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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:28:52 GMT -5
CAST OF CHARACTERS
The Royalty of Everglade
Markus Everglade Age: 17-Chivalrous prince of Everglade, engaged to the princess Rose of Bloodroot. Famed for his handsome face and unusual blue hair.
Elaura ‘Laura’ Glasswater Age: 16-Kind hearted and emotional maid of Everglade, Markus’s best and previously only friend.
Raythor Karian Age: 16 -Hawk-eyed savior of Rose and Ketra, he may not be the hero everyone thinks he is...
Rose Thistlethorn Age: 17- The spit-fire fiancée of Markus, she’s currently pretending to be a maid to hide her identity from the prince.
Anella Nightheart Age: 16- Shy, soft spoken peasant girl. She tries to get along with everyone, and usually succeeds.
Ketra Everglade Age: 18- Markus’s older and very commanding sister. She is a woman of few words, but she loves her brother dearly.
Rea Greatly Age: 18- The queen of Carina, and leader of the quest. Her best friend is Dione. She can seem a little out of it.
Dione Thayet Age: 16- Angry, red-headed maid of Carina. Her knight boyfriend James has a bit of a wandering eye.
Kylara Waterwind Age: 17- Ex-hired killer with a magnet-like attraction to Raythor. She and Dione do not get along.
Gabriel Goldensun Age: 17- Reserved blacksmith with an inferiority complex. Has a crush on Rose.
Blade Ghosttail Age: 18- Elementist shadow prince with a bit of a temper and a sarcastic streak. Kaslon is afraid of him.
Dasher Starchaser Age: 16- Beautiful elementist princess with an excellent mind and poor healing abilities. A shape-shifter.
Saria Straightarrow Age: 18- Happy-go-lucky warrior girl who can seem a little vacant. A friend of Dasher’s.
David Catshadow Age: 18- Silent, unforgiving carpenter who wants to be an artist. Searching for his wife, Caldria.
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:37:10 GMT -5
Kaslon Blademender Age: 17- Blonde loving friend of David, who’s rarely ever serious. Dotes on Saria and Anella.
Tallith Age: 16- Untalented healer fixated on Anella. Used to work for Lydrion.
Theo Lancewood Age: 16- Slightly annoying elementist jokester, an old friend of Blade’s.
Firelight Ghosttail Age: 14- Carefree and naive elementist, Blade’s little sister and Theo’s friend.
Nightshade Swallowsong Age: 18- Silent elementist girl who appears with Theo and Firelight. No one knows much about her. Sabbath’s army
Kenetari Whitestar Age: 18- More than a little insane, Sabbath’s daughter and Lydrion’s paramour. Tangled up in a mysterious past.
Lydrion Archer Age: 18- Cold and calculating, the true leader of the Whitestar army. How he rose to power remains a mystery.
Caldria Archer/Catshadow Age: 18- Lydrion’s twin and David’s wife. She and her baby, Emma, are imprisoned in Sabbath’s castle.
Sabbath Whitestar Age: 41- Lord of Laina and titled power supporting Lydrion. Highly superstitious.
Benvolio Whitestar Age: 10- Kenetari’s violet-eyed little brother. Best known for the cat he always has on his shoulders.
Pallas Age: 18- Elementist shape shifter, Lydrion’s henchmen.
Maya Age: 25-Lydrion’s henchmen, specializes in knocking people out.
Third Group
Jayce Age: 19- Stoic, closemouthed ringleader of the trio. Its purposes remain a mystery to the other two.
Oraia Songsteel Age: 17- Previously of Rea’s quest, she was taken from the group by Jason, whom she dubbed ‘Jayce’, and has since made no attempt to return.
Kira Softpetal Age: 18- Jayce’s pretty cousin. She is mute, but can read and write.
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:38:08 GMT -5
Chapter One
Just Before Dawn
The sun set in brilliant pinks and oranges, but Kenetari didn’t notice it anymore than the world seemed to notice her. Her hair fell down her back in raven-black waves and she was pretty. Yet there was something dark in her eyes that kept her from being truly beautiful, that stopped their deep sea blue from standing out. In all her life she had only loved one other person, though many people had once been at her side. She remembered them all, and a smile crossed her lips. Only one man knew her past, her real name. She would find him soon.
