4Chapter One
Ugh.
My head hurt. Like, somebody smashed it with a rock, hurts. Maybe I fell off my cot in my tent. Yeah, that is a logical explanation. Yawning, I rubbed my eyes. They were heavy with sleep. If it were up to me, I would sleep until noon and not give a crap about it. Ah, my crazy fantasies. What kind of leader sleeps while their people do all the work?
Ok. I can list quite a few. But that's besides the point! The point is, I am not one of those leaders. My band of thieves comes before me one hundred percent. They were like a family to me. I cared deeply about every single one of those murderous, cheating, tricky little prats.
I took a deep breath, expecting the earthy scents of my home. Well, my current home. We tended to move from place to place a lot. Instead my nose inhaled a lemon soap scent, and it was slightly musty, as if there was no way any air except what was already in there could enter. No fresh air, earth, or noisy campmates. What the hell?
I sat up, and immediately began to panic. A millions questions swirled in my mind. Where was I? Why was I here? Where were my band mates? Were they ok? In this state, though most would be whipping there head side to side, there eyes wild with fright, I simply closed mine. After a few minutes, when I could clearly grasp the world, I opened them again.
I wasn't on the floor of my small tent. No, defiantly not. I wasn't even in camp. I wasn't even in the forest. I was in a small room that contained only a small bed with white cotton sheets, and a table bearing a pitcher of water and soup. The walls were stone, as was the floor. Small windows let light in. It was a simple room, but the carvings on the wood, the type of stone surrounding me, and the real glass windows told me I was not in some simple peasants room. No, I was in the room of somebody wealthy…and that meant I probably stole from them at least once in my life. And to top it all off…
I honestly had no idea where I was at.
I examined the room more carefully. That's when I spotted my savior. A door was on the opposite side of the room. It was an exit. I was about to open it, to rush out and run, until I realized a good strategist always plans ahead. My mind began calculating at once. Step by step my mind planned out my direction of action.
I was in a room with the only escape routes the windows and the door. The windows were just large enough to fit my small frame. They might make a much better escape than walking out of the door like some prepped up princess who could go wherever she wanted without having somebody point to her and say 'Look! It's Aloysia, the Scorpion! Somebody, call the GUARDS!'.
Ok, so that's only happened to me about three times out of one hundred, but that is because I am careful and I don't strut through town like a hero.
Ok, maybe just a little bit. Only when I am feeling really angry, or cocky, though. Other than that I am a shadow. As small and deadly as a Scorpion.
Now it's time to get back on topic. I looked out the high window. My face showed apparent disgust. The window was at least three stories high. What kind of place was three stories high? Who knows. That means the door is my only exit.
I began to plan my escape. First I should eat the food on the table. I could use the energy. It would also be wise to gather up any useful supplies. That really only meant the blankets. I ate up the food on the table and drank the whole pitcher of water. When I finally managed to bundle up the blankets in an easy to carry but unnoticeable way, I was as close to prepared as I could get. I found my courage, which wasn't hard, and slowly began inching the door open. I then swung it open and leaped outside.
I was in a long corridor of stone. Everything was stone. The floor was made of pale cobble stone. The walls were smooth granite carved up into a pointy arch. There was glassless window in triangular shapes along the entire length of the corridor. Framing the sides of each window were delicate stone pillars connected to the walls. A few scarlet tapestries hung on the walls. The corridor ended at a large space. I couldn't see what was inside. I just had to get to the end. I began walking forward silently.
Two maids ruined my escape plan. They looked like they had been going to 'my' room. One of them, a pretty maid with blonde hair and blue eyes, was holding an outfit identical to the one she was wearing. The other one, a plump girl with a friendly face, was carrying a tray with more soup and water. Both of them smiled at me. I froze.
"Hello! Look at you, all healthy and ready to go! I'm sure the queen will be happy to see that you can leave this room today. She's been fussing over you for the past three days! We were hoping today would be the day. Well, now you're better. Say, what's you name? I'm Clarissa and this here is Kallista." the plump girl, Clarissa, said these words in the matter of seconds. She said them in a quick, excited way, but still every word was crystal clear.
"You can just call me Kali" Kallista mumbled under her breath. I smiled.
"My name is A-" I cut myself off. There was only one Aloysia in the kingdom. The thief. She would be recognized immediately. "mystery. My name is a mystery." I corrected myself. Seriously, though. My 'correction' deserved a face palm. Scratch that. A double face palm. Yep. Come on, you have to agree. Well, you don't have to. God! You keep distracting me from my story.
"Oh come ON!" Clarissa pleaded.
"Fine. My name is Sia"
"Oh, how pretty."
