WARNING!! -- this is very old and shall never be updated, enjoy if you want anyways ^-^
- Created By itsumademo
Tewoeklon: Chapter Six
The bits of bread I gnawed on where like warm chunks of sawdust in my mouth. An appetite was far from anything I had or wanted right now.
I tossed the contents of the dinner tray out my open window like I did every night, hearing the familiar ringing shatter of the clay bowl on the ground never ceased to aggravate my sensitive ears. Yet I’d been doing it every evening for the last week.
Considering my state of mind I would have thought my rented room to be a disheveled sty, but instead I almost felt my skin itch at the compulsion to wreak havoc and yet maintain perfection. No wonder half breeds were so rare…just trying to live normally during this “maturity” was a torturous agony of body and mind.
I drug my nails down my upper arm, feeling again the cool brown blood rain down my skin. I could already sense the tissue begin to weave back together, slowly but surely. Even the old ones I still felt, stitch stitch stitch… like a rhythm that droned on in my skull.
I grabbed some rolled bandages on a dresser against the wall.
The sun was just about down completely so I slipped off my shoes and tied on the fabric strip covering my eyes. I had to hunt once more tonight.
The second day after my arrival a murder occurred in one of the larger neighboring towns. I hadn’t thought it would be a big deal in this place but every whispered piece of gossip I caught was about not only the latest murder but several dozen more that had been going on for the last 10 years. My spine tingled with curiosity at the idea of actually doing something other than waiting for a possible and likely minute notice of my friends. I decided to take it upon myself to figure out what was going on. Probably just another human with blood lust…
I slipped out of the window and crawled up the brick siding until I came to the roof’s lip and flipped myself over it, to land my bare feet quietly on the flat surface. The air was far less stale up high; off the dirty, human infested ground.
There was a sudden, disturbingly fresh scent dancing around the town. It tickled at my nose.
I leapt from my perch and continued to jump from the rooftops, following the scent. I all of a sudden inhaled sharply and had to stop my speed before I fell. My hands reached out to catch my fall but the aroma’s shock and the fast, almost straight down, descent had ruined any balance I had and my arms gave way beneath me. I skidded across the rough top and just barely managed to stop myself before the edge came up to try and drop me.
A heavy sigh escaped my lungs as I took a brief glance at my hands; the skin was ripped to pieces and painted red. I could sense the same lovely image all along my side. As I brushed the clotting blood out-of-the-way as best as I could I already noticed the skin weaving together ever so delicately. I crawled up using my elbows and began leaping yet again until the abrupt scent turned into a wall.
I slowed my pace and lightly dropped onto a window ledge as quiet as possible. The night had already settled in and through the sickly sweet fragrance I could taste the tang of blood on my tongue. I was a little too late.
“Damn”, I muttered under my breath.
I pulled off my blindfold and tucked it into the bosom of my clothes; as fast as I could I grasped onto the window siding, pushed off from the ledge and swung into the glass, shattering a hole just large enough for myself to glide through. Although the whole panel cracked at the force, causing high pitched shearing fractures that rung deeply in my ears.
I caught myself in a small tumble and stood up. The room was just as black as the outside world, with only the fragmented moon to highlight the masses and cast their shadows. My illuminated eyes added a disturbing green depth to everything I looked upon, it was a bizarre thing to be the color that you were seeing…almost like have tinted film over my eyes, but not.
I was just about to smack myself to shut up my brain when a soft female voice broke the silence of the room.
“Why hello.” A small, grinning giggle followed her greeting.
I sensed her steps head toward me and the scent ran me over like an ocean’s wave. It seemed as though I could lose my balance to an unseen force.
I breathed deeply, trying to keep as calm and cool as possible and then nonchalantly turned in place, setting my hand on my hip. I kept my eyes nearly shut in order to remain in the dark for the moment, with my face downcast as best as I was able to without looking like a moron.
“I must say, I wasn’t expecting to find a young woman.” I grinned at her in return, attempting to match her cynical humor.
She shrugged at my comment. “You should have expected the unexpected then.”
I was a bit taken a back at her comment. She was rather composed for someone who just committed murder. My brow furrowed.
“Might I inquire something?”
She seemed shocked by my own copy cat of herself, but nodded with a white smile glittering in the shadows. As she did so I saw the slight glint of a bloody weapon glide through a dirty cloth in her hands.
“Are you the one who’s been responsible for the murders over the last decade?”
The fabric against her blade stopped short, then continued through after which she placed the object back into its hidden sheath.
“Clever. Most wouldn’t have noticed the pattern as belonging to one person.” Her voice had become a bit more serious; however I could still hear her patronizing grin.
