Daye (complete)

The Tavern

    SHE found Luca and Petrouli sitting next to a bonfire, poring over a copy of the prophecy. They looked up in shock as Decide approached, wearing the now-dirty golden dress, carrying her shoes and old clothes in her arms.

"Decide!" Luca cried, rushing up to help her. He took her items from her, and helped her to sit down beside the warm fire. Decide shivered, goosebumps appearing on her bare arms. The beautiful dress wasn't much protection against the cold.

"Petrouli told me what happened. Ah- kidnapped by the royals? How did you even manage to escape?" Luca whispered.

"There was... a man. At the ball," Decide breathed. "He called himself Lord Astern. He offered to help me escape. He- he used magick! It was crazy!"

"Magick?" Petrouli asked, interested. "What kind of magick? Did you see?"

Decide shook her head. "No, I couldn't really tell what kind. He made the lights go out in the ballroom, then teleported me outside."

The young boy paused, thinking. "Hmm. I mean, that doesn't sound like any typical kind of magick to me. It's certainly not water, earth, or fire magick. I doubt it's lyte magick either. So it could be wind or darke. Wait- what did he look like?" he looked up at the huntress.

"He looked human. Dark hair, purple eyes, pale skin."

"Purple eyes? That's rare. But no pointed ears or horns?"

"Not that I saw. He came pretty close to me, too. He looked like a regular human."

"Huh." Petrouli thought a bit longer. "If he's a human, it's possible he could be a sorcerer. But I don't know of any pale-skinned sorcerers around here- they usually stay in the east. He could also be fae. But they are reclusive- and none of them have been seen for thousands of years."

"Fae, huh?" Decide pondered. Fae were a mystical, magical people, immortal and powerful. Their ancient kingdom used to be one of the most powerful- but then they'd gone into hiding, never to be seen again. No one knew why they disappeared, or what had even happened to them.

Many assumed they were hunted by the terrible wights, another ancient, powerful race, who commanded black magick. The wights were a terrible people, preying on the weaker races to eat and enslave. Luckily, they did not venture outside of their dark kingdom, far to the west of the human's capital city. Like fae, they had not been seen for thousands of years, but that was because the humans were too terrified to go near them.

"It's possible he is a descendant of an ancient race. Maybe he is a demi-human, that's why he can disguise himself as one. Ah, but then why would he parade around a royal ball as a lord? I don't understand..." Petrouli mused, still wondering about the mysterious lord.

"It doesn't really matter," Decide sighed. "I'm just tired. Shall we return to the inn, then, Luca?"

"I suppose. No offence, Petrouli, but my back hurts from sleeping on the ground a lot. I'd prefer a soft bed. Especially since we are paying for it."

"Whatever. I'll be here, like always, if you need me," the young kid grumbled, then stalked to his wagon, slamming the door.

"What's his problem?" Decide wondered.

"Teenage hormones," Luca guessed.

Back at the inn, the two companions traipsed sleepily upstairs, followed by several not-very-appropriate comments about Decide's cleavage. A glint of her silver dagger had shut up the old men, and they continued without another word.

"Ah, good, our stuff's still here," Decide breathed happily. Inns were not the most secure places in the world. Thieves had a habit of breaking into rooms at night. Especially unguarded ones, like theirs.