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 Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:23 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:24 am
Night had fallen, and like a thick, woolen blanket, it covered the troubles of the kingdom. An outsider would not begin to wonder what sort of turmoil the kingdom was going through. With the death of their king and the lords and ladies bickering over the throne, other countries saw this as an opportunity to advance upon and hopefully seize the troubled kingdom. The surge of chaos that engulfed the kingdom and threatened to swallow life as the inhabitants knew it was only urged forward by the thieves that suddenly came to the cities. It was conceived that most had never even been in the country prior to this time, but had only come when they heard the whispers of opportunity people of their kind were so attuned to. The kingdom was going to hell anyway, that much was obvious, but the thieves had been headed there for far longer, so what was it to them if someone misplaced a valuable item or two? Any thief knew that in order to become great and rich, they had to look to places of inner turmoil and chaos. Places that were crumbling like Kalour.
Once a great kingdom, Kalour was now war torn; it’s cities becoming slums as the struggles of the people were ignored. No town represented how prosperous it had previously been during the times when King Hedgar reigned. The had no heir, and so the lord and ladies of the country made hasty decisions concerning the war so they could have more time to bicker over who was to get the crown. Every place had an air of depression about it, and the thieves were no help in this matter. Their presence only made everyone wary of one another. Tensions raised in an already pressured kingdom.
Scavengers, they were. Like vultures to the dying corpse. They didn’t even wait for it to bleed out before they began to pick and bicker over the meat. With the head cut off, it was only a matter of time, too. The creature gave an occasion twitch, but otherwise put up no struggle against these beasts. The vultures didn’t wait. The vultures didn’t care. They added to the pain and misery of the dying creature, pecking at it until nothing was left but bone.
It wasn’t as if the thieves were hiding, either. Many of the countries soldiers were being moved out to defend against the advancing armies, and with them gone, the thieves had a free reign. Instead of the pubs being full of off duty soldiers, they were now teaming with thieves. It became commonplace to see two or three tables filled with thieves who were all boasting loudly to each other of a nightly raid. Thieves even began to work together, since picking a partner was easy with such a plethora of choices. As the thieves began to overrun things, the people began to become desperate. They tried using the curse of magic to protect themselves, and of course, by the curse of Paleb, the trickster God, it only made the thieves’ job easier.
Unsure of why or how, humans had been gifted magic from Paleb long ago. However, most viewed this ‘gift’ as a curse, seeing as the magic never worked the way one wanted it to and left it’s user helpless when they needed it most. Most people were so bitter how this ’gift’ that they had never even bothered to visit the God’s temple, and therefore didn’t even know what he looked like. Indeed, magic was only a nuisance to those who were not on Paleb’s good side. It was believed that people, such as thieves, were in favor of Paleb because of the way they deceived other humans. Most deceivers didn’t try to use magic, for the terrible consequences that would follow should their magic fail them, and that was perhaps another reason they seemed to be favored by this God.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:25 am
It was all of these reasons and beliefs that brought Amandier to Kales, to capitol of Kalour. It was always what had brought him to be lurking in the shadows of the palace walls, wondering if he could get in and out without being seen. Indeed, no one had robbed the palace before, and everything thought it was suicide because, while the lords and ladies chose ignorance over the state of their country, they still did not forsake their own safety. The palace was crawling with more soldiers then ever, and any thief who had ever dreamed of getting into the castle quickly put the dream from their head.
Orphaned as a child, with no one willing to take him in, Amandier actually thought himself lucky to have been raised by gypsies for the first few years of his life. Of all the people who could have taken him in, it was the most famous of all thieves and con-artists who did. Amandier had not been raised to cheat and steal, like most gypsy children, but the trade came as naturally to him as walking. Looking back, Amandier supposed he had never had a chance at being an honest man, but wasn’t at all upset over the way he had turned out. At least he wasn’t a peasant, or trapped under the heel of his government.
After a few years with the gypsies, when he was only just ten, Amandier saw opportunity and took it. Abandoning the gypsies, he joined and gained the trust of an acting troupe. Not only did they teach him how to control his facial expressions, and make people believe he was actually feeling whatever emotion he wanted them to think he was feeling, but also provided him with a substantial amount of money and fine items all packed into cart and pulled by a beautiful horse when he left them one cold morning. With the lessons he had learned from the actors fresh in his mind and his discovered talent from when he had been with the gypsies led Amandier to be the only thing he though he could be- a thief.
