Children of the Citadel

chapter 3

 My father's face appeared in the doorframe. He blanched.

"Who's out there," a voice from within demanded, that male voice.

My dad glanced back into the room, mouth agape, and then returned his attention to me, still frozen against the wall in the hallway beside a rather imposingly-sized raven.

"It's..." he paused, as if debating whether to tell the truth, "The second child of the Citadel."

"What?" A familiar voice from inside exclaimed, and Sapphira's face appeared in the doorway a moment later.

The door swung open the rest of the way, all pretense of secrecy evidently thrown out the window. My dad gestured for me to approach. I managed to break free from my paralysis, and closed the difference between myself and the door in two steps.

I could see inside the room now. There were indeed nine people within, as I had expected. All five Elders, most of them sitting silently in the back, my father, Guinevere, and the two unfamiliar men.

The one closest to me was sitting down. He was young, surely some years older than Guin and I, but still a young man. His brown hair was cut close to the scalp, his jaw dappled with matching facial hair. He wasn't extraordinarily handsome, but not unsightly by any means. He was an ordinary man, a stark contrast to the man standing next to him.

This man was quite an imposing figure indeed. He was huge, easily the tallest and widest person in the room. He was incredibly muscular, obvious even while wearing a thick fur cloak that reached his ankles. He didn't look anything like the young man beside him. The larger one's hair was a deep red, tied at the nape of his neck.

I settled my gaze on his face last, and wished I hadn't. He looked very, very pissed. For good reason.

"How long have you b-" My dad started, but stopped, "Is there anybody else out here?"

I shook my head over and over again, still reeling a bit. "The... the raven led me here," I lied desperately.

I have no idea if anyone believed me.

"What is this?" The big man demanded with disgust, "You assured me that this meeting place was secure."

My dad glanced between myself and the interior of the room before sighing. To my absolute shock, he gestured inside the room with his head, inviting me in.

The grown man narrowed his eyes at me, and I immediately averted my own. Instead, I chose to look at Guinevere.

Wow. She looked amazing. I couldn't believe it- she had color added to her face, on her lips, eyes and cheeks. She wasn't wearing the signature boxy, violet robe that the Elder acolytes in the room were wearing, or a simple house-dress like I donned, but a formal dress. It was long and elegant, the color a gorgeous vermillion that seemed to shine, even in the dim candlelight of the room. There were even some sparkles involved to help it along in that regard.

I was flabbergasted. This was certainly not... customary. It looked like she was dressed for a cotillion. What in His name is happening here?

Guin stared at the large, ebony table before her. She was sitting directly across from the young man, who, when he noticed that he had my attention, smiled kindly but weakly at me.

If I were a particularly observant individual, I'd have guessed that neither him nor my sister wanted to be there.

"You invite this miscreant into this assembly?" The grown man asked incredulously, his voice loud and gruff.

My sister's gaze snapped upwards to look at him. She stood. "This miscreant," she began, utilizing the same sense of authority that had accompanied her earlier words, "is my twin sibling and a child of the Citadel. You will treat her with respect equal to that with which you treat me."