Welcome to Gaia! ::

Oh, ditto.

I wasn't dissing you or anything, you know. I just consider this pointless if there are rules...but it seems to be working for ya mrgreen

I found that last line excessively funny. I have a few friends who are very blonde... and I could just picture them saying that.

Can't wait to read it. I need to get Chapter IX started and finished, then at least start Chapter X (9 and 10 for those who don't know roman numerals).

Chapter Five:

“I can’t believe you’re taller than me,” Marli repeated again, for the millionth time, sounding highly offended.

“No, we’re not,” Kamilé lied; she and Everan, who were exactly the same height, rose about a half-inch over Marli’s head, who was always rather small, though since she was four years older than them, they tried not to show it.

“Just look at the two of you.” Marli stood back a pace and looked at them; they wished she wouldn’t, suddenly self-conscious of their tattered clothes and scarred faces. “You look so different…”

Kamilé wrinkled her nose, answering for the both of them. “No, we aren’t,” she insisted. “We aren’t different at all.”

“Marli, stop bugging them,” Raena called from behind the three of them, where she was looking at the many ornaments and trinkets humans so often had to sell in Merista. “They aren’t kids anymore, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah,” her sister muttered rebelliously. “You two never grow up, do you?”

Everan frowned reproachfully at her, but Kamilé just grinned and shook her head.

“But where have you been?”

Kamilé gestured vaguely north, then east. At a strange look from Marli, however, she was forced to say, “All over the place, really. We just came back from Hteirötso…”

“The dwarven city?” Marli shook her head in amazement. “Why am I not surprised?”

“We’ve really missed you,” Raena added to them.

“Yes, we have,” Marli agreed. “Are you coming home after the Festival?”

The look she gave them was steady and serious; there would be no dodging around this question. Kamilé and Everan glanced at each other, then, wordlessly, shook their heads in unison.

Marli only nodded, as if she had expected as much from them. “I thought so,” she said, with a quiet smile. “It’s Sirtema’s spell.”

They had nothing to say to that; exchanging a look again, they only shrugged.

“So why are you two here?” she asked them, with a return of her cheerful enthusiasm. “Just to see the city?”

Kamilé snorted. “No. We have to tell Lina something, but that stupid guard wouldn’t let us in the gate…”

“Oh, that isn’t a problem,” Marli replied airily. “We’re going there, too, you can just come with us. Lina’s meeting us there.”

“Speaking of,” Raena called to them, glancing at the clock, “we should go now, it’s almost noon.”

“Okay. Come on, you two,” Marli beckoned, and they followed her and Raena through the crowded plaza and to the rightly locked gate in front of Lina’s house.

“Can I help you?” the man said, hardly looking up.

“Yes, we’re expected.”

“Expected, huh?” He consulted a scroll lying next to his chair. “And your names?”

“Marli, Raena, Kamilé, Everan,” Marli replied at once.

“Have neither Kamilé nor Everan,” he informed them, ticking something off the list, “though you’re free to go.”

“Of course you do,” Raena said with a smile, pointing to something on the list. “See, there they are.”

“But that’s the twin chosen,” he objected, “and they’re—”

He froze, looking up for the first time; Everan waved and Kamilé stuck her tongue out at him.

“What—but they—!” he spluttered.

“Can you open the gate, please?” Raena asked him pleasantly. He shook himself and nodded, pulling a latch back from behind his chair, and the gate opened itself with ease.

“The Lady will be waiting for you inside,” he managed, still gaping at Kamilé and Everan, who now took no more notice of him than they would a blade of grass. The gate slid shut behind them as they headed for the front of the large, imposing house in front of them. Glancing back at the poor confused gateman, they could not help but grin at each other.

Looking around them, they could not see how anyone would think this beautiful—the house was surrounded by grass on all sides, with only a few trees here and there, some lining the path on which they walked, and all of them small, shady, and graceful. They kept their eyes on the cobbled path, missing fervently the old, tall trees of the forest and its bright, heady flowers, its scented undergrowth, its open skies.

They were jerked back to reality as Raena knocked sharply on the door. It flew open at once, a tall, thin man with a cheerful smile standing in the doorway. “May I help you?”

“The governess is expecting us,” Raena replied, “may we come in?”

“Of course.” He stepped aside and bowed them in, casting a strange look at Kamilé and Everan but saying nothing. They kept their eyes to the floor, wishing that no one would ever look at them like that ever again, as if they were something strange and unclean, even though they knew it could not be helped. Even if they had not been travel-worn, scarred, and ragged as they were, twins seemed to be rare in Ametris, and after all, they did look exactly alike.

