Rebellion

Chapter One

Chapter One~

My brother came into my room, scowling."Mother needs you." He said.

I sighed and followed him into the centre of the house. Mother was awaiting me there.

"Neera..." Mother sighed. " I don't know how to put this...Grandmother is....ill,"

I froze. "Grandmother? How.." I cleared my throat "How sick is she..?"

"We don't know yet.."

"How can you not know?"

"Neera," my brother soothed "There's nothing to worry about. She'll be fine,"

I glared at him. "Don't you dare lie to me Delst. And I have no requirement of your pity,"

He closed his eyes for a second. "Do you not think the rest of us are worried? We care for Grandmother just as much as you,"

"And yet you have the audacity to lie and say everything is fine. Nothing is fine. It hasn't been for 19 years!"

He grunted and left the house, clearly fed up with my stubbornness.

"He was only trying to help Neera," Mother said, trying her best to smile. I saw the tear stains on her clothes, the blood streaks, and the tear tracks that ran down her cheeks. Mother was always the supporter. She never really had any choice after Father....died. He was bit by a Demon...and therefore perished. It was a horrible time for everyone. I was four at the time. I remember some of him..but his death shall be etched in my mind forever. That I am sure of. Mother's blue eyes darkened. "Neera..you know I will not be able to go on forever.."

"I know. You don't have forever. Not to worry,"

She chuckled slightly which gave me a sense of pride. It takes a good comment to make her smile or chuckle. Her brown hair shifted as she sat up. "I'm telling you this because soon you will need to be the supporter. Delst will leave with a family of his own, and you will need to start your own family," she told me.

"Mother, I know all this,"

"Then I am reminding you of your duty. Your children will need you in more ways than you can imagine,"

"I don't understand what any of this has to do with Grandmother,"

"It doesn't. Not really anyway. But this is important Neera, you must understand that. You never know when there may be a change of events in your life. You must be prepared,"

I snorted. "Mother, this is ridiculous. What is the meaning of all this?!"

She shook her head. "Never mind that now Neera. Just make sure you don't forget,"

I rolled my eyes, annoyed. "Would I be able to see Grandmother?"

Mother sighed and rubbed her temples. "I suppose..."

She lead me to the back room of the house. She quietly opened the door and brought me in to the dimly lit room. There was a wax candle on the nightstand which supplied the light.

"Grandmother...?" I asked softy.

I saw her shift in the bed that was off in the corner. "Neera.."

I went to her bed. "Yes Grandma..it's me...how are you?"

"Good....not...not as bad as...Mother originally thought....not to worry dear,"

I smiled slightly. "Stay strong Grandma,"

I heard her sigh softly before she fell asleep again. I looked closely at her face now, partially scared at what I might see. She was pale, and she looked thin. Too thin. Now, she looked fragile, as if she might break at the slightest touch. Her hair looked dull, not the shining white streaked blonde hair like it usually was. Mother took me from the room before I could break down. She knows how I can be. She led me back into the kitchen and we sat at the table.

"She has to get better," I mumbled.

"You know she will...." Mother assured me.

I nodded my reply then quickly left the table and headed to my room. I needed to get away from all this. I changed into a cleaner pair of clothes and climbed out my window above my bed. I shimmied across the window sill until I reached the vine that grew up the side of the house. I climbed onto it and made my way down. I reached the ground within five minutes, maybe more. I quickly walked to the Forest that bordered the small town. It was the only place of solitude I had now. I went to the path that was created years ago by wildlife. I crept along the path, going farther and farther into the Forest, checking everywhere for Demons. In no time I reached the meadow. I saw a fox chasing a small rabbit and smiled to myself. It's not every day you see animals out in the wild anymore. But as I looked farther into the quiet meadow, I noticed a tall figure, standing off to my left. It was far from me, and I could easily hide behind a tree if the figure turned my way. But I grew curious, and I needed to know if it was Demon. I cautiously crept closer, and the two animals scattered as they caught my scent. I winced as the figure noticed their flight. The figure instantly turned around, a sparkling blade in hand. I released a sigh of relief as I saw that it was in fact a human male, he appeared to be my age as well.

"Who are you?" He asked me.

I rolled my shoulders back to stand at my full height. "Please, I will not hurt you. I have no weapons,"

"Who are you?!?" He prodded.

"Human," I replied, smirking.

He paused, examining me for a split second, before sheathing his sword, and walking closer to me. He was about three feet in front of me before he stopped. He was tall, taller than me, and he had startling blonde hair. But that was not the unusual part. His eyes were. His eyes were a light blue, but they appeared to be almost white. I've never even heard of anyone with such amazing eye colour.

"I'm Briss. What's your name?" He asked.

"I am Neera. What exactly are you doing here?"

"I'm just here to be alone. And you?"

"To relieve stress..." I replied cautiously.

"I understand. In times like these..." He trailed off.

I smiled slightly. There was something about him that I felt I could trust with anything. Which was unnerving for me, considering how I rarely trusted. "What section of the village do you live in?"

"The West Side. And you?"

"The North Side. What is it like over there?"

"Not a whole lot of patrols, but if there are, they are very strict and cruel,"

"Aren't they all?" I chuckled.

"Ah, fair enough," He shifted his weight to his left foot. "What's it like for you?"

"Practically no patrols...some occasionally go through the sector, but rarely. There hasn't been any riots for a long, long time,"

He nodded his reply, and I sat in the soft grass. Briss sat beside me. Usually, I would've found this awkward, and would've left awhile ago. But there's something about him that is so comforting. He's not pushing for my information, he's just there...almost as support. I know that we could be really close with time.

Briss then began talking. At first it was about nothing, simply small talk, but he then wandered to more serious topics. Like how his mother gave up on him and his family. How his best friend died trying to save him from a Demon. He showed me how to use a sword against the Demons and how to outsmart some of the dumber ones. I loved the time with Briss, he was like the only one I could trust with my darkest secrets. I told him of Father dying, and how Grandmother was ill. He sympathized with me, and supported my opinions on Them. I don't know how long we had been here, together, but I knew it was longer than I had planned, for I heard my brother calling for me.

"I'm sorry...I have to go," I said.

He looked towards the forest at the sound of my name in the distance and nodded. "That would be best. Will I see you again?"

I smiled. "Of course. Tomorrow at noon?"

"That works. I'll see you soon. But until then, stay safe Neera,"

"I could say the same to you!"

He chuckled slightly. I reluctantly left his side and ran to my brother, looking behind my shoulder to see him slowly stand and watch me leave.