The House Of Blood and Dust, Book One: Darkness Rising

Rose Petal Mischief

The sun shines brightly in the sky, much better than previous nights. The rain has left us for the time being. I stare into the sky, in the middle of the forest too far away from the camp as they would like me to be but I am not; I am not far enough away from my father and his imbeciles parading around like they are gods. Walking through this thick brush and seeing the animals makes me wish I’d never have left but what would have I succeeded without leaving, I could end up like father or worse like my submissive mother.

            “Feredir have you actually killed something today?” I fire a nocked arrow into the throat of a deer whilst looking at the master hunter.

            “Yes… that is my fifth kill, do you wish for me to kill larger prey, perhaps human or elf?” The halfling looks at me with distaste and I smile at him.

            “Your father said you had a tongue on you.”

            “Much better for going deeper.” I smirk and he looks at me and walks away. I stand still once again and close my eyes to channel my hatred into peaceful ignorance. Peace is a lie the words told to me by a drunken Avenji. The Arkness words without hope, without fear make death their ally for they do not fear him nor anything else, there is no need. Avenji is a cynical man as is Zachary but from what they have said about their childhoods it doesn’t surprise me.

            “Who did the tattoos for you?”

            “The medic.” The elf laughs at me, my eyes still closed trying not to lash out or just flee. This is my home, this is where I belong. The sun is incredibly hot and all I am wearing is my armoured trousers and boots. My right arm and shoulder are covered with tattoos; the left is yet to be done.

            “Don’t be a prick.”

            “It’s what I live for… to displease fuckers like you.” The elf walks away through the foliage crushing the leaves and snapping the branches. I open my eyes and place my bow back upon my back the string digs into my bare flesh. I’ve grown these past few days my body has become stronger, my mind also, the blade has not reached flesh for two years now. I begin to slowly walk back to the camp to allow the sun to stare at me, for me to bask in its glory. Into the camp with no kill, stolen by my fellow hunters and will be given to my father without my recognition. I stand in the middle of the camp and look around, the cherry blossom leaves are falling onto the ground the queer beauty of autumn, as well as the vast array of colours which somewhat make me miss the array of weapons my human allies had.

            “You boy, come here?” I look and see my father his voice as stern as ever and he face as ugly as ever for an elf that is.

            “Yes keeper?” The elf’s face doesn’t change just stares in a state of disappointed.

            “Come into my tent.” He’s already exiled me from his family, given me the lowest ranked job and lectured me on the meaning of tattoos in this camp. A lot of elves have tattoos here and all over Garask, humans have them more for their tradition had not forbidden them to have them. I walk into the tent waiting for some sort of ambush where he can cut my arm off.

            “What do you require of me?” My father looks at me with his face of discontent. I stand with my hands behind my back holding onto my right wrist.

            “We found three human corpses and Talfagoron’s deep in the forest two nights ago… do you mind explaining yourself?” I try so hard not to smile, my lips tremble and I shake my head.

            “I have no idea what you are on about, keeper… I am but a hunter who wishes to be a monk of the Parador camp.” He paces back and forth his council is all around me. They cannot harm me, I can easily destroy them. He stops with his back to me looking at his high council member, the elf nods and my father nods back.