****
Markus Everglade leaned against the tree that had become his own. It was raining hard, and the sky was pitch black, the darkness of it interrupted only by flashes of lightning far away. The courtyard was huge, housing stables, fields, even a few houses, all protected by the massive stone walls of the castle Imperia. Yet there was no one else here today. It didn’t happen to him often, but he was glad of it now. Markus was the crown prince of the kingdom named for his family, and he was usually surrounded by more people than he could count. To his name he had but one real friend. She was the only person who treated him like a human being, not just a symbol or a prince. Even when he was swept away into that sea of faces he felt alone. Only when he was with Laura did he truly feel like himself, not that he himself had any idea who he was beyond a prince. Laura was a maid, forever scurrying around, doing more work than Markus had ever done. Other than practicing with a sword, or learning from his tutor, he was mostly being bustled about being shown to the world. That’s why he had grown to love every passing storm and the brief moments of peace they brought him. It was as though the whole world shut down, slowly at first, than faster and faster. The servants kept to their rooms. Even the long, drawn out meals the prince was used to became shorter and less grand. His parents, Audrion and Ivy, didn’t even try to control every step he took, as they usually did. The drumming of the rain steered his thoughts back to something that always floated at the corners of his mind. When he was three or four, his mother told him gently of his betrothal to the Princess Rose of Bloodroot. It had made little sense to him then. The more he learned of it over the years, the more he had come to feel mixed emotions of excitement and dread. The two had never before met, as was her people’s custom, but every free moment it was to her his thoughts and fears turned to. As he looked into the rain, each drop seemed to contain another possibility, another face, another Rose. They danced in rings of gold together, before hitting the wet earth and leaving him alone once more. Markus wasn’t ready to be married. He felt so young, as if there was so much left for him to do. Again the rain’s thrum carried his thoughts away, this time completely. Somewhere, far away, was Rose thinking of him too? It was this one, quiet thought that always gave him the strength to return to the ever moving wheel that was his life. The
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:38:44 GMT -5
rain thundered into his ears as he walked, and each drop held a different golden face before it scattered into the earth like shards of glass.
****
She put her hand gently on the cold stone and stood, face against the arch of the doorway, watching her prince. They had been friends for as long as she could remember and there was little they didn’t know about each other. Laura’s light brown hair was tied in a loose, low ponytail, and her face was as pretty and forgiving as her personality. She was dressed as she always was, in the outfit of a handmaiden, with a long blue skirt and a short-sleeved white blouse. Her hard, cat-like green eyes did not match her at all, especially in the pale moonlight. Laura watched him often when he was out there. Markus had told her underneath that tree was his release, his get away. In just a week he would be married. Markus, her best friend, soon to be a husband, a father, a king... Once he had all of that to think about, they wouldn’t be able to talk the way they had always done. Though she saw him clearly, out there in the rain, in her mind’s eye she saw him too. He was a young boy then, smiling and laughing, grey eyes alight and full of hope. He’d been singing their silly old song about a river and a cat. She felt the words come to her again, until she felt her voice sing to the night, and to the pounding rain. Laura turned her face away, and wished silently that it was nothing more than a rain drop snaking down her cheek. She knew Markus had always been destined to marry Princess Rose and had known it always. Yet the tears didn’t stop falling and she slumped in the doorway, shoulders shaking slightly. He would always be that sweet blue haired, gray eyed little boy to her and there was no way those memories would ever change. Soon they would be all she truly had. Again she parted her lips, but instead of singing, she whispered to the rain words she knew she would never speak again.
****
The sky had begun to shed less water and the complete blackness of night set in. Though she had been riding for hours, the girl did not rest her mount nor slow her pace. They did not know where she was or why she was going. She had only told them she had to see an old friend one last time. Rose had never been allowed to go anywhere by herself before and for awhile that alone kept her going strong. Now the streets of this village were deserted and her childhood fear of darkness closed in around her, threatening to drown her in her own terror. She urged her mare forward, knowing that if she stopped any courage she had left would shatter into pieces. Rose forced the tired horse into a canter, its hooves seemed so loud to the princess, the sound of them drowned out all others. The shadows seemed to leap at her from every corner and she crouched lower into the horses flank, breathing in sharp, shallow gasps. Suddenly her steeds pace fell again, sinking lower and lower until the two forms stood together, glistening with sweat in the moon’s pale light. Rose heard footsteps coming quickly, echoing just as Violet’s hoof beats had on the stone. Rose’s breathing became more labored and again she tried to force her mount on. It was clear the horse could move no farther. The mare gazed back at her rider in a solemn, pleading way. A figure approached, shrouded in mist, just as Violet
