Vaile

Aislinn IV

     Aislinn felt her heart throb against her chest. Pulling her skirt away from her ankles, she rushed after her cousin.

     She was vaguely aware of Zoe's concerned voice calling for her to wait, of the strange man calling after Zoe. What mattered was that she find her cousin.

      Mavis turned a corner into a backstreet with no exit. That was easier than expected.

       "Mavis! You're here! I heard Odette and Lucia talking about you running away but I didn't think--" she was cut off abruptly as Mavis cupped a hand over her mouth.

        "Not now. Do you want those two to find us? Do you want everyone to know where we came from?" Aislinn shook her head mutely, and Mavis's hand came down. "What are you doing here, Aislinn? Quietly."

        She told her cousin about the strange urge to escape, about the street thieves, about meeting Zoe. "You can't trust that woman," Mavis interjected angrily, "For all you know she was trying to rob you and sell you to slavers. Her friend certainly didn't have our welfare in mind. Birds of a feather flock together, Linn."

         Despite having known Zoe for only a short time, Aislinn felt the need to protect her. "I haven't talked to you in a while, but lately I've been getting these feelings. The kind that told me to run away. The kind that told me to trust Zoe. They're all I have to go on." She drew in a deep breath. "And your magic. Whatever it was you did to that boy back there. I didn't have such a good feeling about that. It's dangerous, Mavis. You've got to be careful." The creepy little cat that followed Mavis everywhere hissed.

          For a tiny girl who had been constantly encouraged to shut up her whole life, this was quite a speech. Aislinn felt proud of herself for a split second before Zoe rounded the corner, followed by the man with the silver knife.

          "Aislinn! Thank Valla. We thought you were gone." Zoe enveloped her in a sudden hug that made Aislinn miss her aunt. Why did she get the feeling that this woman cared about her after an hour?

          "Hoped," muttered the man with a shark's grin. Zoe glared at him sharply.

           "Girls, this poor excuse for a street rat is my brother. Zel, be a gentleman for once and kindly don't take any of their personal possessions."

           "You know I don't do gentleman, sis. It's not my style." His eyes were the same dark green as Zoe's, but that was where the resemblance stopped. Where Zoe was fairly average-looking and approachable, with a comely freckled face and reddish hair tied up in a braid, Zel was tall, scarred, and crude. One made her feel at ease, the other on edge. One considerate, the other cruel. Polar opposites, yet related. Aislinn shuddered, remembering the look in Mavis's eyes as she pinned Zel to the wall. That would not happen to them. She would make sure of it.

           "Aislinn, who's your friend?"

           "She's actually my cousin. And her name's Mavis," Aislinn said truthfully, ignoring Mavis's furious glare. "May she stay with us, as well?" She ignored Zel's snort and eye roll as he mouthed "may she stay with us, as well."

            "The more, the merrier, I guess," Zoe replied with a tired smile, "And bring the cat along. I've always liked them."

             Mavis picked up her cat and followed them home, seemingly wondering if they would kill her at any moment.