A tide of darkness

the big city

It was her first time in the city of Tolemac, and Shinnrae was dumbfounded by how many people were gawking at her. The dress did not look that bad, did it? She thought it looked lovely, least of all ridiculous. As a modest and shy person at heart, Shinnrae pulled closer to her companions, falling in step with Delta, shoulder to shoulder. “People keep staring at us,” she said meekly. Delta rolled her eyes and tilted her chin high. “Of course. Dressed in such finery as this, it is quite natural for the common folk to gawk at the mighty and the beautiful.”

Shinnrae scowled at her. “Easy for you to say. You are fair and pretty and blonde. Of course they wish to stare at you.” Delta gasped, a hand poised gracefully to cover her mouth. Typical. “Surely you can't mean that! You are truly pretty Shinnrae, with you emerald green eyes and long ebony hair…and why can't you see that?”

She self-consciously touched her hair. “No one in my family has green eyes like mine. They say that they are connected with dark magic and that I am tainted with blood of the Fey.”

 “Well what do those peasants know of magic? The closest thing they have to that is the rain that waters their lowly crops, so they shouldn’t be telling any farm girl that!” the comment, Shinnrae was sure that it was meant to be reassuring, but the words stung like venom.

Lowly. Peasants. Farm girl.

 Lance elbowed her in the ribs and Delta cried out. “By the gods! I didn’t mean to offend you, Shinnrae…”

Quickening her pace, she shouldered off her apology. You cannot take back words that were already spoken. “It’s fine.”

“Oh please don’t stay mad at me,” she begged, matching her pace. Shinnrae pressed on harder. “I do not wish to fight.”

“Have a little faith,” She replied through gritted teeth. “I do not intend to either.”

They had reached the outer ring of the Festival at last, and she had immediately recognized her aunt, her uncle and her younger cousin sitting in thrones of blue velvet, viewing from the Royal grandstand with dozens of guards patrolling around. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest. What were they doing up there? That was where only the king and queen sat!

  “What are they doing up there!” she breathed, her eyes raking across the sea of nobles in the  swelling crowd, thousands of people thick. Delta grabbed her by the arm without hesitation and hauled her past the guards, up the stairs and through the top level of the showboat with Shinnrae reluctantly following her. The guards intercepted them. “What business do you have with the king!” one guard said.

“The king? He is my uncle, and my cousin and aunt are inside!” Shinnrae opposed, her hands reaching for her sword that was no longer there. Damn.

“Ha! If you’re the king’s niece, than I am his wife!” another guard joked. Shinnrae fumed, but kept her demeanour cool. She was not going to lose her temperament to some inarticulate guard. “If you will not let me in, then I will break down this door and take down all of you with me,” she said in a voice as cold as ice. He gripped his spear a little tighter, but remained rigid. “Get out of my sight.” He spat back, angrier now. Then, doing the most stupid and irrational thing she could think of, she pushed the guard aside and rapped her knuckles hard on the door that barred her way. “Evanlyn! Uncle Duncan!” she managed, before a guard seized her arms. She tried to shake them off, but they would not budge. Lance and Delta looked indignant but did not make a move to help her. She cursed.

“Calm down, little lady.” The first guard ordered, his spear targeted at her middle. With as little as a quiet creak, the door opened a crack, and a small head appeared, a pair of large eyes, one leaf green, one azure blue, taking in her face.