Pushing himself off the cold wall, Amandier sprinted down it’s length and then flattened himself against the wall again just before a corner. Heart hammering loudly in his chest, he looked cautiously around the corner to make sure he had gone the right way. It was with great self restraint the he stopped himself from swearing loudly when he saw the guards. In the darkness of the night, he had lost his way and gone towards the main gate instead of the service door he had jammed earlier that day. The door was too far from the gates for him to be able to make it there in time, and so with one foolish mistake, his glorious plans of doing what no thief had yet dared to do were dashed. Amandier abandoned his now hopeless plan and slunk into the shadows of the palace.
The walk was a surprisingly long one, and by the time he was close to the city again, the sun had begun to rise, and Amandier’s features where illuminated. Tall and thinly built, with short and wispy brown hair and mucky green-brown eyes that begged anyone who looked into them to trust him. One would think Amandier to still live at home- a young, foolish boy who spent his days helping support his family and courting ladies. Indeed, he was young, but none of that was exactly true. He did ‘work’, but all the profit went to himself, not any family. He did, of course, charm young women with a flash of a smile, but he had no intention of anything more then a flirtatious encounter and perhaps, if he was lucky, a night in bed
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:26 am
It was ironic, though, that as he thought of all this, he happened to bump into someone. A beautiful someone. He hadn’t been paying attention to where he was going- he figured since he was walking away form the palace, if anyone found him there, it would be harmless. So, he had no noticed the finely clothed young woman who had been looking slightly over her shoulder, as if she were being followed by someone. Amandier had but a split second warning before he walked into the young girl. Both took a step back, and the girl whipped her head around, blonde hair flying around her face as she dropped the part of her skirt she had been holding. The soft rustle the silken garments made was as loud as a backfired spell in the early morning silence.
Her eyes were wide, ice blue, and slightly frightened. The perfect shade of sandy blonde hair framed her face and cascaded down her back. The black bodice she worse gave the illusion that it laced in the front, and looked so fine Amandier considered taking it from her. Her skirts seemed to be made of the same fine material and billowed around her. Thin white ribbons trailed themselves intricately around her skirt, as if someone had decorated her, and spent many hours doing it. Amandier lost himself for a moment in trying to take all of her outfit in, for it seemed that whoever cared for her took much time and spent much money making her look as fine as a princess doll. Compared to his simple black tunic, leggings, and the leather bracers on his arms, the two looked as if they came from different worlds.
His eyes looked her over one last time, and she seemed to do the same with him. Even if her outfit were not as intricate as it was, he still would have been able to tell she was one of the ladies in the bid for the crown. Her fair skin tone showed she hardly ventured outdoors, and no common person would hold themselves the way this woman was. “Well hello lovely…” he said softly, being as sweet as he could. He smiled brightly and offered a bit of a bow. She just watched him with the same frightened expression. “What, may I ask, is someone as fine and pampered as you doing out here?”
The beautiful young woman seemed to collect herself and gain some confidence. Straightening up, she looked away from Amandier as she touched her finger tips lightly to her exposed collar bone. “What does it matter to someone like you what I do?” she asked, her voice laced with regal disdain. Amandier couldn’t help but let his sweet smile change to a grin at these words. Coming out of his bow, he took a fluid step toward the lady, who immediately looked to him again.
“I just find it curious that someone like you would be walking in the shadows of the palace as if they’re hiding from something…” he said in a sweetly seductive voice, his devilish grin changing back to his charming smile. The woman made a noise of disdain and looked away again, shaking her head.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:28 am
“I’m not hiding.”
“You look away when you’re offended.” Amandier said suddenly.
“Pardon?” was all the woman replied with as she turned back to him.
“Whenever I offend you in someway, you look away from me.” he explained. The woman again made that disdainful noise, sounding something of a snort, and then looked away. Amandier laughed loudly. The lady glared at him out of the corner of his eye, and he gave her a genuine smile. She rolled her eyes and he gave a slight gasp. “How un-ladylike of you, your highness…” he said, giving obviously false hurt and shock. Her glare intensified, and his real smile widened.
“If you must know, I’m leaving… I’ve become tired of this fight for the crown, and hove no real desire for it, anyway. I’m leaving this country before it falls.” the woman said, her words coming out very quickly. She starred past Amandier, and her eyes brightened. “I want excitement in my life… Not the boring melancholy of royalty.”
