Kyra absently treaded her fingers through the water, her head cocked slightly to the side as she gazed at the ripples she was creating. Her dress was getting wrinkled from sitting in the sand near the hole of water, and it was no doubt full of sand now, but she didn't care at the moment. She felt serene. She was so tired, the heat of the sun was blazing off her back, threatening to dehydrate her. She was so exhausted and hot.
"Kyra!" Kyra started at the urgent voice. She looked over her shoulder and saw her friend, Dequil, standing quite far away from her. He was standing on a hill of sand, so he was much higher than her. She watched as he waved his hand through the air to catch her attention. "Hurry n' bring the water back! We're leaving in a few!"
Kyra nodded, but did not say anything back. Instead, she turned back to the water and pulled her fingers away from the cool water. She reached beside her and wrapped her fingers around the neck of a large pouch that she had to fill with water. She dumped the pouch in the cold water and closed her eyes as it trickled against her hands. It felt so good against her. She wanted to just jump into the water and get away from the boiling sun that was still beating against her.
After the pouch was full, Kyra clasped on the lid and set it aside, on the sand beside her. She then cupped her hands and scooped up some water, then hastily sipped it up. She sighed as the water ran over her tongue and down her throat. It was so sweet; so delicious. She pushed herself up into a standing position, on the way grabbing the pouch full of water. She then turned and climbed the sandy hill. When she reached the top, dress and hands caked with sand, she let out a sigh when she saw Dequil sitting under a tree, his back rested against it. It was rare to see any kind of tree in the desert, but around the small water hole that Mikero, a scout, had found, trees were plenty.
Dequil looked up at hearing Kyra's sigh. He offered a small smile and forced himself up, using the tree to help him. His sandy blond hair stuck to the back of his neck, reaching the lowest part of it. Sweat was running down his face, but then again, everyone was sweating due to the hot weather. He was dressed in heavy clothing, like all the boys were, with sleeves that reached his wrists and worn pants that fell far over his boots, thus collecting much sand. His sea green eyes lit up slightly when Kyra smiled at him. It was then that Kyra noticed there was something held in his pale hands, which were about to get tanned in a few hours if he stayed out in the sun any longer.
"What's that?" Kyra asked as Dequil approached her. His eyes were smiling, but his lips were not. He looked down at the thin object in his hands and then held it out to Kyra so she could examine it. It was a necklace or something of the sort, with a bunch of beads on a string. It was beautiful.
"I found all sorts'a interesting rocks n' pebbles around these kinds'a trees," Dequil explained as he jerked his head over to the tree which he had previously been sitting under. He grabbed Kyra's free hand and led her back to the tree, allowing a small smile to fall onto his lips. He kneeled down after letting go of Kyra's hand and picked up a red pebble, then he looked up at her with a grin. "See?"
Kyra laughed and nodded and found herself examining the way the tree cast shadows over Dequil's face. Dequil raised an eyebrow at her and stood up.
"Is somethin' wrong?" he asked, looking more concerned that he should have. He had always acted like an older brother to Kyra and he loved her like a little sister. He had always been there for her, but it wasn't until Kyra's father had died that they had really bonded. Dequil had been there for her whenever she needed him and she grew fond of his protective manner.
"Oh," Kyra started a little, then gave a forced laugh, "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just wishing to get out of this sun. It's much too hot out here."
Dequil hesitated, then nodded. He looked up at the sun, using one hand to shield his eyes in the process, as he murmured, "Yes. I can't wait 'til we get outta this desert." He licked his dry lips and looked back down at Kyra. "You know where we're headin' next, Kyra?"
Kyra simply shook her head.
"Grasslands," he said softly. "Nice n' cool."
Kyra nodded in agreement, then took hold of his wrist and tugged at it slightly. "Let's head back. Mother's probably waiting to go."
Dequil smiled and allowed himself to be pulled along by Kyra. She eventually let go of his wrist and he fell in step beside her, looking down at the sand as he walked. They were both panting from the heat and the harsh walk through the sand, but as soon as they saw the horses and the carriage, they both broke out smiling. They then ran down the hill that lead to their camp ground and Dequil laughed when Kyra attempted to trip him. He grinned devilishly at her before attempting to do the same to her. She laughed and ran in the other direction.
