In case you didn't know, Jenn is on vaction this week. So I'm going to start a Round Robin Story. Last time we did one it was a romance, this time it's a fantasy. I started this story about five years ago, so it's a little rough. Do your best. You can add your part of the story in the comments. Someone else has to post before you can post again. Let's get started!
The woods around her shimmered in the wind as the sun glanced off the leaves. The tall trees waved their acceptance of her. Her presence there was always welcome by all that thrived in the woods. The trees knew her touch, the animals knew her voice, and even the streams gurgled her praises. The enchantment of the forest coursed through her like rushing water. She could feel the will of the forest and knew what it truly meant to be free and happy. She came to the forest often to relax and find the peace that she needed and often times to seek answers to her many questions. Eve wondered about everything, but mostly she wanted to know everything about the rest of the world. Growing up secluded had left her with many questions and zero answers. While her parents were supportive of her, and tried to answer her droves of questions, they couldn’t tell her why they lived like they did. They always said they didn’t know why except that they knew it was right.
Her long, dark brown hair, flew out in a stream behind her as she ran through the trees gaily. Her blue eyes took in all around her. Her pale skin appeared white in contrast to her hair. If she had grown up around other people, she would know how disarming her looks were to the casual observer. Though, he was no casual observer. A sense of pride coursed through him as he watched her. He’d watched her many times over the past couple of years, but today it was time for her to see him as well. He watched shock course through her features as he stepped out of the shadows.
“Who are you?” She asked timidly, but with a bit of excitement as well.
“I apologize if I’ve frightened you, I was just out for a walk in the woods.”
Eve knew that couldn’t be possible since the nearest village was over 2 days away. As she looked at the middle-aged man before her, she saw a power in his eyes, but that was all. There were no thoughts attached to him. She could always read her parents thoughts, maybe that was all she could do. After all she had never met anyone else.
“Oh? Do you live nearby?” She asked quizzically. She found she had an unsatiable need to find out everything about him.
“Fairly near,” he said evasively.
He knew she was a mind reader the first time he saw her. There was a certain way that mind readers focused on the objects around them, like they were looking through them and not at them. And this knowledge was why he couldn't approach her until now. He had to make a potion to block his thoughts from her. He needed her help, but there was no way he could let her see inside his mind. If she could see into his thoughts he knew she wouldn't help him. But without her all would be lost. And now he was running out of time. He had to convince her.
ReplyDeleteBut he wondered if she would really believe him. He knew the request would sound strange. He hardly believed it himself. If it had not come from the High Communion Council he would have immediately written it off as delusional. After all she was still practically a child, with no understanding of what lay beyond her small forest. How could she be the one to...
ReplyDeletesave him?
ReplyDelete"How did you get here?" Eve looked for a horse but saw nothing.
"I walked." He took a step closer to her. "I needed to talk to you." He knew he was taking a risk by telling her too much too soon, but he was running out of time.
"Me? Do I know you?" She walked backwards until a tree stopped her.
"No, but you will. We will be connected in ways that are beyond belief." He put his hand in his pocket, Eve stared at him warily as he pulled out...
a medallion.
ReplyDeleteShe gasped and her hand immediately flew to the one attached to the chain around her neck. It appeared as if the two were put together...
Before she could even finish the thought, he asked, "May I?"
She removed the medallion from her neck, but wouldn't hand it over to him, it meant too much to her. Instead, she reached for his. After a moment's hesitation, he handed it to her.
Her lungs burned and she realized she was holding her breath. She let it out slowly as she fit the two metal pieces together perfectly.
"What does this mean?" she whispered.
"It means that you are the only one who can save him."
"Save who?"
"Him." He pointed to a hill in the far distant east. Atop it lay a sprawling fortress.
ReplyDeleteEve knew the fortress well. Even in her seclusion she had heard of the master of the Black Angmar Fortress.
She spat on the ground near her feet to show what she thought of the idea. "Even if I could save him, why would we want to? He's brought nothing but evil upon this land."
