Legend Mage: Fifth Fulfilment 1 (On Hold)

Chapter One

 As they weaved between the crowds, Taela wondered if there’d be work that afternoon. They could buy lunch, and have to choose between dinner and a roof over their heads if no more money came along, or try and find something free and count on a decent evening. The air was cold and the clouds were an ominous colour. If it snowed in the night and they didn’t have a room, odds were Xanir would catch something bad. Five coins wouldn’t buy anything even vaguely medicinal, and there was almost no chance an Aedenti would help them no matter what they offered – the magical force called the aedent that they harnessed was available only for the rich and powerful.

Her decision was interrupted by a furious tugging from Xanir. “Tae. Tae. Tae!”

“What?” Taela huffed in annoyance as she turned, but Xanir was already sprinting away. He snatched something off the ground and into his shirt, weaving between the crowds as he hurried back to her. He showed his find to Taela, grinning with evident pride. Held in his shirt were three plump bread rolls, from a tray just disappearing into the crowd. The girl holding the tray had her hair tied back with a piece of grey fabric, probably torn from the hem of a dress. She turned, and to Taela’s horror, looked right at them.

Taela only allowed herself a second to feel sorry for the girl. Although she’d never, the girl might not have a problem with saying Xanir had stolen them. She would still lose money for stolen rolls, but might still be able to get work somewhere else. If she did tell, then they’d both be pretty easy to spot since Taela couldn’t face abandoning their lucky find. And having both food and money at the same time made them a prime target for thieves. Nobody cared what kids did to each other, as long as they stayed on the streets and out of any regular person’s way.

The busy market streets were full of thieves, so dozens of patrols stood on street corners and walked past stalls, looking for some penniless kid to snatch. Taela and Xanir headed into an alleyway that wasn’t too full of trash to eat the rolls. Xan had a look of pure joy on his face as he bit into the bread.

“Ish sdill warm, Tae!” he forced out, hand over his mouth.

Taela began to giggle, and then for some reason his indignant, bread-filled face just got funnier and funnier. Before long, she was clutching at her stomach, tears rolling down her face. Xanir took the opportunity to snatch Taela’s half-eaten roll, and she squawked.

“Hey! Hand it over, Xan – I could report you,” she joked.

“Dash for la’ing. All mine ‘ow,” Xan insisted, mouth still full, although when Tae went to take it back she met only half-hearted resistance.

“You’ll make yourself sick eating like that,” she warned.

“Better than having it taken off me,” he replied as he finally swallowed, with a pointed look at Taela that made her start laughing again. When was the last time they’d joked like this?

“Like you can act annoyed at me for stealing, Xan,” she pointed out.

“True, but still. It’s not me who insists stealing is wrong. I expected better from you, Taela-Kel Vaisne.” Xan tutted in mock disappointment. Taela wished he’d act like this more often. It made everything seem a little brighter.

“If you’re going to use my full name, then I get to use yours, Xanir-Nal Vaisnen.”

“No you don’t, because my name’s stupid and yours isn’t.”

“I didn’t get to pick, Xan. It’s not my fault you hate it,” she replied. Suddenly, Tae realised how long they must have spent laughing together in the alley, and looked up. The bright Ilrian sun was about to disappear behind the roofs.