Post by Pilekie on Apr 12, 2007 23:01:20 GMT -5
Well, here's chapter 1. Oh, and be sure you have read the prologue before reading this or you will be rather confused ;D
"Morning Will, morning Gina," Ari called out as she entered the kitchen.
"G'mornin Kari" Will garbled as he stuffed a bite of breakfast into his mouth.
"Mmm. Ham and Eggs!" Ari's mouth watered as she smelled the delicious aroma of ham coming from the old brick oven. "Gina, you're the best!"
"Why thank you child. Now you eat up right quick. There's lots a folds who are gonna want to eat and be on their way real soon." Gina hummed merrily as she cooked. Ari sat down at the wooden table and Gina placed a plate piled high with steaming eggs, ham and potatoes in front of her.
“Hey Gina,” Will said between bites, “Think Ari ‘n me could have the afternoon off?”
“Why sure honey." I was just ‘bout to say that the Hedrick boys were comin’ after lunch to work so there ain’t no reason you and Ari shouldn’t have the afternoon off. In fact, they been looking to earn a little extra money so you two might have afternoons off more often now.”
“Great!’ Will said. “ Hey Ari, grpghlegdop?”
“Excuse me?” asked Ari. “Will, no one can understand you when you’ve got food in your mouth”
“I said, what are you gonna do this afternoon?”
“Oh. I don’t know yet. I was thinking about seeing if Elise wanted to do anything. ”
“Cool. I may see if Mathew has anything for me to do.” Mathew was the town blacksmith. He would often pay Will and Ari to help him out with odd jobs. He had also taught both Kari and Will how to fight in the unique style of the northern nomads.
“Are you two finished?” Gina asked. It was really more of a command than a question.
“Yes ma’am.” They replied in unison.
“Well then, get busy. Will, go bring in some wood from out back, then I'll need you to make sure that strange fellow who came in last night is up. He said he wanted to eat and be on his way as soon as possible. Ari, you’d best help me get breakfast ready for everyone.”
“Yes ma’am” they said again. Already, they could hear people starting to stir. The inn was always full. It was they most popular inn in town and the town happened to be the only place within a two day’s ride of the Port of Mirrin, so they got plenty of business.
The rest of the morning went by, pretty much as it did any other day. People came and went. Ari and Will spent the morning cooking, cleaning, and doing whatever else Gina had for them to do. Finally, the lunch hour was over and Will and Ari were free to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
Ari walked with a spring in her step as she made her way to the bazaar, where Elise's family ran a small spice stall. As she went along, the hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end and her spine tingled; she had the distinct feeling she was being followed. But by whom? Ari turned around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just everyday people doing everyday things. Ari continued on her way, blaming her imagination. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She walked a few more blocks, and turned around again, but saw nothing. she touched the small daggers she kept hidden at her waist to reassure herself. She quickened her pace, and as she reached the bazaar, the uneasy feeling vanished. Ari quickly made her way to the spice stall.
"Good afternoon Misane Leyla," Ari called out. "Is Elise around?" The scents of various spices filled the air around the little stall. Leyla Barice, a graceful, middle aged woman who appeared far younger than her years, look up. A smile spread across her face when she saw Ari.
"Ari! What a pleasant surprise. I'm sorry, but Elise isn't here. She went with her father on a last minute business trip." Misane Leyla smiled apologetically.
"Oh well. Hey, since I'm here can I help you with anything?" Kari offered. Leyla thanked her for her kind offer to help and quickly put her to work organizing some of the exotic spices that had just been delivered to the stall. As Kari shuffled the little jars about, one slipped from her hand and shattered on the ground. A strange, bittersweet smell instantly filled the air.
"Oh no! I am so sorry Misane." Kari cried out. "I truly didn't mean to to that. I can pay for that if you want me to."
"Nonsense dear. It was only an accident. I'm sure there's more where that came from." Leyla handed Ari a small pail. "You can just sweep the broken pieces of the bottle into this."
"What is this anyway?" Ari asked. "It smells funny. Not like the stuff you usually have"
Leyla bent over and picked up a piece of the bottle with a label on it. "That's funny," she said. "I don't recall having ordered this from the trader at Port Mirrin. In fact, I don't recall ever having seen this before."