I continued to study her demeanor. She was just too average and shielded in her actions.
I opened my mouth to reply but instead voiced my sudden thought, making sure to mirror her condescending attitude. “A feat, I suppose, would not be too difficult…for a seasoned and professional assassin.”
Her eyes widened but then slipped back to normal.
“Pity.”
“And why’s that?”
“I was really getting to like you, but now…I’m afraid I’ll have to kill you as well.”
She ran at me with the stained dagger brandished in her left hand. I easily stopped her thrust.
“You’re pretty fast…and strong…” I added as I held back her still forceful arm; it was then I chose to fully open my eyes bathing her surprised face in green light. “…for a human.”
I pushed her away from me, expecting her to slam into the wall but she flipped over and landed in a crouch. A small gasp slipped past my lips. But I barely had the time to wonder at how she did that because again she lunged at me.
Left, right, up, down, spinning in circles. I had a hard time keeping myself at her pace; she wasn’t necessarily super fast but merely incredibly agile. Every time I knocked her away, whether it be a punch or kick or block she came rushing back at me, full speed.
Her face was severely distraught. It was like she had never come across anyone who could best her before. Despite my difficulty at matching her ever changing positions I was still very much the stronger opponent and being so I chose to end the fight right there.
I was already beginning to sense her own exhaustion as well as the several cuts and bruises that riddled her body…the two types of blood mixed with her overwhelming scent were beginning to give me a headache.
I took hold of her weapon wielding arm, squeezing so tightly I thought for a moment I crushed her bone. I pulled her up to my face so that we could each get a good look of the other. She was a fairly pretty woman, with short, blood red hair and two bits that went down past her shoulders in the front, a strange heart-shaped looking mole on her upper left cheek, and a straight old scar that scratched both lips on the left side. The scar was strange for one so young and skilled, but what disturbed me the most was her eyes.
I felt that her life was written on every bit of pigment; she was screaming inside them. We both stared at each other my green eyes pushing into her silver-brown ones. I don’t think I had ever come across such a unique looking human before.
She seemed completely enthralled by my appearance. Not surprising, although I wasn’t very used to being stared at. All the humans I lived with were more comfortable with my looks.
“What are you?” She whispered.
I lowered my eyes in guilt. “I’m sorry.” All my strength coiled and then released. I threw her from my hold; she flew from me so quickly and burst through two walls before stopping.
Past the first hole I could see the nearly cold body of her most recent victim, lying on an old rug in a pool of his own sticky, thick blood. I ran my eyes from him to the young assassin slouched against the farthest wall. I sighed and walked over to her.
She looked so helpless and tortured; like a broken child.
The sympathetic tug at my heart got the better of me. I picked her up and left the destroyed home, leaping from rooftops until I returned back to my own rented dwelling.
I slowly put her down onto my bed and proceeded to sit on the floorboards breathing heavily. I had never had to carry a full grown person while also running and jumping at my normal speed…it was much harder than I first thought.
“I really…need to train more.”
Once my heart had slowed again I turned my face back to the sleeping woman. She looked pained even in unconsciousness.
Exhausted muscles moved me to the opened window where I happily stopped to rest and watched the small town sleep. I had barely been there more than an hour before I dropped my head and drifted away as well.
When I finally came too, I reluctantly opened my eyes to find two silver- brown ones starring straight at me. I jerked back and smacked into the wood of the window I had been once peacefully latent on.
“Ow….” I held my head and mumbled with slight irritation.
“Why am I still alive?”
The woman seemed to be in utter disbelief.
My eyes blinked in shock of my own, I didn’t really know how to respond to her. “I-I honestly can’t answer that.”
She cocked her brow at me then sat back, with one leg dangling out the window.
I blew air out my closed lips, wafting my bangs up as I sighed. For a moment I starred at my hands then moved off the window to stand further in the as of yet unlighted room.
I could feel her eyes on me, like a hawk eyeing its rival rather than prey. The feeling was…unnerving.
Her feet touched the flooring, lighter than most humans could step.
“Seriously though. Who are you? What are you? Why am I here?”
Her questions felt so difficult to understand for some reason. I found I couldn’t quite function properly. My hands cupped my face as I breathed as calmly as possible.
A fluttering touch reached my shoulder. “UGH!” I screamed grabbing the hand and whirling around to face her. “I don’t know alright! I just don’t know!” She looked far more placid that I would have expected but in her eyes I saw fear.
I released her bruised hand and walked to sit on the bed; it was soft. I grinned to myself.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I uhh…I-I think you should leave.”
She was holding her injured hand close to her chest, the fear wavering back and forth from her face.
“No.”
“What!?” I jerked up to look at her. She had dropped her already purple right hand and her eyes were stern.