A servant came up at the man’s beckon; he whispered something to her and she nodded, gesturing for them to follow as she led them through a stone archway into the corridor. “This way.”

Kamilé and Everan had never been in a house this large and grand before—they had been in a castle, but this was far different. The inside of the house was not overly ornate, but rather tangibly imposing, with wooden floors, stone walls, and arched, cut-glass windows. The ceiling rose high above their heads, and candles burned brightly in sconces along the walls. At least a dozen doors led off this corridor alone, solid, thick oak with metal hinges. They had never seen anything quite like it; it had always been a great sin for elves to cut a tree down for only wood, so the thin pieces of wood beneath their feet and the carefully carved and sanded doors were something entirely foreign to them.

The woman who led them beckoned them up a flight of stairs and down two corridors without a word, but before they rounded a last corner, she felt the need to speak up, in a quiet voice barely above a whisper. “The Lady will be meeting you soon. If you would kindly wait for her in here…”
She showed them into a small, ornate room, where a teapot and a plate of scones had already been set out for them.

“Would you be so kind as to remove your weapons, sir and miss?” she added politely; Kamilé and Everan jumped as they realized she was talking to them.

“No,” Kamilé said, abhorring the thought of removing the comforting weight of the sword at her back. She glanced at Everan, knowing he felt the same way about his bow and quiver. “No, we’re fine like this.”

“It would be best if you did, miss,” the woman persisted. “It would be quite disrespectful, and the Lady would never allow it—”

“Never allow what?” a calm, composed voice asked them, and they turned to see Lina standing in the doorway, watching them without a word until now. The woman bowed, immediately explaining.

“My Lady, I have merely asked them to remove their weapons in your presence…”

“It’s all right,” Lina said at once, “they are fine. We shall call you if we need you, but until then, you are free to do as you please.”

“Yes, Milady.” She bowed again and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the four elves alone with the leader of the human race.

“Kamilé and Everan,” she said with a smile, “it’s good to see you again.”

They nodded, and Kamilé attempted a clumsy bow, but Lina’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. “No,” she said gently, “you bow to no one here.”

Confused, they said nothing. She laid a hand on both of their soldiers, looking them up and down, amazed. They fervently hoped she would not exclaim over how much they had grown like all other adults seemed to do.

“Look at you two,” she said, shaking her head. “You’ve changed so much…”

“No we haven’t,” Kamilé objected at once. “We’re not different.”

Lina smiled. “Perhaps not, but you no longer look the same…what happened here?” she asked, the smile flitting away from her face, and her expression clouded as she pointed to the scar over Everan’s eye.

[KV: Battle scar. Sirtema. Nuff said. It's not really a big deal.]

“Oh, um…”Kamilé glanced at Everan uneasily. “We’ll have to tell you about it later.”

“And to your arm?”

At this, Kamilé flushed and put her hand to her arm, looking away. “It’s nothing.”

Lina nodded understandingly, leading them over to a soft heather-filled chair. “Hello, Marli,” she added, gesturing for them all to sit. “I haven’t seen you in a while. Is this your sister?”

“Yes, this is Raena.” Raena smiled and extended a hand, which Lina shook. “She’s from Sirtema, too.”

Lina nodded, pleased. “Good. Now, there are four of you.” Both older women glanced at Kamilé, Everan, and Marli, who was pouring tea and hardly noticed. “Exactly the people I want to talk to.”

“Why’s that?” Marli asked curiously, setting the polished silver teapot carefully on the table.

“Well, for one thing,” Lina explained, “I’m very curious to hear about what the chosen have been doing for the past two years.”

Kamilé and Everan exchanged yet another uneasy glance.

“All else can wait.” Lina set her teacup down, turning to the two teenagers. “So tell me, what have you been up to since I last saw you?”

Kamilé and Everan could tell at once that she knew where they had been, though not what they had done, and she was curious. But they hardly felt like explaining now.

What should I tell her? Kamilé asked Everan, biting her lip anxiously.

Give her the simple version.

What one’s that? To her, nothing about their adventure in Sirtema was simple.

Just say what I tell you…

Everan thought carefully about it before giving her a basic, skeletal version, and Kamilé repeated his words to Lina.

“We went to Sirtema the night of the festival. There was a war there that was tearing the country apart. It took a long time, but our side finally won last summer. And then we came back.”

Lina smiled, amused, resting her chin in her hand. “Is that all? One would think you would be proud of such an achievement…you have every right to brag about something like that.”

Kamilé only shook her head, frowning, as if Lina had said something both ridiculous and insulting.

“Both of you left at the same time, correct?” Kamilé glanced at Everan, then nodded. Lina’s smile never faltered. “Because I heard that you,” she said, pointing at Kamilé, “ran away about a month after the festival.”