“Yes, having whatever you want must be quite boring.” Amandier commented sincerely. The lady seemed to take it differently, though- as if he was mocking her. She folded her arms under her chest and glared at him more. He gave a sort of pleading look, as if there was nothing he could do to convince her he truly meant as he had said. “You’re going the wrong way it you’re trying to get away…” he informed her, the woman’s initial charm wearing off. The woman’s eyes widened, and Amandier realized that she was actually extremely young; she could be no older then he himself.
The girl was just about to declare her despair at this news when men’s shouts could be heard in the distance. Amandier looked towards the horizon, and saw that in that time he had spent talking to this young woman, the sun had risen completely. Another shout could be heard, and Amandier took this as his cue to leave. Moving as if he were going to walk around the young girl and sprint back to town, but something stopped him. Before he knew what he was doing, he offered his hand to the girl.
Not even sure what made him do it, he was only aware his hand was held out after looking at it for a moment. The girl’s eyes kept flicking between his hand, his face, and the direction of the shouting men. He wouldn’t blame her if she did not take his hand, for he himself would not have gone with someone he had just met. However, she raised her hand a bit, as if to take his, and he let his eyes widen in shock. He barely noticed when she took his hand; for she placed hers on his so lightly if he was not looking he might not have known it happened. Making his smile as comforting as he could, he closed his hand around her and gave a pull, urging her to follow him. With one last look over her shoulder, she followed.
*~*
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:29 am
*~*
Having been in Kales for a while, the rooting landscape began to make Amandier itch of a change in scenery. With Kales being the capital of the country, half the population consisted of thieves. Amandier had gained little from coming here, and didn’t expect to get much more if he stayed. The girl shifted in his bed- Amandier had let her sleep and chosen to stay awake himself. His gaze flicked to her, but when she did not wake he went on with his thoughts. He could not go along the North or West roads; both went too close to the boarder and fighting. Amandier had heard the South roads were dangerous, and there was nothing to be gained in the towns around there. His only choice, then, was to go back to the burnt out town in the east he had skipped over on his way to Kales.
Without wondering why or how he was going to get her out with him, Amandier’s plans automatically included the girl. He would need to find her new clothes, that much was obvious. While he could buy them, leaving the ones she had behind seemed like such a waste. If he wanted to sell them, Amandier’s only chance at getting a good price was to take them to a merchant during the day. He was reluctant to walk around with a bundle of fine clothes in broad daylight when the woman those cloths had belong to was now missing at the castle, but the thief had no other choice.
The girl’s head suddenly appeared among the poof of her many skirts. Her hair was disheveled when she sat up, but almost immediately began to fell back into place as she looked around. After a long moment, her eyes rested on Amandier, and she looked him up and down as he gave her his trademark smile, tilting his head a bit as he did. Her expression changed to a bit of a glare. “I never did ask your name, m’lady.” he said sweetly. Her glared intensified.
“Cecile…” was all she said after a moment. Since she didn’t ask his he didn’t give it. Instead he just nodded and tossed her a spare set of his clothes. Her eyes widened, and she gave him a bit of a reproachful look. He gave her a bit of the same look back.
“We’re going to need to get rid of those clothes. We’ll find you something that fits better then these, but for now it’s what you’ll have to wear…” as he spoke, Cecile looked from the clothes to him and back again, before standing elegantly.
“You’ll need to… unlace me…” she said, her cheeks turning a deep red. Amandier gave a bit of a start at this, and she quickly turned and swept her hair away from her back, so she could avoid looking at him. With nervous hands, he reached up and began to fumble with the ties that kept her bodice laced tight. Every so often, his fingers would slip and brush against her back, and when this happened, she would tremble. It was almost a relief when, after a few tugs at the tightly laced strings, Cecile stepped away. She looked back at him over her shoulder and he gave a bit of a nod, awkwardly walking away and standing so he wouldn’t see her.
As he stood, he wondered why he bothered. There had been no need to him to take this girl with him, and there had certainly been no need for him to make sure he couldn’t see her undress. In fact, he was deeply regretting this now, but knew if he moved she would notice. He gave a bit of a sigh and leaned his head against a wall. Amandier couldn’t help but mentally scold himself for the affection he felt towards this girl. What was she to him?
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:31 am
There a tap on his shoulder, and he turned, his thoughts stopping completely. The narrow tunic he had given her coupled with the corset she wore beneath accepted her curves just as much, it not better, then the bodice had. Amandier had never seen a woman who wasn’t a thief in pants, and yet they seemed to fit Cecile. He realized his eyes had gone a bit wide, and she had begun to blush. Letting his eyes roam over her one last time, he shook himself and decided to change one last thing. Walking to the black and white mound of silk that had been her skirt, he ripped off one of the ribbons. Cecile took a bit of a step back when he came close, but he ignored this and gathered her hair up, tying it in the ribbon. He made a terrible job of it, and the whole thing ended up looking terribly messy in a beautiful way.