“I’m not leaving. You owe me explanations and I want them. Now.”
I blinked at her in shock, my mouth agape.
She sat down beside me and looked straight into my eyes. “Alright, spill.”
My surprise changed to confusion and I tilted my head slightly to the side at her phrasing. “Spill?”
“You know, tell me everything. All I want to know.”
“Oh uhh…al-alright.”
She was strangely persuasive.
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. No words passed across my mind’s eye.
I saw her eyes glance at me while I kept my own glued to the wood floorboards. “Here, I’ll start then.” She stated beside me.
I nodded instinctually.
“Okay, what are you?”
I shook at the cobwebs in my head and proceeded to answer.
“I’m a…I’m a hybrid.”
The girl on the bed jerked at the word. “Hybrid? What kind of hybrid? What do you mean?”
I sighed. “I am an elf-human hybrid. However…” I paused. “…both my parents have passed on.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Though she apologized with intended sympathy her voice seemed tense and slightly indignant to the idea. I tried to ignore it.
“Um, I am currently the only one in existence and I’m also…rather lost.” I giggled at the idea that something supposedly as powerful as I could be lost, but power wasn’t in me…not really.
“Lost? How could you be lost?”
I laughed again.
“It’s uhh...a very long story. But essentially I ended up here with no one I know and no idea how to get to the ones I do.” I stretched up and looked out the window at the morning. “Pretty pathetic, huh?”
The girl was quiet for a change. I looked over to her; she was just staring at nothing.
“I’m sorry if I upset you?”
“Huh!? Oh no no, I was just thinking about something.”
She was methodically tapping her fingers against her lips.
“Alright!” She pounded her fist onto her thigh and then jumped up off the bed.
I slanted away from her as she leaped; the girl was being so enormously bizarre. Her firm silver-brown eyes looked down at me as she grinned almost manically.
“I am going to help you find the people you lost!”
My face was terribly dumbfounded. My mouth was wide open, my entire brow furrowed, and my eyes couldn’t move from her obnoxiously excited stance.
“WH-WHAT!?”
“In thanks for sparing my life and taking me from the scene to your own apartment.” She briefly glanced around “well, room.”
She smiled happily at me, although, my face had yet to change at all other than in minor twitches.
She glanced out the window then fell from her proud stand. “Oh SHIT! I have to go; another job later on.” She grinned at the latter.
Before she went from the open window she lightly placed a full kiss on my cheek. “You shouldn’t smile like that, you’ll get wrinkles.” She winked at me.
She ran to the window and placed her foot on the old ledge. “Bye bye for now!”
My face had softened since the impromptu kiss and quick farewell. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would hopefully never see her again until suddenly her face popped back into view.
“Oh, I completely forgot to ask you your name!”
I sighed in annoyance…it seemed I had a stray following me home now. “Noir. My name is noir.”
“Noir. That’s a pretty name.” She gave me a sincere smile for once. “I’m Kisneyla.”
“Pleased to meet you…Ney.”
She gasped in surprise then returned to her previous visage.
“Is it alright if I call you Ney?”
“Yes…I-I would prefer it actually.” Her head turned away to leave, but just as she did I thought I caught the scent of salty tears in the wind.
Tewoeklon: Chapter Five
My father’s eyes were shut, his mouth closed, his body unmoving; the shallow and slight wheeze of his breathe was my only indication that he was still alive. I could barely hear his heart pump and his skin was cold and sweat covered.
“Kayne…what’s wrong with my father?” I kept my hand tightly nestled in his, I hoped that being there would help…but honestly I doubt he knew I was beside him at all. Kayne sat on the edge of the bed and sighed with reluctance marring his breath.
“He’s been ill, Noir. He’s been ill for a very long time.”
“What!?” I looked down at his sleeping face. “That’s not possible! He’s been fine, normal …HEALTHY! He’s not sick! He’s not dying! He is going to get better!” I held his hand tighter and pulled it to my chest for comfort.
He couldn’t be this way, he promised me. He promised to stay alive forever. I felt a cascading tear slip from my cheek and onto my father’s cold hand.
“Noir.” Kayne placed his hands on my shoulders.
“No!” In a slow moving instant I saw myself slap him away and in my saddened state I watched Kayne fly from my touch and into the wall of the ship’s cabin.
My eyes gaped at his bruised form; tears were already flowing like rain from my eyes.
“I….” My voice was raspy and weak. “I-I can’t be around you now…”
I released my father’s hand and went running from the room.
The sting and pressure of my cries burned against my face, I couldn’t even see where I was going. I simply ran.
I pushed out every shout I heard, I ignored every hand against my body…I shoved them aside. I took no care to whether they were friend or foe; they just had to be moved away from me.