"Must have been sent by accident," Ari replied. "I'll finish cleaning this up. Then, I had better get going. It's getting late." Ari quickly gathered up the rest of the broken bottle and said goodbye to Misane Leyla. She had been there longer than she thought. It would be time for supper soon. As she wandered toward the streets toward the inn, she began to feel rather lightheaded. Must have been the stuff in that bottle I dropped, she thought. As Kari approached the inn, she was feeling very tired. She stumbled through the kitchen door, barely able to hold her head up. All the wanted to do was sleep. However, it was nit to be just yet. Gina was scurrying around the kitchen with an anxious. ‘Go find Will and then you two go down to the docks right away. We’re out of fish.” She ordered as soon as she saw Ari
‘Aww Gina, I’m exhausted. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Ari whined. “Please? I’m really tired”
“I wish it could wait, but we need some fish tonight. Here,’ Gina handed Kari a cup filled to the brim with a funny green liquid. “My own special brew. Guaranteed to wake the dead,” Gina chuckled. Kari wrinkled her nose. Gina’s green stuff woke you up all right, but it tasted awful. Ari choked it down as quickly as she could. She began to feel better almost instantly. “Uck. What do you put in this?’ she asked.
“That child, is a secret. Now get going!” Gina shooed Kari out the door. Ari was wide awake now. The lightheaded feeling had left her.
Ari found Will behind the inn, carving a small piece of wood.
‘Will! Get up. Gina wants us to run down to the docks and get some fish before dark”
Will groaned. “You can’t be serous.”
“Yeah well, I am. Now c’mon” Ari replied. They walked at a brisk pace thought the streets toward the docks. The sun was beginning to drop in the sky. They had to hurry. The fish marked closed at sundown.
As they went along, the streets became narrower and the houses and buildings became shabbier. They were in one of the poorer sections of town. Ari felt a shiver run down her spine. She felt very uneasy. She turned to will, who had stopped in his tracks. “Hey Will,’ she said, rather uncertainly. ‘Do you…?”
“Feel as if we are being watched?” Will asked. “Yes, I do. You got your knives?"
"Yes. How about you?"
"You bet." Will and Ari walked even faster now. The uneasy feeling grew. There were many shadows and alleyways in this part of town. Perfect hiding places for one who did not wish to be seen. Kari thought she heard footsteps, and moved closer to Will. Then as they passed a narrow alley, Ari felt someone grab her arm and pull her into the shadows. Before she could think to fight back, or even scream, the someone put a damp cloth over her mouth and nose. It smelled exactly like the stuff in the bottle she had dropped earlier that day. Just way more concentrated. She heard Will yell something, but she couldn't quite make it out. As her vision grew fuzzy, she saw another someone place a similar cloth over Will's face. Then, she felt her legs give way beneath her, and darkness enveloped her.
------------------------
"Morning Will, morning Gina," Ari called out as she entered the kitchen.
"G'mornin Kari" Will garbled as he stuffed a bite of breakfast into his mouth.
"Mmm. Ham and Eggs!" Ari's mouth watered as she smelled the delicious aroma of ham coming from the old brick oven. "Gina, you're the best!"
"Why thank you child. Now you eat up right quick. There's lots a folds who are gonna want to eat and be on their way real soon." Gina hummed merrily as she cooked. Ari sat down at the wooden table and Gina placed a plate piled high with steaming eggs, ham and potatoes in front of her.
“Hey Gina,” Will said between bites, “Think Ari ‘n me could have the afternoon off?”
“Why sure honey." I was just ‘bout to say that the Hedrick boys were comin’ after lunch to work so there ain’t no reason you and Ari shouldn’t have the afternoon off. In fact, they been looking to earn a little extra money so you two might have afternoons off more often now.”
“Great!’ Will said. “ Hey Ari, grpghlegdop?”
“Excuse me?” asked Ari. “Will, no one can understand you when you’ve got food in your mouth”
“I said, what are you gonna do this afternoon?”
“Oh. I don’t know yet. I was thinking about seeing if Elise wanted to do anything. ”
“Cool. I may see if Mathew has anything for me to do.” Mathew was the town blacksmith. He would often pay Will and Ari to help him out with odd jobs. He had also taught both Kari and Will how to fight in the unique style of the northern nomads.
“Are you two finished?” Gina asked. It was really more of a command than a question.
“Yes ma’am.” They replied in unison.
“Well then, get busy. Will, go bring in some wood from out back, then I'll need you to make sure that strange fellow who came in last night is up. He said he wanted to eat and be on his way as soon as possible. Ari, you’d best help me get breakfast ready for everyone.”
“Yes ma’am” they said again. Already, they could hear people starting to stir. The inn was always full. It was they most popular inn in town and the town happened to be the only place within a two day’s ride of the Port of Mirrin, so they got plenty of business.
