buildings. Its walls segregated it's citizens from the rest of the world as there were no gates to exit or enter through. The only way to reach the world outside was through an ancient method utilizing teleportation.

Its land reached so far, that even with a population of sixty million, the people of Siana never felt stuffed and most of the land was left untouched. The land was split into districts and only recently have the citizens come to gather to form a metropolis at the center of Siana. Even though close to half it's population gathered at the center, there were still other cities of considerable size within it's walls in the west and south along with smaller rural areas in the east. It's northern area was vast and used to be densely populated but now, for the most part, was empty.

A few tens of kilometers away from the north part of the wall in the abandoned district of Esidia was a broken carriage turned on it's side, laying in front of a fountain. Surprisingly, it was half full of crystal clear, drinkable water. The fountain was situated in the middle of, what looked liked to be, an empty shopping plaza.

Above the carriage a quiet sigh escaped the lips of young boy.

Under the rising sun, an eight or nine year old looking boy, wiped his forehead clean of sweat, sweeping his dark red shaggy hair to the side. His red hair was wavy, long, and unkempt reaching just a little past his shoulders and looked wild which matched the rest of his appearance. He wore a dark brown cloak that looked worn and tattered over a tight looking black tank top and a pair of hand-me-down looking pants that were a different shade of brown than the cloak.

"Shit. This damn sun never stops does it," he grumbled as he reached for a damp cloth floating in the bucket next to him with his bandage wrapped hands. "I wish it was fall already... or I had some ice... or I had a hood."

As he placed the cloth on his forehead, the warm water trickled down his face. His skin had a very light tan to it that didn't seem to match the intensity of the suns rays that squeezed his childish face free of sweat. After he was done wiping he put the cloth back in the bucket and shook his hands dry. He stretched his arms wide along with his bare feet that were similarly wrapped in bandages like his hands except they looked more worn out.

Falling on his back and laying himself on the carriage he looked up at the sky partly filled with clouds that had finally blocked the sun for but a portion of a minute. He closed his dark grey eyes and scrunched his nose.

'I should change my leg wraps,' he decided as he sat back up.

"Hup!" Jumping off the carriage he started walking towards the base of a building.

The sound of footsteps that were not his own stopped him as he looked to his far right, towards one of the three plaza gates. His attention was on a hooded woman whose brown hair escaped the shade of her light blue hood. The boy stood where he had stopped and reached for a stick tied to his waist by his make-shift belt for his baggy pants.

"What do you want?" He asked as he rested his palm on the stick still wrapped around his waist.

As she got close to ten meters away from him, she stopped. She then pulled off the hood of her light blue cloak, revealing the gentle smile of a young beautiful woman who appeared to be in her late teens. "Hi. My name is Hera." Her smiling green eyes slowly started to scan Esidia plaza before she asked him,"Is it just you in this WHOLE district?"

"Yeah," he cautiously responded as he started carefully assessing her.

She didn't have a visible weapon on her but he didn't want to take any chances. He slowly pulled his metal stick out from his belt with his left hand, as his right remained at his waist to hold his loose pants up.

"Whoa, whoa. I'm just looking for someone. I'm not here to fight," she said lifting her hands showing her unwillingness towards a conflict. "I'm looking for my brother."

After he heard her reason he slowly let out an honest breath of relief. The young boy didn't like fighting but if he had to he would respond with his best.

Putting his weapon back on his waist, he tightened his belt while still looking at her fidget until she slowly put her arms to her sides. Not letting his guard down he maintained his cautious stance.

"How old is he?" he asked her. Brown hair was common in Siana and so were Green eyes so there was no point in looking for someone similar.

"He should be a little older than me. I haven't ever seen him and all I know is that he was last seen in the northern territory." A long pause followed her response. As if realizing what she just said the boy snapped.

"HAHAHA HA!" His previously stoic and serious face changed into one that matched his age as he burst into childish laughter. "Are you stupid or something? He's probably phased by now. Long go-Oh. Your serious?"

He quickly broke out of his laughter and his face comically snapped back into its previous, serious, self contained expression with a small cough. After he looked at her face he could see she was a little teary eyed, he stepped back and apologetically bowed his head. "Sorry for laughing at you but he probably has phased out by now."

"It's alright, its my bad. I guessed as much." Her voice carried a tinge of sadness as she seemed to consider the boys apology and observation. 'He seems to be really mature for his age. It feels like I'm talking to someone older than me.' She looked at the boy and his raggedy appearance. Along with his wrapped hands and feet, he had a layer of filth on his clothing and there were a few dried stains of blood. "What's your name?"

He slowly tilted his head. "That ain't important. Just get out of my territory," he said while showing no signs of his previous kindness from before.

"What? Why are you being so rude? I just wanna know your name."

"You think cause I answered a few questions I'm your little bro or something," he snickered. "I only give my name to two people. My family and my enemies. Your just some central priestess bitch."

"What? What do you have against the Central Temple?"

"What have they ever done for me?" He responded to her question with a question of his own. Her light blue robes, that signified her as a priestess, were perfectly kept. She had shoes on her feet which highlighted the class difference between the two. The boy on the other hand was covered in small scars and a layer of filth over his worn out clothing that were mixed with spatters of blood. All in all, her appearance was well kept and put together nicely especially when it was compared to the young boy before her.

"...I'm sorry about your living situation. If there's anything I ca-"

"My name is Zayer." Her pity was the last thing the boy wanted. He wanted her to feel shame, which she did, but he had no need for her pity. "I'm nine years old," he quickly added while tightening his pants. "The best thing you can do is leave my territory. I prefer to be alone."