I remember closing my eyes once and not opening them the longer I went on and the faster I became. Eventually I detected no sound, no people, simply nothing at all…just the cool air flowing through my lungs.
When I finally opened my eyes I saw a brightening horizon along a quite ocean surface. I looked down to my feet and noticed I had been moving so fast, with such carelessness; I had been gliding across the water’s top.
I turned back and the endlessness continued on in every direction I looked. For a moment I nearly stopped before realizing if I did, I would sink…and be stuck having to swim for who knows how long until I reached shore.
I lowered my eyes and sighed. How could I have gone so far so fast?
Unfortunately my sense of direction was quite abhorrent, basically leaving me in the middle of nowhere, on the ocean, running like a nut.
I cupped my head and scratched furiously. Last night was really such a blur, like a faded memory or dream forgotten over the years. I only remembered my tears…and then nothingness.
“Syren…where are you…?”I suddenly gasped …Syren! My mind leapt to the day we left home. The memory of standing upon the mast and looking out to see the town we were meant to raid.
“Concentrate. Put all your strength into what you see.” I mumbled under my breath.
“I really wish I had gotten a chance to practice.” I inhaled a deep and long breath, inflating my lungs as best as I could. I glared out over the horizon, taking in every angle I could manage and tried my hardest to focus my thoughts onto looking for something, anything that may indicate land.
To my right a small mass formed in the distance, but nearly a second later I lost control and faltered my pace. I barely caught myself and then turned to make a way towards the land I saw; hopefully it was where we were meant to raid. If not, I sighed and dropped my head…if not, then I was very much screwed.
After almost two hours of ceaseless running, a town became coming into view. However the closer I came the more I realized that this was most definitely not the place we came to raid. This was a poor harbor town, where several small boats floated by old wooden docks.
As I watched the people working and walking and talking at the market, I stopped. I tried to balance on the water’s surface. It had been a very long time since Syren and Menya taught me how to stand on water and the memories were fuzzy at best.
I spread my weight through my body, but my feet still slipped up and down in the waters. The voices that hovered from the shore were difficult to hear and make out, but as I moved to step closer they changed into loud and shouted ones.
“What is that!? Is it a demon!? Look it’s a girl!? She’s standing on the water!? Hurry look, look! Children get inside!”
“Oops…” my concentration slipped entirely and I fell beneath the waves.
The drop was sudden and flutters jumped up my throat as I fell deeper and deeper before slowing to a suspended stop.
Shoot, shoot, shoot…I began having a slight fit in the water, before noticing a few more feet down that a large cave with a clear circular opening in the top caught my attention. A cave! I grinned and accidently released a few bubbles of air.
I regained a bit of my senses and started swimming for the opening; it was wider and smoother than the one I had been in only the other night.
Once I breached the surface, I was thankfully pleased to see that no one was occupying it. I pulled myself out of the pool-like entrance, I reached up to released my hair from the ribbon I always wore but found that I didn’t have it…in fact I was still wearing the nicer clothing of mine from the evening I was meant to have dinner with my father.
I dropped onto the stone flooring. My father. Tears began flowing again as I remembered in my moments of anger and sorrow that I had left before I said goodbye….I wouldn’t even get to be there when he died.
I crawled over and up onto the bed. It was rather large and soft against my fingers; while I laid down I couldn’t help but feel slightly comforted by the scent rolling off the sheets. I held one of the pillows to my chest and draped my hair over myself.
I was lost, alone, and soon to be an orphan. Something told me my life was not done kicking my ass yet.
A few hours passed by and I had gone in and out of consciousness.
In a moment of fleeting awareness I noticed a slight splash and mumble behind me, though I was too worn and tired to bother moving. Just before I slipped off again, I thought I may have noticed a man’s face looking down at me but I fell back asleep.
I gasped and threw myself up on the bed. “Who’s there!?” I searched the area
but no one was anywhere around and actually through the clear opening in the ceiling I found that the day had come and gone. The moon glittered down from the surface.
I sighed, “Must have been a dream.”
I jumped off the bed and stepped back into the water. I figured that I should go and try to hunt down some food in the town I saw, though considering its poor appearance it may be one of the few that still believe in the old myths.
When I reached the shore line, I did my best to climb up near a darkened alley so that I wouldn’t be noticed coming out of the water where a mysterious woman was seen standing. In places like these people were inclined to believe elves and other such creatures were dangerous and not to be trusted. They believed us to be responsible for the few serial murders that have happened throughout the centuries. After speaking with Syren I was beginning to wonder if it had been the Tewoeklons.
