The Dark Knight

Chapter 6

I had stayed with Caia until late at night brushing her black mane and talking on a soft voice. I knew that she could understand me in someway, for she would shake her head as if agreeing. Often though it was definitely her disagreeing. Her eyes seemed even darker gray when the sun had started its decent.  We were different in my ways. I was colorless with my white hair, skin, and gray eyes. She was dark like the night sky. The only thing we really had in common was our eyes.

Soon the sun was gone and with it my energy. I had always loved to moon and stars but my body was never happy with me when I stayed up all night looking at them. I gave Caia one last pet before heading off to bed.

I wore the most comfortable clothes I had been given and climbed into the silk sheets. My head hit the pillow and my consciousness faded away.

Pieces of land floated everywhere making small islands in a sea of chaos. Water drifted by in blobs as big as an elephant. I walked as one could in this destroyed land, carefully. I jumped up onto a small island of grass and flowers from which I then knew immediately where I was from my view of a giant clock.

"Really White? You know if Malcolm sees me I'll have a lot of problems. All because you got lonely." I turned around that glared at the boy behind me. His white hair was beyond messy and his white top hat was pointed to the side. He attempted to straighten his white bow tie but it only got more messed up. His suit was also messy and all white. The only thing that held any color on him was his bright red eyes. Even the eyelashes that graced his cheeks were white.

"We'll just have to hope that Malcolm guy doesn't come to check on you. Also, it's your fault I'm lonely. Not summoning me for months at a time, letting me just stay here stuck in this realm. Do you know want kind of toll that takes on a man's sanity?"

I broke down laughing. I couldn't help it. "You are the god of Chaos! You created this realm! You are the symbol of insanity!"

A smile broke across White's face. "You have a point Isabelle. Just summon me once and awhile. I get bored here."

"Will do. Can you send me back now?"

I jolted awake in my bed and threw the covers off. My legs felt as though they were made of jelly and my skin too tight. Inter-realm travel had always this effect on me.

Dim light streamed into my room through the plain curtains hung lazily over the small windows. I stumbled my way over to them and yanked them open. The light was only slightly brighter so it didn't hurt my eyes. The light and I had never been that nice to each other. That's why I had chosen Spruga as my home after Atka fell. I was 6 years old when everything crumbled. Now at age 13 I'm leaving the only other place I called home. My eyes scanned the city, the noble homes, shops, brothels, slums, and the old house.

Planks covering the holes were windows used to be. The paint either chipped or so worn down you could barely tell it had been there. The roof had fallen in years ago. The House was gone. I had no attachment keeping me in this god forsaken city yet here I am. Now I have to leave.

I dressed in plain traveling clothes with mud brown cloak dropped over my shoulders. Once we got out of Spruga I planned to put on my hood. I don't want to be known everywhere I go since that could make undercover/running away hard.

I headed down to the stables and found Malcolm brushing his horse, Oynx. According to Malcolm he didn't like other people or horses very much but Oynx doesn't seem to bad to me.

I fastened my saddle bag which held the few clothes Malcolm had given me, my knife, and the supplies that would be necessary when we got to the campsite.

I climbed onto Caia and we headed out of Spruga. People streamed out into the streets as we passed them and cheered. I pulled my hood farther over my eyes. Malcolm rolled his eyes, "You shouldn't hide from them. You are now a symbol of this glorious country and these are its people. You really have no manners do you, Isabelle?"

I scoffed, "Manners did nothing for me on the streets. And this country isn't exactly glorious."

He glanced and me and I simply brought a piece of hair out from under my hood and tugged on it. He seemed to realize what he had said and turned away quickly. I chuckled, the people of Paros were so ignorant. They were quick to turn and blind eye to the horrors their country had committed.

~•~
We had been riding for about a day when we reached Perth. It was a small market town that was the halfway point on our journey. I had visited Perth a few times when The House was still in commission.

Malcolm booked two rooms at the Perth Inn and we went into our rooms. "We leave at first light, be ready to go. Try to get as much sleep as you can we have another long day of riding ahead of us."

I sat down on my bed and looked out the window. I let out a long sigh and stood up. I still had my cloak on so I just headed back out. I wouldn't be sleeping just yet. Plus? I had nothing to unpack since we were leaving tomorrow. I wandered the streets looking at all the stalls that had been shut down for the night. It wasn't long ago I had been sleeping in an old stall.

I reached the dark alley way located on the nice part of town. A lone light shone from a shop and I headed towards it. William's Mask Shop the worn out sign read. I pushed open the door.and the bell rung. The shop appeared to be empty but voice rang out from the back, "Sorry but we're closed for the night!"

An old man with gray hair that seemed to have been caught in a tornado came out of the back wringing his hands on a oil stained cloth. I pulled down my hood, "What about for an old friend, William?"

William's voice seemed to get caught in his throat, "I-Isabelle?"

"Nice to see you too," William made masks for all of those in The House so he was a dear friend. I knew he didn't have anything to do with the attack but I still hadn't made contact.

William regained his voice but not his confidence, "Are you here to kill me?"

I laughed but like all of my laughs it was forced, "Now what reason would I have to do such a thing? You didn't have anything to do with the attack now did you?"

"No! Of course not!" William shouted.

"Then I have no reason to cause you harm," I stated, "Now, shall we get down to business? I need a mask and quickly. I leave at first light.  Can you do that?"

William leaned forward over the counter separating us, "I have a mask for you already. Toby had it commissioned only a few days before the attack. He knew that you'd end up in my shop eventually. You've always been sentimental, Isabelle."

"I am not sentimental! I want to see this mask," my thought ran at a million miles per hour. Toby had a mask commissioned for me?

Toby was the leader of the house and like a big brother to me. He had died in the attack on The House. I can still see his brown hair matted with blood and his chocolate eyes drained of all life.

I snapped out of my thoughts as William placed and box in my hands. With shaking hands I lifted the lid off and stared at the mask. It was a black half face one with white lines. I pulled it on and it adhered to my face fitting perfectly. I could still breathe normally and and my speech wasn't impaired.

I took the mask off and William asked, "Do you like it?"

I my voice came out softly, "It's brilliant."

~•~
Any one think that they have Isabelle's past figured out? There's a lot more to come for her. Just a reminder, she's 13.