Eyes of Emerald

Prologue

NOTE: So later in the story, Keira changes to Angel because I haven't finished the second draft and all that. ALSO if you want the New & Improved version of this, look for the chapters at the end of the book with (2) in their names.

THE NIGHT WAS BLACK, and the huge, imposing fortress looming above the city of Danute cast a shadow, blocking out the night sky. Its dark obsidian walls seemed to absorb all light, like a huge black hole. Nothing could escape it. It seemed to watch over the city imperiously, like it could see all of the secrets of the city.

                 A cloaked figure slipped from shadow to shadow like they were made of darkness itself. The only sign that they was alive was the golden eyes, shining bright against the dark of the hood. She was clearly a woman - her cloak did nothing to hide her slender figure. She  held a bundle, wrapped tightly in a blanket embroidered with a crown and the initials A. B sewn in gold. A pair of curious golden eyes stared out from beneath the blanket. The sound of marching filled the air.

                She dived behind a pile of barrels, ready to be taken to the wine-maker the next morning, as a patrol of guards marched by, making sure that nobody was out after hours. The penalty for that was death. The King kept a strict order over that, ensuring there was no rebellion.

                Her golden eyes watched warily as the guards passed, and after the sound of their footsteps had given way to silence once more, she ran to the porch of a house, tall and rickety like it was about to fall at any moment.

                The bundle in her arms yawned, reaching a small, plump arm up to the stars. It was quickly retracted as the woman reached a slender hand and pushed the hand back under the blanket. A small gurgle came from the blankets.

                The woman looked around, before sprinting to the gloom underneath the city walls, crouching under the platform for the Watchers and Archers to keep the city protected. She gazed up at the feet of one who held his bow tightly in his hand as he surveyed the area around him. He was obviously new to the guard - his knees shook ever so slightly, and his posture was stiff and tight, unlike the weathered, old guards who had been doing it all their lives. He looked as though he was just out of his teens with his long hair and slightly pockmarked neck.

                She crept along the wall to the gates, where two more Guards stood, their spears at the ready in case any predator came running. They were trained - the woman knew them. Shades were always the best guards - they could melt into the shadows and almost disappear unless you knew where to look. They were creatures of the night, ruthless and unpredictable. No wonder the King found them perfect for the job.

                The woman took a deep breath, holding the baby tighter to her, golden eyes determined. She knew there was no chance of getting past the Shades unseen - she would have to use force. Her eyes narrowed. They didn't know what was coming for them.

                She reached up and pulled off their hood with one hand, revealing pale, almost translucent skin that was marred by a large purple bruise on her neck. Long reddish gold curls spilled over her shoulders. She was thin, malnourished, and her golden hair seemed to be lacking lustre, as if it had not been washed for a long time. She held out a hand to the two Guards, a tear escaping her eye.

              She took a running leap at the men, her body rippling and the cloak forming dark feathers, her golden hair getting shorter and shorter until she had a grey head, a bright yellow beak and russet-red feathers under her wings. She flew at the Guards, knocking them over with a caw, and they cried out, reaching for their weapons.

        But their moment of surprise had been enough. Where the red kite was a moment ago, the woman now stood, the edges of her cloak ragged and torn. Her lip curled and she glared hard at the Guards before turning and breaking into a sprint.

                She ran through the gates, not stopping when she heard the sleepy shouts of the Archers when they saw her. Arrows whistled past her as she ran to the edge of the forest, where she knew she would be safe. The city-dwellers didn't dare enter the forest, for they believed it to be full of evil spirits. But she didn't care.

                Suddenly she was knocked off her feet by an arrow that had found its mark. A small cry escaped her mouth as she put a hand over the wound where the arrow still pierced her skin. Warm blood leaked from the side of the arrowhead that was buried in her flesh. She gritted her teeth, squeezing the baby before pushing herself up and beginning to limp through the dark. She heard shouts through the night and clutched the baby closer like it was a lifeline. It gurgled again, the sound carrying through the night.

                She winced, snapping off the arrow shaft, leaving only the metal arrowhead and a few inches of wood left inside her body. The baby began to cry, sensing that something was wrong.

                Gasping, she stumbled the last few metres to the edge of the forest. She turned, looking up at the huge castle and raised her chin defiantly. The Guards chasing her stopped running, and watched as she raised her hand one last time.

                "He will never find my daughter. He will never find her." she hissed at the Guards, before whipping her cloak around her and throwing down some sort of glowing stone, which caught the dry grass on fire and exploded.

        By the time the Guards had escaped the flames, the woman and her child were gone.