Archer:
The sound of the bells chimed all over Aevelyn and the townspeople crowded in the square in front of the castle. Distressed screams filled the air, everyone terrified as word had reached that Quinten had been burned to ashes.
"What if the witch comes here" the people were saying, "She could destroy us all."
Personally I didn't want to believe the rumors, surely one woman couldn't bring down an entire village in a matter of seconds. I just kept raking the straw in the stables.
"SILENCE!" My father, lord Hadden Raymundus called from the front steps of the castle, silencing the bells and the screams of his people. "I understand you are all very frightened, but I must assure you we are very safe. As we speak the capitals guards are searching everywhere for the witch and I have posted our guards on 24 hours watch around the village. No witch will burn our town if I have anything to say about it." That seemed to reassure everyone, including me although I didn't think this girl posed a threat. She hasn't been found in the 2 days Quinten burned and quite frankly, she probably doesn't even want to use her power. I met a witch before and she was not as cold-hearted as everyone thought.
"Oi, give that back," I heard Sadie's calming voice behind me, followed by the sound of someone coughing dramatically. I turned and saw Artie on the ground and Sadie holding the brush end of her broom. "I told you to give it back." Artie on his stomach lifted his hand holding his sister's pearl bracelet she always wore. Sadie grabbed her bracelet back and tied it back onto her wrist, the white pearls standing out on her dark skin.
"Next time please don't whack me with the broom, it feels like my back is broken," Artie cried as Sadie reached out her hand to help her brother to his feet.
"Next time you shouldn't take your sister's bracelet," I laughed as I approached the twins who were in the centre of the stables "What were you going to do with it anyway."
"I was tempted to see how far she would go to get her precious piece of jewelry back," he began "I didn't think beating up her brother was on the table." Sadie chuckled and shook her head,
"You are as dumb as you look, Artie," then she walked off to continue her work, raking the dirty straw into a pile. Her dark hair bound in braids hung loosely on her shoulders and her brown rags swirled around on the ground, creating a small storm of dust as she swayed with her broom. She was very Beautiful. I had always thought so. I still remember the day I met her, crying on the floor of my bedroom in the dark ends of the castle when she knocked on the door,
"Are you alright?" She had asked as she opened the door. I had wiped the tears from my face and tried to act tough.
"I'm fine. Truly, I am," I said and stood from the corner of the cold stone room and I looked up, my eyes had been sore from crying but the moment I saw her I felt safe. I didn't even know her.
"Why were you crying? She had asked, "I was returning to the kitchens from the dungeons and heard a sound through the halls." She had smiled at me then, brightening the room like a sun.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just, loneliness I guess," the smile on her face had disappeared,
"Do you have any friends,"
"No one wants to be friends with a bastard,"
"Your Archer?" she cried in surprise, "the bastard son of the king?" I nodded. It was true, it was the shame and burden I had been born with. My father had many mistresses, only one had given him a child, but she died when I had been born and he had taken me to live with him. When I was 12 and old enough to make my own decisions, he told me I must work for my keep in the castle or be thrown on the streets. Since then I have spent 5 years in the stables, alongside Sadie and her twin brother Artie. I didn't object when given the offer to work with Sadie, she was my first real friend in this world and made life so wonderful.
"Finished daydreaming," a fist collided with my arm and I looked to my left to see Artie, "or are you too busy staring at my sister to notice I've been calling you for the past 5 minutes."
"What. Oh. Ummmmm. Terribly sorry, what were you saying," he only looked at me with disappointment,
"What I was trying to say was, there is a raven and a note attached. It's from Luna."
"Did you say it was from Luna?" Shocked, I followed Artie stride to his sister,
"Yes!" There was a terrified look in his eyes as he swung to face me. Luna was the sole surviving witch of the war. If there was a message from her, it wasn't good news. The first time we had met her it was during the 'War of the clans and king.' The last of the witches had come seeking help and refuge in Aevelyn after the king had destroyed their homes and killed many of the their own, but my father betrayed them and called the king and his army to destroy them all. Every witch that day died, except for Luna. Sadie found her in the stables, hidden amongst a pile of old straw, a gash on her face bleeding fiercely. She was not in a good way and Sadie sought out Artie and myself when she had found her. We were scared at first, but she was not at all like what the stories said. She was kind. Not ruthless.
