Magic Weaver

Chapter Two(v2)

The first floor was primarily used to entertain guests and host festivities. There was a mammoth room down the stairs, where three thrones stood at the back, for the king, queen, and the prince. Grand tables were displayed in front of them and rugs displaying peacocks led to the front door, a sheet of warped glass, tipped at the top and split down the middle. Cedric went to the side of the main door and behind a curtain to an area carefully concealed. In the area stood a small metal door, and a guard. Cedric gritted his teeth in distaste, for standing in front of the door was none other than Rafe. Below a long narrow nose, Rafe made a slight movement with his thin lips as his eyes locked on Cedric. It looked like a passing snarl, but it was gone before Cedric could be sure. He bowed before Rafe, hoping that the added sign of respect (only a nod was necessary) would keep away any potential difficulties.  

"What do you want?" Rafe snapped impatiently.  

"I need to get out," Cedric explained, and handed Rafe the cook's list. "Sir."  

Rafe looked over the piece of paper, scanning it for any sign of fraud. "Fine." He relented after a moment. He reached into his pocket to fetch something and held out his hand expectedly. Cedric placed his hand in Rafe's and felt as unpleasant shiver run down his spine. His hand felt scaly and slimy, like a cross between a snake and a slug. Rafe pulled out a ring and rolled it onto Cedric's finger. Cedric studied the mysterious ring intently, trying to catch the secret. For some reason Rafe was the only person that could remove the servant's ring. It was a mysterious object; the cook told him that when the ring was on a servant's finger, Rafe always knew where that servant was. It seemed impossible, but Cedric somehow believed it. There had to be something stopping servants from running away, and a reason that a ring was necessary to get outside the castle. As Cedric's attention was elsewhere, Rafe crushed Cedric's wrist and pulled him closer to look Rafe straight in the eye. Cedric cried out but didn't struggle against him, for he knew it was useless.  

"Listen to me, you." He snarled. "I know it was you that messed with my stuff, you stupid troublesome rat. You better not try anything out there."  

"I-I won't. I promise." Cedric stuttered while staring into Rafe's dark eyes. How did Rafe find out it was him? He needed to be more careful next time. But, unlike Rafe was threatening him about, he never pulled stunts outside the castle, as he didn’t want to risk the small freedom he enjoyed so much. "Sir."  

Rafe released Cedric, and Cedric stumbled backward, catching himself right before he fell. His breath was light, frightened, as he looked up at Rafe. He wondered, for the first time in his life, if breaking all these rules was worth it. Rafe was becoming unstable, overly frustrated, and that would come back to bite him eventually. Things were going to spiral out of control if he wasn’t careful.   

"Be back by sunset." Rafe added as an afterthought, though it was unnecessary. The greatest law among servants, the one law that meant automatic death was being out after dark.  

Rafe reluctantly stepped aside to let Cedric pass. "If you try anything, there will be hell to pay." Rafe's fiery eyes assured Cedric the severity of that hell to pay. Any plans or plots washed from his mind, paling away into oblivion. Perhaps it was time he and Jack pulled back a bit from all the trouble. Cedric was dangerously close to being culled. Cedric inched past Rafe, his eyes on Rafe's hand, waiting for that hand to shoot out and grab him by the throat.  

Once past, Cedric rushed down the castle steps and breathed a sigh of satisfied relief. He looked back to the castle door, and pulled on the ring on his finger. As always, it gripped his digit tightly and refused to release. He hated that ring on his finger, that small band that kept him away from his freedom. If it didn’t exist, Cedric could run, run as fast as he could and be gone. Around him in the castle square endless forms swirled about on stone streets and cobblestone sidewalks, below crumbling metal buildings that once rose to the sky. Carriages flocked the streets, led by horses as others walked by foot on the sidewalks. All that passed looked up to the castle with a mixture of awe and envy, the ladies with their dresses that hugged slim waists with a full domed skirt, and the gentlemen that sported shirts with various collars and sometimes neckties tied into a bow underneath black waistcoats. A few especially rich men even wore black top hats upon their heads, which Cedric found ridiculously humorous. Although the city looked marvelously wealthy and fantastic here, the wealthy resided nearest to the castle, in the inner circle. As the city Yashu fanned out, the poverty became immediately apparent. Even here, in the corners of the streets, men with tattered clothes eyed the wealthy sullenly, looking for a victim to pickpocket. In the middle of the square was a magic weaver, moving various objects as a performance while another in the background waited to steal from those that stopped to observe. Cedric shook his head at the chaos, and walked on into a narrow street lined by buildings.