Graceling Realm FanFiction

Chapter 1

Being in Westport always worried Violet. The tall buildings, though nothing like the shacks of her northern town near the Nanderian boarder, were far too similar to those of the Kings City. Of course it was no longer called Birn City. Violet had not returned to the capital city of Wester since she left rather abruptly two years ago. Before she could get lost in the memories staring at the stained-glass and clapboard covered buildings a bugle sounded and it was all hands on deck. Soon they'd be gone from this place.

Gulls swooped and cast the sails at Ore's command and Captain Gold pulled in the anchor. Both Ore and Gold were graced, in fact every one of the men and women on this vessel had some sort of grace. Gold was Graced with strength, though his slight build and bouncy walk might fool you. Ore, Violets best friend and long time companion was Graced with an uncanny ability with animals. He need only ask an animal what was wrong and he would receive an answer. Ore could also ask these animals for help as he so often did. Violet's other friend on this ship, Ismel, was probably hiding under deck where she was safely out of the way of the bustling Naval Officers.

"Stop staring into space and sing us a song Siren!" yelled a crew member from across the ship. It was Blaight who was Graced with the ability to throw his voice as far as he could see. Blaight knew as much as anyone else that if Violet were to begin singing it would be more of a distraction than anything. Violet was graced with Sirens song. Though of average beauty, her hair prematurely gray-blonde and freckles covering her pale skin, when she began to sing all eyes turned to her. Years ago Violet had mastered the art of getting people to do things they didn't want to do but it was helping people that Violet struggled with. Why was it that helping was so much harder than hurting?

Just as she began her task of hauling ropes a mysterious figure lept onto to boat. Two more seconds and this person would not have made it. The ship was off and headed away from the docks of Westport. This had been the last stop, the last port before returning to Ror City. The mysterious woman, as Violet could now tell she was clearly a woman, walked up to Captain Gold and handed him a letter marked with what looked like the seal of King Ror himself.

"Attention crew! This is a new recruit from...."

"Estill, sir," she inserted, her voice heavily accented but not specifically Estillian.

"Yes," Gold continued, "our new recruit is to join us on our journey to Ror City, welcome her and try not to haze her too hard." Violet thought this was an odd thing to say, the new girl was average height, dark in complexion and had matching short dark hair. Nothing to be made fun other than her accent surely. Until this dark skin beauty past Violet nothing seemed off.

As she passed by, shoulder to shoulder, Violet noticed what set this mystery apart from everyone else on this ship. Their eyes met for only a brief moment but long enough for Violet to marvel at the light, nearly golden brown hue of them. Them, both eyes were this unique shade, the new girl was ungraced. Violet blushed for a moment while wishing for such beautifully ordinary eyes. She blinked her own mismatched, pale purple and royal blue eyes then set back to work, all the while wondering what a non-graced, Estillian woman with a letter from Ror and a strange accent was doing upon this ship.