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:39:46 GMT -5
had taken another step. A white hand reached out and rested on Rose’s shoulder. She screamed. "Sh, Rose! Do you want to wake up the entire village?" "Ketra!" The girl exclaimed, practically tearing up with relief, "I thought I’d never find you!" "Well, you have now, haven’t you?" Ketra said briskly. It was a barely a question. Ketra never wasted words. She was a tall girl, handsome rather than pretty, with the well defined hard features of her father. Her mother, Queen Ivy, had given her flaming red hair, and she had her father’s harsh blue eyes. Standing side by side, Rose and Ketra could almost have been sisters. Rose had no fiery sheen to her hair, and her features were much more feminine. There was nothing at all threatening in her pale green eyes. She was also two years younger and much shorter than her friend. The older princess was the only and eldest sibling of Markus, and she kept tabs on her baby brother with an unrivaled passion. Ketra herself had been shipped off to Treekal to find a husband for herself, but she was far from in a hurry to do any such thing. "Don’t just sit there." Ketra persisted. "Your horse must be exhausted. That’s Violet, isn’t it? Poor girl." She extended a hand and helped Rose down. "Is it far?" Rose asked wearily. Her friend shook her head. They had known one and another for years and got on incredibly well, considering the circumstances. "Katherine will take your horse to the stables." Ketra said, as the aforementioned waif-like servant followed orders. "Come on. It’s this way." Ketra took the still shaking Rose’s hand and started leading her away. They chattered softly about this and that, mostly of Markus, and soon Rose’s terror ebbed away. "...so he dropped the candle down the well, hoping it would break the curse..." Ketra gabbed on. The warm glow of her grand little house was in sight and Rose felt more relief seep into her fragile frame. Suddenly, something cold and metallic pressed against her neck and a gravelly voice said: "Don’t move, princess. Give us all the gold you have." Rose started shaking again, as Ketra reached for her gold pouch, looking thoroughly annoyed. "Bandits these days are getting terrible. My father really should do something to put a stop to these... these... peasants." Ketra said the word as if it were vile, laying the pouch in their assailants free hand. The filthy man smiled. "Sorry, my lovely, but we got to take you hostage now. Only way to earn our bread, eh?" Rose felt tears well up again and Ketra drew a short sword as the bandits closed in on her. "Saris!" One of them, probably a look out, screamed. He turned to face the look out, clearly irritated, sword still drawn across Rose’s throat. "What," he spat out with venom, "Is it Gaynen?" A young man appeared behind the bandit leader, his sword drawn and the point threatening the back of Seris’s neck. His face was a mask of shadows and grime, his hair was as black as the sky above him. Focusing his hawk-blue eyes on Seris’s blurry brown ones, he spoke: "If I can beat you, you release them. One on one, right now." The bandit hesitated for a moment before smiling. "Think you can best the greatest there is, peasant filth? I dare you to try." The boy said no more, but drew his sword back and waited patiently for Seris. The blade against
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:40:15 GMT -5
Rose’s neck was also drawn away. She gasped, desperately filling her lungs with air and side stepping away. She had been so scared she wasn’t aware she hadn’t been breathing. The two men’s eyes remained locked, as they silently measured each others ability, before their blades met in the air between them. All eyes watched as sparks flew and weapons crashed, reflecting silver death in Rose’s eyes. Neither seemed to gain an inch, until Seris slashed wildly into the young man’s shoulder, drawing first blood. The boy did not flinch or make a sound, but kept fighting. Seris was caught off guard, leaving an opening. The young man cut deeply into Seris’s chest, sending him to the ground, overwhelmed with blood and pain. His kin stood dumbfounded finally gathering Seris’s remains and scattering into the night like a pack of rats. The boy smiled grimly, plunging his sword into the earth to clean it, before returning it to his sheath. "Oh, thank you, thank you!" Rose cried, completely hysterical. She knew she wasn’t usually like this, but for now she didn’t care. Rose threw her arms around the boy and hugged him tight. Any expression he may have had was hidden under cover of the shadows. Ketra stopped down to pick up her purse, offering it to him. He shook his head. "Then at least tell us your name." Rose begged. "Raythor. Raythor... Karian. You owe me nothing." Unconsciously his hand went to his injured shoulder and his blue eyes flickered with pain. Ketra smiled. "Maybe there is something we can do for you. Come on inside, and we shall get you cleaned up."
