Deadly Nightshade

Chapter 1 - Odd telling of misfortune

Capturing the night sky my heart thumps a steady beat, focusing... focusing my energy into the blazing light that was the smoking flame. My eyes wander about the crooked colours, I see an image, a vague image, as I would usually. A single tree, leaf after leaf cascading in a downward spiral. The season that would take this woman's life was clear.

"Autumn, I'm sorry but you have only a month left," My eyes meet the frail old woman who had come to visit me only just a year before. Then I could not predict her ill end, only the humble journey she would take.

"That's quite fine," Her eyes didn't fill with sorrow, no, they filled with a calm wave of emotion. Standing up she hands me a bag of gold, thanking me for my time, she exits without another word. I would get people like her coming into the shop, wanting their future told... it wasn't unusual for them to be unsatisfied with the results, often asking how to change the outcome.

"I am closing up the shop, hopefully, she was the last one," My master says, I chuckle and take out the golden circles from the sack and hand half to him, Doctor Abraham, he doesn't like it when I refer to him as Master, often saying 'Lanira, you have been under my watch for quite some time, aren't we past formalities?' to which I say 'I think it as a sign of respect, but as you wish'. "Lanira, what did I say about giving me your earnings?"

Doctor Abraham was an older looking man, maybe late forties in looks but way past in actuality. Always wearing a robe of colours, eyes behind spectacles that he constantly pushed up after they slip down his nose. His greying hair ruffled and manic, him always running his hand through it when frustrated, those little things are what I noticed over the years.

"You said not to do such a thing and that my company is enough payment?" He hums and hands me back the gold. I sigh and pocket it seeing as it was no use arguing. "I'll finish closing up and head to bed," He nods and grabs his bags, most likely going away for another supply trip. I've lived here for quite some time, under the apprenticeship of Dr Abraham, he took me in after I saved him at quite a young age. He had said my powers were strong, I had nowhere to go as I was abandoned as a child left only knowing my first name, he owes me his life and him, mine.

"I will be back in a few days," called it! I nod and open the door up for him. He waves a solemn goodbye and departs from the store.

Midnight, the handcrafted clock on the wall struck 12, waking me up as did the sudden crash down below. I sigh and go to my gown, thinking it must be the doctor- wait the doctor is out! It's an intruder, panic rushes through me, I quickly grab the gleaming blade that sat untouched on the mantle in my room. Quietly creeping down I hold the knife in front of me."H-hello? I h-have a weapon!"

"Where is the doctor? I mean no harm!" I look at the towering shadow of a man, the darkness shrouded his face from my sight.

"Come into the light," I gesture towards the crack of moonlight pouring through a window. He slowly moves forward, my eyes wander the features of the man in front of me. His jet black hair curled lightly around his face his features made him no more than 3 years older than me, me being 26. Piercing blue eyes stared back as I tried to recognize where I had seen him before. He was obviously not a bandit as his green and black clothing were of high-class material. "T-the doctor is currently out on a trip... I'm not sure exactly when he'll be back... May I ask who you are? And why you broke into the shop?" Bringing the blade up towards his face nervous laughter escapes his lips.

"I need a reading- wait... aren't you the apprentice? T-they say you have a gift? Am I not correct?" I contemplate my next words wisely.

"Yes... You are correct..." I lower the knife to my side, yet never letting my guard down.

"Then you can read my future? Can't you?" Seeing as though there was no way out of this except to report him to the patrolling guard's I nod and tell him to take a seat at the circular table that had fabrics of all sorts laid out in orderly chaos, cushions of purple and red scattered the floor leaving places to sit comfortably all over. Pushing away the turquoise curtains that cloaked the entrance the nameless man sits in front of me.

"I will need your name," He fiddles with his collar before clearing his throat and stating his name.

"Fabian Hellebore," My eyes widen with shock before I dismiss where I know him from. You see where I had seen him from is from posters... wanted posters all over the kingdom.

"I knew that he was trouble... no use stopping this now" I thought to myself. Focusing my energy I create a surge of flames that danced upon the table in colours of crystals. "What would you like to know?" Fabian looks up at me for a second then glances down at the light.

"What does my future hold?" I smile and centre the flame around the question. Vague pictures scan until the bright image of a mob comes into sight, a man points at a familiar figure... Fabian. My eyes fumble across the scene, curiosity and concern pass onto my face. "What is it? What do you see?"

"You... You are being accused? Of something, I'm not sure what-" A sudden flash of red blinds my sight for a split second as a new object passes my view... A single blade, jagged at the tip, dripping with a maroon liquid, blood, glinting in the light of someone's chambers. "A blade? Murder?" I mumble to myself.

"Murder?!" My eyes show regret, I should not have said that so loud- yet it is his right to know. No matter now. I nod my head slowly before the flame went out like a light switch had been flicked. He stands up from the cushioned ground and fiddles in his pockets. "Here," He hands me a small sack of gold and thanks me for my time before leaving out through an open window. What an odd telling of misfortune...