The girl stepped away, as if reluctant to stay too close for him for too long, and he complied by walking away to gather up the discarded clothes. When he stood, she was starring at him. This strange girl made him uncomfortable, in some way, and he could think of nothing to say. He gave a bit of a nod, and she gave one back, her eyes suddenly seeming so much more determined and hard set. With this she seemed to age, and a true air of confidence radiated from her- not something like the false confidence he had felt when he met her. Something made Amandier hold back a smile as he turned and walked out of the room. Carrying the bundled up clothes in his arms, he walked out of the inn he was staying at without receiving any looks, for something like this was no longer strange to the people who were so accustomed to thieves.
Trudging through the dusty streets, Amandier amused himself by observing the people he passed. Everything around him was so sorrowfully broken, and the people reflected this. Men and women in dusty, worn clothes sulked around their homes, trying to do something productive as children ran by, kicking up great clouds of dust as they went. The stone buildings were close together, and the only place Amandier passed that seemed to have life in it was a pub. Although he didn’t get too close, he could hear the loud, gruff voices, already thick with the influence of their drinks.
Watching a man trying to erect a barrier around his house was most amusing. He stood there, moving slowly around the crumbling little building, mumbling as he ran his hands over every bit of stone he could manage to touch. Amandier had to suppress a childish giggle as he passed the muttering man. He knew it was wrong to laugh at some one who was desperate enough to use his curse, but Amandier couldn’t help but find the whole thing funny. Not only did the man look like an insane fool, but he was making his house a target for later that night.
Although he was surrounded by melancholy, Amandier couldn’t help but feel a slight air of contentment. Maybe it was just him, but the people seemed to be happy, though he couldn’t imagine what they had to be happy about. Amadier thought of the fact that no matter who controlled the country, these people would still be struggling for survival. Maybe they were all just hopeful the new ruler would be somewhat like King Hedgar. He could only shrug to himself and continue through the narrow streets.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:32 am
Just about to emerge from the shadows of the close together buildings and into the bright sunlit lane leading to the market, the slight clink of someone walking in armor made Amandier stop and slink back into the shadows. His ears picked up and his heart half sunk to his stomach. Two fully armored soldiers came into view for just a moment before leaving Amandier’s line of vision. He carefully crept to the edge of the alleyway he was in to see the two soldiers turn into the market. He gave a growl and retreated back into the shadows.
Too cautious to try and sneak around the wide lane now, he was forced to find an alternative route. However, these kinds of things came easily to a thief, and it wasn’t long before Amandier had gotten himself and the bundle of cloths on top of low roof. Running as lightly as he could, he hurried to the house just near the market, and set the clothes down before dropping to his stomach, creeping to the edge of the building, and looking down.
The two soldiers seemed to be having a heated discussion with the first stall owner, and judging by their expressions, the conversation wasn’t going as they had wanted it to. One suddenly grabbed the owner by the apron he wore and said what seemed to be a few threatening words- Amandier had not been able to catch a word of the conversation. The stall owner was thrown back roughly and given an angry look from both soldiers before they stalked off with Amandier following them on the rooftops. When the stopped at the next stall, Amandier was just barely able to make out what they were saying, and what he heard made his heart drop into his stomach yet again. The soldiers were looking for him.
Not Amandier specifically, for they gave no physical description, but for someone who had sold a fine black bodice and matching skirt. A fine black bodice and matching skirt like the one that was laying abandoned on the roof, just a few feet from where Amandier lay, spying on the soldiers. He could only assume what the soldiers thought had happened to the girl who had once been in the fine clothes. Amandier could only guess that if there were soldiers here, there would soon be soldiers all over the city. Abandoning the clothes, he ran over rooftops, barely aware he was going back for the girl until he was just a short jump away from the edge just outside his window at the inn.
Partially jumping to the ledge in surprise, he realized it would be a waste to leave the girl now that he was back. Cecile’s wide eyes watching him unblinkingly as he slid through the window, ran to her and pulled her along with him. Snatching his pack that hung on a hook by the door, Amandier fled down the stairs with the girls hand gripped tight in his own. They had barely reached the bottom when Amandier began to pull her back up- another pair of soldiers were talking to the inn owner outside. The confused young girl didn’t have the time or breath to ask questions as they dashed back up to the room they had just come from.