"Yea…." I mumbled. It wasn't even my name. Nobody called me it. I might have said my name was Annie and that I hooked up with nobles in my free time. I'm sure they would have believed either story.
"You have to get dressed now" Kali told me. Her voice was like a whisper in the wind. Whimsical and quiet. As she handed me a plain dress with a colored waist and cuffed sleeves, I wrinkled my nose. A dress? A dress..?
"Oh no! You can't expect me to wear that." I shuddered.
"What's wrong with it?"
"It's a dress!"
"Why of course it's a dress. You are a lady, aren't you?"
"No. I'm not. Well I am, but not one that wears dresses. I demand pants and a tunic." My voice took on a deadly hush, usually reserved for when I was killing, stealing, or wanting to be damn convincing. Clarissa immediately sprinted off to find me some appropriate clothing. I nearly giggled in delight. Heck, but real thieves don't giggle. When you find one that does, call me.
Kali brought me into the room where I began eating my food. She coughed and I looked up from my bowl.
"I know you're new to being a maid, so le-" I cut her off with a yelp of indignation. A maid? No, I was a robber. I'm not even sure how I got here. They had no right to put me under service, and from what Clarissa said, I was to serve the royal family.
"No, no. There must be some mistake here. You see, I am just a villager. I come across money my own way. I have no wish to be a maid, and you have no right to make me one."
"No. I don't. But the Queen, King, and Prince do. Don't you know about the Veega Code?"
"Umm….no?" Kali looked like she was ready to slap me. I raised my eyebrows as she sighed. The sigh was deep, as if it took every ounce of control not to shove a rule book in my face and tell me that I need to learn the freaking rules. For one so pretty, she seemed to have problems. I couldn't judge, though, because I have only shared a few minutes of conversation with her.
"The Veega code states, that if any member of the court, including the lower class nobles. Saves the life of another, they have permission, and the right, to put them under service for up to two years. They can let you out sooner, but the limit is two years." she explained.
"What the hell? Nobody saved my life! I don't even know how I got into this stupid cell. Where am I?" I screamed at her. Anger came over me like a giant wave of water. Clenching my fists, I glared daggers at Kali.
"You are in the royal palace. You have been for the past three days."
"Well that's all fine and dandy. And why, exactly, am I hear?" It was funny how quickly my voice returned to its cool, usual tone. I had sudden anger spurts occasionally. I could hear Kali sigh in relief. Her pale blonde hair swished around her shoulders and she stood up.
"That's one story you're going to have to get else where."
"Where are you going" I demanded.
"I have chores to do today. I, unlike Clarissa, wasn't excused from my duties. She will give you the tour. And be nice to her. She is the friendliest girl you will ever meet, and if you say one harsh thing to her, I will hurt you" Kali replied without even turning around. She walked out of the room without another word.
I clamped a hand over my mouth the keep from laughing. Who did this girl think she was? She was a maid. I was a trained murderer. She thinks her idle threats, cold stares, and blonde hair make her the bomb. Ya right. She didn't stand a chance.
I sat in the room for what I though was around ten minute before Clarissa came back. In her hands she held a dark green tunic, brown leggings, sturdy brown boots, and a brown belt. I smiled my thanks and took the clothes inside to change.
They were similar to what I used to wear, but the materials were sturdier in a way that was still flexible. These clothes were made to last. I pulled the pants on and slid the tunic over my slender body. The clothes were comfortably tight. I laced my boots on over my feet and buckled the belt around my waist on the outside of my tunic.
I looked in the water pitcher. My refection shimmered on the surface. I looked at myself as I braided my black hair down my back. I examined my indigo eyes framed my long black lashes, my creamy skin, my soft pink lips and small nose, hoping to find comfort in the one and only thing familiar here. I never thought myself as beautiful, but everybody always told me that they had never seen anybody compare to me. I disagreed. Kali was most defiantly more pretty than me.
I then walked outside to where Clarissa was meeting me. I guess I was stuck in this position until I could find a way out of it. Trust me, I would most defiantly find a way out of this prison. Trust me, darling.
Authors Note: I am soooo sorry about not having this up. The computer I had it on crashed and it just recently got fixed. I then had to finish some thoughts on it and try to correct most of the grammar.
Thank you to my reviewers. Compliments are awesome, and I appreciate criticism. ;)
I'm sorry this chapter is short. Well, short to me. And boring. You have to have one chapter that gets you introduced to the theme. If you couldn't tell, the story is being told from the POV of the girl who was pushed off the bridge. She also had some memory loss of that night...and the nights before that because of her injury. How she ended up at the castle, you'll have to wait ;)