by Abby-normal » Thu Aug 02, 2012 6:58 am
Here's the third chapter. It's a bit longer than the rest, but that just means it's more important that the rest.
I must’ve slept for a day or more because when I woke up, the sun was high and birds that hadn’t been shot and plucked yet were singing their scratchy, semi-pleasant tunes while they rested in the eaves.
When I opened my eyes, I could barely remember what had happened to me. Suddenly, as I sat up and scratched my head, it all came rushing back to me. The shades, the man in blue, the barwomen, all of it.
When I sat up, I noticed a few things were not as I remembered. For one, my dirty brown smock and pants had been removed and replaced with a clean, midnight-blue nightgown. My hair, for another, had been washed, combed, and carefully brushed. For the first time since I could remember, I was clean. I got up and walked across the room where a small table with a basin full of water and a washcloth lay. Above the basin was a small, circular mirror etched in the dark wood I’d seen on the door.
I raised my head to look in the mirror and I saw, not the scrawny, dirt-covered thing I’d been only two days ago, but a small, clean girl with a round face and sallow cheeks. I stared at myself in the mirror. It was like they had scrubbed everything I ever was away and tossed it away like dirty bathwater. I looked at myself again and gingerly stepped forward, trying to look carefully at my face. Was I the same girl? Or was I different? Changed?
I don’t know how long I stood in front of that mirror, but my attention was pulled away quickly by a small, quiet snore from the corner. There was someone else in the room.
I followed the sounds and found a small boy, asleep on the couch. His long black hair hung over his relaxed face, like a curtain and I could see his face when he turned over. When he turned so that his face was facing me, I received quite a shock.
It was the man in blue.
His body looked younger, but his face was the same. I bent down to peer at him more closely, but then I heard something rapping on the door. Someone wanted in. I admit, I was worried. It could be the Regulators, come to take me away to the Orphan House, it could even be the Shades again, but why would Shades bother to knock?
As it turns out, none of those guesses were right. It was the Barwoman. The one who’d brought me upstairs.
“Girl, are you up yet?” she asked through the door. I nodded, then, realizing how foolish that was, I rushed to the door and pulled at the shiny knob. The door opened smoothly and I stared at the barwoman with blatant curiosity. The barwoman’s face lit up like a street lamp.
“Oh, so you’re awake! Excellent.” I nodded and gestured for her to come in. “Oh no deary. I have strict orders from Todd to not enter before he comes down himself.” I cocked my head. So the man’s name was Todd! The woman saw my expression and said, “How much did he tell you?” I shook my head. “Nothing? Oh, when that man wakes up he and I will have words!” She said, gritting her teeth and shaking her head sadly.
“No wonder you started crying.” I looked away, trying to hide my face. She saw what I was doing and knelt beside me. “Listen here, child. From what I understand it, he had brought you here without telling you anything, he involved you in one of his crazy hunts,” She said the word like poison on her tongue. “And, he mentioned something about Shades too?” I nodded, grimacing at the memory. “That is nothing to be ashamed of. If crying is what I had to do, anywhere, anytime, by thunder I would cry!”
I looked up and smiled at the barwoman. She smiled at me and said, “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. I’m Sophie. Barwoman, innkeeper, cook, housecleaner and caretaker of the Snapdragon Inn.”
I smiled and said quietly, “My name is Djinni.” She blinked. I guess she was surprise about how my voice sounded.
“Glad to know you Djinni.”
I smiled and asked quietly, “If it’s not too much to ask, can I have a bite to eat?” Sophie smiled and said, “Come downstairs and I’m sure we’ll find you something.” I nodded and with a last glance at the sleeping boy on the sofa, followed Sophie down the stairs and into the store room below.
Sophie told me I could wait in at bar while she rustled something up and I obliged. I leaned back on my stool’s two back legs and sighed, thinking about the man in blue and the boy I saw with his face. I was confused, but not that much.
I couldn’t make up my mind.
Either he was a changeling too and had recognized me as a fellow changeling, or he was only half-changeling but had recognized me as one anyway. Maybe he was cursed or something? Yes, that would be the logical explanation. Cursed to become a boy at night or something.
“That’s a strange kind of curse.” I said, thumping the legs of my stool back on the ground.
“It’s not a curse.” A quiet voice near the door said. I smiled and looked around.
It took me a few seconds to realize who I was looking at, but then I noticed the boy’s face and smiled. He was leaning against the doorframe of the inn’s front door and grinning at me, both arms crossed. “Just an unfortunate series of circumstances.” He said, standing up straight and walking towards me. He pulled up a seat and sat down. I smiled. His outfit reminded me of what he had been wearing yesterday; black and blue. Depressing, I had to admit, but on him, it looked like someone had woven the night sky right into the fabric. I liked it; it was pretty.
