Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 53

"Cy why are you dressed like that?" Isthan looked up at the redhaired green eyed youth. Cybelline had changed into men's clothes, her red hair cut to shoulder length. With the help of a few potions and some make up, her face became more masculine, just has she had done in the Dycathion palace. Cybelline smiled at Isthan, "It's easier to move around like this." Isthan looked around, it was true, very few women traveled, especially in a country at war.

Cybelline was once again Cy, she wore a white blouse with a brown vest and black pants, simple traveler's clothes. Three boys walked beside her as they headed towards the main market. In one of the boys' arms was a little red fox who snored slightly as he slept. Red woke up and looked around, "I'm hungry."

Cybelline looked down at him, "You've eaten a flock of sheep since we left Dycathion. Do you know how far that farmer chased us?"

Red stuck his little tongue out at him, "That was only one meal. Besides we paid in coin."

"I paid." Cybelline said, her eyes cool, "I was going to offer a fox pelt instead. A beautiful red fox pelt from a glutinous fox with a bottomless pit of a stomach. " But Isthan and Berin had held Red with their big eyes begging Cybelline not to. Cybelline sighed, she wasn't really going to do anything, but those puppy eyes made her feel as if she had done something wrong.

Ceric smiled, "We can take Red around and see what's to eat around here." Cybelline gave him some coin, "Come back by sundown. Make sure that your brothers don't burn down the entire city." Isthan and Berin smiled, looking as innocent as angels. But Cybelline knew better.

These boys seemed to have "trouble" stamped on their foreheads. It was Isthan who stood watch as Berin opened the sheep pen for Red. Between the three, they had eaten some sheep and took the rest into the land in the ring. Isthan told Cybelline that he had seen the farmer beating his neighbor's children because they played too close to his sheep, and wanted revenge. Cybelline smiled and told him that was not how revenge was taken. 

That night Cybelline took the children to the magistrate's house, stole the magistrate's wife and deposited her in the farmer's bed. The magistrate's wife had spat at Isthan for running into her. Cybelline remembered that. 

 She made sure that neither would wake up until the morning. She'd also took some coin from the magistrate and placed it in the farmer's home, it was considered "payment" for the food her family had eaten. 

Ithos didn't know what to say when he learned what happened, he shook his head and grinned. Myrai gave them a lecture but sent them off with a kiss on the head each. As far as child rearing goes, Cybelline liked their style. 

Now, Cybelline sat at a mead stall, the choice of drink for most of the city and listened to gossip as she waited for Ithos.

"With everything that's going on do you think the Festival of the Fox will happen?" One of the women asked her companion, they sat a table away from Cybelline. She looked worried.

The man chuckled, "You think our Prince of Thieves would care about what's happening? Londaros never really could control this city. And now that this city is between the Dycathion and Londaros border, things are even more complicated. But, let's be honest, even if the world burned around us the Festival of Fox would still happen."

Ithos sat down besides Cybelline with a smile, "Ere now lad, a bit of good news finally." He ordered a glass of mead, "We'll get to see my friend soon. Once the Festival ends."

"What is the Festival of Fox?" Cybelline asked.

Ithos took a swig of mead, "The festival is a three day celebration of the God of Trickery, the Fox. He's the god of thieves and spies. We've been invited to the castle fer the celebration."