SoW S4

Chapter Two

PART I

JUST A NIGHTMARE

Trevor sat up in his bed. Saxon woke up in the bed across the room. He yawned and said: "I couldn't sleep all night". "Me neither", Trevor mumbled. "Yeah, you kicked, punched and whined all night", Saxon grunted. "I just had a bad dream", Trevor said. "About what?", Saxon asked. "Nothing", Trevor shrugged it off. "Just tell me", Saxon urged.

Saxon listened and occasionally yawned, while Trevor told him about it. When he was done Saxon just looked at him. "It was just a stupid nightmare", Saxon teased. Trevor still felt odd about the dream. "I think I should tell Abbigail", Trevor said. "Hmmm, I don't think you should, it was just a nightmare, and she has a lot on her plate", Saxon answered. "Okay", Trevor muttered under his breath.

PART II

THIEF

It was raining in Oakendale, yet the streets were swarming with people. A young woman slipped through the streets and into a shady tavern.

She walked over to a table where to dodgy men were sitting muttering to each other.

"So, how are we doing", she said with a smug voice as she sat down next to them. Both men glared at her and one grumbled: "What do you think you're doing here, girl". "Oh, nothing special", she responded as she fished some gold from the nearest man's pocket, without him noticing. "Well, it looks like I better get something to eat", she said innocently.

"Yeah, you better go", one of the men grumbled and gave her a little shove away. She walked up to the tavern-keeper and slammed the gold on the table. "Bread", she addressed. "Bread for the little girl", the keeper shouted over his shoulder. A moment later a bearded man came with a small loaf of bread. "I don't think so", she commented. "That small of a loaf", she continued. "You can take this bread and walk away", the keeper. "Or else?", she asked arrogantly. "I'll make sure you can't walk again", he threatened and grabbed a rusty knife from the table. She took a step back. "I think that it will do", she said and darted for the entrance, shoving the bread into her pocket.

She stepped outside in the pouring rain and rushed to the edge of the nearest building. Loud noises were heard inside of the tavern and the two men slammed the door open. "Where did that little mite go with my money", one man shouted. "We can't find her when it's this dark, but we'll find her tomorrow and she'll wish she never stepped in here", another said.

The girl walked further down an alleyway and found a young man around her age sitting on the ground.

"You're back", he rasped. She handed him the bread and dropped down next to him. "I'm sorry but it was all I could find". He looked at her "We will be fine, right, Moni?", he asked. She never liked it when he called her that nickname. She touched his forehead, "You've gotten worse", she said worriedly. "Moni I'm fine", he coughed. Why did he still call her that, they weren't kids anymore, why couldn't he just call her Monisha. "Moni?" he asked. "What!", she said loudly. He was so annoying, she only put up with it because he was sick. He passed her half of the loaf. "Eat, you need it just as much as I do". "Are you sure? I mean- ", the boy gave her the bread. Monisha took the bread and bit of small bites.

PART III

THE ARRANGEMENT

The stars of the night sky shone over many small islands dotted in the large Nestorian Ocean. A singular boat bobbed heavily in the ocean near the isles. The powerful wind pushing it towards a dock.

Guards dressed in complete black paced around the wooden bridges. One's gaze fell on the nearing boat, and they called out to the rest of the guards. The other guards rushed toward the boat, holding out their lanterns to see in the darkness.

The ship docked and multiple guards boarded the boat to search through the items on it. A few people and ardoni walked from the boat into the little city on the island. One of them dressed in black and rust-colored garments. As they walked through the city many people and ardoni stared at them with curios eyes.

The cloaked figure arrived at a large building. Their footsteps echoed as they walked through the dreary rooms in the building. They heard muffled voices from a nearby room.

Several ardoni and humans were standing and sitting around a table. A female Sendaris was sitting in the middle of the group, listening to the other's conversations. "Ardonia is still weak, the kingdoms are still mistrustful of one another. The Masters have hidden away their strongest weapons and not a single person knows anything about our plans", a Nestoris said loudly.

The gathering turned their heads and looked at the figure who stepped into the room. The female Sendaris pushed her chair back and stood up. Her ice blue markings glowed like a ribcage on her body.

"Acheria, I was beginning to think that you had betrayed us", she said cooly to the figure. Acheria lifted her head and said, "If you have what I require, I will have no reason to betray you".

Yeah it's the same person from Chapter One, A Cold Wind