“Unfortunate series of circumstances?” I asked, looking over at him. He nodded. “I had the luck to get stuck with who I’m sure are the most incompetent parents in the history of Vanaura.” He suppressed a chuckle.
“Our family came from a long line of thieves and they thought if I were to have the right gift for my choosing, I would be the most successful thief in my family’s entire line. But, my stupid parents couldn’t decide what gift I should get; my mother wanted me to be a Changeling and my dad wanted me to be an immortal, until my Auric decided to compromise and gave me a little bit of both gifts. So now I only change my age-shape. But when I’m asleep, it just happens and I can’t control it.” He turned his head to look at me and I smiled.
“So, how old are you?” I asked out of blatant curiosity.
He chuckled and said, “Would you believe, a hundred and thirteen?”
I smiled. “I might, if I didn’t know better. But I don’t, so I believe you.” He chuckled.
“I knew I liked you. You’ve got attitude. And it’s nice to finally hear your voice.” I smiled. “It’s nice to finally know who you are too, Todd. Why didn’t you tell me anything? I was scared stiff last night and you just dragged me along, letting me believe I was, for all I know, being taken to the Regulators!” Once I started ranting, it was really hard to
stop.
“And while I’m at it-”
“Ah! Hold it right there.” He said, putting up a hand and frowning. “I seem to remember an incident last night that warrants several apologies.”
I rolled my eyes; I was sure he was talking about when I bit his hand, but he just sighed and said, “I’m so sorry, Djinni. I know you were scared and I apologize, but I wasn’t thinking straight. I’d been in my adult form for more than a month and I’d almost forgotten what it was like to be a child. I know that’s no excuse, and you probably won’t forgive me,” He looked at my face, his seeming to brighten almost instantly. “But making up for it might be a start.” He smiled, shot up from the stool and was half-way up the stairs before I realized he was gone. I spun around and stared at the stairs, just fast enough to catch sight of his blue coattail disappearing behind the door to his room.
I swear, Sophie was listening because the second his coat flashed around the door, she came out, carrying a small tray of biscuits and a cup of soup. My eyes widened as she set the tray down and saw, to my astonishment, that she had given me two strips of meat. “Bacon.” She said, smiling at my astonished face. “My brother raises pigs for the Regulators and he gives me one now and then.” I blinked.
Meat was rare for commoners, or in fact, anyone short of Government stature. Pigs were among the easiest animals to raise, because of their diet. All the pigs I’d ever seen ate nothing but scraps and yet, come winter they were plump and ready for butchering. As far as I knew, there were no butchers in this part of Vanaura. Unless you count trappers who skin their victims and pull them inside out which, I personally, didn’t.
Sophie nodded. “And I butcher my own meat as well.” I looked at her curiously. I had been debating about this for a while, but now I was pretty sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Sophie was a Mind-reader.
She chuckled. “That’s right. And I can tell you, it hasn’t been a picnic.” I nodded. That I could understand.
Mind-readers were outlawed in Vanaura for one reason and one reason only. The Government was incredibly paranoid.
About ninety-three years ago, (Or so Todd tells me,) there was an assassination attempt on the Government that was orchestrated by a mind-reader and as a result, all mind-readers were banished to the Badlands.
Sophie knew what I was thinking and said quietly, “My family didn’t know I was a mind-reader. Oh, my parents knew, but they kept it to themselves. The only person other than them that knew was my Auric, Octaviorn. He had a vision the same night my name was Chosen, a vision of what was to come to my people. He told my parents to hide me and run while they could, so my mother took me to my aunt Aglithia. They came for my father right after we left.
“My mother and I saw the fire of our house and I could hear my father thinking, I love you Sophie. I love your mother. Be safe and be wise. Then I felt blackness.” She sighed and said, quietly, “My father’s dying words were “Be safe.” And I did my hardest to listen to him, but as the years wore on, I began to get reckless.
“When I was fourteen I got so angry one night that I was all set to storm the Government building, then I ran into Todd. He was running like the devil himself was after him and in a way,” She said, creasing her eyebrows and pulling an ironic expression, “He was.” She looked down at me and said, struggling to keep from laughing.
“He had ticked off a couple of buff shades and was running for his life, when he ran headlong into me. I had him in a headlock and was pinning his arms down.
“As I remember,” Todd said, coming out of the shadows at the foot of the stairs, “It was I who pinned you down then you bit my hand.” He winked at me and Sophie continued her story.
“The shades passed us by and after a few minor disagreements-”
“The majority of which involved fists.” Todd interjected. Sophie glared at him.
He shrugged. “I grew into my current trusting nature.”
She snorted. “Yeah, after gave me two black eyes and a broken rib!”
He laughed. “If I recall correctly it was you who broke my left leg and chained me to a wall.” “After three escape attempts involving explosives, dog hair and a piece of pipe.” She caught my raised eye brow expression and said, “Don’t ask.” Todd looked like he was fully ready to describe his daring escape attempts involving explosives and dog hair, but my eyes were drawn to the thick, leather-bound book in his arms which he set down on the bar.