Sensing a challenge, Dequil chased after her, absently pocketing the necklace he made in the pocket of his shirt. He caught up with her, but she swiftly turned around, surprising him, and then tackled him down. They both went rolling down the rest of the hill, laughing and holding onto each other. When they reached the bottom, Dequil pinned Kyra down, then sneered, "I win."
Kyra snorted and attempted to shove him off her, but he held her down and laughed at her. He flicked her nose and hopped off, then offered her his hand. She took it, disappointment clear on her features, and let Dequil pull her up. They both turned and walked the rest of the way to the carriage. Kyra's mother was watching her with a disapproving look, which Kyra just smiled at.
Kyra halted halfway in climbing into the carriage to sit beside her mother when Dequil spoke.
"Wait," he insisted, then dug through his pocket before holding the necklace out to her. "It's yours," he said with a genuine smile. Kyra smiled at him and took it, then hopped off the carriage and hugged him.
"Don't let Diamond kick you off her," Kyra murmured to him, then leg go and grinned at him. He scoffed in response and shook his head. Diamond was his horse, who he was very fond of and had cared for since she was only a filly.
Kyra climbed into the carriage after Dequil had ran off towards Diamond, who was standing with the rest of the horses. Various men who Kyra did not know mounted their horses when her mother waved her hand.
Kyra was part of a rich family, mainly because after her father had died, the family received a lot of gold that he left for them. Now, they were moving into a new house in a new town that was quite a ways away. The upside was that Dequil was also moving, as were a select few of the town's villagers. Most of them were Kyra's friends, so she wasn't *too* sad about moving.
Although she'd always miss the grasslands that she and Dequil used to always run around in, tackling each other down and throwing handfuls of grass at each other. Kyra's mother never approved of her immature actions, but Kyra did not care. She wanted to have fun, and Dequil was always there when she wanted him to play with her.
She remembered, she had met him when she was six, and ever since then, they had played together all the time. Now, she was fourteen and he was sixteen, yet they still wrestled and played. Kyla was a girl; she wasn't supposed to play so roughly, but she enjoyed it.
"When we reach Hylantia," Kyra's mother said, breaking Kyra's thoughts. Kyra looked up at her mother in curiosity as the horses of the carriage began to walk, dragging the carriage through the sand. "There will be no more of that immaturity," she finished in her usual sharp voice. She looked down at Kyra sternly, incase Kyra had any ideas about objecting.
Kyra said nothing. She just brushed some sand off of her dress and looked out the window at Dequil, who was talking to a friend of his who Kyra did not know. Their horses were trotting side by side. Kyra smiled slightly when Dequil gave the boy a challenging smile. She knew what was going to happen.
And indeed, both the boy's horses took off running, kicking up sand in the process. They ran ahead of the group, racing their horses to whatever landmark Dequil had chosen. Kyra's smile flickered as she thought about riding a horse like that. Being so free. She wanted to race Dequil and prove the cocky little guy that just because she was a girl, there was no reason why she couldn't ride a horse. Of course, he never thought like that. He knew that she had just as much determination as he did and that she could do whatever she liked if she put her mind to it. But he still teased her about how she was supposed to be upright and delicate, just to annoy her.
However, Kyra took his words more seriously than he probably wanted her to. Although he was always joking, she still wanted to prove to him that she wasn't a little pretty decoration that so many girl's were in their old town. She was so much more than that.
"That boy is so restless," Kyra's mother muttered to herself. Kyra just smiled, then cuddled up to her mother and closed her eyes. She was exhausted and sweating from the heat, and her dress didn't help her cool off, either. She sighed as her mother's arm wrapped around her and she kissed her head before Kyra fell asleep, thinking about racing Dequil and laughing in his face when she beat him. She could picture him laughing with her, then tackling her down and they'd get into another one of their usual play fights.
~*~*~
When Kyra awoke, it was to sounds that she would have never thought she would ever hear. She was aware of her mother holding onto her tight, her face buried in her hair and weak whispers that were supposed to be comforting stringing from her lips. Kyra pulled back, sleepy and confused. However, when she saw her mother's pale face and wide eyes, she was fully awake.
