by roman » Fri Jan 27, 2017 6:39 am
ＷＯＲＤ ＣＯＵＮＴ // eight hundred and thirty-six
finally, the vendor made an appearance with a steaming cup, filled to the brim with a dark liquid. he handed it carefully to katya, nodded an insincere thanks to me, then went back to yelling at people on the streets. how that attracted customers was a mystery to me.
katya hesitated before taking her first sip. she gazed at the cup, then at me, and back at the mug. "is something wrong?" I asked, pushing her along through the crowd. she returned her gaze to me, and I raised an eyebrow at the radiant smile plastered to her face. she pushed the porcelain container upwards, and said, "here, you can have a sip. it's only good manners." I winced at the thought of drinking it. human drinks were horrid, as was their food. katya always forgot that I wasn't human, which could be viewed as both good and bad.
I forced myself to smile, and politely refused. "sorry, katya. I don't like tea," I said when she sighed in disappointment. I felt bad for not drinking it, but with the taste on top of my nervous stomach, I wouldn't have been able to keep it down.
we arrived to my pick of vendors in the next few minutes. katya was silent the whole way after our exchange about her tea. I hoped to heaven above that she wouldn't start crying. not only would it make me feel even worse, I would be humiliated. the vendor dragged my gaze away. "what can I get for you, my dear?" he asked politely. I thought for a moment, then said, "deer and wolf for me please."
I laid the required payment on the counter, and the man grabbed it and rushed away. he returned just minutes later with a sealed cup. "order up. deer and wolf's blood is a good combination, enjoy." I wrapped my hands around the container, said thank you, and began herding katya through the people again. the group had lessened, but not by much. I took a sip, and I savored the sweet flavor. katya began sipping on hers as well.
she looked up at me apologetically and said, "I'm sorry about the tea, I forgot you drink..." her voice trailed off and I understood why. in my years at the orphanage, I had found that humans don't like talking about blood, and some are even afraid of it. that was why the vendor had placed a lid on my cup. "it's okay," I said hurriedly. I didn't want to get into another conversation about how different I was from her. she couldn't seem to grasp that I didn't eat and drink like she did.
we arrived at our appointed area ahead of time. all the other orphans in district seven were accounted for. katya had probably managed to sneak away again. luckily, the headmistress was occupied with other things, and didn't notice our entry. for the millionth time that day, I sighed as I sank down the wall. I pulled my knees up to my chest, leaned my head back against the cold concrete, and closed my eyes. katya sat down beside me, contentedly sipping her raspberry tea. she didn't make an attempt to talk, and I was grateful of it. she knew when I needed some time to my own thoughts.
the trademasters would arrive when they felt like it, and they never went in any particular order. district seven orphans could be first, or they could be last. some years the trademasters chose to see the children who had families first, some years they didn't. a shuffle of feet outside caught everyone's attention, even mine. my head jerked upright, and the knot of anxiety readily returned to its hold in my gut. the door opened slowly, but only one figure made her way into the room.
it wasn't the trademaster we were expecting. everyone gasped with both fear and awe. the stranger's attire hinted at her profession. she donned a long rough grey cape, with a black button up as a shirt and white leggings as pants. tall leather boots that had been stained black rose almost to her knees. a magnificent rapier hung at her side. the symbol engraved on the side of the sheath confirmed what I thought she was. a viennen counselor.
the viennen counsel was the highest magic order in the kingdom. they were comprised of mainly vampires, since it was rare for humans to have magical abilities, and demons and werewolves were turned away for their grievances against the vampire race. they were regarded as simply legend by the people in some parts of forviel. they were warriors and mages, and they advised on many important subjects. they were some of the most mysterious people in the world.
my blood ran cold as the cloaked figure spoke, but it wasn't her voice that frightened me. it was her words.
"victoria lee, I have been sent by my lord to retrieve you for an apprenticeship as a counselor."
Last edited by
roman on Fri Jan 27, 2017 12:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