He noticed me looking and said, “This is the Graveyard manual. A complete compendium of spectral knowledge that, unless you’re content in not knowing what is after you, you’ll find very interesting.” I looked closer at the book.
It looked like your common, garden-variety book. In those days, books were scarce, (who would want to waste good leather?) and the only book I’d ever seen was a small pocket book a vender tried to sell me.
He saw the look on my face and said, “I’ve had this for ninety-seven years, and it still looks like new!” He said chuckling. He handed the book to me and said, “Open it up. Take a look.” I shrugged and opened the book. Its pages were well worn and cared for. As I flipped thought the pages, I began seeing a pattern.
“Ghosts?” I asked, closing the book and laying it on the table.
He nodded. “Take a look at the fourth page.” I opened the book back up and flipped to the fourth page. It had a diagram and some notes. The title at the top of the diagram read,
The 10 Spirits of the Realm
I was intrigued, so I read on.
Apparition – low-level humanoid outline. Mere disturbances.
Spirit – Human esscential presence. Usually associated with unfinished business.
Poltergeist – Spectral nuisance. Low-level troublemaker.
Shade – High level spectral bounty hunter.
Phantasm – High level justice spirit.
Wraith – Wind spirit, low level.
Banshee – Wailing female spirit. Primarily messengers.
Haunter – Spirits sent to haunt humans.
Guardian – Soldiers and keepers of ancient things.
Januaian – Neutral spirit.
Sub-Spirits
Revengers
Avengers
Seekers
Keepers
I blinked. “I’ve never even heard of these ghosts. Where did all this come from?”
He smiled and said, “Well, most of these beings have been driven into hiding, recruited by the government, or, for lack of a better word, stuck on the other side. Plenty of them stay there because of their distain towards our world. But troublemakers like Poltergeists and Banshees prefer our world because of what’s waiting for them in their world after they wreak mayhem in ours.” He chuckled. “You’ve seen the Shades.” I nodded.
“Mercenaries for hire.” Sophie said, looking darkly at the window. “That’s right.” Todd said, flipping to the chapter about shades. He ran his thumb down the first page and pointed to the seventh passage. “According to this-”
“Shades are trained killers who will kill, maim, and torture anyone for a few coins. They keep to the dark and never come out during the day. The only thing I know that repels them is sunlight and they can’t die.” I finished quickly, smiling smugly at the look of surprise on his face.
“Now where did you learn all that?” He asked, raising one eyebrow and staring curiously at me.
I shrugged. Most of this stuff I’d learned from spying on government officials in private inn rooms or listening to drunks in the local tavern gossip.
He nodded, understanding what I meant.
“Well, actually,” He said, pointing to another passage half-way down the second page, “there are a few ways to suppress a shade. Sunlight works wonders, in fact it burns them to a crisp, but the most efficient was to dispatch a shade is exorcism.” He flipped to another page and read aloud:
“Exorcism is the practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a human being beings or place where they have inhabited. In the sense of Shades, exorcism can be used to effectively “kill” a Shade. The only recovery for an exorcised shade is intense dark formulas and regeneration amulets.”
I nodded, trying to get my head around the concept of spells and charms. It was hard.
“Uh-huh. I see.” I did not.
Sophie grinned. “It took me a while to get it too, dear. Don’t feel bad.”
I shrugged again. “I don’t feel bad. More like, in the dark.”
Todd snorted and Sophie said, “That’s an ironic choice of words.” I raised one eyebrow quizzically and Sophie explained, “The amulets usually required for regenerations are quite dark in entity, as is the formula required for a shade’s recovery.” “Oh.” I said, pretending to know what the heck they were talking about.
Todd smiled and said, “Not very funny, I know, but worth mentioning.” I shrugged and asked, “So, what are you two? Ghost hunters?” Todd and Sophie looked at each other, them they both burst out laughing. I just sat there, looking quizzically at the pair of them, giggling and laughing like that was the dumbest question in the world. While Sophie’s laughter gradually slowed to a stuttering sough, Todd’s was still going strong as Sophie explained.
“I’m sorry dear, but after all the work he’s done, to have it referred to as meager “Ghost hunting” might’ve pushed him over the edge.” I looked confused, maybe even more so than I felt.
“And what exactly is the work he does?”
Todd stopped laughing and said, after coughing a bit to clear his lungs, “Well, it’s a bit hard to understand.” “I’ve known him for years and I still don’t understand it.” Sophie whispered in my ear.
I glanced back and said, “Thanks for the confidence booster, Sophie.”
Sophie shrugged and Todd said, “I agree. Give the girl a break. She’s probably a natural at this!” “At what?” I demanded.
Todd regarded me with his deep sea eyes quietly for a moment, and then said quietly, “At being a rebel.”
I let that sink in for a few minutes, and then I exploded.