“No that’s cruel…some of it had to be someone else.” I shook my hair a bit to make sure I was as dry as I could be. My clothes were still a little damp but hopefully it wasn’t entirely noticeable.
I looked around the corners but there were just too many people, thankfully it was rather dark and so I leapt up to the smaller building next to me and moved over a few rooftops until I found a less populated area to drop down in. I slipped between what looked like a bakery and an antique shop and then walked out into the streets. When I looked down to my feet I noticed a small glow of green.
“Crap!” I covered my mouth and lowered my eyes as best as I could while still being able to see where I was going.
I really needed something to cover my eyes; Syren never taught me a way to control my night vision…if there was a way!
I began muttering slurs of curses and other various irritants while walking and very intently watching my feet through my fingers.
Suddenly another pair of shoes came into view and my head rammed up against a firm chest.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” A gentle voice whispered.
He sounded young, not young like a child but not an old man either. He actually sounded rather attractive, I fought with myself since I really wanted to look and see.
“No, my fault,” I spat out quickly before sidestepping the man and moving even faster, just so that I could get away from the embarrassment that flushed my cheeks. As I passed I had a slight notion of familiarity with the man, but no…not possible.
Silly, you don’t even know him! You didn’t even see him! I kept forcefully thinking to myself as I headed on up the path. I started to slow my pace once people started to become scarce; I took a cursory chance to look up and noticed a fabric store. There was a chance I could find some fabric that was see-through enough for me to cover my eyes with.
A little wooden chime sounded as I stepped in, the noise was a bit unpleasant but I tried to ignore it.
“Hello miss, is there something in particular you’re looking for?” A chipper young woman greeted me.
I thought that perhaps if I intended to put fabric over my eyes, I could start my pretend loss of sight now. I closed my eyes and looked up to where I heard her breath and bizarrely strong heart beat.
“Yes, I need a new piece of fabric to cover my eyes.”
She gasped sharply and jumped to take my hand. “Oh, I’m so sorry! Of course, we have many smooth and soft fabrics here!”
Thinking that I was unable to move myself at all she nearly dragged me over to a table she described as being covered in the best fabrics ever made.
I took a deep breath, trying to remember that I was going to be a calm and gentle person…who was a little mysterious…my mind started to wander as the woman continued to babble on and on about how each type of textile was made.
“Here, feel this one.” She flippantly set a silky fabric against my palm.
I brushed the cloth piece by my ear and rubbed it together. The feeling was a bit too thick.
“It’s a bit thick, do you have any lighter materials? Preferably something in black, if you can.” I flashed a placid smile her way to show my gratitude for her help.
“Yes, yes. This piece has always been made with high thread counts.” She made a rather loud ‘thinking’ noise as she irritatingly tapped her foot against the wood flooring.
“Ah! I know!”
She rushed past me and I calmly followed, a part of me had been a bit afraid she was going to again drag me across the room.
“This just came in the other day, very rare threading.”
I reached out and took hold of the fabric; she made a small gasp at my forward gesture. It was smooth and almost fluid like in feeling. I ran it against the strands of hair that hid my ear. Yes, very gentle; not to thick or thin at all.
“This one is quite nice. …How much is it exactly?”
Money hadn’t really crossed my mind until this moment, did I even have any with me. A bit of anxiety began to curl itself around my stomach.
“Ah, well, we have this priced at 250 nolles.”
I made sure to keep my face level despite the fact my emotions were flaring inside. Money, do I have money? I very casually slipped my hand into the lone pocket at my side; cold metal touched the tips of my fingers. I released a long internal sigh and pulled out everything I had.
“Excuse me, ma’am. I’m not sure how much money I have with me. Could you help?”
“Oh, of course!” She grabbed my hand. “…Oh my!” She exclaimed even louder than before.
“What is it?”
“This is…so much money!”
“Really?” I cocked my head. “I had no idea; I simply dropped a few coins into my pocket.” I giggled lightly at the thought.
“Uh, my, well you have about…hmm, 22500 here.”
I resisted the urge to outwardly gasp myself. Where had such money come from?
“Then, I suppose I would like to buy this fabric from you.”
“Sure, sure!” She seemed to dance away from me before dashing back with a few coins clinking in her hands.
She lifted one coin from my own hand and then replaced it with the others she carried.
“Oh!” She bubbled. “And because I like you so, here’s a free coin purse for you.” I may have still had my eyes closed but I was sure she had a grin stretching from ear to ear.
“Thank you very much.” I dropped the coins in and attached the nice bag to the small belt slouched around my waist.
“You’re quite welcome! It’s rare I get a chance to meet such a kind and beautiful person here.” I smiled truthfully at her and she placed the now folded cloth in my hands.