I was able to convince a nurse in the castle to help us cure her face and help her escape, for we were so young at the time. We got Luna as far as 'The empty terrain' and she carried on by herself from there, following 'the lost trail' to the house of wind. The only witch clan house that hadn't been destroyed by the king. No human knows where the house is. Except us.
When we parted we promised not to send letters unless in absolute urgency for Luna's own safety of not being discovered. Since then we have only met 3 times in the 5 years since the war ended. This letter, it was not good news.
"Artie," I said, staring into his eyes "do you think this could be something to do with… to do with" I couldn't form the words, "her?"
"For all we know. Yes." Artie turned around again and made his way to his sister who was now grooming her favourite horse. We entered the stall and he pulled out 2 pieces of parchment, one labeled 'To the bastard and the twins' and on the other, it just said 'Sadie.' Artie passed the second piece of parchment to his sister and opened the first, reading the message and passing it onto Sadie, then me.
To the bastard and the twins,
I have urgent news regarding something you will
very much know about. I need your help. I have
her, the girl, and I think she can help us. I think
we can help her. Please come as soon as you get
this and burn the parchment. You know where to
go and I will be waiting for you. Please, please hurry.
-L
We all looked around at each other, Luna had found the girl.
"What do we do now?" Sadie's voice was hoarse, "Can we just leave and not say anything? Archer, your father will be suspicious."
"I can take care of my father, tell him I need to run some errands out town with your help. He can find replacements to mind the stables while we are gone. Pack your bags and meet me back here when the sun has set, we leave under the cover of darkness. We cannot risk being followed." I strode from the stables and didn't look back, I had to find my father. I walked across the streets and bypassed the blacksmiths where I threw the parchment into the fire, then walked calmly to the front gates of the castle. A cool breeze soothed my face as I opened the doors and entered the stone labyrinth to find my father.
Sadie:
Artie packed his belongings into a sack on the other side of our shared room, but only the necessary things; clothes, food and father's old swords from when he was a knight. He died, 6 years ago. We were only 12 when he died and Lord Raymundus was kind and generous to us. He had a close relationship with our father so he paid for our house in the village and offered us jobs in the castle. We did not oblige after all his generosity.
"You have to gather some clothes for me to pack Sadie or you'll have nothing to wear," Artie called across the room,
"I will in a minute," I replied "I just have to… I have to do something first." Artie nodded his head and I walked through the back door of the cottage, my note from Luna in hand.
I took a seat on the ground beside my small flower garden; Snowdrops, Marigolds and Foxgloves all native to the highlands, growing beautifully. I returned my gaze to the note in my hand and removed the seal slowly. The wax cracked and I unrolled the parchment, reading the inscribed massage.
My dearest love,
Although the issues at hand are not ordeal, they
have given me an excuse to write to you. I have
missed you dearly and cannot wait for your arrival.
It has been so long since we have talked and I
miss the taste of your lips on mine. I will be
waiting for you, my love. See you soon, my love.
-L
I heaved a breath and clutched the note to my chest, unable to stop a tear from falling down my face. My lips twitched into a smile and I held the note close. I could smell Lunas sent attached to the parchment; vanilla and pine, like the smell of the dusk forest that hid the house of wind from the outside world.
I wiped the tear from my face and stood from the ground, wiping off the dust that had clung to my dress. I glanced at the message on the note one last time then shoved the parchment into my pocket. If we were leaving there would be no need to burn the parchment, I would carry the message with me.
"Sadie, come on!" Artie called from inside the house. I pressed my hand against the wooden door and pushed, following the sound of Artie's voice inside.