“A rebel? What, you want me to slit government throats or sneak into government facilities, using my Fading?! Yes, that’s perfect. Why don’t I just prove the regulators right when they say that every orphan is a murderer waiting to happen?” I was fuming. “A rebel! If I didn’t know better, and thank gods that I do, I would think you were on a suicide mission!”
Todd raised his eyebrow at my outburst and when I finished my tirade, he said, “Being a little over dramatic, aren’t you?”
I glared at him and clenched my fists in reply.
“Ok, Ok, calm down,” He said in a gentle voice. He raised his hand to my shoulder and said calmly, “Listen, I’m not about to have you risk your life on a suicide mission. The only person I would trust with such an important matter would be me!” Sophie rolled her eyes.
“Of course. There’s no one crazy enough to do it except you!”
Todd gave her a look and she shut up, but not without a final, “No one in the world is that crazy, besides you.”
He frowned and said, “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t undermine my influence on this young lady.”
This was a perfect time to intervene, so I said quickly, “Hold on here! First: I’m about as close to being a lady as you are of becoming a prince!” I scowled and pointed at him. He made a mock bow and I glared at him even harder. “Second,” I said, shrugging off his hand and frowning at the pair of them. “I don’t know who you two are, but I’m not going to be part of some anarchic plot to disrupt the government. I’m glad you saved me,” I nodded to Todd. “And I’m thankful to you for giving me a place to rest,” I nodded to Sophie, who winked. “But as far as government conspiracies go, I must decline. In fact, I’d better be going, right now.” And with that, I stood up and nearly bolted to the door that led out into the streets, but Todd got up before I’d finished and ran to block me.
“Hold on!” He said, putting his hand out and grabbing my shoulder firmly. I tried to twist away, but he shifted into his adult form and his grip became like iron. I stared up into that calm face and I was instantly terrified. I don’t know why, but there was something chillingly familiar about the expression on his face.
He held on to my shoulder and bent down until his face was inches away from mine. “Listen to me. I’m not gonna make you do anything you want to, but right now I need you to stay here. Ok? You’ll get all your questions answered in due time. I promise.” I felt like I was back in the alley again. He pushed my hair back gently behind my ears and shifted back into a boy.
“Now then,” He said, turning around and looking up at Sophie, who was watching us both with her arms crossed and a smug smile on her face. “How about some breakfast for us all, eh Sophie?”
“But I’ve already had–” I started, but Sophie gave me a withering glance and I closed my mouth. Todd walked me over to the bar and pulled out a chair for me.
How kind. I thought, sitting down and watching Todd hop up on a stool and start rifling through his huge book. I smiled, thinking about when I’d seen him asleep on the couch in his room. I don’t know why, but in his adult form, he looked a bit less, I don’t know, scary. When he was a child, I felt like I could talk to him, but when he was an adult, he felt a bit too familiar. I had no idea why.
Sophie smiled and said, “I’ll be back in a tic. Try not to turn her into a crow before I get back, will you Todd? I won’t abide fowl in my Inn, no offense meant dear,” She said, winking at me.
“None taken.” I said lightly. He gave her a mock bow and she returned it with a mock curtsy, then she walked behind the curtain that concealed her kitchen and disappeared, muttering,
“When he’s a child, he acts like a man but when he’s a man, he acts like a child! I wish he’d make up his…” And her voice trailed away. I looked up at Todd and found his eyes searching my face. I raised my eyebrows and Todd went back to his book, blushing slightly. After several minutes of silence, I finally blurted out,
“Are you a wizard, Todd?” His eyebrows shot up and he stared at me like I had gone mad, then he began to laugh. His laughter was sweet and pleasant, not the deep, gruff laughter I’d heard from his adult voice.
“Ha ha ha! Me, a wizard? HA! They wouldn’t give me the time of day!” He said loudly, laughing again and turning to face her. “Where did you ever get such a ridiculous idea?”
I turned a fuzzy shade of pink. And when I say I turned, I mean my entire face turned the shade of a ripe peach. “Well, you can hardly blame me!” I said, the color drained from my face and was replaced with a deep red glow hovering around my cheeks. “I mean, you turned up out of nowhere just to rescue me, you took out those Shades, which is supposed to be impossible, without breaking a sweat, you’ve got that strange book, what is there to make me think that you’re not a wizard?” I said honestly. He put the book down and stared at me seriously.
“Well, for one thing, Wizards don’t have Aurics. I already told you about my. . . unfortunate circumstances, so I’m obviously not a wizard. Second, most wizard apprentices have mastered the art of changing form by their twelfth birthday, full adult wizards can warp their ages, but children can’t. The rules of transformation state that wizards cannot become younger manifestations of themselves; so I can be neither child apprentice, nor adult wizard. You see?”