****
She had always loved watching the sunrise, and had done so every morning since she was very young. This days seemed more glorious than most. Anella supposed it was the way the sun was glowing through the drizzling, gray clouds above. Beside her was her equally gray stallion, streaks of silver in his mane, and a fire within him. Anella stroked Ranier absently and for a second it was as though they were connected, breathing in unison, seeing the same picture through the same pair of eyes. She barely felt the rain then, barely heard its steady rhythm against the ground. A voice broke the silence, slicing through her daydream. "Anella! Come on, Anella! The Lord Edward is here!" Lady Kayle, daughter of a wealthy knight, called out. Anella turned, taking a moment to put herself back into the real world, and nodded to her friend. Her dark blonde hair was wavy, flowing easily down her back, and her eyes were a green-gray that seemed to fit the morning. For an instant longer she hesitated, not wanting to release the world she had found. Then she got up onto Ranier and trotted off to meet Lord Edward. Anella was not rich. Her white dress, with dark green triangles, one starting at the neck line of her dress, the other at the hem of it, with their points meeting at her waist, was far from fancy. Her life with the titled girls felt like a masquerade, living like a lady when she herself was a nothing. Kayle often told her that she envied her, living almost as a royal but still being able to marry for love. Anella always blushed at that, she was terribly shy around men, and almost would have preferred an arranged marriage. She turned Ranier once more into the suns first rays. The colors reflected off her face, turning her hair a luminous gold, making her feel truly beautiful for the first time in her life.
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:41:02 GMT -5
Chapter Two
Rea’s Letter
The girl smiled. She was closing in on him now, getting so close to sealing the fate of the key to her past. It would be easy, now that he was in her trap. Kenetari had been observing him at a distance for a long time; so long it would seem almost a pity to end his life. Now she never spoke his name. He had forgotten she existed. In her mind, she had always thought of him simply as ‘prey’. He didn’t seem to know what to do with his life. ‘Prey’ never stayed anywhere for long, or with anyone. She grinned at the notion this might be her doing. One final game and he would be finished. It would be easy to get everyone else she wanted at the same time. Lydrion would be proud of her. Kenetari could almost taste her victim’s blood already... Smiling insanely, she walked through the busy streets. She didn’t truly see anyone else. Maybe she couldn’t anymore. Everything was calculation, her own cold blue eyes, screams, death... and him. The flush left her face and she melted into the crowd.
****
Markus turned the letter over in his hands. He hadn’t opened it yet, he wanted Laura to be there when he did. He rarely got letters. When he did, it was usually from princesses or ladies who found him attractive, and were also overcome with the urge to tell him so. Despite his odd, unexplainable hair, the prince really was quite handsome. He saw it more as a curse than anything else. There were only so many times he wanted to hear about how strong his chin was, or, if the lady was daring, how broad his shoulders were. His father found these letters both enraging and pleasing. It furthered the king’s own pride, to be sure, but it also reminded him that his son was engaged. This letter, he fervently hoped, was not another love sonnet from a romance starved monarch, but something interesting. Perhaps a desperate plea for help, or a daring challenge from a bloodthirsty villain. There was a rustle behind him, and he turned to see Laura, face pleasant but exhausted, walk in. "Sorry I took so long." She apologized, something she tended to do more than was necessary. "Cleaning up after that feast yesterday was murder. Did you open that yet? What is it, another romance letter?" "You know I waited for you." He said, holding up the thin paper. "And I hope against all odds it isn’t." "I thought that one from Lady Morning was most touching." She laughed. He sighed. "Anyway, my prince, I’m sure you just can’t wait to open that. Go ahead, I’m here now." Laura sat down, already staring eagerly over his shoulder. Markus tore the seal, eyes scanning the page quickly. "What does it say, Markus? Read it, please." She urged. Laura couldn’t read. Markus nodded. “‘Dear Prince Markus, I have proposed a quest to meet in Demetrius tomorrow. My invitation has been extended to many promising youths in the area, all with a story behind their veiled pasts. She really lays it on thick, doesn’t she? Anyway..." He took a breath, "Any who wish to accompany
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:41:17 GMT -5
me can bring one friend and appear in the village at sunset. We assure you thoroughly there is no possible danger in this journey. Sincerely yours, Queen Rea Greatly.’ " "Yeah, she just thinks you’re handsome." Laura said. "Oh, be quiet. But thanks for not laughing." He paused, thinking. "Clearly I have a past so dark and veiled I don’t even know about it." "Neither do your parents, your sister, or your best friend." "My only friend. Guess you’d be my only choice as well." "And I guess you’d have to ask your father." "Dash it, you’re right. Six days left to the wedding and I’d be going with you..." "He doesn’t like me." Laura agreed. "Oh well. I’m willing to risk it to get out of this entertainment forsaken place. Come on, you can wait outside and mentally send me support." "Gee, that’s always been my dream," she said sarcastically. Markus stood and offered his hand to help Laura to her feet. The two of them started toward the throne room, with very little hope of success and a strong possibility of verbal assault.