Amandier couldn’t help but feel he had no choice then to take the girl with him now. Mentally scolding himself for not checking the streets as he ran along the roof tops for more soldiers, Amandier could only slide back out the window he had come in. He offered his hand to her as he turned, and the girl didn’t hesitate; grabbing his shoulders and sliding out as his hands went to her waist. Once she was on the roof, there was a pause as they looked into each other’s eyes before her hand was held tight in Amandier’s and he was pulling her along with him again.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:33 am
Why had he been so stupid as to go back for the girl? If he had left the girl, he could have run faster. He wouldn’t have to feed her or do any worrying about her. She could survive being found by soldiers, but if they caught Amandier with her, they would kill him on the spot. The thought spurred Amandier on, and he began to run faster. Cecile stumbled along behind him, struggling to keep up. It was obvious now they were fleeing, and she stopped struggling to ask questions and instead focused on matching Amandier’s pace.
He only stopped when an arrow gazed his cheek and sped off into the distance. Cecile ran into him a bit, but Amandier was still able to get a clear view of two soldiers on the street below, one fitting an arrow into his bow as the other took aim. Amandier could see another two climbing onto a roof across the lane. Cursing softly, he started into a sprint again, Cecile stumbling behind him. The edge of town as quickly approaching, and Amandier knew as a few arrows zoomed past his head that they wouldn’t have time to stop. Putting on an extra spurt of speed as he reached the last building, he kicked off the edge and pulled Cecile through the air with him.
When he hit the ground, he knees buckled and he went sprawling. He knew Cecile did the same, since her hand was still held tightly in his. He painfully pushed himself up, and after looking back to see the girl standing with him, he took off again. With a look over his shoulder, Amandier saw about ten soldiers slowing to a trot as they drew arrows. He could run faster then he was, and Cecile was panting and stumbling as she tried to continue. He looked away and tried to gain speed, arrows flying past his head. For one short moment, he thought they were going to be fine…
Cecile’s hand left his, and he turned to see her falling to the ground, an arrow buried in her calf. His gaze moved to the soldiers, who were getting ready to fire again. Amandier realized they weren’t just trying to get her back to the castle. They were just trying to make sure she didn’t get away. Without even thinking of what he was doing, Amandier was in front of her, his body tensed and his arms spread wide. It may have been a stupid mistake to take her with him, or to go back for her, but he wasn’t going to let someone die for his stupid mistakes.
Everything seemed to happen faster and slower then normal at the same time. Amandier watched close to a dozen arrows launch in slow motion and move at a sluggish pace towards him, where in his peripheral something moved so quickly it was a blur. He barely registered Cecile was in front of him, a terrifyingly angry expression on her face, her body tensed in a defensive stance. Amandier didn’t have time to pull her away; the slow moving arrows were too close, and he himself felt slowed. Everything slowed further to a complete stop. The soldiers in the distance stood shocked. Suddenly everything seemed back to normal as they fit more arrows into their bows. The first few arrows, though, still hung in midair in front of Cecile. Throwing her arms out as she stood straight, the suspended arrows went zooming back to their owners at an alarming speed, striking each fatally.
Amandier stood in shock, and he barely registered that Cecile was trying to pull him back into a run. A few more soldiers appeared, examining their fallen companions. The girl gave a hard tug on the boy’s arm, and he started into a blind, stumbling run. The girl kept pulling impatiently on his hand, but when the cries of the soldiers had died into the distance and they were nothing but specs, Cecile gave up on pulling Amandier along, and he sunk to the ground. The arrow was still sticking out of her leg.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:34 am
He starred weakly up at this strange girl as she sorrowfully kept her eyes on the ground. A dozen questions tried to force themselves out of him at once, but all he seemed capable of was wordlessly opening his mouth and trying to for multiple words at a time. Cecile’s eyes darted to him and then became shier as she looked away again. “Don’t look at me like that…” she said softly, her voice coming out as a hoarse, sad whisper. Amandier’s expression changed to a bit of a pleading one, for he had no idea how he was supposed to look at her. Eventually he pushed himself to his feet, continuing to stare at the girl.
“What are you?” he finally managed to work out. At his words, Cecile flinched, and then gave a heavy, sad sigh. She kept her eyes on the ground, and took another deep breath before speaking softly. Her voice sounded hurt.
