Mirages- Chapter One

Chapter One:1

A wave of silvery hair cascaded down her bent head, falling in a thin sheet around her pale blue eyes. Delicate arms wrapped around her slender waist, she retreated deep inside herself, allowing a soothing humming noise to begin coming from her pursed lips, echoing into a shrieking crescendo that hurt her own ears. The fright Kastel was feeling equaled to nothing she had ever felt before, and the extremity of that left the young seer breathless with fright.2

Opening her eyes, she peered through the curtain of silvery hair, pale eyes blurry with unshed tears. Brushing the hair out of her way, Kastel moved to her feet, heart hammering against her chest as she slipped through the partially open door and into the dim moonlight.3

Shadows danced in a myriad of patterns across the slightly sloping ground, leaves crunching under her lightly booted feet. A vague, dusty path wove through the silvery trunks of the trees. The sky shone with a deep, indigo sheen, casting dim rays of moonlight and starlight against the ground. The drooping branches of the oaks and pines cast longer shadows across the already scantly illuminated ground.4

Lightly brushing the smooth bark, Kastel shook back her mane of silvery, almost white, hair, moonlight illuminating her fragile, slender form. Quickening her pace, she moved through the trees, their shadows dancing across her, descending the evenly carven stone steps, cool and smooth beneath her feet.5

Intricate carvings were etched into the stone walls around her, depicting the ancestry of queens and kings of the present and past, a full, detailed history of the royal family. The importance of her mission momentarily forgotten, Kastel paused to breathe in the fresh, fragrance of the late spring evening, rubbing her hand along the drawing and muttering names as she went, awed that the ancient carvings had been so successfully preserved. 6

It was an awful thing that such a shadowy presence was abroad on this wonderful night, but alas fate and evil would not stop nor pause for anybody or anything. It cared nothing for life, and beauty, a part of life itself, was the most hated form of life, something that was admired by everyone, a position evil believed should rightfully belong to itself.7

Feeling another tide of terror sweep past her, Kastel quickened her pace; intent once more on confiding her recent visions with the queen she faithfully served. Moving soundlessly over a drawbridge surrounding the moat, she glanced apprehensively down at the murky waters swirling in confused circles. The disturbance seemed to be caused by small fish, though this did nothing to ease her sudden, unreasonable, unexplainable doubt. Averting her gaze to the arched, wooden door guarded by the four, leathered guards, she took a deep breath to steady herself.8

Glancing warily at her approach, they made certain of her identity before stepping aside wordlessly, motioning for her to proceed. Inclining her head in thanks, Kastel slipped into the chill shadows.9

Firelight flickered from the torches, casting pale shadows across the cold stone floor and moving through the dimly illuminated corridor. The chill of the warm passage left a gap of fear in her heart, bringing up an unfamiliar lump of dread. Could it be true? Her visions were seldom wrong, had never been wrong at that, but could she have misinterpreted it? One mistake would be the death of her, or more importantly the world, but the half-Elvin seer was certain that no mistake had been made.10

After almost seemingly hours of walking through the darkness, Kastel stared apprehensively at the metal door of the queen, hands coming up reluctantly to knock silently on the door. From behind it, she heard the rustle of the nightgown and the slender robes cloaking the other female as the door was opened, a crack of light shooting from the door. Not even asking why there was such urgency in Kastel’s quiet, calm blue eyes, the queen motioned for her to come in.11

Inhaling deeply the sweet, perfumed scent, Kastel puzzled how best to put it, embracing the queen warmly before entering her personal chambers.12

A window was open, the gentle breeze playing amongst the silky curtains. Rustling and dancing about, they seemed to hide things behind them, deep in the shadows of the night. Moonlight scattered across the floor in teasing shadows. Night's chill reined.13

Pulling her cloak closer to her, Kastel slipped to the bed, focusing her attention on the queen. "It's happened.” In the whispers of the night, Kastel's voice seemed hoarse and insignificant. 14

"I've seen it,” she continued, glancing up to see dread filling the queen's eyes. 15

"The shadows have come?” The queen's question was simply put and plain, but even this simple way of saying it, the enormity of what it suggested brought back the lump of dread to her throat and the chill. 16

"Only a child can save us...but a child that has nothing left to live for, a child that has had her parents taken away from her, and her brother too. She thinks its her fault, and she doesn't know the possibility of what would happen if her heart grew darker than it is.” Turning to look at queen, Kastel saw an imperceptible nod, and understood that the queen was following her well. Apprehensively, she continued. "I must go with an Elvin Hunter...Jwerin. She has been taken by the dark already. We must travel to the rebuilt, dark empire of Kurl.” The queen's gasp added to the chill in Kastel's heart.17

"Kurl?” The queen said it as a question, not a statement, but she needed no assuring that her ears had heard properly. The slight nod of Kastel was enough for her. "So it's been rebuilt,” the queen murmured, her words almost lost in the silent whispering of the night wind.18

For long a moment, the grief in the queen's eyes was plain and vivid. The Elvin Queen, who had never given up on any task, who had a heart equal to that of the former queens, was losing whatever nerve and dignity she had gathered over the years. At last, she glanced up into the pale eyes of Kastel, whispering. "Go now, Kastel. I will speak to you again in the morning". Kastel inclined her head, slipping out of the dimly illuminated room and into the shadows of the cold corridor. 19

A cold chill bit through the early-morning air, absent of the familiar warmth. Shivering, Aerian felt a rush of wariness sweep over her, borne of her own unreasonable doubts. Pulling the gray, thin cloak closer to her, Aerian absently stared up the silvery trunk of the great oak, scooting closer to its warmth. The silver branches draped over her as if they were her mother's protective arms, guarding her against all evil. Satisfied, Aerian bent her head in weariness, slipping deep into the realm of slumber.20

The shadows tightened about her, closing in around her on all corners, teasing her with faint glimmers of sunlight that could only be seen, not felt. Its chill was impenetrable by even the brightest sunlight, and it settled deeper into Aerian's heart as if it belonged there. In the deepest recesses of her mind, it seemed to Aerian that the darkness was a comfortable thing, soothing her with its damp chill. And then the sun broke through the darkness, dancing painfully across her eyelids.21