****
"That’s kind of strange..." Ketra said as the horsemen left. "What is?" Rose asked. She had done her hair up in a ponytail, and put on a green dress with a rose pattern sewn of the front. "Raythor looks much better. He seems... anxious to leave but he won’t say anything." "Gentleman all the way. The odd thing is these letters. One is for me," She held it up, "and the other two are for you and Raythor." "But no one knows where I am. Or where Raythor is. It’s not like he planned to split his shoulder open." Ketra laughed in a vaguely pathetic way. "I bet he can read, the raven-haired devil. Let’s go see what he thinks anyway."
****
"Anella! Some man on a horse brought you this!" Kayle said. Anella answered her friend by quietly looking up. She was blushing. "What man?" "Some messenger. Skinny and weak. It’s the letter you’re going to be interested in." She said, handing it to the shy girl. Anella opened it and read it carefully, for she had just learned to read recently. Then she handed it back. They both looked confused. "What does a queen want with me?" Anella asked. "I don’t know. But doesn’t that sound exciting? I bet a bunch of royals will be there, that Everglade prince in particular." Kayle grinned. Anella blushed again. "Would you go with me?" "I would, but I have some other stuffy lord to meet." "That’s too bad. Think I should go?"
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:41:34 GMT -5
"Of course! There will be many fine men, girls you could make friends with, and all sorts of dangerous adventure." She sighed. "I wish I was going. You better leave first thing tomorrow. Demetrius isn’t far, but you don’t want them to leave without you."
****
"There aren’t as many people here as I thought there would be." "Fewer people to admire your charm?" "That," Markus told Laura firmly, "is a good thing." Demetrius was a small village, probably smaller than the whole of Everglade’s castle. They were in Carina now. Its queen, who had written the letters, had taken the throne at sixteen when both her parents died. Rea was eighteen now, with long brown hair and blue eyes. She and Markus knew each other, but not well. They’d met at a few social occasions. Everglade and Carina were strongly connected; Queen Ivy had once been a duchess of Carina herself. Markus’s father knew Rea far better than his son. Perhaps that was why Audrion had let the prince leave only a week before the wedding. Markus and Laura hadn’t really stayed around to question it. The pair drifted toward a rather loud man who had obviously been sent by the queen, as he was yelling she would arrive shortly. "Come on, Laura. My sister sent word she would be coming from the east." Markus turned, and was immediately run into by a girl going in the opposite direction. Anella got back on her feet, turning a deeper scarlet than she ever had before. "I’m... I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going, and..." "It’s all right, I’m not broken. Are you OK?" He smiled, "My name is Markus and this is Elaura Glasswater." "I’m Anella Nightheart." Her eyes drifted automatically to his hair, and she jerked them away quickly. "Everybody does that." Laura said with a nod. "I’m used to it. I’m pretty sure no one else in the kingdom has blue hair." "Laura..."Markus warned. He hated it when people treated him differently because of what he was. He didn’t want this girl to even find out. "It was nice meeting you, Anella. We have to go find his sister, Ketra." The two of them bowed and curtsied respectively. Anella formally returned the latter gesture as they scurried away. She continued to stare after them, until a voice behind her made her jump. "Hey, excuse me miss, was that the prince?" Two redheads and a bored looking boy stood behind her. The older girl had been the one to speak. "The prince?" Anella went white this time. "That was the prince?" "Obviously he took off his crown again." Ketra sighed. "As if that helps. He can’t take off his hair. There he is, with a brunette girl." Rose pointed, sounding a little irritated. "That’s just the maid, Laura, that I was telling you about earlier." The two princesses left in somewhat of a rush, leaving Anella and the uninterested boy in the dust. "Hey, thanks for ‘helping’ us." Raythor said, half grinning to himself as he left. Something about him seemed so familiar. Anella gasped. Those eyes... had she seen them somewhere before? A long time ago, just for a moment. The ice in them was hard to
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:42:02 GMT -5
forget. But that couldn’t be true, didn’t even make sense. Why would that boy have been watching her?
