Tearha: Deck of Clover

Prologue: Epitaphs

"When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes, they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home." - Tecumseh

"Lua! Lua!" The voice of her brother echoed through the house.

She stood before her mirror, a tiny reflective thing that sat on a small wooden dresser. Light shone through the patterned oceanic weaves of her curtains, caressing the fishes of creases in the wooden walls. Her black vest hugged the white undershirt as she pulled the two sides together to close the jade buttons. Once done, she pulled the two onyx green-lined gloves onto her hands and up to her elbows. Finally, she smoothed the creases in her red and green-edged pleated skirt.

"Lua Orniter!" Her brother shouted again. Full name meant frustration. Full name meant being close to being chewed out. "It's the first day of the new school year! Don't make us be late again!"

"Just a few more minutes!" She yelled back.

She swept aside the left of her medium blonde hair, revealing her poking elf ears. On her dresser sat an ear clip patterned by a pair of emerald clover leaves layered to look like the wings of a butterfly. She took the clip to her ear where it played a role in holding back her hair. Her uniform was now set. Pristine, pressed and glancing. She was to be that. 'Best foot forward' was what her parents used to say. The first day of school was calling her.

"Lua!"

She winced. The first day sounded an awful lot like her brother.

The only other furniture in he room was a bed. And on that bed waited a pair of sheathed swords connected by chains and leather straps. She slung one strap across her right shoulder and buckled its extension at her waist. With one final slip-on of her boots, she charged out of her room, ready for school.

Down the old creaking stairs of her home and out the door into the Twins' dawn light, the streets barely whispering its waking around her as the capitol of Aleynonlia started its day. Waiting outside their modest two stories wooden shophouse was her brother, short blond hair styled spiked and his uniform set to the same colour scheme as hers'. It was worn as a neat suit with black leather shoes shined to a mirrored perfection. He held a large round shield in his off-hand, a curved scabbard poking out the bottom edge. Her brother had gotten more of their mother, with his eyes the shining green known of wood elves while she inherited their father's human blue. But they both had the same lesson. 'Best foot forward'.

His eyes scrunched. "It's the new school year, Lua. I don't want to be late for our first day. Again."

"Quinton Orniter, will you relax?" she casually rebuffed. She looked to the sunrise barely peeking out above the eastern horizon. "We have plenty of time. Besides, there's that new kid who's joining us. I bet he's late too."

Quin huffed and adjusted his emerald cufflinks before turning away from her. He began walking north towards the castle as she chuckled and followed after her oversensitive brother.

The Kingdom of Aleynonlia was held as the jewel of the world, and its capitol, the City of Aleynonlia, was the foremost metropolis of magic. Stone streets were sided with lines pulsing a soft yellow glow – of conductive cryst wires – all leading up to lamps of crystals shining a gentle white. As the siblings walked down the waking streets, the lamp lights started fading .The crystals held within the glass orbs slowly returned to their translucency, signalling the break of dawn. The trees that separated the middle of the roadway rustled with a rolling breeze. Bright flowers of yellows, reds, and pinks, fell with the first leaves of spring. Fresh seasonal scent whiffed by.