(COMPLETE)
Lady Mhysra Kilpapan was blessed from birth with a distinguished family, a glorious home and a giant eagle miryhl of her own. Fully aware of her luck, she wants for nothing in life - except a chance to become a Rift Rider. The elite force...
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Fifteen
32nd Fledgling
Mhysra was waiting when her mother came to see her the next morning. The sun was already high in the sky, but she'd been up since dawn, unable to stop herself from pacing. What was she going to do? How was she going to get out of this? It was worse than she'd ever imagined. Yes, she'd known her parents would be angry with her, possibly even disown her, but imprisonment? And Mherrin said that Rift Riders were melodramatic.
Despite having paced every inch of her bedroom in her impatience, watched mournfully by a subdued Bumble, Mhysra threw herself into the nearest chair the moment she heard the key snap in the lock. Her mother likely knew how frustrated, angry and anxious Mhysra was feeling, but she was damned if she'd give the countess the satisfaction of seeing it.
So this time it was Mhysra sitting calmly at her desk when her mother entered the room, but Lady Kilpapan did not come alone. The door was opened for her by a bulky skysailor, whose chief qualifications for the work appeared to be his bulging muscles. Behind the countess came a second skysailor, similar enough to be the first's burlier brother. He carried a breakfast tray, which he took over to Mhysra at the countess' command.
Though big and intimidating, his bald head covered with tattoos, the sailor smiled at her and murmured something polite-sounding in Mistrunan. His friendliness caught her off-guard and she thanked him, wondering if he was to be her jailor.
At a nod from Lady Kilpapan, the men took up station either side of the door, while she advanced into the room. Noticing the bag Mhysra had filled during the night, in a fit of helpless defiance, the countess smiled. "You're already packed. Good. We leave this afternoon."
Glancing at the guards and deciding she didn't care how much Imercian they understood, Mhysra crossed her arms over her chest. "What makes you think I'm coming with you?"
Lady Kilpapan arched an eyebrow, but ignored her in favour of opening the wardrobe. "You will need to pack a few more bags. These dresses will be useful for when we dine with our favoured clients. Breeches and shirts are well enough for the deck," the disparaging glance she cast over Mhysra's current attire suggested otherwise, "but we must also be prepared for elegance, when the situation calls for it."
Turning to her men, she issued a stream of Mistrunan. The smiling one bowed his head and slipped out of the door. "Talro will bring more bags for you."
When Mhysra said nothing, knowing it would be futile to argue, her mother frowned. "You should eat. We have a long voyage ahead of us."
Torn between going on hunger-strike or maintaining her resources in the hope of an escape, Mhysra compromised by pouring a glass of apple juice. "Have you visited the Rider offices yet?" she asked, half-hoping that by doing so her mother would draw attention to her missing daughter and perhaps bring about a rescue. Yet she also feared some ignorant and unfeeling clerk would accept Cumulo without question, not caring what had happened to his troublesome female Rider.