****
"Markus! Markus, over here!" Ketra called through the crowd waving energetically. The prince turned, spotted his sister, and said something to Laura. The two started walking over. "You really can’t believe that hair until you see it." Raythor commented, amused. Ketra shrugged. "You’d be surprised how quickly you get used to it." "Ketra. You said we’d find you over there." Markus said. He smiled broadly. "I missed you too." Ketra said, hugging him. As she drew away, Laura curtsied to each new person in turn. "Nice to see you again." The maid told Ketra. "Who are your companions?" Markus asked politely. "My new maid and my new friend." "And what is your name, milady?" He asked Rose. "Rose... for the princess." "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Ketra and Laura rolled their eyes behind his back. Markus had always persisted in being formal. Rose, on the other hand, was blushing. It set off her hair most acutely. "Well, what is this gentleman’s name?" Markus said quickly, to break what was becoming a very awkward silence. "Raythor Karian. Named for no one in particular." The dark haired boy answered. "I’m Markus, which I’m sure you’ve guessed. This is my fri-" "Maid, Elaura Glasswater." Laura said, cutting him off. Markus was about to respond when a horn blared. "The queen has arrived!" The loud man informed the crowd, "All those with invitation or interest, hasten to the square." Anella saw the prince and his friends head forward. She clutched the queen’s letter tighter, missing Kayle already. Sighing, Anella settled into the mass of people before her, directly next to a girl with black hair. Her skin was bronzed, her eyes a softer green than both Laura’s and Rose’s. She smiled at Anella. "Hey. You must have gotten a letter as well. I’m Kylara Waterwind." "I’m Anella Nightheart. It’s very nice to meet you..." She trailed off as Carina’s queen began to speak. "My blessing and welcome to all who are present here today. As many of you know, I am Queen Rea Greatly. If any of you here have received a letter by my hand, please give it to my maid, Dione," She indicated a girl slightly younger than herself, with flaming red hair and vicious brown eyes. "If you do not," The queen continued, "and are interested in joining, please see the knight James." This time she presented a dark haired man to her left. The crowd parted and surged forward. Anella simply let herself be drawn with it. She couldn’t see the prince anymore, even as she handed off the letter to the angry looking maid.
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:42:29 GMT -5
"Hello." The queen said cheerily. "You must be Kayle’s friend." It took the shy girl a few minutes to find her voice. "Y-yes." She stammered. "Is that how you knew my name? If you don’t mind me asking, of course." She curtsied so deeply her hand shot back and hit somebody’s face. Anella’s face went crimson again, and she spun about, desperately hoping it wasn’t the same boy she had run into before. It was. "Perhaps you have a grudge against me, but I really don’t think so." Markus said, rubbing his nose. "Glad to see you’ll be joining us, anyway. I should have told you before." Ketra had told him about speaking with Anella earlier. "He’s a little defensive, that one." Laura noted. Ketra was a pace behind her, being flanked by the mute Rose and Raythor. "Welcome, all of you." Rea said peaceably. "Everyone, please follow me. We’ll be spending the night at my castle before we leave." "It’s not far, is it?" Rose piped up, trying to sound meek. She had gone on this trip to meet the man she was to marry, and she didn’t want anyone to know who she really was. Rea shook her head. "No, of course it isn’t. Barely a few moments ride." Everyone but Raythor disappeared to get their horses. Raythor didn’t budge an inch. "You don’t ride?" Rea asked, surprised. "Not at all." He replied. "Why not?" "I don’t care enough to learn." "What is your name?" "Raythor." "Are you the-" "Yes." Rea just sort of started at him, so intently she didn’t look up from her thoughts when everyone else returned. "Queen Rea?" Markus said. The queen shook herself. "Oh, sorry. To the castle."
****
"Dione will tell you of your room assignments, as well as roommates." The queen told the group. "I have arranged them by rank." "Roommates?" Raythor said, clearly disgusted. Ketra glared at him. "Sounds nice." Laura said blankly. She smiled to herself. "All right. Laura and Rose, you take that room." Dione said, holding a list and indicating rooms as she walked. "Ketra and Anella, up the stairs and to the left. Markus, you and the new blacksmith, end of the hall. Both Raythor and Kylara are alone. Him in there, her in there. See you all tomorrow." She and the queen left with surprising quickness. Everyone stood there for a second, and then quietly dispersed. "So," Markus said to his new roommate, "What’s your name?" "Gabriel Goldensun, blacksmith by trade. But I’m sure you’d picked that up by now." He had light brown hair and kind, dark eyes, with a fairly unchanging expression plastered on his face. While Raythor tended to look intensely bored, Gabriel’s features reacted slowly, so that he smiled long after the point he may have wanted to, and his
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:43:07 GMT -5
mouth held the shape longer still. Markus, not exactly the most observant person in the world, picked up on the fact only because it took the blacksmith so long to notice his hair. "Born with that, I suppose." Gabriel asked finally. Fortunately he didn’t speak as slowly as he reacted. "Yeah... scared my mother half to death." Markus agreed, letting out an inner sigh. He hoped Gabriel would be the last introduced to his interesting blue hair. "Your eyes are a bit strange too. I suppose you rarely hear that one." Markus blinked at that comment. He had never heard that one. "If you don’t mind," Gabriel continued, "I’ll take the far bed. For some reason I positively abhor sleeping near doors." "Uh," Markus said, still a little taken aback, "Be my guest." He wondered why his eyes were gray.