“I’m… I’m… I don’t know…”
She looked up into his shocked and confused eyes. He noticed her eyes had a bit of a strange glow to them, and her pupils were dilated. The same sorrowful expression that had been in her eyes was now mixed with a pleading one. “I’m sure I’m… human…” she said slowly. “It’s just… I, as far as anyone can tell, am the only person who has good, if not complete, control over their magic…” she trailed off, but Amandier had barely registered this when she began to explain more.
“I can use my powers consciously, but sometimes it’s subconscious, too. The reason you didn’t leave without me was because part of me made you offer your hand to me. I didn’t want to be left- I was scared of being caught. I didn’t mean to, but… I knew you could get me out. When we were running, I even tried letting go of your hand, but… I just couldn’t. Even if I had, I was so anxious to not go back I think you would have been influenced to turn back for me…”
The girl looked away shamefully as Amandier’s expression turned to that of slight anger. “So you were only using me to get yourself out?”
“I didn’t mean to!” she cried out defensively. “I wasn’t trying to make you, I just… It just…”
She looked away from his angry gaze, her eyes wide and hurt. Amandier had the strong urge to just walk away from this girl; to just leave her standing here as he went his own way. However, one last question was stuck in his head, and although he was sure he knew the answer, he stopped himself from leaving to ask it anyway. “So why did you want to get out so badly?”
There was a long, awkward pause before the girl began to speak. “I had been in the bid for the crown, and could have gotten it, but once the other Lords and Ladies discovered my abilities, they all ganged up against my care taker and myself, neither of us could resist them. I was removed from the bid for the crown, and plans started being made for me to be used in the wars. I had no say in any of it, and so found it better to run away then let them use me as they wanted…”
Amandier’s expression softened, and after yet another pause, he found himself offering his hand to her as he had so many times already. Her wide, shocked eyes flicked between his offered hand and his face. He let a genuine smile break through. “This better not be more subconscious influencing.” he said, amusement in his voice. Cecile have a bit of a laugh and took his hand, a smile breaking across her face. With one last look back at Kale’s, Amandier’s expression became hard set and determined. The dry, dusty landscape around them seemed to go on forever, with Kales being the only sign of life. With a bit of a nod, he walked away, pulling the girl with him.
*~*
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 8:35 am
*~*
“Where are we?” the girl asked tiredly.
“Just outside Loken.” the boy answered.
The pair trudged along the dry, dusty road. The path they followed was only different from the rest of the yellow landscape because of the tracks carved by carts passing through. Besides for the occasional tuft of course, yellow grass there was no cover along the road. Traveling like this for the past few days made Amandier eager to reach the ghostly outline of the town ahead. Four days had passed since they had set off together; he was sure they were being followed by now.
“Do you regret leaving Valour behind?” Amandier asked suddenly.
With nothing to do in the four longs days together besides talk, Amandier had learned a lot about this strange girl. Amandier had been shocked to find out she had not been borne as royalty, but as a peasant. She came from a family with more kids then they could afford, in the worst part of the worst city in the country. Her ability to control magic displayed itself at a young age, but her parents didn’t realize she could control it completely for quite sometime. When they finally did, the two seemed to suffer no hardship when they sold her off. Luckily, Cecile had ended up in the care of Valour, a lord who lived not too far off from the city. Valour treated Cecile as his own child, and took extreme interest in her education and practice of magic. After these long years, it was impossible to tell that Cecile was not actually Valour’s child.
However, when the lords and ladies in the castle found out about Cecile, she was no longer considered human. After weeks of plans involving her being made without her or Valour’s consent, Cecile could think of only one escape. She could not tell Valour of her plans to run away; when he was questioned, he would be able to answer honesty about not knowing. The night she has escaped through Amandier’s jammed service door had not been planned, and so she hadn’t really thought of Valour until she and Amandier were far away from the city.
“I’m sure he understands…” she said solemnly. Her tone of voice made Amandier reluctant to try and strike up any conversation between them. Instead, he thought back to the gypsies who had raised him. The night before he left, the only fortune teller in the group had come to him. She sat on the ground across the fire from him and watched him for a long while. When the fire had cleared, and they were the only two left, she finally spoke.
“Paleb’s got an eye for you.” she had wheezed. “Don’t mock him.”
The words echoed through Amandier’s mind as if she had just spoken them. He could see everything clear in his mind’s eye. The flames had distorted the old woman’s time worn face, but he remembered the dark glint in her eyes. As he had crept between the caravans in the early morning mist, the old woman had been there. She was leaning against a cart at the very edge of the camp. Although she said nothing as he passed, Amandier could feel her cold, black eyes burning into him as he walked away.
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