The almost full glimmering moon sparkles among the stars. Nathanial’s time is almost up, I hope he comes so that he can suffer instead of me. I cannot believe that I ever liked him. I was a fool to even begin to trust that freak. How could he even pretend to not be the awful person he is?
I sit in the windowsill, my rose silk robe billowing in the wind. A ring slips out of my pocket, my mother’s ring. I snatch it before it falls down to the ground so far below. The teal jewel gleams in the moonlight, intricate silver leaves hugging it closer. I rub the stone between my fingers and stare up into the sky, somehow thinking it will put my mind at ease. Pure biontanium bars interrupt the view, the strongest and hardest metal in the world, but I do not care because the fresh air is worth feeling like a prisoner.
The door creaks open, no need to turn my head for I hear the tinkling metal of chainmail. The guard must be checking that I am not trying to escape. Whosh, he takes out his sword.
“You filthy pest! Why didn't your parents just set you on the block themselves? You were nothing worth running away for you animal! Someone should have killed you when they had the chance so that your blind parents could have stayed in the throne and executed Tuin for what he did to you”
The cool metal pushes across my throat and the guard keeps on rambling, but the only important thing that he said was what Tuin did to me. What does he mean?
Years of self-defense training keep me at ease but I am so rattled by what the guard has said that I ignore the first rule of dealing with swords, don't grab the blade. Warm blood trickles down my arms as I twist around the sword, kicking the man in the face and forcing him to release his grip on his weapon. His insults increase, digging deep into my gut. I twirl around to face him, intending to cut out that smart tongue of his, but to my surprise I find that his lips are sewn shut. His hair sky blue peeking out of the grit. Oh no. He is a mute. I have heard of how badly Tuin has treated Benies since he took the throne, any with the power with words have their tongues cut out and lips sewn together. But how can I understand him?
“How can I understand you?! Answer me!”
The man looks up at me in confusion.
“Is this a trick? Haven't you been talking all this time?”
The man shakes his head.
Then how... Can you hear me?
I try in my head. The defeated guard looks up in alarm.
Oh my gosh, could she hear my thoughts? The Silver Fox who has destroyed all of the lives of Benies. I hope you can hear this becau-
Stop it!
Tears well in my eyes,
I had nothing to do with us becoming illegals! If anything I was against it!
Dread sinks in. A tinge of feeling like I am speaking too loudly, but how would that work? I am speaking in my head!
You worthles-
I scream in my head,
STOP IT. Please! And tell me why you tried to kill me!
Mental sobbing overcomes the communications and a muffled reply comes, I am not sure if I would have liked to hear it anyways.
The door bangs open. I sit on the ground with my head resting on my knees, tears pouring down my face. Blood soaks the delicate silk. The guard lays across from me in bewilderment, sword less and defeated.
A hand reaches down and pulls the sword out of my clenched and bleeding hands. I hear the metal clank as it hits the ground. The kind hand then takes mine and helps me to my feet. My arms reach around the man and my face buries into his soft collar. I step back sheepishly and brush my hair behind my ear. I attempt to straighten the crinkled gown, but find the awful pain in my hands deems far worse than looking badly. My legs give out into a plush chair and I gesture for the man to sit in the neatly decorated one on the other side of the window. I see the silhouette stay back reluctantly but then give in and sit in the chair. The moonlight reveals a shock of green hair that frames his perfectly handsome face. His eyebrows lay furrowed in concern, his ocean blue eyes pierce into mine. Silence washes over us, just staring into each other's souls.
“A-are you alright? I-i heard you screaming and, and I just came in and...”
He trails off awkwardly. I nod silently that I am okay, but then look down at my stiff, blood covered hands. I squeeze my eyes shut and breathe deeply. The pain ebbs away and open my eyes to see the wounds have disappeared. I glance up to see the man smiling at me.
“Healing, and what is the other one? Mind control?”
His tongue has now loosened up and he speaks freely. He grins like a fool and stares at me.
“What? By the way I can just speak to people in their minds, I can’t control anyone.”
He puts his hands up in defeat. I unclench my jaw and relax my eyebrows.
We talk for hours. About everything, anything. We laugh until our mouths hurt. The night deepens and we begin our farewells.
“Hey, I’ll text you sometime. Here, I will give you my number.”
I pull out my phone and open up contacts. I type in Chris and get ready to type the number, but the screen goes black. The power button doesn’t work and I know that it had at least an hour of charge left.
“Dang! My phone just broke!”
I toss the useless thing on the ground and the screen shatters. He picks the broken phone up.
“Here, let me try.”
“Forget it, no one can fix it.”
He places his hand over the screen and closes his eyes. The starting light boots up and he hands it back over to me.
“It looks good as new!”
“You have your tricks, I have mine.”
“So, what is your other trick? Your other power?”
Chris raises his hand.
“What are you-”
He raises his finger to his lips and his hand begins to disintegrate. His whole person turns ghostly and disappears. Teleporting?
“Chris?”
“Right here”
His voice comes out of nowhere. Invisibility? He answers my question before I even telepathize or say it out loud. He materializes just where he disappeared from. He laughs at the scared expression on my face.
I realize what happened and smile in relief. We say our goodbyes and I close the door behind him.
I crawl back into bed and try to fall asleep, but something keeps me awake. Something that the guard said, I mean thought. What was it? He said that Tuin did something to me. What did he mean? I bet that the guards haven’t switched shifts yet. I get back out of bed and open the door to reveal the green haired mute, still standing guard as if nothing ever happened.
What do you mean “what Tuin did to me”
Didn’t you know? Tuin made you a Benizione.
YOU ARE READING
The Silver Fox
Teen FictionA young girl's life is changed when she is discovered to be a Benizione, a race of people born from normal parents. These people have special powers and are looked down upon by others, especially by King Tuin. Benys also have brightly colored hair...