A gentle breeze blew by as the clouds began to intercept the sunlight again. "I'm sorry to bother you," she said while lowering of her head. What she did right now would have been an outrageous scene to many citizens of Siana. A priestess? Bowing her head? To a MALE?!

Siana is an ancient kingdom of many wonders, but one of it's biggest wonders was that it was known to the world as being run by women. The name of Siana was usually followed with 'The Unconquerable City' along with 'The City of Queens' or 'The Cats Kingdom'. Even though it wasn't a city no one could ever possibly know because only the women born in Siana could enter and exit Siana. Adding to this point there were also no 'men' in Siana; only boys.

Siana, with its population of over sixty million, only had a percentage of whom less than 10% were male. Something the most lustful men would envy, was seen as nothing but a problem by its young boys. These boys were shunned, persecuted, abused, and were left in horrible living conditions by the women.

They would have all been dead if it wasn't for an ancient founding law in Siana that bans the killing of the opposite gender and more laws stating that a mother can't allow her child to die before the age of five, or cripple and/or mutilate them. These boys could only turn to each other for guidance as they grew up, but even this didn't last.

Scratching his messy head of hair with his bandaged hand, he sighed.

"Look," he gestured for her to raise her head. "It's alright. Good luck with whatever."

He quickly turned his head and walked away disinterestedly. As she raised her head and began to walk away, he could quietly hear her shoes tapping away behind him.

'If only you were a little earlier,' he thought to himself. He scratched the back of his left hand as he walked to the kiosk at the base of the building. 'That's my bad.'

----------

Thirty minutes later, after he had finished wrapping his legs with some new wraps, he was back to sitting on top of the side-turned carriage. He stretched his neck to the right as if trying to get his ear and shoulder to touch.

"Damn, I'm bored as FUCK!" His voice resonated in the empty plaza as he stretched his arms out. After a few seconds he looked back up at the clouds and started sifting through the pockets on his brown hood-less cloak. After a few seconds he pulled out a piece of paper and laid down on the carriage.

"Damn, Riaz. Good luck! ". A lonely tear rolled down his cheek.

A loud explosion shook the center of the plaza as pieces of wood scattered around the fountain.

The tranquil quiet of the plaza was interrupted as the carriage that Zayer was laying on was blown to pieces. Shots constantly barraged the carriage, not even giving the dust that came from the eroding wood carriage being crushed by the blasts a chance to settle.

After the barrage ceased and silence had once again taken hold of the sunny plaza, the dust started to disperse, showing what remained of the antique Zayer used as a seat.

"It's Gino Gang bitch! Ain't nobody fuck with us!" The loud voice of an older boy filled the plaza. "STRONGEST IN THE NOOOOORTH!"

"Shut up Nito."

On top of the most tallest building of the ones encircling Esidia's plaza, were three figures. Two of whom were older than Zayer and looked to be of a similar age. The one in the middle was reloading the large slingshot with a poorly molded lead ball. While he commanded the ignoramus to his left, he kept his eyes focused on the pile of rubble that he created from the oversized and luxurious buggy he just blew to pieces.

"Yeah Nito. Your annoying voice might make the building collapse," the younger boy taunted.

"Shut up you squealing little brat!" The tall lanky boy ignored his superiors orders and started arguing with their newest member.

"BOTH OF YOU... shut up."

""Yes Captain Werty!"" The two immediately stood straight and shouted back. They then started looking at the pile of rubble that lay below them.

All three wore a similar black cloak, except for the beef-head looking captain who stood front and center. He wore a black mantle adorned with the symbol of a white leaf. On Werty's right was a taller boy similar to his age, who was lanky, and had his long brown hair tied behind his head. To his left was a younger brown haired boy wearing the hood on his cloak.

"Dinn you're gonna need to go ch-"

Interrupting Werty's orders something broke out from under the pile of wooden rubble. Standing on top of the wood was a small figure that steadied itself. It was covered in small scratches and a huge vertical gash on its left cheek.

Swaying a little under the centered sun, Zayer planted his feet firmly on the unstable pile of wood. In his hands he tightly held onto the letter he had just pulled out. It was torn in half and was crumpled in a few places but it was otherwise still readable... well, the half that was left.

Before the remains of the carriage was attacked Zayer jumped down and started dashing towards the building. Barely dodging each attack by a small margin. With each missed shot Zayer sped up to increase the the width of each miss.

"Shit! How is that kids still alive?" The sense of worry in Nito's voice worried the young Dinn too.

As the distance between the shots widened and Werty was pulled in and read thorougly by his target he let the last shot fly. Stepping closer to the edge of the building Werty watched as Zayer got closer to the base of the building while slowing down.

"*Tch* IF YOU LEAVE NOW WE WON'T CHASE YOU!" Werty bellowed to the child down below who had now stopped at the building's front stairs that lead to the tall entrance doors. The common silence once again settled itself in the plaza as Nito gulped behind Werty.

"FUCK YOU! You pieces of shit are DEAD!" A younger voice retorted. Zayer was seething with anger.

Turning around Werty walked with his two followers who lagged a couple of steps behind him. He dropped his black mantle to which Dinn, the youngest of the three, picked up.

"I'm gonna fuck this cocky brat up!"

---

At the bottom of the entrance stairs to Esidia Tower, Zayer began to run up. 'This place is all I've got to remember Riaz with now.' Letting go of the tattered paper he held onto, he resolved himself.

Chapter 1 END

First fiction so be gentle.