Unevia, The White Locket

A white haired girl (Part 1)

Kaiswen, Ardesco school of magic, near the border of Bromaric, spring (1618 a.L)

The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky as a young girl approached a well in a field. The fresh wind blew through her long white hair. The girl wore a dirty long tunic with a belt around her waist and leather shoes on her feet. The tunic once had the color of iris, but it was old and covered with dirt now. She closed her eyes and tilted her head up at the sky when she reached the well, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. Bending over to pick a common flower she placed it in her hair behind her ear and started humming. She then took the rope that hung down the well in her small hands and pulled it to raise a bucket filled with water to the surface. The girl took it and turned around to follow the path leading to the stables. She opened the big wooden doors and entered, carrying the bucket inside.

Though she enjoyed the warmth outside, the cool air that filled the stable felt welcoming to her. The horses in the stables neighed when they noticed her presence. She shushed the animals and stroked the neck of a brown mare.

"It's ok, Maisie," she spoke with a soft gentle voice.

The girl took the bucket and spread its contents over several water tanks in the stable. When there was no water left in the bucket, she put it down before letting herself fall onto a big pile of hay. It felt soft, though it tickled her through the fabric of her clothes. She looked at the horses as rays of light crept through the wood of the stable. Dust particles foating mid-air. The girl enjoyed her time alone and decided to savour it. Raelyn closed her eyes and let her mind wander.

The white-haired girl was a maid from Ardesco, the school of magic, where she was bound to the task of serving the wizards and their students. She had to work hard every day, cleaning the dorms, taking care of the horses, making food for the students, and following their every command, without getting much in return.

The girl often thought about leaving, traveling to all the corners of Unevia. But Ardesco provided her with a roof over her head and enough food to get by, so she stayed and worked so she could one day have a life of her own. Besides, Ardesco was all she knew. It was the place where she grew up, ever since she was left there as but a toddler.

"Raelyn, you lazy wench," the harsh creaking voice startled the girl.

She gasped and quickly opened her eyes to find the Master of Horses standing in the doorway of the stable. The man had a short plump body, his fat belly poking out from underneath his dirty shirt. His bare skin was covered in tiny drops of sweat as he took a step towards her. Realyn quickly stood up while keeping her bright light-blue eyes fixed on him.

"Grorm, I didn't mean to," she tried, but the fat man interrupted her. "You didn't mean to sleep when you were supposed to work?" he said while opening the tack room beside him. Grorm frightened the girl and she took a step back, increasing the distance between the two.

"I won't do it again, I promise." She said with a tremble in her voice. He chuckled as he took a riding crop out of the tack room before turning towards her.

"No, you won't," he made a quick movement with his hand and slapped the end of the whip hard against his hand. The sound echoed through the stable and made Raelyn gasp for air. "Because I won't let you forget your mistake so easily," the man said before slowly approaching her while a grin developed on his face.

Raelyn backed away further until she felt the wooden wall press against her back, desperation and fear taking over. "Just let me go. I'll get back to work, I swear," the tremble in her voice increased as Grorm got closer to her.

She stared at the riding crop in his hand as he raised it high above his head. She closed her eyes and fell to her knees while moving her arms up to defend herself against the beating that followed. Tears filled her eyes when Grorm slapped the leather end of the whip onto her back several times. The horses neighed at the sounds that the whip made when it hit her back and arms. Pain shot through her body with every hit she took.

"Please, stop!" she cried, but Grorm ignored her.

He kept smacking the whip onto her body until she threw herself against him in a desperate attempt to escape. Grorm lost his balance and tumbled backwards, landing on his back, creating an opening for Raelyn. She took her chance and got up, running towards the open doors of the stable as the fat short man tried to get up behind her. When she reached the big wooden doors, she turned towards him. She looked at him with tears rolling down her cheeks, breathing heavily as the places he hit her still burned on her skin. She wanted to curse him, yell her lungs out, but she knew she would get in trouble if she did. So, she left without saying a word, leaving him alone in the stable, ignoring the insults he threw at her.

The long walk gave her the time needed to calm herself. Tears stopped and dried, leaving only her slightly red, puffy eyes as proof that she had even cried at all. She followed the path through the forest and up the hill until she reached its peak. The top of the hill provided a stunning view of the Ardesco castle and the adjacent village Westwell. The castle might have looked weak and misshapen to others, but to Raelyn, the imperfections were what made it beautiful. The long towers were crooked and full of cracks in the old stone. Ivy crept up from the base of the tower covering most of the castle. Raelyn loved its old and distinct exterior. Ardesco was not the biggest of castles in Unevia. Not that Raelyn had seen many castles, but drawing in the books she had read appeared to be larger than Ardesco.

She continued her walk down the path until she reached the entrance to Westwell. The sandy path stopped and the cobblestoned streets of Westwell began. The outer side of the village contained wooden shacks for those without a lot of money to spend. Further into the village were the larger brick houses for the people that could afford it. The square formed the center of Westwell. There were taverns, a church, and plenty of shops. 

As Raelyn walked the streets of Westwell, she felt the eyes of the people burning on the back of her head. She hoped that people would have gotten used to her white hair. But even then, seventeen years later, people stared at her as if she wasn't normal. But Raelyn got used to it and accepted the fact that her hair would continue to catch the attention of those around her. It didn't bother her as much anymore. The closer she came to the square, the more people she noticed on the street. The market had started. 

Not just the people from Westwell but from nearby villages as well gathered in the square where dozens traders sold their merchandise. As she walked through the crowded square, she passed stalls that sold fruits and vegetables and ones filled with the most beautiful pearls she had ever seen. Some sold old books, fabric, clothes, or talismans and charms while others tried to make some coin selling their old belongings.

"You little rat!" she heard a man scream. When she turned, she saw a man holding the hand of a little boy that tried his best to escape the grip. She approached them and asked him what the matter was. "This thief tried to steal a loaf of my bread." The man explained. 

Raelyn looked at the kid and noticed the loaf of bread under his arm. He wore old clothes filled with rips and patched up holes. The boy looked like he had been living on the streets for quite a while. "Give me the bread," she said softly to him after bending her knees to get to his eye level. "It's not right to steal." 

The boy stared at her hesitantly before he looked down to the ground, slightly ashamed of his actions. He handed her the loaf and avoiced her gaze. The man slowly let go of his wrist and took his place behind the stall filled with different kinds of bread. Raelyn ruffled the hair of the kid and smiled warmly. "You did the right thing kid." She said while standing up and turning towards the man. 

She took the loaf of bread in her right hand and leaned over the stall to hand him his bread. "Here you go good sir." She smiled at him while grabbing a bun in her left hand and hiding it under her tunic. The boy sighed as he turned around and walked off. Raelyn took a few steps backwards before calling out to him 

"Hey kid." He turned around and looked at her a little confused. "Catch." She took the bun from under her tunic and threw it at him. He caught it and a wide smile appeared on his face as he stared at the bun in his hand before looking up at her. "Thanks." He said softly. 

Unfortunately, it didn't escape the merchant's attention as he came from behind his stall yelling "Thieves!" The boy's eyes opened wide before he scampered off, disappearing in the crowded square as the man followed him. Raelyn chuckled and turned around, running through the crowded square towards the castle of Ardesco.