I began tying the fabric across my eyes, slipped it beneath my hair and over the points of my ears, and then back out to tie in a small knot. Once I had it nicely secured I took a peek and saw that I could see through adequately and the young woman made no mention if she noticed any green.
She was a plain girl with light blond hair curling around her face, though she had very pretty blue eyes. I wouldn’t say she was any older than 21. She yet again flashed me a smile, as she did surprisingly white teeth gleaned back at me.
I turned to leave but just before I opened the door she called back to me.
“Oh wait! I didn’t get your name.” She ran over to stand not quite a foot away from me. “I’m Penelope Crawford, my father owns this shop.”
I looked out to the street were a few flickering torches were all that light up the darkness.
“I’m Noir. Just Noir.” And with that I left the young woman and began to walk casually along the road.
Tewoeklon: Chapter One
“Noir! Noir, come on! You can’t keep ignoring this!”
I could hear Kayne’s strong voice boom through the thick, tall trees lining the coast of our small island home hidden within the open sea.
Through my shrouded hiding place in a tall palm tree, I watched my father and his crew load the Snyaria, his fastest ship. Since today is my eighteenth birthday I’m allowed, no, more like supposed to go on the small raids that provide for our people. I know it’s my duty being the daughter of the captain, but I’m afraid.
My mother died during a raid; I was only three at the time. Ever since, I have always dreaded having to go. I wouldn’t have even managed to get this close if Kayne and Kcara hadn’t pushed me into it.
“Noir, why are you in a tree?”
Darn, he found me. I looked down through the branches and saw Kayne standing shirtless and tired.
“Nothing, just watching you load the ship.” Kayne gave me a disbelieving look; his eyebrow practically vanished beneath his disheveled black bangs.
I sighed reluctantly, letting a small moan of irritation slip out. “Fine, I’m coming.”
I took hold of the rope I’d securely fastened to the branch above me and slowly eased my way down using the rough trunk to steady my body as I went. I could tell he was pissed at me, but he knew why I hid.
Before I even made it to the ground, I felt Kayne’s strong hands take hold of my waist and effortlessly set me on the sandy grass in front of him. He was obviously impatient to get going.
“Come on, we’re already late.”
“Alright…OW!” I gripped my head in pain.
“Oops, hold still.” His silly bracelet got caught in my hair again. I don’t know why he still had that thing He told me he found it, back when we were still kids, but it’s such a girly trinket for a twenty year old man to have.
“There, got it.” He smiled triumphantly while I continued to rub my poor, abused scalp.
Suddenly his happy face turned angry, his gentle, ice blue eyes were now glaring coldly at me.
“Noir, you need to cut your stupid hair.”
“What!? Why should I!? You told me I had pretty hair!”
“I was 13! Noir, it’s a hassle and a problem. I bet your dad is going to say the same thing.”
I held my long, hip-length chestnut hair which I kept in a high ponytail using a few thin ribbons my mother gave me. It was all I had of her, well that and my hair which was the same beautiful color as hers.
I diverted my eyes from Kayne.
“Never. I’ll never cut it.” I whispered sternly.
Kayne growled in annoyance and left me, heading for the ship. I watched him walk up the plank used to board the ship when it was anchored near the shoreline. He was muttering to himself again as he began tying and re-tying the mast’s ropes. I hadn’t meant to hurt him. I knew that bracelet was important to him, but it’s not like I did anything…it wasn’t my fault.
I exhaled in defeat and quickly grabbed my bag, which was near the tree I had previously been perching in and ran for the Snyaria.
“Noir!” A young feminine voice called from behind me.
I skidded to a stop in the sand and turned. “Kca—OH!” Kcara smacked into me as she ran to tell me goodbye. Sand covered us entirely once we landed.
“Oops, sorry!” She herself off me and smiled apologetically with a silly expression on her game.
I stood up after her and noticed her short blond hair full of sand. I rubbed her head.
“Hey, what are you doing? I’m only three years younger than you!” She brushed my hands away awkwardly. “I’m not a kid.”
I smiled.
She looked at me sadly, and then wrapped her tan arms around my waist. I hugged her back, burying my face in her tangy, fruit smelling hair. She was like a little sister to me and I didn’t want to leave her behind. She knew I would be fine alone and decided not to come; she’s very experienced though and could have helped me but she wouldn’t change her mind.
“I’ll miss you so much.” She mumbled against my chest.
“Me too, sweetie.” I felt like I may cry but I held it back, though I could feel her tears seep through my clothes. We had only been apart five times since she first started following me around and the thought of probably never seeing her again was painful. But I released my grip.
I rubbed her head again, this time just for fun.
“Hey!” She whined at me.
