Simond was an average build male with jet black hair that fell in soft curls into his eyes. A goatee streaked with grey framed his chin, bringing attention to his squared jawline. But what caught my attention was his thoughtful, kind eyes as he smiled in greeting.
"The male to who looks remarkably like Rema is her twin brother Wymar, who is an enchanter too."
"What's your power?!" Wymar blurted, practically dancing on the spot. He was from a slender man, his skin just as tanned as Rema's, his eyes just as a deep blue. It was clear they were related, but where Rema wore a serious expression all the time, this man's face was filled with expression. You could read every emotion he was feeling from his face and from the faint laughter lines that creased the corners of his eyes, I would say he spent most of his time in high spirits compared to Rema's volatile emotions.
"We will answer all your questions in a moment Wymar," Volorn patiently supplied with a slight quirk of his mouth that drew attention to his scar, "Yvain here is one of the rare Trackers."
Volorn pointed to a man beside him who was silently studying me. It was hard to describe Yvain, everything about him was plain, average. He was of average build, average height, average mousy brown hair. He had no descriptive features. Even his blue eyes seemed muted. Even as I tried to study him, nothing stood out for me, the memory of him slipped out of my mind. I felt my brows rise in surprise as a small smile and a set of straight teeth glinted from Yvain.
"Tam is an illusionist like Axel."
Another gesture to a small petite blonde woman who practically vibrated with energy. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, showing off a fresh, young face with soft round cheeks and almond-shaped indigo eyes. Her eyes seemed to dart everywhere, not landing on one thing before dancing off to another object. I almost felt out of breath watching her.
"Then finally we have Averil...
Averil was a lady in her mid-thirties with honey brown hair that was curled to her shoulders. She had an open, trusting face with laughter and smile lines etching her face. A rosy tint blushed her ivory skin and her blue eyes were as bright as the sky.
"...our mentalist."
I immediately tensed, remembering a tidbit of information I had been taught about mentalists. They could read your thoughts, influence you to do anything against your will. I eyed her up cautiously, only to receive a sad, kind smile in return.
"So why's she here?" Rema snidely asked.
Everyone tensed and swung their eyes to her. Volorn glowered at her, his chest puffing in anger as the last of his restraint dissolved.
Rema hastily added, "I mean what's so special about her? We all are the most powerful Ceruleans in the country. Why do we need her?"
Volorn opened his mouth, to either reply or give her a verbal lashing, but I had had enough. I stepped forward, letting myself shift into another form. Within seconds I had beautiful tanned skin, thick charcoal black hair that fell to my collar bone and an angry burn that took over a mass of my cheekbone. I copied her mannerisms, leaning slightly forward as though I was stopping myself from dancing on the balls of my feet, ready for a fight. I narrowed my eyes and let a sneer fit over my face and replied to her comment, "For someone so powerful, it doesn't look like you're winning any wars from where I'm standing."
Her strong, bold voice stretched across the plain and everyone stood there in shock with the exception of Axel and Volorn. Volorn crossed his arms over his chest, Axel adopted a smug smirk on his face whilst Thorlan edged closer to Rema and put a large hand on her shoulder as if to restrain her.
Rema seemed to snap out of it and shrugged off Thorlan's hand, "Oh great, another Illusionist, as if two wasn't enough."
"She isn't an Illusionist Rema, she a Mimic," Axel replied.
She snorted, "Yeah, right."
"She is my love," Thorlan replied.
"Wow! A Mimic! That power hasn't been around in generations!" Wymar interrupted.
Rema spun to look at her brother in disgust.
"I'm sorry Ree, but can you imagine! This could change the war! Imagine what we could do with this!"
The reminder that I was a weapon to be used vibrated through me and I tried not to let anger overcome me.
"How did you recruit her?" Zan quietly asked.
"Ahh. Well our lovely Fawn here was caught stealing from the esteemed Captain Wildecrest and she was masquerading as his beautiful wife Jaeda to do it," Axel happily supplied whilst I continued to try and conceal my growing temper.
I'm right here. You could ask me yourself.
"Oh, that asshole," Wymar replied which made me look at him curiously. He smiled back, as though he understood why I would have done it.
"Yep, the Captain Asspants himself. She was on the run and we managed to find her before he did. He didn't even realise we had her," Axel supplied.
I spun and looked at him. This was new information to me. If Wildecrest didn't catch me, didn't know where I was, then why am I here?
The implications of what he was saying started to seep into my head...
"Umm Ax-", Thorlan tried to interrupt.
"Volorn could sense another power in the room at the Wildecrest's...
If they didn't catch me I could have gone home that night...
"...he managed to capture her after following us..."
...I would have returned to Tawney...
"...and convince her that her best option was to come here." Axel looked proud of his explanation.
....and he could still be alive right now.
Chapter 11
Tawney's necklace grew warm against my wrist as my rage mounted.