The rest of the morning went by, pretty much as it did any other day. People came and went. Ari and Will spent the morning cooking, cleaning, and doing whatever else Gina had for them to do. Finally, the lunch hour was over and Will and Ari were free to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
------------------------------
Ari walked with a spring in her step as she made her way to the bazaar, where Elise's family ran a small spice stall. As she went along, the hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end and her spine tingled; she had the distinct feeling she was being followed. But by whom? Ari turned around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Just everyday people doing everyday things. Ari continued on her way, blaming her imagination. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She walked a few more blocks, and turned around again, but saw nothing. she touched the small daggers she kept hidden at her waist to reassure herself. She quickened her pace, and as she reached the bazaar, the uneasy feeling vanished. Ari quickly made her way to the spice stall.
"Good afternoon Misane Leyla," Ari called out. "Is Elise around?" The scents of various spices filled the air around the little stall. Leyla Barice, a graceful, middle aged woman who appeared far younger than her years, look up. A smile spread across her face when she saw Ari.
"Ari! What a pleasant surprise. I'm sorry, but Elise isn't here. She went with her father on a last minute business trip." Misane Leyla smiled apologetically.
"Oh well. Hey, since I'm here can I help you with anything?" Kari offered. Leyla thanked her for her kind offer to help and quickly put her to work organizing some of the exotic spices that had just been delivered to the stall. As Kari shuffled the little jars about, one slipped from her hand and shattered on the ground. A strange, bittersweet smell instantly filled the air.
"Oh no! I am so sorry Misane." Kari cried out. "I truly didn't mean to to that. I can pay for that if you want me to."
"Nonsense dear. It was only an accident. I'm sure there's more where that came from." Leyla handed Ari a small pail. "You can just sweep the broken pieces of the bottle into this."
"What is this anyway?" Ari asked. "It smells funny. Not like the stuff you usually have"
Leyla bent over and picked up a piece of the bottle with a label on it. "That's funny," she said. "I don't recall having ordered this from the trader at Port Mirrin. In fact, I don't recall ever having seen this before."
"Must have been sent by accident," Ari replied. "I'll finish cleaning this up. Then, I had better get going. It's getting late." Ari quickly gathered up the rest of the broken bottle and said goodbye to Misane Leyla. She had been there longer than she thought. It would be time for supper soon. As she wandered toward the streets toward the inn, she began to feel rather lightheaded. Must have been the stuff in that bottle I dropped, she thought. As Kari approached the inn, she was feeling very tired. She stumbled through the kitchen door, barely able to hold her head up. All the wanted to do was sleep. However, it was nit to be just yet. Gina was scurrying around the kitchen with an anxious. ‘Go find Will and then you two go down to the docks right away. We’re out of fish.” She ordered as soon as she saw Ari
‘Aww Gina, I’m exhausted. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Ari whined. “Please? I’m really tired”
“I wish it could wait, but we need some fish tonight. Here,’ Gina handed Kari a cup filled to the brim with a funny green liquid. “My own special brew. Guaranteed to wake the dead,” Gina chuckled. Kari wrinkled her nose. Gina’s green stuff woke you up all right, but it tasted awful. Ari choked it down as quickly as she could. She began to feel better almost instantly. “Uck. What do you put in this?’ she asked.
“That child, is a secret. Now get going!” Gina shooed Kari out the door. Ari was wide awake now. The lightheaded feeling had left her.
Ari found Will behind the inn, carving a small piece of wood.
‘Will! Get up. Gina wants us to run down to the docks and get some fish before dark”
Will groaned. “You can’t be serous.”
“Yeah well, I am. Now c’mon” Ari replied. They walked at a brisk pace thought the streets toward the docks. The sun was beginning to drop in the sky. They had to hurry. The fish marked closed at sundown.
As they went along, the streets became narrower and the houses and buildings became shabbier. They were in one of the poorer sections of town. Ari felt a shiver run down her spine. She felt very uneasy. She turned to will, who had stopped in his tracks. “Hey Will,’ she said, rather uncertainly. ‘Do you…?”
“Feel as if we are being watched?” Will asked. “Yes, I do. You got your knives?"
"Yes. How about you?"
"You bet." Will and Ari walked even faster now. The uneasy feeling grew. There were many shadows and alleyways in this part of town. Perfect hiding places for one who did not wish to be seen. Kari thought she heard footsteps, and moved closer to Will. Then as they passed a narrow alley, Ari felt someone grab her arm and pull her into the shadows. Before she could think to fight back, or even scream, the someone put a damp cloth over her mouth and nose. It smelled exactly like the stuff in the bottle she had dropped earlier that day. Just way more concentrated. She heard Will yell something, but she couldn't quite make it out. As her vision grew fuzzy, she saw another someone place a similar cloth over Will's face. Then, she felt her legs give way beneath her, and darkness enveloped her.