Archer:
I ran through the stone corridors of the castle to the great hall, my frantic footsteps an echo behind me. I passed servants and maids exiting rooms, carrying empty plates and dirty washing.
"Sorry," I cried, almost stumbling into Anita carrying bedsheets,
"Watch yourself, Archer," there was annoyance in her voice as she bent to pick up the fallen sheets and I found my footing, "your father is not in a very good mood today." Backing up slowly, I nodded my head then turned back into a run. It reminded me of when I was 6. Running from one extreme of the castle to the other, seeing how fast I could go. I had never had any real friends as a child, but my imaginary ones would race alongside me. Sir Ascelin the amazing and Sir Peres the Mighty, Fierce knights of the 1st army of Glendara. The best of the best. I fought many battles with them too, against the fierce pillow monster and his evil sidekick doctor Zell. Saving the world from being turned into a giant cushion. That was before my father told me to stop believing.
"They are impossible heroes," he had said, "and impossible heroes not real. Grow up" He had scolded me then, and I had cried for hours. My father had strong hands and gave a harsh beating, but I am stronger now because of those beatings and I wouldn't ask for it any other way.
I pushed my thoughts away and the entrance of the great hall came into view. Big, bulky wooden doors with the Raymundas logo carved into each of them was all that stood between myself and my father who stood in the hall beyond them.
"FATHER!" I cried, hauling open the doors, "I must speak with yo-"
"Hello child," The king had a smug look on his face, "is something wrong." His demon eyes stared at me,
"I ummm-I-I-I..."
"Well spit it out boy," my father cried, " I have urgent matters to discuss with the king. Either you get out or you tell me what it is you barged in here to tell me." An embarrassed look read across my father's face, his eyes saying 'I'm terribly sorry for this interruption' as he turned his gaze to the king for a brief moment.
"It's. It's just the horses. Because of what happened in Quinten, the straw never arrived." -lie- "I was hoping to leave town for a few weeks to gather the supplies we are missing." My voice trembled, would he catch my bluff.
He stared at me for a long moment before he answered. "Fine, but you must take Sadie and Artie with you." That was my plan anyway.
"Thank you father. Thank you," I turned on my heels and made for the door,
"And one more thing," I took a sudden stop and turned back around to face my father, "if you find the witch. Slay her where she stands." I swallowed the saliva that had been building up in my mouth and nodded. He nodded back. I was free to go.
I backed out of the hall and pushed open the big doors, disappearing behind them. I huffed out a breath before setting off down the stone corridor. How could the king be here? When did he arrive?
I was almost at the end of the corridor when I heard the king's voice, it wasn't in my head.
"Child!" His voice was stern and serious, "Come here." I obeyed and crept back up the corridor to stand in front of him. "If you find this witch, do not kill her,"
"But my father sai-"
"I do not care what your father said." His demon eyes were once again looking at me, "Now, if you find her, you will bring her to me alive. There is something she can do for me. Understand." I understood alright, but I would never bring the girl back here to be tortured by the king.
"Understood,"
"Take these," the king reached into his weapons belt pulling out the 2 most dangerous weapons known to man.
The Fire sword and Water whip.
Fire swords were said to have been forged to the holy fire of the gods and they were the only weapon besides fire that could kill a witch. If you were stabbed by a fire sword, you would burn from the inside and die such a painful death. Even the Flamebearer witches could not survive it.
The Water whips on the other hand were created in the well Amaras. The goddess of death herself. If the whip were to touch the skin of any witch it would drain their power completely, leaving them defenseless and able to be killed by a normal blade. These weapons are what won the war and now the king held them out for me to take.
"But I can't," my voice a murmur,
"You can and you will." He shoved the weapons into my hands, "these weapons will not kill the witch, her power is stronger than anything this world has ever seen, but they can still cause her pain." The word pain, the king's favourite word, seemed to linger through the stone around us.
"If, I find her. I will take her straight to Lanson," the king darted one last look at me and nodded before he re-entered the great hall and I whispered, "but no promises."