"What's happening?" Kyra asked urgently, then turned to look out the window. It was night. The normally boiling desert was now full of cool sand and cool yet damp air. Many people dressed in all black were running past the carriage on black horses that blended in with their outfits. Kyra had heard of these men before — they were dark thieves; not normal thieves who just stole and ran. Instead, they stole and killed. They'd always kill their victim — or else capture them to train as their own or do some rather unmentionable things to them for their own amusement.
"Kyra, sit back in the seat or you'll catch their eye," Kyra's mother grabbed Kyra and forced her back.
"Why would I catch their eye?" Kyra questioned, looking back at her mother in confusion.
"Various reasons," her mother said quietly, then ran her hand along her daughter's cheek. The worry in her pale blue eyes alarmed Kyra even more than the people outside who were screaming and yelling and attacking the others. Kyra's mother was hardly ever scared, even in the most alarming situations.
"Like what?" Kyra asked.
Her mother shifted slightly and looked directly into her eyes. "You're wearing an expensive and fancy dress, you've got jewelry all over yourself, in your ears and around your wrist, you're a beautiful *young* girl, which will attract the men..." she trailed off and pulled Kyra into a hug, inhaling shakily.
"Why aren't they coming in here?" Kyra asked softly, clutching onto her mother in fear.
"They're saving it for last. It's where most of the belongings are."
Kyra jolted up. "We should run, mother."
Her mother licked her lips uncertainly, then gently shoved Kyra. "No. You must run."
Kyra blinked up at her mother in horror. "I can't leave you!" she gasped. "I can't just run without you!" She turned and glanced out the window. She ran up to it and stuck her head out. Where was Dequil?
She was beginning to panic when she didn't see him. Many people were getting mugged, then injected by something that Kyra did not know. She assumed it'd kill them, however. Her hands flew to her mouth as she stepped away from the window in horror. She heard her mother urge her to jump out of the carriage so she slowly moved to the door, feeling numb all over. Before she could jump out of the carriage, however, a boy looking a little older than her jumped inside, blocking her way. She screamed and stumbled back, into her mother, who wrapped her arms protectively around her and gave the boy a pleading look.
"Take whatever you want," her mother whispered, "But please don't hurt my daughter."
The boy cocked his head slightly, as if not understanding a word that was said to him. A small simper crept onto his lips which soon turned into a grin, showing off a row of perfect teeth. That was odd. Kyra expected thieves to be disgusting and dirty.
The boy walked up to Kyra and she almost choked when her mother tightened her hold on her. The boy kneeled down and placed a finger under Kyra's chin, forcing her to look at him. His eyes were an icy blue, piercing into her own. His grin widened.
"You're a pretty one, aren't you?" he hissed, then looked up at Kyra's mother, who's eyes were wide with fear.
"Please," she whispered, "Don't hurt her..."
The boy chortled softly and stood up, brushing his dark clothing off. He looked down at Kyra with a smile. "Where are the valuables, pretty one?"
Kyra said nothing, so her mother answered for her. "Under the seat and in the back."
The boy looked up at Kyra's mother with a dismissive look, then nodded. He grabbed Kyra's wrist and sneered at her mother, then let out a loud whistle.
"Please," Kyra's mother pleaded. "Don't hurt her..."
Dark thieves came piling in the carriage, all dressed the same as the boy with icy blue eyes. He pointed towards the seat and nodded, so the thieves immediately tore the top of the seat off and began stuffing everything they could get their gloved hands on in large black bags they carried. The boy looked down at Kyra with a dark smile, then he kneeled down beside her, tightening his grip on her wrist. "What's your name?" he asked.
Kyra said nothing. The boy responded with a frosty smile. He let go of Kyra's wrist and for a moment, she debated running, but she saw the boy move towards her mother. She turned to face them both, fear practically suffocating her.
"Tell me your name, girl, or your mother dies," the boy hissed, then grabbed Kyra's mother and held a dagger up to her neck. Kyra cried out in protest but the boy just stared at her expectantly.
Slowly, Kyra whimpered out, "Kyra, sir. Please, let go of my mother..."
