The Curse

Chapter 3 Non Sociable

(Pic if Taz)

*I have been traveling for sixteen years now and we are drawing close to our destination according to Taz and Kyle. The only way I can now pass for a guy is by taking the ash from the campfire and giving myself a twelve o'clock shadow and wearing guy cloths which are far too big for me and bandaging my chest up. For your information it hurts! As we approached the town it was far bigger than the ones we had gone through on our journey. It was a lot busier and louder. I myself preferred a quiet life on the road. I didn't have any childhood friends since we never stay anywhere longer than a night so I had no social life other than Kyle, Taz, Dark Shadow, and Jink. Only half of those members could talk and the other half only talked to me a little on our ride. I didn't mind tho,I could have plenty of time to myself which was nice. The only thing I didn't like about my journey was not having anybody to show me the ropes of puberty. The guys weren't much help and the only reference I had was from Jinx and books. Long story short my journey was a good one I had no social skills people thought I was a guy and.....gosh is that all I have going for me? As we approached a huge building I could only assume was a castle the giantness of the castle cast a shadow and guards were stationed all along it. The older members of the guards were the ones that gave the ok for us to be let in while the younger ones were suspicious of us. As the huge metal gates were opened I realized the hugeness of the castle even more. We were met by more members of the guards and some stable hands to take our horses. Darkshadow had been trained not to follow anybody other than me and there was no way he was going into a stall not even with my help. He was a outdoor horse through and through. Dark Shadow knelt down for me to slid off his back. He then sprung back up once I was off. I had dismounted only after Taz and Kyle had.*

"Taz,Kyle it's been so long!"

"It's been awhile old friend."

*I watched as they exchanged their greetings while I hung back and stroked Darkshadow.*

"Excuses me, but how do I take your horse to the stables with no bridle?"

"Even if you had one he would not follow you. Where are your paddocks?"

"Behind the stables."

"Are they over where they just took Star and Luck?"

"If you mean the geldings, sir, then yes."

*I gave a motion of my head and Darkshadow went trotting over to the paddocks and jumped over easily into the feild.*

"How did you do that?"

"He was trained under a understanding so he will only listen to me, anybody else that tries to tack him will be killed."

"Don't scare the poor lad."

"Sure you say that now, but wait until somebody does that,then they will be killed."

"Alright we don't want to be keeping the king waiting."

*Supposedly people are sopost to respect the king because of his statues, but nobody gets my respect unless they earn it no mater the status. I followed Taz and Kyle into the castle through the huge doors. Some of the guards lead us down some hallways then to the throne room. There was a fat white bearded man sitting on the throne.*

"Taz Kyle,you have finally returned from your quest. So did you find the cursed child?"

*Cursed child?*

"Yes she is right here."

"Where,I don't see her. All I see is that skinny boy over there."

"That is the girl sire. Ivy, please step forward."

*I reluctantly obeyed Taz's request.*

"Can you take your hood off Ivy?"

*I was even more reluctant with this. I hadn't shown my face to others except
Taz and Kyle. I shed the hood of my cloak and my pale face with campfire ash giving a twelve o'clock shadow was there.*

"Why do you have ash on your face?"

*I bore a cold look on my face as I responded.*

"As a disguise."

"From what?"

"Ask my companions that."

"Taz Kyle why is she wearing ash on her face?"

"To keep less suspicion on us."

"I see... so where are your curse marks?"

*With him saying he knew about my curse marks he could not live. I reached for my hidden daggers in my cloak and lunged for the king. I held the daggers up to his neck and the guards reacted immediately fourteen of them surrounded me and twenty from above with bows and arrows. I scanned them quiqly, but Taz and Kyle stopped me from finishing what I had started.*

"Ivy, stop it!"

"He knows I have.."

"Of course he does he is the one who ordered us to get you!"

*I searched their eyes then moved fluidly away from the king back behind Kyle and Taz.*

"Gezz,who even taught you to be that fluid?!"

"Jinx,mixed with you and Taz."

"We are terribly sorry for Ivy's behavior, she has been taught to kill anybody who knows about her secret and we forgot to tell her that you were somebody who could known about her secret."

*The guards had relaxed once I had stepped away from the king. I was getting ancey being in here in this place where I can hardly breath.*

"I don't know what business you two have here, but if you need me I am outside."

*I turned and backtracked the way I came in and left. I went out to Dark Shadow in a huff I had pulled my hood over my head and walked back out. Dark Shadow saw me coming in a huff and he knew not to cause trouble and Jinx was trying to calm me down. I was burning with anger I was trying to control.*