I nodded. It made perfect sense to me, but there was still the way he’s taken care of the shades. Like he had read my mind, he said calmly, “Also, that spectacle with the Shades is simply the result of lots of practice in the boxing ring and careful preparation. See, there’s a place in the section about Shades where it describes their weaknesses,” He picked up the book, flipped a few pages and finally pointed to a small passage in the book.
“A Shades’ worst weakness may be sunlight, but silver will always be a reliable tool for a Shades’ dispatch. It must be pure silver, and it must make contact with the Shades skin to achieve its full potential. When the silver is within three feet of the Shade(s), it will weaken them considerably, but only when the silver artifact makes contact will it completely neutralize the Shade, allowing the appropriate measures to be taken and the demon dispatched.”
I looked up at Todd and asked, “Is that true?”
He nodded. “This book is very reliable. It had never steered me wrong before! Well. . . once,” He conceded. “When?” I asked in interest.
“I was traveling to an underground cave where it claimed some assets I needed were. I knew there was a beast there, the book said so, and the book also said it was dead. But the thing it neglected to mention was that this beast was a breed that regenerated after three years. It claimed the beast was still dead, so that’s why I can never shift into this form again,” While he was talking, he shifted into an old man with one eye and a missing leg. He had a shriveled old beard that was wispy and silver, and was dressed in rags. “Unless I want to be referred to as the old cripple by Sophie until I’m three hundred.”
I giggled and said, “She does tend to make fun of you a lot.”
“Yes,” Todd said, putting on an air of refinement and snobbishness. “I think she rather fancies me, don’t you? But alas, I’m too young for her!”
“You’re not too young for her now.” I pointed out, eyeing his current form. “Oh, right.” He said, shifting into his child form. “Then I’d be too old for her. But no matter how I am, young or old,” He said grandly, shifting into his towering adult form. “I’m never too old for an adventure!”
I giggled and said, “Even if you were a thousand?” He faked an expression of utter dread. “And spoil this angelic face?” He gasped, fainting onto the floor. I knelt down beside him and started tickling his chin. He giggled like a child and in one smooth motion, picked me up and spinning me around the room.
“Ha ha, cut it out!” I yelled, laughing and giggling as he swung me ‘round and ‘round, laughing the whole time. When I was beginning to feel sick, I tugged on his sleeve and yelled, “Unless you want to have to wash vomit out of your shirt, put me down!” He skidded me to a halt gently and set me back down on my stool.
“That was fun.” He said, shifting back into a child and we both giggled. We sat in silence for a bit; he pulled out his book and I just stared around at the surrounding scenery. The bar had plenty of interesting things, like stuffed fish, shells glued to the walls, and other things. The one thing I noticed it was lacking, was customers.
This was a pretty high-class place, that I could tell, but why it would be empty in the middle of the morning, I had no idea. I was about to mention this to Todd, but I heard a quiet noise and turned to look back at him. He was shaking his head and muttering something about spelling.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, looking over his shoulder at the page in his book. Something about Spell Sequences or some such nonsense. He didn’t notice me until I coughed, then he looked up and said, “Huh? Oh, nothing.”
I frowned. “Todd, there’s something about this book that is bothering you. If you won’t tell me, then I’ll just find out what it is on my own.” I stuck out my lower lip and he smiled. Before I could react, he reached up and tweaked my nose. “Don’t pout. Your face could freeze like that.” Before I could tell him off, Sophie came out from behind the curtain, carrying a tray of more bacon, scrambled eggs, bread, cheese, and two cup of steaming hot stuff that I had no idea to what it was.
“Breakfast!” She sang out gaily, setting the tray in front of us and handing us each a bowl, fork, and a cut filled with brown liquid. “It’s coffee.” She said, pouring a cup for herself and adding two large spoonful’s of sugar and a stream of milk. “I know a mite like you mightn’t like it, but we elder folks need this stuff. It runs in our veins and keeps us working. Like the motor oil in those ghastly Omesmobiles, only a bit tastier. Try some, you might like it.” I nodded and brought the scalding cup to my lips. I took a small sip and let the taste wash over my mouth. It was good, but very bitter.
“Can I have some of that?” I asked, pointing to the cream and sugar. “Sure dear.” Sophie said, reaching over and moving them closer to me. “Here,” Todd said, taking the jug and my cup when I nearly spilled it. I let him pour the milk and I spooned three small spoonfuls of sugar into my cup when he was done. I replaced the sugar bowl and the milk jug, and sniffed it. Then I brought it to my lips and took a long draught. It tasted delicious.
I finished my cup in no time and asked, “Can I have another one?”