The boy nodded and did indeed let go of her mother. "That's a beautiful name, pretty one. Now come, we're leaving." He grabbed Kyra's wrist again and tugged her out of the carriage. She began to scream in protest, wishing to stay with her mother, but the boy just picked her up and set her on a black horse. Tears ran down Kyra's face as the boy got up on the horse behind her and held her close to him so she wouldn't fall. She saw her mother stumble out of the carriage, looking directly at her.
"I love you!" Kya screamed. "Don't let them take me away from you! I don't want to lose you too!"
"Quiet," the boy hissed.
"I love you too, Kyra," her mother yelled back. Tears fell down her cheeks and mixed with the sand and this just made Kyra cry harder. She attempted to get off the horse, but the dark thief behind her just tightened his grip on her.
"Don't," he said firmly, and before Kyra even registered what was happening, they were trotting off with the rest of the dark thieves, who now all had bags full of valuables. They raced through the desert lands at such a quick speed Kyra was afraid the horse would stumble and she'd go flying off. She clutched onto the horses mane and buried her face in it to dry the tears, which just kept coming.
She was only fourteen. She didn't want to lose her mother, too. She couldn't handle it.
She glanced back at the boy behind her who was leaning forwards slightly so it was easier to ride the running horse. "Mister," she said quietly. The boy's eyes flickered down to meet hers and he raised an amused eyebrow. "Please let me go back. Please?"
The boy shook his head. "Can't do that, pretty one." He hesitated, then added as an afterthought, "And don't call me 'mister'. Call me Shade."
Shade. Strange name.
Kyra assumed it wasn't his real name — just his thief name for the little dark thief gang that he was part of. She let out a sigh and sniffled softly. Her hair, although adorned with jewels, was still blowing with the wind and probably slapping back against Shade. Her hair was long — dangling down near her waist. She started when she felt Shade's gloved hands touch her wrist. She looked down at her wrist to see him taking off her silver bracelet.
"No!" she whimpered, tearing her wrist out of his hold. "Don't!" she pleaded, but he just scoffed and grabbed her wrist again, this time more forcefully. She tried to rip her wrist out of his grip but his grasp was too firm. He slipped off the bracelet and dropped it into a pouch on his side.
"Help me take the rest off," he instructed as he worked on the earring in her left ear. Kyra almost laughed in disgust. Yeah right, like she'd help him. She waited as he took off the other earring, then worked on unclasping the necklace around her neck. She remembered the necklace that Dequil had made for her and was glad she had pocketed that away in the pockets under her dress. She hoped that Shade wouldn't search under her dress, because she'd rather die than have his hands anywhere under her dress.
"Why did you take me?" Kyra asked as he worked on taking the jewels out of her hair. He responded with a grunt, so she tried another question. "Where are you taking me?"
"We took you for various reasons," Shade said offhandedly, "Aside from the fact that you are just decorated with jewelry, you could make a fine thief. We're going to train you to be one of us." He finished dropping the jewels in the pouch, then he began to run his fingers through her hair to see if he missed any. This made Kyra stiffen and lean away from him. He chuckled in amusement.
"And we're taking you to the Cave. That's our hideout," he finished, then pulled his hands out of her hair. "Anything I missed, pretty one?" he asked, leaning towards her slightly, "Anything you aren't bothering you tell me about?"
"No," Kyra said coldly as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"You're ankles have any jewelry?" he asked, but Kyra just shook her head. "Do you have any rings?" he questioned, then suddenly grabbed her hand and examined her fingers. She tore her hand out of his grasp and shook her head.
"Feisty, aren't we?" he grinned. Kyra ignored him and glanced at the other dark thieves who were riding beside her. A small boy caught her eye — he was much younger than the others, probably around the age of nine. The others all looked fourteen to nineteen. Shade looked seventeen or so.
The little boy looked exhausted. His mask was pulled down around his neck and his eyes drooped slightly. He glanced up, as if feeling someone was watching him, and looked at Kyra. Their eyes locked and Kyra saw sympathy etched in his bright green eyes. He quickly looked away, as though ashamed. Kyra, too, looked away, ahead of her at the sand that passed by ever so quickly.
After about an hour of riding, Kyra felt sleep threatening to overtake her. She tried to say awake, but she ended up slumping back, leaning against Shade, and involuntarily, her eyes slipped closed.
*