Kamilé looked up at her, surprised; Lina knew more than she had expected. Everan glanced at her, confused—she had never told him about that part.

“I’m curious,” Lina said calmly. “So if you would be so kind, may I hear the longer version of the story—the truth, please.” It was not a question.
Neither of them replied. Kamilé had her arms around her knees, looking away, and Everan frowned at Lina, angry at her for making his friend so upset.

“Don’t, Lina,” Marli said quietly, shaking her head. Lina got the point, and she did not bring the subject up again.

Everan laid a hand on Kamilé’s shoulder. Are you okay?

Yeah, she lied, sitting up straight. I’m fine.

But he knew she wasn’t. Kamilé—

“Hey, Lina,” Kamilé interrupted aloud, “that sorceress that started the fire in Kocha was the queen of Sirtema, the one who started the war.”

“Yes, that was the other thing I wanted to ask.” Lina took a sip of tea, sharp green eyes glancing at each of them in turn. “Is she going to be back again?”

“No,” Kamilé replied, “she won’t.”

“Good. She caused quite a lot of trouble while you were gone…” She seemed to be talking more to Everan this time. Kamilé’s expression hardened, though she didn’t say a word. “Did you kill her?”

“No. A demon was in her, and it made her do all that stuff,” Kamilé answered, her eyes diamond-hard. “We killed the demon.”

“A demon?” Lina might have known about Sirtema, somehow, but she was unfamiliar with the additional six races it had, other than the four who resided in Ametris.

“Yeah.” Kamilé did not explain, and Everan chose not to admonish her. Lina automatically looked to Marli.

“What do you want me to say?” she asked, almost defensively. “Demons possess people, and that’s pretty much it.”

“And the stronger ones are nearly impossible to kill,” Raena added, and all three of them exchanged knowing looks, with a nearly imperceptible glance at the two silver-eyed teenagers across from them. Everan shot a look at Raena, who most likely knew everything about their journey to and from Sirtema and could easily tell Lina everything. Kamilé was hardly paying attention.

Breaking the silence, the door opened, and they heard an indistinct male voice, deep and calm, speaking quietly, before a tall, light-haired merman walked inside with a smile. “Sorry I’m late, Lina.”

“That’s quite all right, Italis,” she replied graciously, gesturing to an empty seat. “Sit down, will you? We were just talking about the chosen’s journey to Sirtema…”

Italis looked around, noticed the two of them, and grinned. “Kamilé! Everan!” He extended a hand to them, eyes shining. “It’s good to see you again! It’s been ages, hasn’t it?”

Kamilé smiled in return, shaking the hand of the Merchieftain, an old friend; Everan declined, though, Italis knew, not out of rudeness.

“What are you two doing here?” he asked them genially, taking a seat on the sofa. “I heard you came back a year ago, what’ve you been up to?”

Everan shrugged, and Kamilé replied, “We went to Sirtema, is all. How about you?”

Italis laughed, his bare shoulders shaking with mirth. “Oh, is that all?” His grin widened. “Come on, tell me, I want to hear all about it!”

They were much more inclined to tell him than Lina, of course, but still, they hesitated. Lina sighed, shaking her head at him.

“Apparently, they don’t want to talk about it,” she informed the Merchieftain. “They have a very short version, and that’s all I’ve heard out of them.”

“Aw, why not?” he coaxed them. “We’re all curious.”

They shook their heads, frowning, until he realized that they could not be persuaded. He shrugged, sighing.

“Guess not. What’s been going on around here, Lina?” he asked her, folding his legs and giving her his full attention.

“Not much,” she replied, pouring him a cup of tea. “But I’m more interested in hearing about your people, Italis.”

“Oh, we’re fine,” he said cheerfully, spooning sugar into his tea. “As long as there’s clear water, merpeople will be satisfied. Everything’s great…”

But for some reason, his voice sounded strained.

“I heard your daughter was ill,” Lina said quietly. “Has she gotten any better?”

He fiddled with his teaspoon, the smile fading from his face. After a long time, he replied quietly, “No. Turns out, she has the sickness.”

“Oh, Italis, I’m sorry,” Lina said gently, placing her hand on his shoulder.

“What sickness?” Kamilé interrupted curiously. She drew back, falling silent as every adult’s eyes turned on her.

“It’s a rare disease,” Marli answered in a low voice. “Only merpeople can get it, and very few at that. It deteriorates them from the inside, you see. Merpeople breathe with gills, and the disease slowly stops them from working properly. The body receives less and less air, and eventually, the victim will suffocate.”

“Ow,” Kamilé said to herself. Italis twirled the spoon pensively between his fingers, lost in thought.