"That doesn't matter right now." He knew she wasn't ready that answer yet. "We need to leave here. I need to keep you safe. Your life is in danger."
ReplyDelete"Leave? What about my parents? I have to tell them where I am going." She clutched the two medallions in her hand wondering how this was possible. Her mother had told her that necklace was the only one ever made.
"The less your parents know the safer they are. i know you just met me, but you must trust me." He looked deeply into her eyes, lowering his mind shield just sliver to let her feel the truthfulness of his plea and the desparation, he even let a little of the fear through. Fear always is a great motivator. At least he knew that was his driving force today.
Eve's eyes flew open at the revelations. She knew she had to do what he said. She had to keep her parents safe, but she wouldn't leave them without a message.
"I left my lunch by the water, I'll just go get it." She turned before he could stop her. As she went along she hummed a song to the trees. They swayed in the wind while her song worked it's magic. 'There!' she thought to herself 'Now they will know I am safe.'
After retreiving her lunch basket she returned to the clearing only to find...
The great Lord of the Black Angmar Fortress himself. The very man Eve had been ready to protect her parents from. She'd never seen him in person before, but he was the very image of the painting the old inn keeper kept in the tavern hall.
ReplyDelete"You?" she hissed as she cautiously took a step back and began to probe his mind for clues. "You aren't supposed to be on this land. What are you doing here?"
With hands set determinedly on his waist, the man smiled smugly. "Apparently I'm here to convince you, Eve to save--"
"How do you know my name?" She knew the answer before he confirmed. She also realized that the man she was meant to save wasn't him, but his father. If she'd had her wits about her she'd realized this man--another probe into his mind for his name--Kylend, wasn't old enough to be her mortal enemy. Though close enough in blood.
"Cullim gave me your name. He's just run to fetch the horses now. I told him I'd wait for you." He raised an eyebrow, his irritating grin never left his face.
Of all the nerve. "You don't think I can save your father, do you?" There hadn't been a man, woman, or child in her village who didn't respect her power of healing.
"What?" Kylend seemed surprised a moment at her acusation, then all at once he realized she could read him. Instead of cowering in fear as she expected him too. He took a measured step in her direction his voice became even more arrogant. "No. I don't think you can save my father. Every physician, wizard, magician and lystical wood creature have been in to see my father the past two years. Not one of them have succeeded. Why should I believe a mere slip of a girl-like you would be able to do any better?" He paused and a looked up at the fortress behind her before bringing his sharp grey gaze to lock with hers. "Tell me, Eve Shartynne, what makes you so great?"
She gulped at his piercing stare. How was she even supposed to answer that question? Until a few minutes ago, she didn't know she was special at all.
ReplyDelete"I'm not, I'm pretty sure you got the wrong person. Why don't you just leave?"
He just smiled back at her. His mouth was sideways in a patronizing angle and she suddenly had the urge to smack it off his face.
"You know I can't do that. As long as the council thinks you are the chosen one, then I will be your shadow."
She shivered at his words. She didn't know whether to fear him or hate him, but she decided she wasn't going to let him decide her next move. Opening her mind to the forest around her, she started a low hum that vibrated in the earth. Birds began to fly away in alarm, and Kylend's smile slid off his face at the trembling ground beneath him.
Eve continued the humming until...
everything fell silent. The only noise was his breath, and hers, echoing each other in an almost painful pattern.
ReplyDelete"What are you doing?" Kylend gasped, his heartbeat beginning to stutter.
Eve smiled. "Showing you the truth." Spreading her hands wide, she continued. "Everything, even healing, has an opposite power. My gift is life, but it can also be death."
Kylend shrugged noncholantly, but she could see the glimmer of fear and, possibly, respect, when he looked at her.
WOW!! I think we will call that the end of chapter one. I'm not sure if we will have more chapters or not, but I'm not sure we could really bring more closure to this story right now. Thanks everyone for contributing! It was really fun!
ReplyDelete