"Wildecrest didn't find me?" I quietly whispered.
"Huh?" Axel turned to me.
"Wildecrest didn't find me?!" My voice increasing in volume with my anger, "He didn't know where I was?!"
"Well, no..." He looked to Volorn for help but Volorn was watching me.
"You told me he demanded my head! That it was this or die! And he didn't know you had caught me!"
"Fawn..."
I spun and found the reason for the anguish and pain that cut through me like a knife.
"I could be home right now! Tawney could be alive! But you took me here. You selfishly caught me to fight in this stupid war!" I screamed at Volorn.
"Fawn calm down," Axel tried to soothe me, his hand clasping my shoulder.
But I shook it off, yelling my pain to Volorn, "I will not calm down! You have stolen my life! My home! For what?!"
The stone flared hotly against my skin, igniting something within my body as my wrath started to get the better of me. My vision became tinted red and golden hues and my teeth ground against each other. An unbidden image of a blazing bird seared through my mind, embers and burning flames sizzled in my ears and an urge to change shape filled me.
"How dare you. How dare you lie to me, steal me away and bring me here. To this godforsaken war where I will probably find my death. It is your fault Tawney is dead!"
I was so enraged that I stepped into his personal space, my chest-bumping his and my neck straining to meet his gaze in the height difference, for him to see my wrath.
"No matter what you think Fawn, you broke the law. You are a criminal and as a general, I also have to uphold the law." His voice cutting through the haze of anger, "I understand your pain. But I did not kill your grandfather. If anything, I may have saved your life. You have no training, you cannot fight. What do you think would have happened when two, highly trained assassins came upon you and Tawney in your tiny shop, unawares?"
I gazed into his eyes, clutching at the fury that gripped me with desperation. I didn't want to hear his words of logic. I wanted to hold onto in injustices of my situation and lay the blame somewhere. But his eyes reflected compassion and his voice softened to a coon and I felt the red tint recede from my view, the glowing hot stone at the wrist cool and the roaring fire in my ear cease.
"We are in a war. People are dying, have been dying for many years.
And it's up to me to help stop that from happening. Here you are, the only Mimic seen in god knows how many years, and you were running around like a petty thief whilst our country's civilians are dying. So yes, Fawn. I have taken you away, stolen you in the middle of the night to help give Orbain a fighting chance. To help stop families being broken apart so there will not be any more orphans left in cities trying to survive."
It was like he plunged me in ice-cold water. Steam still rose from me, my anger not completely cooled but now I felt selfish and a huge weight settled into the pit of my stomach.
Seeing my face drop, Volorn stepped forward and placed his hand under my chin, lifting my face up to gaze back into his eyes, "Orbain needs you, needs us. I couldn't let you stay back in the city when you could help save many others or all of us. Please understand."
I slowly nodded. I understood his position, I really did. Before all of this happened I thought I would do almost anything to make this war end, to stop the poverty that besieged Orbain. I just never thought of the price that came with it. I had never thought of a world without Tawney by my side.
Axel stepped forward and bumped against my shoulders, disrupting the intense moment, "We will teach you all you need to know Fawn, every one of us."
The others gave grave nods, sensing a grim story behind my outburst but throwing their support behind their superiors.
"In fact, I'll train you personally. Just me and you," Axel announced with a small smile and cheeky wink, "After all, we do have bet."
I blinked at him, at the sudden change of attitude. Was he.... flirting with me?
"Oh god," Rema muttered before turning away and walking into one of the tents, Thorlan trailing behind. Volorn gave a quick signal and the others drifted away to their previous positions, leaving me with Axel and Volorn.
I stared at both of them, my emotions a mass ball of confusion, distrust, and isolation. I could understand their reasons for capturing me. But knowing that they had unknowingly been a part of the cause of Tawney's death...that they had stolen my only opportunity of saving him...it was not something I could forget.
"Fawn...I am deeply sorry." Axel murmured to me and I sensed his conviction from his tone. The sorrow that drenched every word made me catch my breath.
"I did not mean for this to happen. It is a regret I will hold for the rest of my years," Volorn supplied with conviction.
I thought back to the last handful of days, analysis their words and actions. I found I believed them, that their actions spoke of their apology and sadness.
"I accept your apologies." I started, watching their expressions as they felt relief at my words before continuing, "But you also need to prove yourself trustworthy to me. So far you have lied to me and forced me to be a part of this war. I understand the reasons behind it but it is still a betrayal of my trust."
I made sure they were both looking me in the eye, seeing my decision and conviction, "However, you are right. This war needs to end and I have been running away from my responsibility to help end it all my life. If you're saying I can make a difference, that I can help Orbain defeat Etha then I'll stay. I will train, I will fight and I will be a loyal guard in your unit. You can trust me. I'll prove it. "
I held their gaze, opening myself to them in a way that I only ever did with Tawney.
"I can accept that," Volorn supplied with a grave nod of his head.