“I didn’t know you had a daughter, Italis.” Kamilé tried to sound as upbeat as possible. Everyone in the room glared at her, warning her silently to stop being so tactless; but Italis smiled, looking up.

“Oh, of course,” he answered. “She’s a sweet girl, you know, around your age—you should come and see her sometime! She would like that.”

“Sure we will,” Kamilé agreed, feeling like she was lying through her teeth. She held up her right hand, on which a shining, obsidian bracelet glowed in the lanterns’ light. “We still have these, we’d be glad to.”

It was worth it just to see him so happy again, even though they knew that they could not. Some inner instinct inside them told both of them to avoid everything familiar, to explore everything in Ametris until they knew it all, and never once go back to any place at all. They did not know why, but it was an urge that they fiercely obeyed.

“So that’s that,” Lina said briskly, clapping her hands together. “Unless the chosen would like to speak up…?”

They knew it; all she wanted was to hear the story from them, probably not realizing that it would haunt her dreams for years if they ever did. They themselves could never forget all the horrors they had seen in Sirtema…

Lina was watching them, expecting an answer, and Everan nudged Kamilé gently, urging her silently to tell what they had come to say. She nodded, speaking up.

“We just wanted to tell you that Sirtema’s peaceful again, Lina,” she said quietly. “So there’s nothing to worry about anymore.”

But as she said it aloud, both of them knew that it wasn’t what they had come to say…come to think of it, they had never actually known what they wanted to tell her, they only knew that they had to come here and speak with her…

“Thank you,” she said gratefully, though with a vague air of disappointment.. “Oh, by the way, would the two of you like to stay here tonight? Marli, Raena, you’re more than welcome to stay, too.”

“Sure we will,” Marli answered at once. “Well, we can’t speak for Kamilé and Everan…”

“Yeah,” Kamilé answered, speaking for them both, “we will, too.”

“I can’t,” Italis objected apologetically. “I have to get home.”

Lina nodded. “Thank you for coming, Italis, and I hope your daughter gets well soon.”

He nodded, ashen-faced once more, and saying his goodbyes he stood up and left. Before he closed the door behind him, Kamilé called with a smile, “’Bye! Tell your daughter we said hello, okay?”

And distantly, they heard him shout something that sounded like a cheerful assent.

Nice lying, Everan said sarcastically.

What can I say? she replied guiltily. I’ve gotten good at it.

You know we can’t go there, right?

Yeah…but look how happy it made him! Isn’t it our job to make people happy?

It was when we were actually the chosen.

Oh, we aren’t now?

No.

“Anyway," Lina interrupted their thoughts unknowingly, "I will meet all four of you at dinner here tonight—that’s at six o’clock, by the way. I presume you’ll be able to see the clock wherever you go…I’ll have someone show you to your rooms.” She rang a small silver bell once or twice before setting it in its place on the table; at once, the woman who had showed them there appeared.

“You called, Milady?”

“Would it be too much trouble to prepare four extra rooms? We have guests.”

“Not at all. Right this way,” she added to the four of them, and led them into the hall and to the right. She directed Marli and Raena to two rooms down the hall and turned down another corridor, beckoning the two to follow.

“You don’t have to give us separate rooms, you know,” Kamilé told her.

She laughed airily. “What then, shall I allow you two to share one?”

The way she said it, it sounded like the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. Of course, they had nothing to say to that. Humans were very strange creatures indeed.

“Here’s your room, sir,” she said politely to Everan, opening his door for him, “and miss, yours is right across the corridor. If you need anything, just call.”

“Um, okay,” Kamilé said unsurely. “Thanks…”

She glanced at Everan as the woman bustled down the corridor and out of sight.

It’d probably be rude to share a room, Everan said, though I can’t really see why.

Humans are weird.

Yeah, he agreed, they really are. Where should we go now?

Kamilé didn’t even have to think about it; their whole life had been rather flighty, as they had constantly moved around, never satisfied with wherever they had been before. Clock tower first, she insisted, and he grinned.

You read my mind.

She laughed, breaking into a run as they raced down the hall, eager to get out of the cold, gloomy house as soon as possible. Several servants frowned at them as they ran past, but they paid them no heed. “Sorry!” Kamilé called to the man at the door as he quickly opened it for them, nearly falling over in the process. Despite that, they kept running, only stopping rather suddenly as they came to the gate.

“Hey,” Kamilé said, startling the man sitting on the other side. “Can you let us out?”

“Oh…sorry.” His attitude was very different now. “Of course.”

The gate opened smoothly, and they slid out, closing it behind them.

“Chosen, I’m awfully sorry about the way I treated you before,” the gateman said, bowing low to them. “Please forgive my rudeness.”