****
"Have you been a maid long? I don’t remember seeing you in the castle." Laura said. She was absently polishing the bedpost with a rag. Laura was a little obsessed with multi-tasking. "No, I used to work in Caltha. I’ve only been with Ketra for a year." Rose watched her clean with a grim sort of fascination. Ketra and Raythor had helped her invent this new persona. Rose the maid could stay much closer to Markus. There were few things more different from a Bloodroot Princess and a Caltha maid. Bloodroot was small, green, and pretty. Caltha was a barren desert, as well as the largest kingdom on the continent. "I think I heard someone say Raythor was from Caltha. Is that how you met him?" Laura asked. She didn’t seem to pick up on any of the other girl’s hesitation. "No... He saved Ketra and me from these bandits. The leader’s name was Seris or something." "Did he really? He doesn’t seem like the hero type. Where’s Seris now?" "Not heaven." Rose laughed. "He’s dead." "Dead?" Laura asked. "You don’t mean that Raythor-?" "Yes." "He must be some swordsman then." "I guess." Rose whispered, "Or just really lucky."
****
Anella watched the princess comb out her long red hair. She held her knees, the bed clothes draped loosely around her feet. It felt so strange to her, to be in the same room as someone so much more powerful than she was, but who looked and acted the same as her friends. "Ketra," She said quietly, "How long have you been living in Treekal?" "Oh, a little under a year. It’s a beautiful village. To be honest," Ketra sat down on her own bed, "I’m not in much of a hurry to marry and return to the castle." "Don’t you miss your parents?"
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:43:26 GMT -5
"I actually miss my brother more, but yes. It’s just the thought of being married," Ketra shuddered, more or less for effect, "that has me bothered." "Men kind of scare me too." "It’s not as much fear as it is the thought of waking up to the same face every morning." She shook her head. "I’m fairly sure no man could stand me for that long. What do you think?" "Well..." Anella hesitated. "Go on. I won’t tell anybody." "I think there if there’s someone out there you really belong with, it doesn’t matter if you see them everyday. You’ll want to." Anella said quietly. Ketra smiled, almost involuntarily. "You’re really a sweet girl. I almost forgot that you’re a peasant, and can marry almost anyone," she said. "You almost had me believing in true love."
****
Kylara stared at her dark room in silence. Ghosts of her pasts danced in her head, but she pushed them away. So many dead... but what happened happened and there was nothing she could do about it. Shivering slightly, she turned to face the door. ‘I’ll only open it a little,’ she told herself, ‘Just so I can keep an eye on everybody.’ Kylara suppressed a gasp as she saw somebody pass by in the hallway. It took her a second to realize it was just the dark haired boy from the prince’s party. She slipped out the door, letting it close behind her. "Why are you still awake?" "Can’t sleep." Raythor answered easily. "Where are you going, anyway?" "Anywhere." "Mind if I come?" "I don’t care one way or the other." Kylara smiled at him. He ignored her, his expression unchanging. She wasn’t sure exactly why she was walking with him. He hadn’t even told her his name, and he was barely paying attention. Somehow she felt safer just because he was there at all. "I’m Kylara." She said at last. "Do you have a name?" "Most people do." "What’s yours?" "Raythor." He said, flicking his eyes over her for a second. "Do you always do this?" "I guess I do." Raythor gave her the twitch of a grin, and sat down suddenly against the wall. Kylara couldn’t imagine why someone who was so obviously a peasant would be traveling around with Everglade’s royal family. "Why did you stop here?" Kylara asked. "Why not? If not here, then I would have stopped somewhere else." This answer didn’t particularly surprise Kylara. Raythor was obviously not giving her any straight answers. "Why do you ask so many questions?" He said, not even turning to look at her. Kylara raised an eyebrow.
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:43:43 GMT -5
"I guess I’m just curious. You seem so..." "Odd? Yeah, I am." "And you don’t care?" "I don’t care about a lot of things."
