The Masquerade Ball (A tale of Eswor Book 1)

Prolouge

Swords clashing. People yelling. Rage. Screaming. Fire. Pain. That's the last memory I have from my hometown. I was barely five at the time. I remember smelling the sea and ale. So much ale. My mother held me, tears running down her face as she handed me to my father. She was already dying. "Mama!" I cried.

My father carried me into the woods away from the town. My mother was gone, my brother no where to be found. My father ran as fast as he could with me in his arms. About half a mile in the forest he tripped and fell. I fell out of his arms and unto the ground. Quickly, I got up and ran over to him. I shook his body and called for him to wake up.

"Papa!" I cried. "Papa, wake up, you have to wake up!"

My father opened his eyes and cupped my cheek with his hand. He looked into my eyes and gathered all the strength he could muster. "Don't worry, your mother and I will be with you wherever you go. Your brother will always take care of you. In here," He pointed to my heart.

I held his hand tears streaming down my face, as my father took his last breath. I stayed near him for the whole night, crying. Soon, I fell asleep under the stars, next to my fathers lifeless cold body.

In the morning I heard what sounded like horse hooves, and people shouting. "Captain! We found a little girl! She's probably a survivor from the village!"
I sat up and rubbed my eyes. For a moment I forgot where I was, then I remembered. I started sobbing as I looked once again at my fathers dead body. I was cold, tired and I hadn't understood what happened.

"Poor kid, must've been through a lot." Said one of the men. "Those pirates burned the whole town down. She looks to be the only survivor."

I heard more horses. One man dismounted and came over to me. He crouched so he was at my height. Still crying I ran into his arms, not caring who he was, or why he was here. I just needed someone to hold me. The man was shocked at first, but he hugged me tightly, just like my father used to. I cried harder, sobbing and screaming into this strangers shirt.

He lifted me up. "Jarred, bury this man, so he can have a proper burial."

"Yes sir." Another man dismounted and started digging.

Still clinging onto the stranger, I rubbed my eyes and looked at him. "Where are you going to take me?" I sniffled. I had heard about orphanages, and I didn't want to go there. I watched lifelessly as the men lifted my father into the hole and covered him up.

"Hm, that's a good question. But first can I ask you your name?" I turned to look at him.

I wiped my nose on my sleeve. "My name is Kava. What's your name?"

"I'm Kinnley."

I smiled slightly. "That's a funny name."

Kinnley smiled. "Is it now?" I nodded. "Well, I suppose that can't be helped." He mounted his horse and put me in front of him.

"So what's going to happen to me?"

"I think I might just adopt you." He nodded and thought out loud to himself. "Yes, Opal always wanted a child."

He turned his horse in the opposite direction, and we started walking. I looked up at him. "So I'm going to live with you?"

He nodded. "Yes you are. I think that sounds nice don't you?"

I nodded. "But you can't replace my Papa okay?"

He nodded. "I would never replace your father."

That was a life changing meeting right there. My adventure had started as soon as those blasted pirates came into harbour. It started when Kinnley found me by my father's dead body, and it started when I stepped foot into the castle for the first time.