Kamilé and Everan glanced at each other. They always do that, they thought in unison.

“It’s okay,” Kamilé said at last, with a genuine smile. “It happens. We probably should have said something, anyway.”

“Milady said to be back before dusk, by the way,” he added, suddenly seeming much warmer and friendlier. “I’ll have to lock the gate then.”

“Course we will. Bye!”

Before he could say anything more, they had run off, disappearing into the crowd as they raced to the base of the clock tower.

Where’s the door? Kamilé asked curiously, peering around the corner. Did you see it earlier?

No, I forgot about that…I could make one, I guess.
Yeah, good idea.
He touched his hands together lightly until they glowed orange, placing them on the stone. A small gap appeared around his hands, growing wider by the second.
Whoa, he said hastily, closing the gap once again. Not there. There's a huge gear in the way...

Somewhere else, then, Kamilé said, rolling her eyes. You really shouldn’t make holes in the wall anyway.

You’re telling me about right and wrong?

Yup, she said cheerfully as with a flash of orange light, he created a small aperture for them to slip through.

Cool! Kamilé thought at once, staring in awe at the interior of the huge tower. Everan agreed, his eyes following the turning gears, the pulleys, and the swift river below that powered it all. They stood on a walkway that wound all the way up the tower, spiraling against the wall, and wound downward all the way to the river’s bank. The water was shallow and narrow, merely a branch of the Iiyana like the many other streams in Merista, and it turned a large waterwheel at a steady pace. That in turn moved a gear, and it turned another, and so on, until all that could be seen was a maze of gears, and the faint glow of the white marble face high above.

I wonder how it works? Everan took a few steps towards the water, completely overawed by the amazing clock’s infrastructure.

I wonder if I could go all the way up there! Kamilé countered enthusiastically.

Amazing, Everan said to himself, obviously not listening to a word she had said. [KV: Everan is like the Ametris version of Winry, heh heh heh.] And this all works off of mechanics?

What?

And it’s completely accurate, and everything! I wonder what happens if the river flows faster or slower…

This is Ametris, Everan, Kamilé reminded him. Everything moves at the same pace…all the time.

I don’t know, Kamilé…

She yawned. And the big deal is…? Come on, I want to go explore!

He agreed, following her as she danced up the walkway, keeping time with the steady, monotonous click, tick, click, tick, as the frame around the clock face slowly moved, the single black stone at the circular frame’s peak keeping the time second by second. He watched the gears turn, the entire huge array of mechanics working with awe, while she set her eyes on the ceiling, occasionally looking down to see how high up they were. Everan, not fond of heights, wished she would not—Kamilé, who loved being as high up as she could, did anyway.

Aw, it stopped, Kamilé sighed, disappointed, as the end of the path came in sight. Everan sighed too, though more likely in relief, glancing uneasily over the edge of the walkway.

Thank the gods, he said gratefully.

Everan, you are no fun sometimes…

But now we can go back down, right?

Well, let’s see…Kamilé looked around thoughtfully, her quick eyes flickering to each nearby gear in turn. She smiled, satisfied, and without a word jumped lightly onto one of the gears.

Kamilé! Everan groaned. Don’t do that! You’ll fall!

Everan, why do I have to remind you so much? She jumped onto another gear, exasperated. I don’t fall unless I’m pushed.

But—

You worry too much, she said cheerfully, hopping onto a turning gear that was barely big enough for her foot. He slapped a hand to his forehead, exhaling wearily. Kamilé froze in mid-step.

Careful! she said reproachfully. I felt that!

Sorry, he apologized, forgetting about the mark on their foreheads.

She shrugged carelessly, folding her legs and sitting neatly in the center of another gear. Look, Everan, this one doesn’t even move, she informed him. Only the outside. Come on, come up here with me!

Do I have to? He swallowed nervously as he glanced at the solid ground below.

Yes.

Fine, help me out, will you?

She directed him as to where he should put his feet, grabbing his hands and pulling him forward before he fell as he made the final jump. That wasn’t so hard, was it? she said cheerfully.

Speak for yourself.

Kamilé looked up, turning her head slightly to get a clear view of the clock face. The time was backwards, of course, but the sight took their breath away.

What’re those little symbols? she asked him, pointing.

They’re just numbers, Kamilé.

Oh. I see. Gods, I really need to learn how to read…

Tried it, remember?

She grinned. How could I forget? For once, your genius got you nowhere.

I’m not a genius. And you defy intelligence.

Oh, yes you are. Everyone says so, Everan. Just admit it already.

But everyone that’s said it was only being nice to us because we’re the chosen, he pointed out. It’s not like they really meant it.

Yeah they did. Would I ever lie to you?

