Chapter 1 prototype.

28 0 0
                                    


Feedback would be appreciated. 

As of now, i might re-write it in first person.



"Say that again, you tramp!"

"I'll say it as many times as you like; you're pathetic and weak."

The taller, thin and scraggy looking man with short black hair, light grey skin, glared at the smaller woman with similar skin and long flowing silver hair tied in a loose ponytail, with his Magenta eyes staring daggers into her lilac orbs. The smug look on her face only made him want to hit her more, if that were possible.

"Go on," she taunted, crossing her arms, and looking down her nose at him, "Prove to me that I'm wrong."

"Maybe I will!" the man gritted his teeth, stepping forward, with the intent to strike when he was within range.

"Levias! Vasalg! Cease your bickering!" bellowed a voice from somewhere down the decorated stone hallway. "How many times do I have to tell you, do not fight your fellow soldiers?" The man continued. As he came into view, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, both of his eyes closed. He was slightly shorter than the Vasalg, but with notably more muscle under his plain white cotton tunic and tan breaches.

"You can't expect me to just take this trash talk, can you Djaovan?" Vasalg whined, turning to Djaovan, both palms upturned, almost in pleading.

"Learn to suck it up and get over it." The visibly irritated man grumbled, peering at Vasalg with his tired, amethyst eyes. "And you," he barked, looking at Levias, "quit it with the attitude." He stepped forward, grabbing Levias by her right wrist, yanking it up, to bring her face closer to his. "Keep it up, and there will be consequences."

Yanking her arm free with an audible grunt, Levias turned on her heel, and walked in the opposite direction, clutching her wrist after a while, grimacing slightly at the pain. On her way to her room, she curses the two men under her breath, as her long sleeved black dress swayed with each step, her moderate heels clacking all the while.

"As insolent as ever..." Djaovan mumbled. "I'll be sure to bring that up at the next council". Turning, he walked away from the still scowling Vasalg, and made his way back to where he came from.

---

Plopping herself down on the small bed in her near-empty room, Levias flexed her fingers, wincing. she leaned back, propping herself up with her left hand, to look out of the window high up on the wall, focusing on the clouds -noticeably quickly- passing by. "A storm, probably." She spoke aloud. Turning to the bookshelf at the foot of her bed, she rose to her feet, and ambled over, perusing the titles, of which she had read multiple times a piece. She brought her left hand up, then to rest in front of a particular title a little above eye level, 'The Wilted Rose'. Grasping the leather-bound tome with her left hand, she placed it under her right arm, and walked over to her door, turning the handle, and stepping out.

making her way to the outside of the fortress of stone she reluctantly called home, Levias walked into one of the baileys, and up the stairs, coming to rest at the top. Standing near a candle-lit table, and leaning against the exterior wall acing outwards, she opened the book, and began slowly tracing her eyes across the familiar words of the old human story. Out of the corner of her right eye, she saw a faint flash of light, and a moment later, was startled violently as a boom of thunder shook the air.

In but a moment's carelessness, her grasp on the old book became loose, and she felt it slip from her grasp. Quickly trying to regain her grasp, she watched as it tumbled through the air for a few seconds, before coming to an abrupt halt, with a distant thud on the earth below. Sighing, Levias focused a small amount of energy into her legs, and muttered the words "Ettva kattra". as her legs were enveloped in the faintest of wisps of colourless flames, she vaulted over the curtain wall and descended to the ground below, keeping her dress in a modest state with her hands. Landing with an audible 'thud', Levias rose from the small dust cloud at her feet, walked over to the "The Wilted Rose", and bent over to pick it up.

A split second before she made contact with the leather, however, a familiar rush of energy came her way, and a single thought entered her mind;

"Hex!"

All at once, she screamed the word "DE-GII'ERAN", and covered her face with her arms, being pushed back by the force of the blast. Sliding for a few feet before coming to a stop, Levias kept her arms up, looking through the gap between them, in the direction that the attack came from, but neither saw or felt anything from the direction. Maintaining her defensive hex, she lowered her arms, and looked around, remaining on guard against a possible second attack, but relaxed after a few minutes, and dispelled her protection.
Looking down, she sighed at the sorry state of her book, shredded and torn by the blast prior. Picking it up, she dusted off its cover, and held it to her chest for a moment, before heading towards the gate of the stone fortress.

Levias kept darting her eyes around, almost jumping at every movement and sound around. After a few minutes of walking through candle-lit corridors, she began to hasten, increasing her pace to a light jog. She passed a people, who made a point of getting out of her way as she walked past, making no attempt to hide the sideways looks and sneers. Levias returned the looks, but didn't stop, instead increasing her pace slightly.

Leaning against the door of her room with crossed arms, was someone who made her sigh in exasperation.

Djaovan.

"What were you doing," he began, turning to face her, and lowering his arms, "running around at this time of night?"

The light of the candle sconce nearby illuminated the contours and scars on his face and head, along with the lines of his near perpetual scowl. Levias was used to seeing his disapproving looks. "reading." she replied matter-of-factly, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Why do you ask?"

"There was a commotion outside." he began, moving closer slowly. "Were you involved?" he stood over her, easily head and shoulders above her, casting a long shadow.

Looking away slightly, Levias gave a quiet "no." and unconsciously clutched her book tighter and shifting slightly. At the same time, Djaovan's eyes fell on the book in her arms, and he sighed quietly to himself. "Could I get past?" Levias asked, stepping to his right slightly. "It's late, and I want to go to sleep."

Rather than answer, Djaovan simply turned to his right, and moved out of her way, allowing her to pass. As she did, he too walked in the opposite direction, and disappeared among the shadows of the old hallway.

Upon closing the door to her room, Levias tossed the book carelessly onto the small bedside table where her ink and quill were sitting, dropped her dress to the floor and flopped unceremoniously onto her bed, groaning out loud. Thoughts of the attack floated around her mind for a while. 'Am I safe here?' she asked herself. 'They're not likely to attack me inside, whoever 'they' are.' she decided, though mostly because she couldn't be bothered staying up all night in wait of an ambush.

Her eyes, heavy with the tender embrace of drowsiness, fluttered open and closed for a few minutes, before the dreams finally took her. She drifted off, dreaming of grassy fields, giant trees and, of all things,

Roses.

OathWhere stories live. Discover now