Sophie nodded and disappeared behind the curtain, only to reappear in a few minutes, carrying a second cup and some more milk. After draining the second Cup, I proceeded to gulp own my eggs and bacon, only pausing for time to chew. When I’d finished, I moved on to the bread and cheese. Todd ate a bit more slowly, slicing his bacon up and eating in small bits. When I wolfed down my bread and started on the cheese, Sophie put her hands on her hips and said,
“Well I declare! I never saw a child eat so much!” I paused in mid- chomp and hung my head guiltily. It was true; I’d never eaten this much in my entire life. I’d only had bits of dry bread and fish bones most of my life. One time I managed to scrabble with some rats for a whole loaf that was charred and scorched, but I’d only managed to keep about half. That lasted me all week. From then on, I ate more slowly, matching Todd’s pace.
Todd noticed my lack of ravenousness and said, “Perhaps this is the biggest meal our friend has had for a long time, Sophie.” “Ever.” I said before I could stop myself. “This is the biggest meal I’ve ever had.” I instantly clapped my hand to my mouth and squeaked, “Oh, I’m sorry.”
Sophie looked stunned. “Sorry?” she said incredulously. “Sorry? Child, there’s nothing for you to be sorry about. You wait just one more minute and I’ll bring up some dumplings and soup for ye.” I was horrified.
“No, no Sophie, there’s no need. I’m completely full, I don’t need any charity.” The words slipped out and I kicked myself silently. Nice people like Sophie could hardly call this charity.
“Charity? No dear, it’s alright to ask for more. You need what you need, no more, no less.” And she disappeared behind the curtain again.
I wrung my hand and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be a bother! I’ve hardly ever talked to people, let alone nice people like you and Sophie. I haven’t the foggiest on what to say!”
“Djinni, it’s ok. When you need something, all you have to do is ask! That’s what nice people like me and Sophie are for!”
I nodded sheepishly. “I know. It’s just that, I don’t like people going out of my way for me. I don’t have people do it very often, but whenever they do, something happens.”
“Something happens?” He asked curiously. “What?”
“I don’t know!” I said frustratedly. “Whatever it is, something happens and it’s, bad.” “Bad? I don’t understand. What do you mean, bad?”
I was about to say, “I don’t know!” When I heard happy whistling and I gave him a look that said quite clearly, “Not a word.” He opened his mouth to argue but I drew a slashing motion across my throat to make it clear that this was not up for discussion.
I turned my eyes back of the curtain and smiled, hoping she wouldn’t see the slight tears in my eyes. I quickly bunch my nightgown up and dabbed furiously at my eyes. The tears soaked into the fabric and I brushed myself off, sitting up straight and cleanly. Even with growing up in the streets, I knew to sit nice when in a place like Sophie’s inn. Todd, however, was sprawled out on hid bench, leaning with one elbow on the bar, balancing the book on his other hand.
At that moment, Sophie came back with a plate of dumplings and a small bowl of soup. I thanked her and after I had a few bites and spoonfuls, I asked her cautiously, “Sophie?”
"Hm?” She said, looking up at me. “Um, can I ask why there’s no one here but us? I mean, this is such a nice place, and it’s the middle of the morning! How come this pace isn’t packed, like the other inns around here probably are?” Sophie smiled and said, “Dear, do you know what day it is?” I shook my head, wondering what what possibly had to do with anything. “Oh, it has a lot to do with it.” She said, winking to let me know that she’d read my mind.
“Today, would be Sunday, the sixth if I’m not mistaken.” I nodded, pretending that meant something to me. I knew that even without her being a mind reader, she could tell I hadn’t a clue what she was talking about. “Sunday, is market day. The day all the families, shopkeepers, innkeepers and businessmen are down at the Warf, buying, selling, bartering and stealing things off each other. I should be down there too, buying my month’s supplies for the Inn, but I’d rather stay here and wait ‘till next Sunday and go then.” She glanced at Todd, then bent down to whisper in my ear, “Hopefully you and that young anarchist will have made it to his loft by then.” I cocked my head and creased my eyebrows in confusion. “He owns a loft?” She nodded. An entire house, in fact, but the loft is where he lives, primarily. The rest of his house is full of strange books and papers in strange languages.” I nodded, then chuckled. “He’s starting to sound more and more like a wizard the more I hear about him!” She nodded seriously. “Indeed, he may sound like a wizard, but he wouldn’t join those fools. They’re all under government rule and he won’t stand for that. As close to a wizard as he may be, he’ll never join up with those simple-minded old idiots.”
“Glad to hear you say it, Sophie. I was beginning to think you’d lost hope in me.” Todd said calmly, without looking up from his book. He smiled, marked his place, and slid over to where they were sitting. “I’m old, Djinni, not deaf. You of all people should know that, Sophie.” He teased; flashing his deep green eyes at me and making my face go bright pink again. Sophie had never seen this before, so she naturally panicked.
“Oh Djinni, what’s wrong? You look red as a tomato!” She put her hand over my forehead and said, “You don’t feel hot, so you don’t have a fever. Maybe it’s–”
“Calm down, Sophie. This perfectly natural for our good friend Djinni here. Did I neglect to mention? She’s a changeling. Almost as rare a gift as yours.” He said, smiling at me, at which my face turned positively scarlet. Now I looked like an overripe cherry. I closed my eyes and willed my face to turn back to its normal color, and it did. I checked my reflection in my coffee cup just to be sure.