No, but of course I’d seem smart to you…

Hey, take that back! She shoved him lightly, insulted. And what do you mean, I “defy intelligence”?

You do. Think about it. You can’t read, and yet you can understand anything that’s written down, you can’t even spell your name, and yet you can word things perfectly when you want to…

Was that an insult or a compliment? she asked him suspiciously.

Depends, he said with a wicked smile. If you can still remember it, then it was a compliment.

And you say I’m the evil one, she laughed.

Hey, Kamilé? he asked, suddenly serious. What are we doing here?

She frowned. I don’t have a clue. I don’t like it here…it’s too much like Variah. Something about it makes me feel so…I don’t know.

Uneasy?

Yeah…

I feel the same way. Maybe…maybe we don’t belong here…

Of course we don’t, she snorted. And we didn’t belong in Sirtema either…

I hate this, he muttered, sighing. I really hate this…

Me, too. But you know, Everan, she thought reflectively, it could be worse…I mean, we’re exploring, moving around, like always, and you know, we have each other this time…

This time?

That’s why I hate it, she said quietly. Because the last time I was here, you weren’t.

He didn’t say anything. He couldn’t.

Everan, whatever happens, we’ll always be friends, right? She moved slightly, until they were back-to-back, their familiar gesture of comforting affection.

Sure we will, he replied at once. Always. No matter what happens.

She raised her hand, reaching behind her back, and waited; he felt it there, and extended his own hand, grasping hers tightly. For a while, they sat there, motionless, drawing strength from one another.

Something was bothering them both, though they did not know it was not the same thing…Kamilé’s contact with his mind weakened as she became lost in memories, and he glanced back at her, thinking hard.

We’ll always be friends…

Let’s go, Kamilé, he said to her suddenly, and startled, she pulled herself from her recollections and followed him down the long walkway and to the tiny gap in the wall, through which the afternoon sunshine glowed brightly into the gloom.


Okay, rather suckish ending. But I got bored. They don't really talk about important things here, they only ramble, as friends do, so I skipped it for your sanity and my semi-sanity.

EDIT: Added more. Semi-decent chapter end, and cutesy stuff all over the place. Had to add Italis in, of course, he rocks heart Don't mind the cute and fluffy, it'll be brutally murdered later in the story.

Erm, literally sweatdrop

Word Count: 13503

yeah, especially since this is going to become THE BEST BOOK EVER!

give me a little while. Actually, my Nano probably won't cover it...would you guys be mad if I started in the middle? I can explain things, and this part is just boring. Well, some of it. I'll write this next chapter and then start around the good part.

oh, well that shouldn't be hard. I'm skipping to the pirate part...that's right before all the confusing stuff starts happening...

really, you're supposed to be confused, because so are Kamile and Everan. But I'll try to clear things up...oh, wait. This is the interesting chapter next.

Hokay, once the interesting part's over, I'm skipping to the pirate part.

anyway, chapter six to come.

Chapter Six

Merista was as crowded as ever as they reemerged into the plaza, distant music echoing between the many houses, shops, and buildings. They wove their way through the multitude, feeling utterly lost, hardly even able to see the sky overhead. As they turned into street after street, walking in circle as they drifted about, they asked themselves and each other over and over again; Why are we even here?

The clock tower rose high above their heads, and they stopped to listen as it chimed six times. The sound meant nothing to them, as they knew by the sun what time of day it was.

What did Lina say? Everan asked. Eight times?

Kamilé shrugged, which was not a complete surprise. How’re we supposed to know when it decided to ring that much? she demanded of him. What if it just doesn’t go at all?

It’s not like it’s sentient, Everan noted. It’s mechanical, it doesn’t just ring when it wants to…

What’s sentient?

Um…I guess it means that something can think for itself.

You don’t ever guess, Kamilé said, amused. You always just know.

If you say so, he replied, shrugging. After all, you’re the honest one.

She laughed. Sure I am, when you’re around, she retorted, coaxing a rare smile onto his face.

Both of them had always teased each other comfortably about things like that, ever since they had discovered that they were, in every aspect, complete opposites. Of course, they had always known it, but now they understood that it was not chance, but planned that way from the beginning. They viewed it as a generalization, assuming that it meant they could not share any qualities at all, that both of them could not be smart, both of them could not be brave, both of them could not be conversational, outgoing, good, evil. And in a way, they were right.

In the city, there was a constant noise of shouting, running feet, music, laughing, and if they listened carefully, the steady, distant ticking of the clock. Of course, sight above their eye level was nearly impossible—though they had grown several inches, they were still rather smaller than they might have been. They kept their eyes to the ground, trained on their feet, making absolutely sure that they did not run into anyone. Every few seconds as they dodged through the throng someone would knock into them, and absolutely no one seemed to notice.