****
Markus lay there wondering why anyone would be in the hallway. It felt late. Very, very late. Getting up slowly, he hurriedly pulled on his clothes. He was out the door before he realized he didn’t know why he had gotten up at all. Some barely perceptible noise, some movement... Markus passed all the doors, noting unconsciously all of them were shut tight except Kylara’s. He could see her sleeping inside, above her covers instead of under them. He kept walking, getting closer and closer to his unknown goal. Markus barely noticed when his feet stopped moving. There was a girl there, staring back at him with pitiless eyes, her black hair melting into the night around her. Markus’s voice suddenly started working again. "Who are you?" He demanded. She answered first with a maniac grin. "Kenetari Whitestar. But don’t worry. You won’t need to know my name for long." She turned, disappearing down the stairs. Markus followed her blindly. She darted through Rea’s castle as though she knew it well, out maneuvering him easily. It was a struggle just to keep her in sight at all. Kenetari slipped outside, knowing he would follow. An arrow shot past her ear. She looked up to see Laura fit another arrow to her bow. Markus stood in the doorway, out of breath and panting. "Why...did...you...run?" he asked. Kenetari drew her sword, and something clinked to the ground. She would finish him anyway, despite that stupid archer. Laura drew back the string, pointing it directly at Kenetari. The raven-haired girl finally hesitated. Killing, as thoroughly enjoyable as she found it to be, was nowhere near as important as her own life. She smiled one last time at Markus, eyes flashing dangerously. "Don’t forget my face. I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you see." She took a step back, turning only when she was out of Laura’s range. Markus followed her with his eyes until she was completely out of sight. Laura lowered her bow, putting her free hand on her hip and glaring at Markus. "Who, exactly, was that?" "I frankly have no idea. She said her name was Kenetari," Markus said sheepishly. What was he doing out here anyway? And what, for that matter, was Laura? "Are you always awake at all hours, carrying a bow?" he asked his best friend. Laura blushed. "No. I couldn’t sleep. And in case you were wondering, I’m not lying." "I don’t think you could lie to me anyway. You’re too nice." "Too nice? What do you mean by that?" A figure emerged from the castle. Laura whipped her bow out again. Markus simply turned to where she was aiming. "Cease fire. It’s just Raythor." "Did I miss something?" The dark haired boy inquired, warily regarding the weapon aimed at his head. "Markus was chasing some mysterious girl." Laura said, lowering her bow again. She yawned. "I’m tired now. Goodnight." She left.
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Post by Markus Everglade on Jun 18, 2009 23:44:02 GMT -5
"The girl dropped something, didn’t she?" Raythor asked coolly. "Yes. How did you know that?" "How can that matter?" "Where is it?" Markus asked. Raythor rolled his eyes at what he considered a dumb question. He walked over to pick the thing up. "It’s just a bracelet." He lost interest, tossing it at Markus, who just barely caught it. "Here. Give it to your girlfriend." "Laura is not my girlfriend." Markus said indignantly, tucking the bracelet into his pocket anyway. "The archer girl?" Raythor had meant Rose. He realized Markus wasn’t supposed to know who Rose really was. "My mistake. Must be the way she looks at you." "What?" "Forget it." He shook his head and left. Markus took out the bracelet and studied it. Red, inlaid with gold, an eagle shape... something about that tugged at the back of his memory, but he couldn’t remember what. He could figure that out in the morning.
Chapter Three
Demon Wolf
Anella woke up in an empty room. Dressing slowly, she blinked the sleep from her eyes. Pausing as her hand touched the door, she ran through all the names in her head. Satisfied she would she would remember them, she stepped outside. The women she had met yesterday, Kylara, was in the hallway. She appeared to be sleeping. Anella crept past her and down the hall. "Ah, the last of our heroic party finally joins us." Raythor said. He, along with everyone else, was sitting around Rea’s banquet table, eating breakfast. There were a number of empty plates. Anella, at the top of the stairs, was the unfortunate recipient of Raythor’s remark. At home, on her farm, she never got to sleep in late. It was very luxurious to be able to do so here. "Don’t mind him. We’re not all done already." Markus said. Anella nodded, and slipped into one of the few vacant seats. Both of them happened to be next to Dione, Rea’s angry maid. Anella supposed that was a coincidence. The queen herself was not present. Dione eyed Anella suspiciously. "Rea had something or other to attend to. She also said the matter was too delicate for me to handle." Dione viciously forked a bun, as if to demonstrate just how unjust that assessment was. "I see." Anella said uneasily. She ate quietly, watching Dione descend on her food as if she was pillaging a village. One of the other redheads, of which there appeared to be many, looked across the table at her sympathetically. Anella recalled her name was Rose, and noticed she was sitting next to Anella’s own roommate of the night before. She decided it might be safe to attempt conversation. "Did you sleep well?" Anella said softly. Rose nodded. "Lovely rooms, really. Almost nicer than my one back home." "You’d have to live in a palace to have such nice rooms for the maids." Laura commented, not maliciously.
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