I laughed.
“Noir, come on!” Kayne beckoned from behind me. I rolled my eyes, Kcara giggled at my hidden response.
“Yeah, I’m coming.” I shouted to him, in hopes of stalling a little longer.
“I’ll be back soon.” I smiled at her; holding her hands in mine.
She gave me a watery grin then looked to my right.
“Come on!” Kayne’s voice was suddenly behind me.
I felt his hands grab my waist and set me on his shoulders. His arm held me in place as I squirmed angrily but his arm was like iron. He leaned down and grabbed my bag from the sand and turned toward the ship.
“Bye Kcara, see you in a few weeks!” He called to her so nonchalantly, as though he’d never taken me captive. I rammed my fist against his chest and although he seemed not to notice I felt his body react to the pain of the blow. That alone gave me a little satisfaction…but only a little.
“See ya, Kayne! Don’t be too hard on her! She’s never done this before!”
The men on the ship laughed lightly, even Kayne, which only aggravated me even more. I crossed my arms against his chest and glared at him as best as I could in this position.
“Don’t be like that Noir. You’ll have Syren and Menya with you, so don’t worry about us guys.”
I exhaled, blowing part of my bangs up.
When we reached the deck, Kayne gently set me down and handed me my bag. “So
you ok now?”
“Sure.” I mumbled through my teeth.
He grinned at me. His ice blue eyes warm and seductive, like usual. I hated when he did that, it made it so hard to hate him.
“Noir!” Menya nearly pushed me into Kayne with her embrace.
“My you’ve grown Noiry.” Her smile covered half her face.
“Uh…you too Men.” I skillfully weaved out of her grasp.
Her poofy pink and green pigtails bounced around as she restlessly jumped around me. She had always been the happiest of my few elvish friends.
“Ooo, Noiry, I can’t wait for this trip. You, me, and Sy together again!” She took my hands and started pulling me toward the old captain’s quarters, which I heard was now a room for us girls.
“Sy, Sy come see! Noiry’s here!” Menya seemed to sing her call. She always had the most musical voice, even for an elf.
Abruptly Syren landed silently in front of us. Her golden eyes startled me, as though I had done something horribly wrong. It had been a long time since I had seen her blank expression.
“Hey Sy, been a while.” I said awkwardly.
She continued to scrutinize me. Her cyan colored hair danced around her delicate creamy complexion.
“Hello Noir.” She smiled gently and gave me a hug.
I embraced her tightly. I hadn’t seen her for nearly four and a half years and I missed her mysterious and caring personality so much. She was so very important to me…like my mother.
“Come, I have something to show you.” She grasped my hands tightly and leapt straight up. Her feet touched the mast and she securely held my waist to make sure I wouldn’t fall.
“Look.” She pointed toward the horizon. “Concentrate, Noir, you’ll see it.”
I tried very hard, so hard my brain was starting to hurt and just before I gave up I saw a small, stretched island with several buildings covering it.
“Did you see?” Her golden eyes shined brightly as she awaited my answer.
“Sort of.” I shrugged.
Her usual look of disturbing indifference took over. “Noir, have you been practicing?” Her calm voice became stricter.
“Yes…ish.” I quirked my brow apologetically as I looked at her. “I’m sorry!” I blurted.
She kissed my forehead lightly. “That’s ok. But I WILL make you work on it during the voyage.”
Swiftly she leaped from the beam and we landed on the deck again. After many introductions to the crew members and a quick hello to my father, we walked into the room deemed as ours and Menya jumped out in front of me.
“Noiry, this is your bed.” She led me to the largest of the three, with delicate, off white bedding and ice colored lace sheets hanging from the ceiling. They vaguely reminded me of Kayne’s eyes.
“Oh, it’s beautiful.” I gasped.
“Sy picked it out.” Menya beamed.
“Thank you.” I whispered.
She smiled softly, then turned and leapt out a window. She was never very big with hellos and goodbyes. I smirked knowingly.
“Noiry…” Menya sat on my bed and I followed “…are you sure you’re up for this?” Menya had been one of my best friends since we were both three before she decided to start going with the raiding parties. She knew all about my mother and remembered how hard it was for me to see my father leave on raids.
“Yeah, I’ll be alright. Don’t worry about me.” I reassuringly placed my hand on her knee.
“Ok!” She jumped up and pulling me into the center of our large room, turned me toward the many windows along the bow of the ship. “Wave goodbye, Noiry, because we’re on our way!” Her mood swings were so sudden, it was usually best to just go along with her. I giggled and did as she asked.
“Bye.” I said.
She chuckled then turned abruptly to the two doors to the room.