The only thing that they recognized with relief was the small, the combination of scents they could still remember from the last festival—sweet aromas from bakeries and open windows, the scented smoke from many fireplaces and oil lanterns, the stale sort of feeling to the air from their perspective in the very heart of the crowd. And more than anything, there was the smell of people, all different kinds of them: the tang of salt water floating by them as merpeople danced past, a smell of rock and dark, fertile earth hovered stubbornly around passing dwarves, the clean, sharp smell of fresh air from humans, the wonderful, familiar aroma of rain-drenched grass and crushed pine needles from elves…

More than anything at the time, they longed for home—for the southern forests, for the wide sky, the tall trees, the feeling of livelihood and wild, uncontrolled growth…Not for the woods of Ametris, but for the forest of southern Sirtema.

Completely, hopelessly lost, Everan paused, glancing at the sky. The misted sun glowed from underneath a tall stone archway, telling him which way was west, at least, though that was hardly useful to him now. Where do you think we are, Kamilé? he asked her, looking around for some sort of significant feature.

No answer.

Kamilé?

He couldn’t sense her anywhere nearby…sighing, he realized that she must have gotten lost.

Damn…

He knew exactly where she would want to go, and that she knew precisely how to get there, thanks to the sharp navigation skills they both possessed. Turning to the west, he dodged around the crowd and ran towards the setting sun.

With a rapidly clearing sense of direction, it was easy to escape from the crowded plaza, where the tiny streams that threaded throughout the city did not reach, and to find a hint of green between the gray and dull red stones. As he turned a final corner, he could see one of the clear rivulets, making its slow way southeast, with a small, rough wood bridge spanning it. And on the bridge, her feet dangling over the water, was Kamilé, just as he had expected. He came up to her, his feet by pure habit hardly making noise at all. She started, her sharp ears picking the sound anyway, glancing around for the intruder before she spotted him.

Oh, it’s just you, she said cheerfully.

Got lost, did you? he inquired, sitting beside her. A few colorful fish shot beneath his feet like red-gold arrows, and a tall, old tree threw deep shade over them both as the water ran smoothly beneath them.

Um, sort of, she said guiltily. I kind of did it on purpose.

That’s okay, but tell me next time, okay? I was sick of that place too.

Okay, she agreed, staring into the water. Remember when we used to sit like this on that tree branch in Kocha? she said pensively, her eyes distant and sad.

Yeah, it was just like this, he recalled, but gods, we haven’t done anything like that in ages…

I wonder if that tree’s still there? she thought, faintly emanating a pang of sorrow. Or did it burn down…?

Are you okay, Kamilé?

She nodded vaguely, touching the toe of her boot to the water’s surface. Everan, did you remember, too?

Remember what…? Oh, of course. He sighed, gripping the edge of the rough bridge tightly. Of course I did.

Two years…she reflected. I can’t believe it’s been two whole years…

It seems like much longer, he noted, though he recalled the night exactly two years ago perfectly. To him, it was the night of their eleventh birthday, when Kocha had been set on fire by the former Sirteman queen, who had trapped him into a dimension that should not even exist. To Kamilé…he had no idea what had happened to her after that, knowing only that they had reunited in Sirtema a month later.

Overall, it was not a pleasant memory to conjure…but it had also been the start of the greatest adventure they had ever—and would ever—have.
It’s hard to believe nothing like that will ever happen again, Kamilé said sadly.

We knew nothing would be the same, Everan reminded her, we knew, but for some reason we didn’t get it…we should have known this would happen.

I wonder if…if any of the other chosen ever wanted to go back, she said musingly, shaking her head. I don’t know…there’s a million things I forgot to do, and a ton of stuff I still don’t understand…

Like what? he asked, intrigued.

How did they know about us, for one thing? How did the Sirtemans find out about Ametris? And if we’re supposed to be exactly alike, how come Ametris is so different?

I don’t know…Everan admitted, glancing at the thick mist encircling the sky like a golden halo. It was too heavy to see through, which must be why no one ever knew exactly what lay outside Ametris. Maybe nothing at all…they knew now that this was merely a shadow of another world, and every person here was living a lie, and had been for thousands of years…

What if Sirtema’s over there? Kamilé said suddenly, pointing straight ahead at the sun.

Over where?

Across the mist. On the other side.

That’s…He was about to dismiss the idea, but then he thought about it. That’s possible.

What if it was? Her eyes glowed brightly at the prospect. That means we could go back, Everan! We could, if it was right there…

No, we couldn’t, he said at once. You know we couldn’t.

Why not? she demanded, frustrated as both of their hopes slid away. Why shouldn’t we?

