The Game

Chapter 2 - The First Meeting

Dawna could hear her heart beating crazily as blood rushed through her ears. She had never been so self conscious in her life.
   She knew tonight was important but a part of her didn't want to go through with it. Although she had no choice in the matter, she knew once it began she would never be the same.
    Once she entered the Game she would never return and she wasn't naive enough to believe she could win. In theory she was blessed to be able to participate, in practice she was more than likely signing her life away to an unknown cause.
    She would become the Game just as each of the previous Nobles had. She had never heard much about the coming of age ceremony but each year, one by one, the Nobles, some her friends, would return from it different. Somewhat stronger, harsher and more driven.

As she was carefully helped out of the carriage by her lady in waiting, she observed the castle. It was dark and imposing, reflecting perfectly the personality of it's Lord.
    Dawna's footsteps bounced of the grey slabs leading up to the door and the once quiet steps echoed loudly and faded into the deep valley's of dying trees that lay beyond the castle wall.

She waited at the door until a lady dressed all in black opened the door silently and motioned for Dawna to enter the hall. The lady bowed her head, avoiding eye contact the whole time, and led her to a large ballroom where thirteen chairs were arranged around a long table. Six chairs on either side and one at the head of the table.

"Please do sit. The chair at the end is yours my dear. After all it is your special night", came the unhinged voice of Crua that sent shivers down Dawna's spine in the worst way imaginable. She could barely control her nervous shaking as he politely pressed his lips to her hand. However she shook off her discomfort and obediently nodded stiffly and made her way to her assigned place.
   She wished to get as far away from Crua as she possibly could without seeming rude or afraid. To her credit, she never let her eye level drop as that would display weakness. This was the night for impressions. She needed strong allies and the respect of the other Nobles if she was to survive.

She was beyond relieved when Lady Dahlia arrived and sat herself in the chair next to her. She disregarded Crua's request that she sit elsewhere and coolly responded that she had never sat at any other position at that table and was not likely to ever do so.
Their intense dislike for each other was clear and neither made any attempt to disguise it. It was to be a long and difficult night no matter the outcome so Dawna made herself as comfortable as she could.

***

Drifting in and out of consciousness, the girl dreamt things. She saw distorted shadows that vanished into the night, couples passionately embracing and intense rows tuning to violence.
None of these pictures seems to connect until the faces lost their blurriness and became one. The same few faces appeared in her visions over and over again, playing out different versions of the future until she couldn't tell fact from fiction anymore.
She didn't want to watch anymore. People were loving and kind, then they were murderous monsters and then they returned to complete civility again as though nothing had happened. It was strange how easily lives were taken, lies were spun and old mistakes repeated.
It was not her intention to allow this to continue but it was confusing and hurt her head to think about so instead she let her mind switch off once more.

***

The thirteen Nobles were finally seated, poised and preparing themselves for anything and everything. They were politely making small talk until the main event but there was no doubt each of them had methods of defending themselves from each other should the need arise.

Dawna was trying to control her shaking hands but it was a near impossible task by that point. The silent servers provided drinks and gracefully glided up and down the room.
Well all of them except one. Dawna watched her closely as her hands shook the same as Dawna's did while she served the deep red wine. Dawna related to the girl, silently sympathising as the girl let a small spill slip.

Suddenly the shaking girl was thrown against the towering walls as though she were a rag doll. There was a sickening crunch upon impact and she let out a tortured groan of pain as she sagged to the floor.
    Almost immediately she was lifted, carried across the room and held suspended, hovering inches away from Crua's face. His features were harsh and unforgiving and his eyes were cloudy, a side effect of using his powers.
    "How dare you?" Crua broke off in anger. He was seemingly outraged by the small slip and only seemed to be inexplicably angered more by her helplessness.

Dawna could only watch frozen in horror as Crua tightened his grip around the quivering girl's pale throat. Time stood still as the will and life drained from her body.

"Enough", came the authoritative voice of Antheson, the eldest of the thirteen. He had been the first to recover from the stun spell Goya had thrown and he, fortunately for the girl, had no interest in seeing defenceless people dying.

As Crua was distracted by this Dahlia, who had also recovered quickly, took the opportunity to free the girl. Using only her eyes, she effortlessly guided the girl across the room and placed her gently on the couch by the fire to recover.
    Dawna watched in awe, still completely frozen by the simple stun spell. She had never really been exposed to such magic before and had no resistance to it.

Crua, obviously still outraged, said nothing and sat quietly for fear of starting a fight. He was too weak at that moment and he knew that nobody would take his side after he had so inconsiderately thrown a stun spell at them.

A few moments later, starters were served. Antheson stood and tapped his crystal flute with his spoon.
    "Tonight is the night our generation will be given its chance to flourish and a new era will begin. We will start what which we have prepared our whole lives for and spend the rest of our days fighting for what we believe in. Please raise a glass to our final Noble Dawna and the first full moon of this year".

"To Dawna and the first full moon", choruses the thirteen, sipping their drinks as though nothing had happened at all.