"We will prove ourselves trustworthy Fawn. Before you know it, it will be as we are one of the family," Axel replied in earnest.
I recoiled from the term of endearment but let his words settle inside me. His confidence boosting my own. I may not have known him for long, but something about Axel made me trust him in a way I didn't usually trust people.
"Okay." I nodded before letting out a shaky sigh and running a hand through my hair, "Let's hope your petty criminal can make a difference in this war."
Axel pulled me into the shelter of his body, his arm dropping over my shoulders in a small hug. "You may have been a thief Fawn-"
I flinched at the word thief coming from his lips, feeling like a dirty criminal. It felt different to say it myself.
"- but you are not a bad person. I believe in you, that you can help here. With our help, you'll become a formidable force and we will stop this war."
"Thank you," I whispered, giving him a little hug back.
"You're welcome," he replied, giving my shoulder a squeeze.
Volorn cleared his throat, drawing my attention to him. A small frown creased his forehead as he looked at Axel's arm draped around my shoulders before he uttered, "Come. Let's show you where you will be staying."
I felt a faint blush stain my cheeks and I swiftly stepped out from underneath Axel's arm to follow Volorn up towards the tower's entrance. We strode through a large doorway which presented a large spiral staircase, reaching higher than I thought.
"There are five floors including the ground floor. The top two floors are sleeping quarters, the middle is my floor which holds my meeting rooms, office, map room, and sleeping chamber. The first floor is our weapons rooms and library and the bottom floor is for the kitchens and a small holding cell." Volorn explained as he ascended the stairs, taking two steps at a time.
I followed him as quickly as I cool, my legs taking two steps to his everyone.
"You will be on the top floor, in the back chamber. You'll find a small sink and private privy. As well as this your wardrobe is already housed with a selection of clothes and armor. Choose whichever fits you."
We reached the top stair and I struggled not to show the sweat dripping from my brow. He didn't even have the decency to look the slightest bit winded.
As we continued down a large corridor I took in the surroundings. The floor was laid with thick polished wood and the ceiling was high enough that I could stand on Volorn's shoulders if I wanted too. The grey stone brick was exposed on the walls and I had fought the urge to run my fingers along them. The corridor looked grand, but it was nothing compared to the room Volorn opened the door too.
I slowly strode in, spinning around in shock. In the middle of the room stood a four-poster bed with sky blue curtains tied back around it. A beautifully embroidered mat lay before the bed, golden leaves and sunflowers stitched lovingly in the elaborate design. A large fireplace spoke of warm, cosy nights opposite the bed and on the other side of the room stood a large window, giving me a breath-taking view of the capital and beyond.
I stood in awe of the room, thinking back to the little wreckage I called a bedroom in Ebonhost.
"Volorn..." I gasped in wonder and turned to him from the center of extravagance.
He was watching me with a pleased expression, his smile stretched and his eyes glinting with satisfaction, "When you're at war, you don't see many comforts. Or luxuries. So when we are home, at the capital...we take all we can get."
I just nodded dumbly at him, too shocked to form any words.
"I will let you settle in. Report to me in the morning. In the meantime, make yourself at home." He said as he walked out, softly shutting the door behind him.
Make yourself at home.
Home.
A sick feeling boiled in my stomach and I tried to control the tears that sprung to my eyes. Exhaustion suddenly weighed down on me and I stumbled over to the bed, stripping myself out of my clothing and slipping on a nightgown that was left for me.
I laid down on the bed, wanting to sigh in delight of the comfort of the luxurious mattress but found the darkness calling to me. The last image in my mind before the blackness came for me was of Tawney's smiling face and a faint whisper in my ear.
They wanted it...it was your mother's...
The necklace warmed against my wrist as sleep claimed me.
Chapter 12
The next morning, I woke up to food on a side table next to me and an outfit laid out at the bottom of my bed. Confused for a moment, I looked around for a presence but no one was here. Must have been a maid. Such luxuries were incr
edibly foreign to me and I couldn't help but feel worried that I didn't wake to another's presence in my room. Sloppy. Extremely sloppy.
In the back of my mind, thoughts argued that I was tired, I had been traveling for so long, that I was exhausted, but I discarded those thoughts. With Tawney's murder still fresh and finding myself surrounded by unknown people, I couldn't let myself relax. A small slip up like that could easily end my life. Life had taught me an important lesson on trust and the streets had made it clear it's every person for themselves in this world. If I couldn't rely on myself to stay alive, then I deserved what I got.
With a scowl across my lips, I tore into the bread left to me and rose to get changed. Instead of a dress like I was used to wearing I was given a loose cotton shirt, fitted cotton brown trousers that fit me like a second skin and soft leather boots that slipped on as easily as butter. It was so much lighter than the dresses I was used to wearing and it gave me much more range to move that I was impressed, if a little embarrassed, at how close-fitting it was.
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