It’s a law of the chosen, isn’t it? We can only go one time, just once.

Who cares about laws? Her hand curled into a fist on the top of the bridge. Why should anyone care if we go back? We saved it!

It’s just…there, he said quietly. We just know it’s true. We can’t, Kamilé.
How do we know that? she insisted. How do we know all this? No one ever told us these things…

It’s instinct. I guess the chosen are born with it…

I’m not just going to wait in Ametris, she muttered furiously. I won’t sit here and wait to die, I won’t…

We don’t have a choice, he said shortly.

She angrily brushed her sleeve across her eyes, throwing him a glare. Why do you have to say it like that, Everan? He could dimly feel it as her nails dug into her palms. Why do you have to act like you don’t care?

I do care, he retorted, injured. Kamilé, you know I do. But we can’t keep kidding ourselves like this…

She didn’t say anything, and he knew that he was demolishing her only hope. And along with that, his own. Why did he insist on thinking that way?

But if there is a way back, he said slowly, reaching out to give her hand a comforting squeeze, we’ll find it. And I won’t pass up the chance, Kamilé.

Yeah, she said, smiling at him. and I won’t either, because that was…that was our place. Where we were supposed to be. There…

There, it was as if…he continued, but paused, searching for the words.

It was like we…Kamilé continued, and they smiled at each other.

Belonged, they thought quietly, in complete unison.

They sat in silence, silver eyes reflecting the faraway mist.

Everything will be fine, Everan said suddenly, more to himself than to anyone. We’ll…we’ll be just fine here in Ametris, because we’d miss it if we did leave, right?

Kamilé’s eyebrows creased slightly, her eyes straight ahead, and she did not reply.

And it’s safe here, he persisted. We’ll be all right, won’t we?

Everan, something’s wrong, she said slowly. Something’s going to happen…

What?

Something’s out there! she repeated, turning to face him earnestly. Out there, there’s something bad…

And I thought I was the paranoid one, he replied lightly…but she frowned at him, giving him a look, and he knew suddenly that she was serious.

How can there be something out there? he asked her, bewildered. This is Ametris…

She did not say anything for a long time, turning back to the misty sky. I guess you’re right, she said at last. It must be nothing.

Right, he agreed half-heartedly, nothing…

But all the same, he wondered what she had meant… However, he did not bring it up again.

Everan? she said eventually, her eyes set steadily onto the water below them.

Yeah?

She did not say anything right away, so he waited patiently for her to tell him, like he knew she would.

But she did not, completely surprising him. Never mind, she said distantly, and he was left without a word in the dark again. He sighed, choosing not to press her for answers, drawing comfort in the fact that he would know, eventually.

Hey, Kamilé? he asked her after a minute, and she glanced up from the river.

Hmm?

After we leave…do you still want to explore Ametris with me? Or do you want to stay put for a while?
She smiled, her answer coming immediately. Explore, of course, she said cheerfully. Why would we do anything else, when there’s still so many places we haven’t gone yet?

Yeah, he agreed. That’s what we’ve been doing, right?

But somehow, that was not the answer he had hoped for…then again, it had been a strange question to ask…What was wrong with him lately?

Right, she affirmed. Just us, because that’s what we said we’d do, didn’t we?

Yeah, because we wanted to see Ametris…

And because we’re best friends, she added. And best friends go everywhere together, don’t they?

He nodded absently. Yeah…

She yawned, falling towards him a little. Sorry if I fall asleep on you, she said with an apologetic smile, I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep lately…

Why not? he asked, allowing her to lean on his shoulder.

I dunno, she replied sleepily, there’s been so much going on…She trailed off, half-asleep. He leaned towards her, closing his eyes, suddenly tired himself. And then he realized what he was doing, and stopped.

We’re friends, he told himself sternly. She said it herself.

But for some strange reason, he found that his cheeks were burning.


As you can probably tell, Lacausta has a dark theme going on. I try. And also, it's shifted straight to Everan's point of view. Believe me, it makes it waaaaaaaay more itneresting.

Edited chapter five.

I think that's it.

You see, I had to add my darling Italis in there heart He's one of the nice not-soulless Ametrisan people. And would you believe I started out LIKING Lina!

Now I hate her. *rawrhiss*

But so do you. Right?

And Italis was only there for an awkward ten minutes or so, but it's very very important towards the end. Specially the whole sickly-daughter part; this girl gets an entire book to herself!

But I didn'tsay that. Oh no. It was the flying monkeys who read minds O.o

I'm clinically insane tonight. Hehehhee, too much gross halloween candy. I wanna tootsie roll *leaves*

Anyway, COMMENT OR ELSE! domokun