First Story!!! Couldn't decide Fantasy or Sci-Fi, but considereing the guns/computers note at the top, I'll presume the latter....Momma Glory...honestly.
-LD
*****
This story is set in a world where humans, fey and beings called deiva all live in three different nations, known as Annwn, Donara and Mag Mell, respectively. Technologically speaking, they're all pretty much up to where we are with computers and the like. Culturally speaking, Mag Mell is older, it still has nobles and servants, etc. The oni are beings that act as servents for the deiva.
Please, Tell me what you think.
**
Orbsen woke abruptly from his peaceful sleep. He sat up and rubbed his eyes with one hand, covering one ear with the other to block out the sound of the alarm. "George!" he called irritably.
"Sir," the oni replied, peering through the curtains around the young deiva's bed. "There's been a break-in, sir."
"Well, yeah, that would be the cause of the alarm, George," Orbsen retorted, shifting into his older form. The young deiva sighed and shook his head. As he threw back his blankets, it occurred to him that he wouldn't be getting back to bed that morning. He groaned and quickly got dressed. Why did his father have to be away now, of all times?
In a clearing in the forest not far from the royal palace where Orbsen was trying to regain order, two people stood gazing at each other. They had just succeeded in doing what no one else had even dared to before. They had stolen treasures from the royal vault.
One man appeared to be rather young, hardly more than a child and not what anyone would consider a threat. His small, lithe frame was clothed in the uniform of a local school. His long, chestnut hair swirled around his shouldered as it was tossed about by the light breeze. He leaned back against a tree and looked down at the small object in his hands. It was a simple pendant on a silver chain.
He pocketed the amulet and looked up at his companion. "I have what I wanted," the young man said quietly. Nodding to the object the other man was holding, he added, "And you have what you wanted."
"So? What?" the other growled, "You're just going to leave?" This man was even smaller than his young partner. His dark hair framed his face and reddish eyes seemed to glow with an inner fire. His brow knit together and he held up his own amulet. "I could make you stay," he said in a soft, dangerous voice.
The youngster's green eyes locked onto the sparkling blue stone that dangled at the end of the gold chain. "But you won't, will you Janis?" he said quietly.
Janis snorted. "Go," he growled, pocketing the amulet. The boy smiled brightly and then dashed into the woods. "I hope it makes you happy," Janis grumbled, well aware that the other couldn't hear the words. A heartbeat later, he had also disappeared into the forest.
**
"They've been stolen!" Orbsen yelped. "I thought it was just a break-in. Did we get any footage of the thieves? Father's gonna… Oh, fates, oh my very fates. He'll be furious!" The deiva paced around the office for a few moments and George stepped back to allow him room. Though many things scared his young master, not much scared him quite as much as his own father's anger.
More calmly, Orbsen repeated, "Did we get any footage? Can we identify them?" He sat down behind his desk, keeping his eyes on the large oni. George looked uncomfortable about the scrutiny, but didn't answer right away. Orbsen cleared his throat impatiently.
Looking even more unhappy, the oni looked down at the floor before he finally answered. "Well, sir," George hedged, "we got footage, but we can't identify them. They aren't in the database of known criminals."
"Well, that's just great," Orbsen sighed, as George moved to the large television on one side of the room to show him the footage from the security cameras. Frowning, he murmured, "It's a synch they aren't amateurs, which means they're really good to never have been caught before."
He gazed up at the footage that the oni had cued up. It showed two shadowy forms that moved stealthily towards the vault. As the reached the lock, light from a window shone on them, giving the young deiva a clearer view of the pair. "The dark-haired one's some kind of fey… you can tell by the ears," Orbsen stated, pointing at the large pointed ears on the shorter figure.
He glanced over at the other. This one had long, reddish-brown hair and small, canted ears. Scowling even more, he mumbled, "The other looks practically human." Noticing the military-style jacket and smooth slacks, he said, "He's a school-boy." Orbsen's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "George, find out what school has that uniform. Start local."
"Sir!" the oni said, before leaving to do as he was bid.
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