“Fascinating.” Sophie said. “It must be an amazing gift.”
I shrugged. “Yeah, it’s pretty useful. For hiding when the Regulators find you and stealing stuff from shops. Oh, this one time, I nearly got caught with a few apples under my shirt, and to keep from getting caught, I changed into a sack of flour; but then a boy grabbed me and poured me into a bowl and made a loaf of bread out of me! I can tell you, it was hot in that oven!” Sophie laughed and Todd nodded admiringly. I was feeling pretty good, so I decided to finish the story.
“When he set me down to cool, I thought I’d scare him a bit, so I grew two little bread legs, stood up, and walked right off the table. You should’ve seen that boy’s face when he saw a loaf of bread on legs, just strolling through the shop door. I think he nearly wet himself!” Sophie laughed so hard she snorted and Todd roared with laughter.
After a discreet coughing fit, Sophie and Todd choked back their laughter and Sophie asked curiously, “So, what kind of bread were you?”
Todd snorted. “Probably some fancy, Asivian bread. One loaded with sugar and fat, most likely.” He said, nudging me in the ribs with his elbow. I wasn’t gonna let him know, but that jib actually hurt.
“I should think not! I was a good, old-fashioned loaf of Vanurian bread!” I said indignantly.
Todd laughed. “Yeah. I bet you–” But he was interrupted by a loud banging on the door. We all jumped. Sophie stood up and cautiously walked over to the door to unlatch it, but the door burst open before she could and a wide-eyed young man with a wild mane of pitch black hair and tattered brown clothes fell into the room, landing on his knees. He scrambled up on his feet and stumbled across the room to Sophie.
“Sophie! Sophie, it’s terrible! The wreckage, the blood– I am so glad you didn’t come to the market today. It might just have saved your life!”
Sophie put her hands on the young man’s shoulders and said calmly, “Kyle, what’s going on? What do you mean, ‘saved my life?’ What’s happened to the–” She stopped and gasped. “Oh no.” She said, releasing the young man and covering her face with her hands. “Oh no, please no!” And then she started crying.
“Sophie!” I yelled, running over to her and kneeling down beside her. “Sophie, what’s wrong?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.” Todd said, moving over in front of us protectively. “And who, might I ask, are you?” He asked, eyeing the young man suspiciously.
“I’m Kyle.” Kyle said, walking closer and sticking out his hand. Todd took it hesitantly and I noticed the expression on his face changed from hesitant to in complete command. I must’ve been the only one to notice, but Todd’s hand seemed to warp and change, until it looked like an adult hand. I remembered his iron-like grip and I chuckled when Todd released Kyle’s hand. He was rubbing it and muttering, “Firm grip for a kid.” Todd turned back to me and winked. I winked back.
“So,” Todd said, turning back to Kyle. “Now we know who you are, why don’t you tell us what’s wrong.” Kyle flexed his hand, making sure it still worked after Todd’s iron-like grip.
“The market, by the Warf, it’s all in–”
“Flames.” Sophie interrupted, uncovering her face and looking at us sadly. “A group of Omes got out of control and wrecked the entire market, killing hundreds.”
“That’s right. The people need every ally they can count on right now, and I figured you guys might need some information on what caused this, being the kind of people you are.”
Todd’s head shot up and he gave Kyle a harsh look.
“And just what kind of people do you think we are?” He said coldly.
Kyle actually cringed a little and he said, “Well, you’re the kind of people that don’t leave civilians hurt and hungry on the street. You’re also not the kind of people who leave strange occurrences like this unnoticed.” He said smugly. He fixed his gaze on Todd and he almost smiled.
“Now Sophie, if you are coming, we’ll need healing hands. If you want to bring the two children along–”
“I will be coming. Djinni, however, will not.” Todd interrupted quickly, making it clear that this was not up for discussion. I didn’t care about the Omes, but I did care about helping people. “
Todd!” I protested, jumping up from Sophie’s side and walking quickly to his side. Todd looked down at me and regarded me with a strange cold look that I’d never before seen in his eyes.
“Djinni, listen to me, it’s dangerous out there. If I take you out there, you could get stolen, or killed.” “But If you leave me here, unprotected,” I put plenty of emphasis on the last word, just to press my point. “I could be captured by the Shades again, or worse!”
I tried to sound like a weak little girl, but I just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t in my nature, so I just decided to look how I felt. Nervous, scared, but ready for a fight if it came down to it. He regarded me with those eyes again, but this time they were warm and full of light. I suddenly realized, he wasn’t worried about the people, he was worried about me! I couldn’t understand it. Just yesterday, he was a mysterious figure who rescued me from Shades, now he was a young boy, concerned for only my safety.
