Abel's Tale

I. Tragedy in Unlikely Places

The small village which Abel called home took a different form from the rooftops. Everything seemed so small, the bustling marketplace at the center wasn't as big, and the huts to the north of it appeared to disappear into the vibrant green forest. He looked outward toward the falling sun and felt the simple, silver ring on his finger, thinking back on his father.

The familiar sounds of feet searching for a ledge, and the grunt of pulling oneself up and over the edge, onto the orange rooftop, was unmistakable. There she was, the curly red hair draped over fair skin and roguish attire, her hand resting on the dagger strapped to her leg. Elise. She held out a ring of keys.

"This'll get us inside. All we need now is to find an opening."

"We'll wait for one." He said, eyeing the marketplace, watching the crowd move toward and away from stalls, weaving their way through the thin streets. "Nightfall will be soon, then we'll make our move."

"And what should we do until then?"

"I can think of a few ideas." Abel said with a sly tone to his voice.

"Hey! The hell are you two doing!?" A deep, angry voice called out from below.

"I think your ideas will have to wait." Elise said.

"I think so, too," Abel peered over the edge and saw a town guard with a familiar goatee looking up at them, this one being a particular thorn in his side. "We're enjoying the view!"

"I should've known it would be you!" The officer said with a sneer.

Abel feigned offense. "Me? Never!"

"Just get down here! Make it easy."

"Will you bring me back to my Mother if I do?"

"Of course!"

"Well then," Abel began to back away, toward Elise, "If it's all the same to you, I think I'll stay up here!"

Elise giggled and grabbed his hand. "Jump?"

"Always."

They ran to the edge and quickly dropped off it, catching themselves on the windowsills halfway down the building, before making the second leap down to the cobblestone street in an alleyway between buildings.

The guardsman turned the corner and saw them. "Get back here!"

"It's been a pleasure, as always. But I think we like it away from you!" Abel said, the two turning heel and sprinting down the alley, the guardsman chasing after them.

The two emerged into the marketplace. Elise grabbed Abel's hand and brought him through the large crowd of busy people, toward and past a vendor selling cloaks. She took a dark one off the rack as they walked past it. Abel swung it over his white tunic.

Abel and Elise sat at the water well in the center of the marketplace, shrouded by the large crowd. The guardsman emerged from the alleyway and sighed heavily, shaking his head, before walking away. Elise brushed the black hair out of Abel's face, tucking it behind his ear, and smiled.

"Some things never change." She said,

"We shouldn't stay long, lest more of them come looking for us."

She frowned. "Of course. Come, follow me."

She took hold of his hand and they blended into the middle of the crowd, following it down the narrow and claustrophobic street lined with small buildings of clay and wood. The crowd began to thin, just enough for them to be made more visible.

"Abel!" Called the familiar voice of his Mother.

"Meet me later." He whispered to Elise. She blended back into the crowd as he moved to his mother, who was cradling her newborn son wrapped in white cloth.