The guy who stood in front of me wore a simple white V-neck shirt and shorts with sneakers while the girl who stood next to him wore a pink wind breaker and shorts with pink boots. The boy stood a bit taller than the girl and he had dark brown hair while his friend had light brown hair that was dyed pink at the edges.
"Um hi . . ." I replied awkwardly. I looked at them more closely and saw that they both had devil marks.
The girl had one on her right arm that extended to her fingers while the boy had one on both of his arms. I reached my hand up to my face to where my own marks were. I guess when Akuheki was talking to them, she didn't look for any marks like I did.
The girl elbows the guy and said, "We should stop being rude and introduce ourselves!" She turned back to me and said, "I am Cleite and this is Dao! We are members of Laylania!"
"Laylania?" I asked confused.
"The travelling carnival we belong to!" the guy called Dao replied. "So now that we told you our names, what's yours?"
"Kasai".
"Kasai why do you cover half your face?" Cleite asked softly.
I looked down and replied shamefully, "Cuz I am also marked by the devil. And people here hate it so I hide my mark".
"Marked by the devil?" Cleite asked with a look at Dao.
"Yeah. You have devil marks too," I said while pointing at their marks.
Dao looked confused as he said, "But these aren't called 'devil marks'-"
He was interrupted by someone hurling rocks at us. We turned around and saw that an elderly villager threw it and he shook his fist in the air screaming, "Blasted spawn of the devils! Go back to hell where you belong!"
I looked pointedly at the two carnival people and said, "This is why I hide my marks". I then turned around and walked away from them into the shopping area.
I quickly got what I came here for and I kept my head down and watched out for people who wanted to throw rocks at me.
Finally, I returned home safely with our dinner. I noticed that Akuheki was out of her performing outfit and was wearing a simple dress. I placed a small chicken on the table and Akuheki's yes grew wide and said happily, "We hit the jackpot tonight! How much did it cost?"
"Four silver," I replied as Akuheki prepared the chicken.
In silence we ate the chicken.
She yawned and said, "Today was busy! I'm going to bed". She then got up and went to the small bedroom we shared. In a few seconds, she was sound asleep.
For a while, I sat in the 'living room' of our hut and summoned fire in my hand. I jumped out of my seat as I saw that Dao and Cleite were peeking in from the windows. I quickly made the fire disappear and went to the front door and looked out at them.
"Why are you two here?" I said hostily.
Dao put a hand over his heart and said hurtfully, "You wound me madame! And here we thought we would give you some special news!"
"Special news?"
Cleite nodded and said, "Yeah tomorrow we are having our first show here. And you and your sister are invited to have front row seats!"
Cautiously I asked, "Why us?"
They looked at me like I was stupid and Cleite said, "Obviously cuz you are like us!"
"By 'you' do you mean me and Akuheki or just me?" I asked.
"Just you really but it would be suspicious if only you were getting a special seat!" Cleite said.
"So you'll come right?" Dao asked, well more like threatened, with an evil glint in his eyes.
"W-well it all depends on whether Akuheki wants to go . . ." I stammered.
They looked at each other and said, "Then we'll definitely see you there!"
"Okay . . ." I said and they just stood there smiling at me.
Finally they waved at me and left. I sighed and walked back inside my little hut. I sat back down on my chair and thought, "Akuheki was right. Today was busy . . ."
I rested my head on my arms and fell asleep.
I woke up the next morning with Akuheki leaning over me shaking me roughly. "Wake up Kasai! We have to get ready!"
"Ready? It's too early for a show!" I complained.
"No you idiot! Not our show, for the carnival!" she exclaimed as she yanked me up and tossed a nicer looking dress at me. I sighed as I slipped off my shabby dress and put on this nicer one. I quickly run my fingers through my hair and retied my ponytail while Akuheki was power walking through our house getting things.
When she was finally done, she pulled me out the front door and led me towards the large red and white stripped tent. Two people who were wearing colorful costumes greeted us at the entrance and pointed to where Cleite and Dao were standing.
I looked at Akuheki and she started to walk down to the front row and said, "So is this where we are sitting?"
"Yup!" Dao said with a wink at me.
Akuheki gratefully sat down and I cautiously sat down next to her. I watched as the people from my village filed into the big tent with excited expressions on their faces. I guess none of them have noticed these people's devil marks yet.
It would only be a matter of time before they noticed and started to rampage against them.
The lights inside the tent suddenly went out and single spotlight illuminated a man wearing a fancy black waistcoat and pants with a simple black top hat and a fancy black cane.
Cleite smiled at me and whispered, "That's our cue to get ready! See you Kasai!" Dao and Cleite then walked away from us and was engulfed by the darkness.
The man in the center of the tent said with a loud and clear voice, "Welcome boys and girls! Young and old! To the magic that is . . ." He took his top hat off and bowed. He then placed his hat back on his head and grinned devilishly, "LAYLANIA!"
YOU ARE READING
Laylania (Completed)
Przygodowe"Devil Marks" have been hated by people for years for many reasons: they attracted monsters and demons to the person 'marked' with it. Kasai, a girl marked on her face with the "devil mark" is hated by her small village because of her mark. One day...