I smile sheepishly as he said, “I have no doubt you are a capable girl, strong as well, but you would be better protected by the walls of this place than on the move with us. This place is vastly guarded, and even if a Shade were able to get past all our spells, it wouldn’t be able to get out again! Not without triggering a defense spell and alerting me.” Defense spells? Guardians?
“Todd,” I asked hesitantly, not wanting to be laughed at again. “Are you sure you’re not a wizard?” Todd shook his head and smiled. “No, Djinni, for the last time, I am not a wizard.” I had figured as much, but it never hurt to ask again. I was about to say something to Sophie, but Todd interrupted me. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t know spells.” I looked up at him and he winked under those thick bangs. I smiled.
So he wasn’t a full-fledged wizard, (yet,) but someone was still teaching him about all this stuff. Certainly no wizard teacher would take him on, probably because Todd already knew so much, but mostly because of his carefree attitude. The old wizards would probably deem that kind of thinking unfit for a stuffy old wizard. That was one thing Todd would never turn into.
Finally, I sighed and said, “Ok, fine. I’ll stay here and house-sit.” Todd let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding and ruffled my hair gently.
“That’s my girl.” He said, putting his arm around my shoulder and squeezing me gently. I snorted and said, “I expect a full report about what happened out there when you get back. Full report, details, everything and don’t you dare leave anything out!”
Todd faked a tremor of fear and said, “Oh no, I would never risk the wrath of Djinni.”
“You’d better not!” I snarled.
Sophie shuddered and said sarcastically, “Oh I tremble with fear.” I rolled my eyes. These guys might be the people who saved my life, but they could be really vexing sometimes. Sophie stood up and gave me a hug.
“I’ll just get my coat, and then we’ll be on our way.” I squeezed her gently and when I let go, she went back behind that curtain. I made a mental note to sneak back there when they left and see what was back there, but Sophie must’ve read my mind because I heard a voice say from behind the curtain, “Don’t even think about it!” I scowled. “Killjoy!” I shouted.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones,” She replied smugly, coming out from behind the curtain. “But words may never hurt me.” I dropped my scowl and grinned slightly at the innkeeper. She was smiling and I looked appreciatively at the brown coat she was wearing.
It was an old coat, with much wear on its tattered fringes, but it looked warm and comfortable, which was more than I could say for the tattered smock I’d been wearing before I found myself in the blue nightdress I was currently wearing. She looked around with a confused expression on her face and said, “Where’s Kyle?” Todd and I looked around, but we could see neither hide nor hair of him.
“He must’ve gone back to help the people on the Warf.” Todd said. “He knew we could find our way there.” Sophie nodded. “Alright. I’ll run ahead to see what I can see.” Todd nodded and Sophie walked quickly out the door. That left me and Todd alone. I figured he was either gonna kiss me, or tell me to be extremely careful. More likely the latter. He turned to me and clapped me on the shoulder.
“Do I have to tell you to be careful?” He asked. The expression on my face was all he needed to see. “No, but I do.” I said, giving him a look that made him sigh. “Keep both eyes open.” I said, giving him the advice that had saved my life so many times. “You never know what’s out there. Heck, I’ve lived on the streets my entire life and I’m still not aware of all the dangers out there.”
He smiled and knelt down ‘till he was three inches from my face. My breath caught in my throat and he leaned in and quickly kissed the top of my forehead. I felt a crackle of power run through my body and made the hairs on my arms stand on end. He put his finger on my lips and said, “Be safe.” I nodded silently and he smiled.
“Ok, now go up to my room and stay there until we get back, ok?” I smiled. “Ok.” He straightened up and warped into his adult form.
I jumped up and sat back on one of the bar stools. He walked to the door, his black coat swishing against his black boots. He made it to the door and turned around to face me. He may look like an adult, but he still had the child-like twinkle in his eye. “Don’t wait up.” He said and gave me a wink. I smiled and he opened the door, letting a cool breeze swirl into the room, making the hem of my nightdress flap and fly around. I smiled as he shut the door and whispered, “Be safe.”
The first thing I did when the door clicked closed was walk up the stairs and open the door into Todd’s room. I looked around for my old clothes and spotted them, lying in a pile on the floor. I walked over and picked them up. They felt strange in my hand.
I walked over to sit down on the couch Todd had lain on when I first saw his child-form. I wondered what would happen when they got back. Would they have good news, like the Omes had been contained, or would they have bad news? Like the city would soon be destroyed.
I didn’t have long to contemplate these thoughts, because my world suddenly went black and I heard a chilling voice hiss in my ear, “Hello again, mouse.”
Last edited by
Abby-normal on Tue Aug 07, 2012 4:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Do you see this? DO YOU SEE THIS? THIS is my very own, specially made Magic Card! Do YOU have YOUR own Magic card? I didn't think so.Aang: "Uhhh, Toph? Take the card, flip it... There you go." 
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