“Noir!! NOIR, get out here! Syren needs you!” Kayne’s panicked voice erupted from the deck, where sounds of combat started shaking the ship.
“What the hell, we only left the shore fifteen minutes ago?!” I shouted to Menya but apparently she had already gone out the window herself to help.
I shoved the two large wooden doors aside and saw Syren leaping backward as a large ax swung toward her. Somehow three large Tores had managed to get on board.
Tores were oversized, muscular men-like creatures that generally dwelled in caves on the other side of our island. The one currently attacking Syren looked about 7’ 5”, very strong and incredibly ugly. His nose was nearly nonexistent and his lower lip was huge.
“Dammit Noir, help her!” Kayne shouted as he forced away another, smaller Tore’s blade. Menya appeared beside him to help.
“I’m going! Sy, toss me Nirwen!”
While slicing the gut of one Tore, she skillfully slipped Nirwen and its sheath from her back and tossed it to me. I grabbed it a little awkwardly; it has been a long time since I practiced with Syren, and I quickly pulled the blade free to stop an oncoming ax from the remaining Tore.
“UH!” I screamed. I forgot how freakishly strong these guys were. My legs were bending beneath the pressure he was giving on my blade.
I tried slipping around him and slicing his back like Syren taught me, but gosh he is really strong! I barely forced the blade away and managed to slice through his right wrist. However he sent his blade crashing down on my again, flaying his blood spewing arm around crazily.
I suddenly heard the Tore gasp; then abruptly right in front of my face a bloody katana tip erupted from the Tores stomach, unfortunately covering my face in blood and fluids. I took advantage of his shock and forced away the large ax again, causing him to lose balance, and right before he fell I slid my several edged blade through his throat tearing the arteries and easily ripping straight through his vertebrae.
I turned around after watching the Tore choke on his own blood before his head fell off, the skin on the back of his neck barely holding it on. Kayne was breathing heavily with his katana held tightly in his hands. He smiled tiredly at me and I could see his ice blue eyes dance in the light of the sun. He had evidently helped me.
“You shouldn’t take on more than you can handle.” He laughed a little.
I scowled slightly with a little sarcasm in my eyes. “Kayne…” I stepped toward him, blood covered and trying my best to be seductive. “Thank you so much for saving me…” I brushed my fingers through his hair. I nearly laughed at his shocked face. Then…I thrust my knee into his groin. “But I can handle myself without you mocking me.”
He keeled over in pain but I could still hear him laughing between gasps. “Noir…you still get so upset when people help you…”
I sighed. “I’m sorry Kayne…I just…I can do things on my own.” I looked down at him, he still smiled at me. He knew I didn’t me anything by what I did but I couldn’t get over it. My emotions clouded everything. I turned away from him, from everyone and quickly walked to our cabin.
I locked the door behind me and laid my head on the carved wood of the door and sighed. “Stupid.” I then sauntered over to my bed, where I simply plopped down face first. I stayed there, unmoving, until the need to scratch the tips of my half pointed ears came over me. I sat up and ran my fingernails along the delicate skin, a strange habit that came over me often when I became upset.
“UGH…being part-elf is SO frustrating!” I yelled to no one.
Elves have always been the more mysterious of the creatures that populated our world. Exceptionally strong, agile, and hypersensitive; emotions are practically doubled in intensity as well. That is one thing I had the misfortune of receiving an abnormal amount of despite my breeding. It made little sense that someone with only half elvish blood would be so…emotional.
And I have never been very good at controlling myself.
“Noir.”
“Holy crap!” I gasped.
Sy stood quietly in front of me, not even a single drop of blood on her…of course. I smiled though I was still shaking from her sudden appearance.
“What is it, Syren?” I tried to calm my exceptionally fast beating heart.
“I simply wanted to make sure you were alright.”
“Yeah…yeah I’m fine.” I breathed.
“You know Noir…if you want more training, I can help you, with combat and controlling your elvish instincts.”
“Sy, I can do this on my own.” I started to get stubborn again.
She put her strong hand on my shoulder and starred directly into my eyes. “Noir, there is nothing wrong with asking for my help…or anyone’s for that matter.”
“Syren I can’t help it, the feeling is so powerful.”
“I know.” She smiled; her perfect, white teeth were so stunning. I may be part elf, but I’ll never be a radiant beauty like elves are supposed to be. “Now later today, Men and I are going hunting in the ocean. You’re the best swimmer of us all.”
I laughed a little. “Ok…but just to warn you it’s been a long while since I’ve hunted, I don’t know if I can hold my breath as long as I used too.”
“Well you managed three hours last time and I expect you will do just fine today.” She smiled again and took my hand. “Come on, time for some fun.”
End
